IIn 1990 was given the opotunity to travel and work in Kharkov now named kharkiv.It is the second largest city in The Ukraine.I jumped at the offer to teach English in The Intitute of Radio Electronics,Kharkov.
The journey to get there fom Helsinki meant an overnight train,Helsinki-Moscow.The train was actually a Finnish train named Sibelius,after the famous Finnish composer,Jean Sibelius.This meant the service was good and of European standards,food wise I mean.After a day in Moscow,where I was met by guide,I boarded a further train from Moscow-Kharkov.I was now on the old Russian Rolling stock:carriages were cramped and there was no food or water to purchase.I tried the toilet taps for water,but a kind of yellow grunge came out.To get a drink we had to jump off the train at differing stations,and run like hell to buy a bottle and get back on the train before it departed.Miss the train meant a 24 hour wait for the next one.
Arrival in Kharkov(Ukraine)
On arrival in Kharkov,I was escorted straight too the Institute of Radio Electronics.I had been tavelling for 3 days,with little or no sleep.The building was large,a battleship grey and rather sad looking,but nether the less menacing and forboding,It may have stemmed from just being in the Soviet Union.It was many years old and built in the old days of the USSR.It gave the impression of power and yet an urgent need for restoration.
I was ushered in to the building,being escorted at all times by two rather foreboding,Military men,obviously of some middle rank.They led me too a waiting room,where I had a short wait of 10 minutes.I was led into a room,in the center was a huge table,proposedly for meetings with heads of Departments,but on that day there was only a solitary figure sat at the end of the table.Another man was watching out from the window.
The seated man said something in Russian,looking at me as if I should answer.Instantly the man at the window turned and said”Welcome to Kharkov,We do hope you had a pleasant journey”
I immediately relaxed,and sat where I was asked to sit.I was at one end of a table,the other, about what seemed 6 meters,was opposite me.It seems funny today,but I felt I had to shout to be heard.As it turned out he was The Rector of The Intitute of Radio Technology.The conversation was short and cordial.It was explained that I would receive a salary commensurate with a Senior Lecturer:Great I thought to myself.One week later I found out that I had about 7 years salary in Dollars on me,$900.Money I had brought with me for emergencies
After this meeting I was taken to a flat that they had arranged for me.The only fall back to this was that it was about 10Km from the Intitute.I unpacked and as there was no food in the place,pulled up the blankets and fell asleep.The next day was to be my first day,so I needed to be up early and on time.
Working in the USSR
I arrived puctually and respectfully dressed,though in an English suit and tie.I had photographs taken,and asked to fill a form in,which Mikhail Suknov,my immediate superior did for me,as it was in Russian.Next I was ushered to a small office somewhere deep in the basement.This I found out after from Mikail,was Military Intelligence(Former GRU).So I quickly realised I was infact being vetted to work on the premises,and a file made on who and where I came from.I was informed that I was not to travel further than 20 Km from the center of Harkov, Freedom Square Ukrainian:
No further than 20 Km from this point
Adjusting to a Soviet work ethic
All can say to cover the whole experience:It was mad.I would turn up for work,sit with Mikail and be introduced to different people .All professors of Mathmatics/Cybernetics.They would ask questions in poor English,usally along the lines of “What is the equivalent degree we hold in England”Mikail would produce a bottle of Vodka and a loaf of white bread,which we drank and ate throughout the day.This routine pretty much stayed the same,from one day to the next.I was not able to buy food in what shops I could find,due to not being able to speak and unerstand Russian.To make phone calls was near on impossible,having to book them 4 days in advance,and if no reply was gotten,another 4 day wait.
As people heard there was a foreigner living in the district,my flat was broken in to twice.Whoever had broken in was looking for either the US Dollars I had or my electronics.I was and am still sad that after two weeks living in Kharkov,Ukraine,I had to resign my position and return to Helsinki,Finland.BUT WAIT?
I was not allowed more than 20 Km.It turned out,that after 2 more days of paperwork,I was chaperoned by plane back to Moscow.From there I boarded the same Sibelius train too Helsinki,and was home.The reason for my sadness,stems primarily because I met and left so many sincere,helpful and just plain friendly people.They gave everything they had to welcome me and I left.I also wished to learn Russian,but that now had to wait.As for Mikhail;I still write to him and the offer to go back is allway`s extended to me.
The year before I tavelled ,The Berlin Wall had come down ,The former Soviet Union was going through Glasnost and Perastroika(openess and re-structuring)set in motion by Mikhail Gorbachev.Every person I met wanted to buy Dollars.The food was scarce:Unless you had connections,bread and salted meat was the meal of the day.Today I know Kharkiv(new name)is a thriving city,with a lot of history and a strong culture.I am proud to have visited!.Greg
Similar Posts:
- None Found
Popularity: 16%
