1984

In 1984, the year of Orwell, I spent 4 months in Moscow. It was the best of times, it was – not – the worst of times. Adventures all around.

I studied international law at Leiden University, a new major at the time (I was the first to graduate). It was useful, even recommended, to spend some time abroad on a kind of ‘internship’. Most colleagues went to the US, UK or Germany. I wanted to be original and opted for Moscow. This could only be done via a governmental exchange programme. However, that programme had never seen a law student apply: Russian, ballet, mathematics – sure, but not law. So they did not really know what to do with me. When the alloted number of months in the programme was still not distributed well into the study year 83/84, I got 4 months lodging and education at MGU, the Moscow State University, Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова.

It was the last leg of communism, just years before the perestroika. I was a guest of the state, it was safe, poor, cold and warm (-30C at arrival, +30C upon departure). It was exciting and strange. It was lonely (the language barrier, and limited communications with ‘home’) and social (many dinners, parties, excursions, theater visits). I made new friends, some of whom I am still connected to now: my French neighbour Catherine, and my Norwegian neighbours Arnfinn and Morten.

It was the most formative period of my life, and I remember it fondly. Oh, how the country has changed. I did go back in 1989 for business, but the plan to take Toine there never materialized.