In the Soviet Union the most of school children started to study a foreign language in the age of 11. Usually there were only two options to choose, German or English. In my first school I studied German. But after moving to another school I had met a problem with the complete lack of German teacher. For several months they decided to invite me a teacher from another school or just start teaching me English. Finally the second variant was considered preferable. The English teacher had given me ten lessons during summer holidays to make me read at least a little. So in September I had to make the same tasks like other pupils who studied English for three years. Later at the university I entered the correspondent course of English in Kiev and improved my English till such stage that could use it for correspondence with pen pals from various countries. Then there were several visits of my American friends and a lot of books from Joe (my old friend from the USA). That’s all my practice.

2. Were you operated?

When I was 14 the doctors decided that the operation on the back was necessary because of the progressive scoliosis. It sounded fearful and my only hope was that the parents wouldn't let to torment me. But they did. Soon I found myself in the clinic and a long period of check-up and preparations had started for me. An iron stick had to be put into my spine to hold my back straighter this way. Usually after such kind of operation one should stay in bed for 2 months, then the plaster had been changed to a new shorter one and it was possible to walk but not to sit for several months. Later the hard leisure corset was put on for a year. If I'm not wrong with dates, everything was finished in 2 years. Well, my muscles didn't let me spend so long time without motion so they wanted to make an experiment and keep me in the bed just two weeks, without the plaster corset. I thought dispirited about the death during the future operation as a kind of deliverance. While watching the neighbors by the ward and listening to their stories I had become calmer and even waited for the D-Day. In spite of all torments which could be seen around, the atmosphere in the clinic was very optimistic and and every person considered his or her ailment a temporary inconvenience.. With time I felt almost natural such attitude towards me, too. Besides I was as strong as never before thanks to a new medicine. Those injections gave me the power for three to four hours and then the influence finished. Years later I learnt how dangerous was that medicine for me and that is why I had such a big problem as the impossibility to hold my head while walking. It took my forces and kept me broken down. After plenty of examinations the doctors had said to my parents that it would be better forget about the operation for not risk too much. My heart and lungs weren’t enough strong. During the endless month I was prepared to that operation and when the threat was over there was only bitterness and disappointment.

3. Can you walk?

Yes, I'm able to walk just a little, my forces are enough to go to the kitchen and bathroom. Little by little, holding the wall and somebody's hand I make this "travel". The wheelchair is used only outdoors, because my apartment is too small and the doorways are too narrow.

4. What do you do all day long?

Usually this question I hear from the healthy people after they know about my constant staying at home for months. Well, the books, music, TV, letters...work. Till the last time such was my answer but from the October of 2001 year everything has changed. My Italian friend Paola (we know each other for ten years already!) has given me in present the computer and the new life started for me. With my funny, tiny pension I'm unable even to pay for Internet and again Paola helped me. How do you think, who created this site and made the main works? Try to guess! Yes, it's she . I should write  "thank you very much" hundred times with huge letters but Paola hates my habit to thank every five minutes. So just look at her picture and wish her all the best in your mind, I hope it would work.

5. Have you got any job?

In past I tried several kinds of activity (a telephone dispatcher at home phone, translator from Polish, Italian and English (there were some translations even from German, which I don't remember now), I had a column in a newspaper.). With time it happened that I was asked to to teach English  and just this is my work at present. Children from 8 till 15 years old visit my lessons. We play a lot of games and such way I try to help them as best as possible.