Page 38 - Microsoft Word - 01_A MÁSIK OLDAL English.doc

We did not speak for a while and although the trade was a
success, I decided that trading was not my cup of tea after all.
But I returned to Slovakia every now and then mainly to ski.

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In 1964, in the year when I could already refer to and write the
title of the book and page number on top of my entrance
examination paper to show where the extract had been taken
from that we had to work up and deal with, my application to
university was accepted. In that same year, I was given my first
passport to England.
Only through gossip could we learn about the Western welfare
of the sixties, but only those could get a real idea of it who
could see it with their own eyes. After all, nothing like that was
shown on TV, hence it was still quite easy to keep the country
isolated in the heart of Europe. I kept on working and teaching
so that I could visit my penfriend in England because one could
apply for a passport in the 1960s and one could travel to the
West and finance it by buying the officially allowed and
available 70 dollars. It was though a modest sum even in those
years. The rest of the expenses were financed on ways that
needed some fantasy. I arrived at Heathrow Airport in the
summer of 1964 and was met by my penfriend, Lorain, and her
father. We drove to Totnes, some 400 km westward, which
turned out to be a trip from a dream; we crossed scenic
landscape, full of beautiful towns, and well-cared old buildings
on the wayside. My English friends showed me everything they

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