Bajki from under the Iron Curtain.
Bajki from under the Iron Curtain.
ONE OF THESE DAYS in our country the big anniversary was celebrated. Exactly ten
Years back, in the end of May, 1991, the historical law has been passed about
Departure. We have decided to recollect, how still more recently
Our compatriots travelled.
Two categories.
CITIZENS of the USSR shared on "exit and"not eligible to travel abroad".
"Not eligible to travel abroad" are those who has not pleased with something to the secretary of a Communist Party committee,
Had misfortune to get divorced from wife, has visited a sobering-up station,
Has passed for "dissident". And also those who could not respond on
Questions of the exit commission in a district committee: who such Clara Tsetkin or
Who heads Communist Party in the country, where "the potential tourist"
Was going to to go. Could carp at any trifle - to presence
Beards, for example, or to jeans.
Brand "not eligible to travel abroad" as horse tavro, it was burnt out on the personal
Business of the person for all life also extended even on it
Relatives.
Exit too was uneasy. The characteristic was required "for
Trip abroad "which affirmed at first on"party group",
Then in a Communist Party committee, and then in a district committee. In the characteristic could be
It is given up, if the person has passed some employment at University
Marxism-Leninism or a mug of political education or has refused
To register in "a national team".
But humiliations on it did not come to an end. To each group driving off
The observer who fixed the slightest infringements was attached
"Rules of stay of the Soviet citizens abroad".
"Attached" every evening as the shepherd, recalculated a livestock
Tourist rams. Pair of delay to evening check - on
The tourist wrote "cart", and it got forever to number
"Not eligible to travel abroad".
The native land observed moral shape of the citizens far outside of
This. Reached absurd situations. Journalists "AiF"
Recollect, how somewhere in the mid-eighties during the bus
Excursions across Mexico City the "attached" guide tightly has curtained windows,
When visitors from the USSR passed local quarter "the red
Lanterns "...
Terrible offence was considered to glance in a sex shop or it is simple
To beat off from "asterisk" - to move abroad to ours
It was authorised to tourists strictly on 4-5 persons. Naturally,
It was forbidden to enter contacts to local residents, especially with
Women. So, seamen of long voyage learnt to refuse
To women offering a terrible phrase: "Ruso kommunisto
impotento ". Tell, that some nevertheless did not maintain and
Escaped on appointment, but thus so nervichali, that at them and in
The business it turned out nothing.
Breakfast of the tourist.
The total lack of money was HUMILIATION number two. At departure on
Currency changed the insignificant sum - 30-50 dollars. Therefore
Compatriots showed ingenuity miracles. With itself
Usually carried "a dry ration" - syrokopchenuju sausage, canned food, dry
Soups, chocolate, cookies and even sweets-sugar candies (killed feeling
Hunger). Saved on all. Tip, happened, gave badges with
The Soviet symbolics, and paid toilets, as a rule, visited
Some person at once.
In road the boiler, salt, a mug necessarily undertook,
Small pan. If foreign sockets under our plugs not
Approached, operated in a simple way: cut off "plug" and in a network
Inserted the smoothed out conductings. Happened, that from the such
"Experiments" in all hotel light was cut down.
More enterprising took in a trip "exchange collection".
Vodka, souvenirs, black caviar, painted samovarchiki dispersed.
In the Eastern Europe and some Asian countries was quoted
Ours of the electrical engineer - irons, coffee grinders, transistors,
Cameras... And to Yugoslavia, for example, suitcases carried
Bed-clothes. Tell, how one dexterous young woman with
Impressive "forms", having gone to sea cruise, successfully
"Has pushed" the whole box of souvenir small bottles of vodka. And to take them
Through border she has managed in... A bra!
Deficiency and severity of customs rules in the USSR too
Provoked funny things. For example, to bring it was possible no more
4-5 hanks of a wool. Therefore before departure home women knitted from
"Mohair" huge panels also carried them under the pretext of blankets. At home all
It was dismissed on threads, from them scarce jackets knitted.
Humiliations did not come to an end and after homecoming.
It was required to write "the report on business trip" where it was necessary
To tell not only about performance of professional problems, but also
About "realisation of propaganda mission".
But the most important about what should not forget "exit":
To bring a gift to the "personnel officer" who was making out business trip abroad.
It was one of unwritten laws of the Soviet political correctness.
Svetlana KOLCHIK.
<$>
//* an information Source: Arguments and the facts, 6.06.01
//* Reg. Nom. - 1110600090.30-------------------------------------------
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