#3 ~ 1961-1964 ~ School Years

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Previous: 1960 ~ Our life in Vinnitza, Ukraine

My school years were happy years. I loved school. Probably because I was a good student and teachers always praised me. I participated in all the school event: social or athletic. I loved my teachers: Aron Isakoich - Math, Rimma Ivanovna - Russian Literature, Valentina Vasilevna - English teacher, Diana Gavrilovna - Geography  and many, many more. They gave me tools, they taught me that MORE I know  - more I know that I DON'T know! I was reading lots of books any time, anywhere, even during some boring classes, which got me in trouble many times.
I was very involved  with my gymnastics after school, took piano classes for the first 3 years of school. And since we did not have a convenience of a personal car, every day after school, laden with heavy school books and a bag with gymnastics uniform, I had to take city bus and city tram to get to my gymnastics practice. No wonder I was always tired...
In the 6th grade I was introduced  to the ballroom dancing. My partner, Eugene Vaiman (who is the Chairman of the Ballroom Association in Israel now) and I participated in every state, sectional and Regional competition. The only bad thing I remember is that my feet ALWAYS hurt. No wonder: my shoes were 2 sizes too small, but they were beautiful!
 Our team was the great! We won District and Regional Championships and represented our Region on National Championships many years in a row.


1968 ~ Rhythmic Gymnastics Team after the competition watching the rest of the competitors .

1968 ~ Marina (Right), Ludmila Goyeva ( middle) 

Some families lived better, some worse than us. It was very common to have a kitchen and bathroom shared by 3 or 4 families. It was  called communal living. Most of the time there were fights and ugly accusations. People were gossiping and no-one had any privacy. Men and women were drinking heavily. And now I understand: it was to escape the misery, unhappiness and darkness. Store shelves were empty most of the times. If we walked down the street and saw the line in front of the store, we had to get in line and then find out what they had. And no matter what it was, we bought it, whether it was food or shoes or clothes... regardless we need it or not.

In 1961 my beloved Grandfather Aron passed away. He died in the hospital for infectious decease ( same one I spent 1 month when I was little). He had an infection from the wound that he got during the war. It could be easily treated here. But apparently there was not enough medication at that time. He was 61 years old. My Grandmother was so heartbroken, She only lived 6 months after that. She was 58...

My Grandma Clara

                                                        
My Grandpa Aron and I (my hair is slowly growing after the hospital)



Next: 1964-1970 ~ Teenage years