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Studying in Brussels
On the first of September 1995, I presented myself at my new place of study: The Institute of translators and interpreters in Brussels. It was a twenty-minutes pleasant walk from the house where I rented my room, and I was determined that I was going to be a good student and do well. It was… Continue reading
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The basement
It was the end of August when I arrived to Brussels to do my studies in French in 1994, and was greeted with the warm shine from the sun when I woke up on my first morning in the country of my new residence. However, the moment of contentment didn’t last that long, because I… Continue reading
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Oh Brussels
After my unfortunate experience at the airport, once we emerged with my stepdad onto the Belgian soil, the sky looked grey, ready to pour down with rain any minute. Despite my encounter with the customs’ officers I was still more or less optimistic about my future in my new country of residence. I was only… Continue reading
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Moscow and the arrival of capitalism
I was a teenager when the Soviet Union collapsed and suddenly I found myself in a new country and in a new regime. As things go in life, when you have to live through the unbelievable, you adjust pretty quickly, especially when you are young. Still, the changes that my country was undergoing right before… Continue reading
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Not quite welcome in Brussels
I was nineteen years old when I took my first flight to Europe, in order to study in Brussels in French. I remember how I was dragging two huge cartoon boxes first to the luggage point in Moscow and then towards the custom area in Brussels. I was crying the whole time during my trip,… Continue reading
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Bad witches in Russia
Let’s go back to the 1990ies in Russia to continue with chronology of the events, not just influencing me and my life after, but also the fate of Russia and the rest of the world. When I talk about witches, and apologies to all nice white witches, who wish no harm (I am one of… Continue reading
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A Crush on a Russian and Bipolar Disorder (By Guest Blogger: David Williams)
I remember my first crush was on a Russian gymnast called Yelena Davidova. I had the copy of Newsweek when she was on the front cover. She was the women’s artistic individual all-around champion at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. I was 14 and intensely miserable. I had undergone a transformative experience at 13,… Continue reading
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Hypnosis, cigarettes, and champagne
By that time I was already in full-blown psychosis, but when you are in this state, you don’t really notice. And why should you, especially when you feel happy and complete at the same time? Psychosis as such is a culturally misunderstood concept, but I feel like I could share a few insights on the… Continue reading
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Damn the banks: I need some beauty treatment
So, I was analysing banks on that particular morning. Or rather I was trying to analyse them. The task can be considered as easy, of course, but not when you hate financial analysis and banks in particular. Mind you, till that rainy morning I wasn’t aware of my problem. In fact, I had no… Continue reading
About Me
I am a doctor of philosophy, a university lecturer, and a lover of cats, fine wine, dancing, theatre, and human eccentricity. Born in the Soviet Union (Moscow), I grew up in both Russia and Donbas. I am fluent in four languages, and have spent all my adult life studying (except from 18 to 19) working and living throughout Western Europe. Despite a surname-Netchitailova- that translates from Russian into English as “unreadable”, my great passions in life are reading and writing. My personal struggles have made me appreciate the manifestations of weirdness that exist everywhere. My novel ‘Elena: A Love Story for Humankind’ telling a story of a Russian pianist, diagnosed with schizophrenia, looking for her twin sister in England, can be found on Amazon.
Porcupine's wisdom 