Life in London - 25 years

I was born in Leningrad - USSR, now StPetersburg - Russia. Sometimes, when people ask me where I come from I joke that I was born in the city and the country which do not exist anymore!

I came to this country in 1978 after getting married to an Englishman; we got married in Leningrad the year before. He was a tourist and time I was doing an English degree and working on voluntary basis as a guide showing the English-speaking visitors the major attractions of my native city.

That is how we met; we have known each other for few years before we got married, but, obviously, not well enough as the marriage collapsed and within 3 years we separated and eventually - years later - divorced.

I was living on my own and did not know what to do: "should I go back to the USSR or stay here?" Everything seemed in a terrible mess and at one point I was quite suicidal. At that time I used to blame this country - Great Britain - for all the misfortunes that befell me, but I do not do this anymore. In fact, I feel very settled here, and London is a sort of 'Home from Home' for me.

I decided to write this a piece as praise to London. Do you love London? I absolutely adore it! London has been my friend, my parent, my next kin, it has provided me with tears and laughter and shelter and food; I have loved here and I have hated here - the last 25 years of my life have been spent here and to me it is the most beautiful city in the world...after StPetersburg, that is!