Despite his rank and file  background and "no pull" status, Vam was lucky to receive an  education that even top nomenklatura kids could only dream of in the former Soviet Union.

At the age of seven he entered the special "English" school, No.1 in Moscow.  It was literally number One in a row of special schools where teaching of foreign languages started in second form instead of the fifth in ordinary ones. But it was rather the standard of teaching that mattered and what made the school so special. Back in 1956, right at the high point of the Cold War, admission to that school was something next to impossible and a roll-call in every class sounded more like a joint session of the Soviet Politburo and the Council of Ministers...

A logical outcome of graduating from the special "English" school was entering the Moscow Linguistics University which was known at the time as the Institute of Foreign Languages named after Moris Torez. (IN'YAZ). For all young people living behind the Iron Curtain entering IN'YAZ was one of a few ways to gain the privilege of serving abroad, and to say it was a life dream for many is to say nothing. Only one applicant in fifty would pass the entering exams and many would try to do so for five years in a row. Vam did it from the first attempt. As with all Soviet universities IN'YAZ gave its students excellent education and many graduates became famous personalities in their professions. Among his fellow students Vam is proud to have Pavel Palazhchenko, Gorbachev's personal translator,  Andrei Ptashnikov and Michael Taratuta, both well-known Russian TV journalists in the USA, to name just a few.

Next was the USSR Academy of Foreign Trade (VAVT). To enter the Academy and get an MBA one should have had a university diploma and a spotless track record on all his previous life activities. But this was not all. The applicant was supposed to be a married man and a loyal CPSU member nominated by a corresponding Party regional committee. Prior to obtaining such a recommendation the person had to be properly "screened" and go through numerous inconceivable tests and interviews "at the working level". The final reward for this ordeal would be admission to strict entrance examinations and if at this stage one would fail to show excellent academic knowledge all the efforts would be wasted... But the lucky ones who would overcome all the hardships could then relax, to a degree, since admission meant a chance to climb higher on the career ladder and to be stationed abroad as a high ranking Soviet official. So Vam was one of those lucky ones. 

According to Vam studying at the Academy was  really a great experience. Interesting subjects ranging from Roman Law to Business  Management and Administration, the best of the best professors comfortable with their positions in a prestigeous institution, all students confident in their promising future, very eager to rise to the occasion and study well. During classes the overwhelming sentiment was: why  the lectures are so short! The zeal was so great it turned the strict examinations more into a formality and all the students showed excellent progress. Vam still thinks the old VAVT  Academy was an ideal pattern for a win-win set up in education. Once you manage to "get on board" we give you all the possibilities to study and a subsequent guaranteed position to prove your worthiness. What could be more motivating !...