12.2.1976

Had the usual insane Thursday afternoon. Ridiculous waste of time if you consider. However, it’s the only time (at school) when you can have a good laugh with all your friends, because we work too hard at home and cannot conveniently get together socially. Have been thinking about getting a Russian pen friend.....it’s very tempting and there are announcements in the Challenge. At first it must have been the subtle (and blatant) anti- USSR propaganda (and, I am ashamed to say, truths) that is foisted on me incessantly. Russian is a language that I wanted to study as an O level, but the changing school system situation got rid of that option. Frank did his best, but Snorker refused to take 2 periods a week more (thus would have given Frank leave to teach Russian)...bastard!!!(Sorry to revert to copralalia).

It would be interesting to know what can and can’t be said. However, my Russian comrades would not let any English student correspond with an Englishman – they would have to be the best, top of the class etc.....it’s logical, because how did these ads get in to Challenge anyway?