I spent 14 years living and working in countries of the former Soviet Union - six years in Russia and eight in Tajikistan. I used Russian daily over all those years, and I continue to use it with my many Russian-speaking friends and I continue to correspond with my Tajik speaking friends in Tajikistan. Consequently, I have not just an excellent knowledge of the Russian and Tajik, but also an in-depth understanding of the cultural background associated with them.