1991

In 1991 I was living in a room in a flat above Firugi Jeans in Kentish Town opposite the tube, with 4 other students I had never met before. I was there as all attempts to find somewhere to live in my second year at LSE had fallen through.
The first person I met whilst she was collecting her mail in the shop was Alison. Al and I became really good friends, shared a flat together in my third year, her second in Stoke Newington and despite our parents side ways glances, were not sleeping together. Al and I remain good friends to this day. She was at Beth and I's wedding having flown in from Hong Kong where she's been living for the last decade or so.
I was reminded of this time listening to NPR's piece on Estonia. In 1991 it became a sovereign state away from Russia. My immediate neighbour in the flat was Krista, who was pregnant and quietly terrified of what was going to happen to her country. We figured she was pregnant as she spent a lot of time throwing up. Krista was at the School of East European Studies, Al was at the School of Oriental and African studies and I was at the LSE. Others came through, one at University College London and one at Kings. I never thought about it at the time but not one of us was at the same college.
One night Krista knocked on my door. I had a crappy black and white portable television and she wanted to watch the news, so she could check out what was happening in Estonia. I said of course which I think surprised her as she had the impression i was at best, a drunk, lurching my way around London. Things were tricky but working out in Estonia. she was very sweet, saying, "Simon, you are nothing like I thought you were.:" Bless. She wasn't actually that far off the mark at the time.

This came back listening to the president of Estonia talking about his countries success in the tech field. Estonia was left with no real infrastructure upon becoming a sovereign state and decided to become an electronic led economy. This was described as a 15 year bet, which paid off handsomely. SKYPE was developed in Estonia and Estonian coders are renowned throughout the world. A long way from Krista's fear that her country would dissolve in chaos, something which looked likely at the time.

This struck me as the world has been told we are going down the toilet for the last 8 years or so. That we have to help out dishonest money hoarders, as we can't afford to let them fail. We can. Its a big bet , but it would to be nice to bring them a little humility whilst taking their toys away.