As an eyewitness to four decades of history, Naomi F. Collins, author, reflected on her experiences living in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia during the 1960s – 2000s. Dr. Collins was joined by her husband, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation, the Honorable James F. Collins.

In discussing her recently published memoir, Through Dark Days and White Nights: Four Decades Observing a Changing Russia, Dr. Collins recounted what daily life was like during these years for both Russians and foreigners. Dr. Collins described her first experience of living in the Soviet Union as a young graduate student in the 1960s. Dr. Collins explained how she confronted first-hand the sense of surveillance and control that shaped the lives of both Russians and foreigners. At the same time, Dr. Collins was also able to get outside Moscow and witness daily life in provincial Russia. Dr. Collins described village life as being almost out of a Chagall painting, with muddy roads, wood stoves, and people walking to the village pump or well to carry water back for washing, cooking, and bathing.

In 1973, the Collins' returned to Moscow as part of the Foreign Service and obtained a different perspective of Soviet life. During this second stay, Dr. Collins described how she began to feel more directly the gap between privileged and ordinary Russians. She also described her roles as a diplomatic spouse, a mother of two young boys, and an observer of summit meetings.

During the 1990s, as her husband moved up the diplomatic ladder, Dr. Collins returned to Russia. She described her new exposure to public life, diplomatic events, and visits from notable people. She also observed the growing incongruities of Russian life. Dr. Collins described seeing empty food shops and reading about food shortages, but then observing vigorous Russians walking their very healthy looking dogs along the street. She could not imagine hungry people feeding huge dogs! Dr. Collins also recounted the events of the August 1991 coup attempt, looking out her window and seeing the tanks roll up the street. As a trained historian, Dr. Collins noted that one unexpected aspect of witnessing history, as opposed to researching and writing on it, is that what seemed so obvious in retrospect was entirely unknown during the actual events.

From 1997-2001, Dr. Collins once again traveled to Moscow, this time as the ambassador's wife. Dr. Collins watched as Russia tried to rebuild and remake itself. As Dr. Collins walked the streets of post-Soviet Russia she discovered a new country. At the same time, Dr. Collins added, as a result of economic reform, many people in mid-life felt themselves immigrants in their own land, and without a guidebook. Ambassador Collins closed the presentation by discussing different aspects of a changing Russia – increased travel, better communications – and the need to understand and to appreciate how these changes have affected the lives of ordinary Russians.