Travelling in the Soviet Union, Part 1: “What Do You MEAN, My Luggage is in New York?” In December of 1986, I had the rare opportunity to travel with a group of educators to the Soviet Union. It meant I would be spending Christmas in the Soviet Union. And New Year’s Eve. This was because of Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy of Glasnost which began in 1985. I talked it over with my principal, and we decided this was a great trip for me! I would leave the day Christmas break started, and would return t…