seek to accompany him to the United States.684 At about this time, the Oswalds began to make inquiries in Soviet offices about exit visas. 685

While these preparations were being made, the Oswalds apparently enjoyed their new life.686 They ate most of their meals in cares or at restaurants where they worked.687 For amusement, they went boating, attended the opera, concerts, the circus, and films; occasionally, they gathered with a group of friends for a cooperative meal at someone's apartment.688 His Russian improved, but he retained an accent and never learned to speak grammatically or to write well.689 He read the English language edition of the Daily Worker and books, also in English, on Marxism and Leninism; he also read some Russian newspapers.690

Before he married Marina (and presumably before February, when he had begun his efforts to return to the United States) Oswald had applied for admission to the Patrice Lumumba Friendship University in Moscow. He received a letter dated May 3 apologizing for the delay in responding to his application and turning it down on the ground that the university had been established exclusively for students from the underdeveloped countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. 691 Oswald expressed his disappointment at having been turned down to Marina.692

Oswald reopened his correspondence with his family on May 5, with a friendly letter to his brother Robert. He said nothing about, his contacts with the American Embassy, but mentioned that he had married, and that he had a job as a "metal-smith" and was living well. He asked his brother for their mother's address, and encouraged him to come to Minsk for a visit.693 Robert answered the letter quickly. On May 31, Oswald wrote again and expressed his pleasure at having heard from Robert after so long. Apparently in response to an offer to send him whatever he needed, Oswald wrote that he needed nothing and thanked Robert for the thought; he suggested, however, that Marina might like a small wedding present. At the end of the letter he said that he did not know whether he would ever return to the United States; he said that before he could return he would have to obtain the permission of the Soviet Union for him and Marina to leave and insure that no charges would be lodged against him in the United States. In this letter, he mentioned that he was in touch with the Embassy in Moscow.694 At about this time, Oswald wrote also to his mother. 695

On May 25, the Embassy received a letter mailed in Minsk about 10 days before, in which Oswald asked for assurances that he would not be prosecuted if he returned to the United States, and informed the Embassy that he had married a Russian woman who would want to accompany him.696 The Embassy communicated this development to Washington 697 and did not answer Oswald immediately. In addition, he had had no word since March concerning the return of his passport.. Impatient for action,698 he appeared without warning at the Embassy on July 8; it was a Saturday and the offices were closed.699 He used the house telephone to reach Snyder, who came