Sand in My Shoes
Tanya Andrenyuk
Summary:
Growing up in Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union, I did not experience the deprivation my parents endured. Because I was curious, I dreamt about going to Cuba, one of the few accessible places with a communist regime. Finally, I visited that famous tourists’ paradise. I attempted to find Ukraine’s past there. I met people who longed to escape the poverty of their homeland. I am reminded of these proud, dignified Cubans through a simple souvenir of my trip: the grains of sand in my shoes.
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