Cristian and Linda grew up in the 1970s, living a half a world apart. Like many of us all over the world, we remember the same type of childhood with innocence, joy, laughter, routines, family, friends, holidays, favorite teacher, and the smell of our favorite food. All this not only means a lot to us but also shapes who we become as adults.

As Cristian told the story of his life growing up in Eastern Europe from the time he was a very small child, Linda realized it wasn’t very different than her childhood-until it was very different.

Cristian somehow understood the unbearable impacts of socialism on humanity at a very young age and idolized the freedoms of democracy. His story to escape the country he was born in and his determination to live in the country he talks about with such admiration made Linda feel so privileged to grow up in the United States of America.