Book excerpt: THIS BOOK DOES not intend to portray the history of the period, but it is only a recollection of the early years of my life, the way I experienced it. I thought that the period I lived during the early years of my life was very unique and interesting from a social and human point of view, since it depicts a kind of lifestyle that many people are not aware of. Also, it shows how people in different part of the world coped with the same difficult problems of making a living, striving to improve living conditions, and secure a better future for their children. In general, it shows that when life and family goals are very clear and strong, people can go through the most difficult hardships and still achieve the desired results regardless of the political regime and the economic conditions that control the daily life.