Chicago 1981 - 1984

On February 23 1981 we boarded a plane which took us to freedom. I remember my mother being very nervous on the plane, it was an Aeroflot plane and she was still waiting for some kind of KGB nightmare. But, mercifully, none came. We landed in Vienna, spent a couple days locked up in an Israely camp and then were sent on train to Italy. In Italy very soon we found a little house with low rent in the resort area (it was off-season in February-March) and lived there quietly until our our US papers came through.
Nobody had a camera - so no photos from that time.

On April 13 1981 we flew to Chicago, where my mom’s friend took us in. In a matter of days we rented a cheap one bedroom in East Rogers Park. It was filthy and roach infested but for us – it was heaven. Our first American home. 

My mom and Greg with my mom's college friend Mira (Mira in 1940 in the center on the left) and her husband.
They took us in when we came to Chicago.

My mom found her Argentinian cousins, the sons of her mother’s sister Poline who immigrated to Argenita in the early 20ies. One of them came visiting with his wife. He spoke English and brought the same pictures that I have here in the Vinnitsa section. It was strange to see pictures from your album in a stranger’s album.

Unfortunately both brothers died young, in their early 60ies, and we never got to meet the older brother, Simon.

Fanya Striliver's sister Polina with her husband in Buenos Ayres in the 60ies.

Polina's son Enrique and his wife in our apartment in Chicago

Polina's other son, Simon and his wife.

My mother took to American life like fish to water. Her English served. Soon she was comfortable with TV, library and everything else. She found a Community college and was taking all kinds of art and literature classes. Life was good. 

One of the first things my mother bought was a the cheapest camera and most of our photographs from 1984 to 2000 came from that device.

Below are some pics from that time period. 

Mom and Greg

Greg is flying from my mom's counter under her supervison. She also took this great pic.

Our first color tv.

Our first car.

Mom and me with our neighbor (in the middle)

In the summer of 1984 we took a vacation to California and my mother came to Chicago, a woman possessed. “We are moving to California, I can not take you driving another winter in this snow.” 

And so in October 1984 we moved.