Something had to change!

I remember is vividly:

-the long lines to buy the most basic staples: bread, chicken tights, and even toilet paper

-the long winter nights, with no heat, no light, or hot water for a shower

-the 24 hour long lines to get a tankfull of gasoline

-the rationed cooking oil and sugar

-and so much more…

Life was not easy in Communist Romania: we had to wait in line for hours, just to get a couple loaves of bread.

If you wanted meat, you had to come at night, to get your spot in line for next day’s shipment of chicken thighs.

Our apartment was cold most of the time: so cold, out little one had to always wear a hat, several layers of clothes, and shoes on his feet.

Hot water was only given at certain hours of the day (no, we didn’t exactly know when it would come), so, most of the time, we had to boil water on the stove to take our daily shower.

And, the electricity went out on a regular basis, especially at night, when we needed it most.

People were tired of the hardships of every day life. And we all new something HAD to change. And it did! In December 1989, the people of our country started a Revolution where many lost their lives, including our president and his wife: Nicolae & Elena Ceausescu.

It was scary: at the time, my husband was working away from home (about 50 miles), and he didn’t make it home until late at night. There were shotgun sounds everywhere, and the scenes on TV were unbelievable.

We stayed glued to the TV, eager to find out any little piece of information that would ease our minds.

Even though life had not been easy in the years proceeding this time, Christmas Day of that year was a sad day, when our President and his Wife were executed.

I will never forget the empty feeling I had in the pit of my stomach, at the site of their dead bodies.

What happened that week in our country would forever change our family’s life: stay tuned to find out how.