Above Mari 1 in 2003.
TEARS OF JOY FOR MY LITTLE TOWN, BARACOA IN CUBA
Mi querido Sudah, quiero que sepas que aunque no te escribo mucho, porque se me hace difícil te sigo queriendo y en mi corazoncito siempre estarás presente con mucho cariño. Me gustaría saber como estas, por aquí todo bien, se que estas preocupado por saber el día de mi fiesta, estamos planificando para los primeros días de Enero, esperaré que vengas para decidir el día. mi abuela, mi tia, mi mamá y hermanita te mandan besos y uno especial y grande para ti de tu niñita Mari I.
My dear Sudah : i would like you to know that even though i dont write much to you, because of the difficulties (communication), i continue to love you and in my little heart, you are always present with great affection. I would like to know how you are, here every one is fine. I know you are worried about the dates of my 15th celebrations (fiesta de quince), we are planning for the beginning of January, hope you will come to decide the day. My grandmother, my aunt, my mother and my little sister al send you kisses, and one special and a big kiss for you from your little girl Mari.
How could one not shed tears of joy and saudade (longing) for that little village on the most eastern part of Cuba. This is my Cuba, my people and the affection which are inexhaustible. I met Mari when her aunt asked me to take photos of her on the third birthday.. Now she is celebrating her 15th birthday. I will make every attempt to be present there.
I am very much reminded of a story I read as a child, Kabuliwala by Rabindranath Tagore. I always thought of myself as Melquiades the magician Gypsy who visited Macondo in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novel One Hundred Years of Solitude.. Mari’s letter makes me realize that I have become Kabuliwala
