Odyssey To Opportunity

Born in Spain on the eve of the Spanish Civil War, Roger Fernandez resisted the authoritarian oppression of Franco and fled the country. Later, as a man, Roger would again face their despotic oppressor.

You are about to read the autobiography of an extraordinary man. Born in Spain on the eve of the Spanish Civil War, Roger Fernndez served as shepherd to his family's flock in the hills of El Bierzo. Resisting the authoritarian oppression of Franco's Spain, his family became a target for reprisal, and fled. Later, as a man, Roger would again face their despotic oppressor. As the cold war raged, Roger served as translator to the Cuban State Press Agency. Rankling under the restrictions of Fidel's Communist state, Roger dared speak of freedom, thus bringing suspicion upon himself. Pursued by Castro's secret police, he fled Havana to the US and freedom. Many years later he would confront Castro face to face, and count himself as one of the few to have survived such audacity. A facility with languages led him to a life as an educator, during which he has served as head of the Department of Foreign Languages and Humanities at Los Angeles City College. His love of travel has taken him across Europe, the US, Asia and Africa, and hundreds of students have been introduced to his native Spain on trips organized under his auspices. Here his adventures are related in his understated prose. Here too, lie the shards of a broken marriage, and the ensuing heartbreak and despair, yet through it all, a determination to overcome obstacles and to reach goals?a valuable lesson for young readers struggling in their own lives. Through every page runs a vein of absolute candor, and an autobiography can aspire to no more. Those who enjoy reading truth, and recognize it when they read it will find much to enjoy in these pages.