In the pictures from Havana (including this one), my parents look like they were doing rather well, especially considering the circumstances under which they arrived. But when the Germans invaded Poland in September 1939, my father’s income stopped abruptly. As a resident alien, he was not allowed to take a job, so he had to find another way to make a living. After receiving advice from many sources (much of it contradictory), they decided to invest all of their remaining funds in a small variety store in the sleepy village of San Antonio del Rio Blanco in La Habana Province, about one hour by bus from Havana. It must have been very strange for two European refugees to find themselves in this situation, but they managed to eke out a living for almost two years and even to enjoy the peaceful country life while trying not to think too much about what was happening in Europe. (The identity of children in this picture as well as the owner of the car are unknown.)