Summary

In “A Swirl of Changes,” Engle describes how she and her sister teach her mother to stop ironing sheets and wear jeans. When Mom tries to teach the girls about dating, however, she recites the old Cuban rules that girls should not chase the boys and that they should not act too eager.

In “Travel Plans,” Engle’s mother has to get special permission to join her family on a trip to Europe. To travel, Mami's plans for travel have to be specific and officially approved by each country she will visit before she travels.

In “Reality,” letters from Engle’s grandmother report that the farm has been confiscated. Food is being rationed. Engle points out that her teachers do not talk about the United States' trade embargo against Cuba.

In “My Own View of Reality,” Engle writes...