Aug. 26th, 2015, a photography exhibition, "Real Cuba" opened in the lower level foyer of the Library of Mykolas Romeris University (MRU).
The photos, portraits of Cubans, men fixing old cars and those chronicling life in Cuba, were taken by MRU Marketing Office manager Simona Sargelytė in 2008.
Most youth usually bypass visiting Cuba. It's a far off, unknown place of contrasts. For some, it's too expensive to get there, while for others it's just unsafe. But in 2008 for me and my friends that didn't matter, says photographer Sargelytė in the written Introduction posted near the exhibition.
"The time and desire came to travel to the past, to ride around in an old Volga and to become acquainted with people, who don't have anything but their hope for a better tomorrow," she said.
Having begun the journey to Cuba I understood that any misunderstanding can be resolved by a smile.
Local Cubans are happy, when you try to fit into a dialogue the 140 words you learned. They remain thankful for the coloured pencils or chewing gum that you leave as gifts.
People in Cuba like the actors Jean-Claude Van Damme and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sargelytė writes.
"They're young and never grow old in the video clips, which a well-off neighbour will show, when the neighbourhood party ends and rum runs out."
And tomorrow - a Sunday dawns - a holy day. It's a day of rest, when no one works and only a few stores are open selling cold lemonade and pies made from water and flour. And soon they'll run out of those also.
No problem, if you're traveling on a Sunday. You'll always find the best and most delicious grapefruits, bananas on trees all around. If you get thirsty, there's coconuts too.
They say now is the time to go to Cuba, because later the era of "Coca Cola" and McDonald's will come, Sargelytė notes.
But, the truth is no matter when you travel to this country, it will always seem like 30 years ago.
Cuba is a country of real people, beautiful traditions and smiles. Every person you meet is a separate history, writes photographer Sargelytė.
The photo exhibition was organized by MRU Librarian Kristina Vaitonienė.