Life a 'soap opera'
for financial adviser
By Lori Demo
Luis Perdomo says his life is a "syrupy soap opera."
The UNL financial aids adviser has not seen his family since he
left his home in Havana, Cuba seven years ago. Glaucoma at age
eight left him legally blind. And polio, when he was two, left one
of his legs shorter than the other.
But Luis Perdomo says he is happy about everything that ever
happened to him.
"Because of all this," he said, "I am a better person. I basically
feel 1 can survive no matter what and I can be happy with almost
everything."
Perdomo says he has had a "variety of experiences" in his life.
He also has lived in Spain, France and Canada before rje came to
the United States in 1969.
University study
He studied at the University of Havana, University of Montreal,
McGill University in Montreal, the Alliance Francaise in Paris, and
UNL.
He has studied French, Italian, English, Russian and German;
and can-"or least used to be able to"-speak Spanish and
Portugese.
He owns college degrees in psychology, human relations and
Romance Languages.
He has worked as a translator, museum guide, tourist guide,
resident hall student assistant and residence director, and executive
director of the Lincoln Indian Center.
Learning about people
"One thing I enjoy is learning about people," he said.
"Sometimes 1 take it as a challenge when I don't know
something," he said.
"My mother used to say there is something no one can ever take
away from you what you learn."
Brought up in an "upper middle class" family in Havana,
Perdomo left Cuba when he was 17 to study psychology in
Montreal.
Two years later, after Castro's takeover of Cuba, Perdomo
returned to study medicine at the University of Havana.
"I felt something new developing," he said. "It was my duty to
help in the revolutionary process at that time. When I was in
medical school I began to see a lot of things I disagreed with.
Castro started turning in a different direction. It became clear he
was going into one I didn't agree with."
After the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban government said all medical
students had to be under military law either in the militia or the
armed forces.
Because he did not want to join the military, Perdomo quit
medical school and began studying into clinical psychology.
But "political trouble" made him leave school before he
finished his studies, he said.
Departure granted
Finally in 1967, after waiting three and a half years, the Cuban
government granted him his departure papers to go to Spain.
"I don't know why they let me go." he said. "I had friends in
similar situations who were allowed to leave in a short time and
others who still have not left."
"I realized I had finally left," he said, "and left a part of my life
behind me when I got to Madrid. And I started crying. I knew
when I left I would not go back."
That was seven years ago. Perdomo said his mother, who is very
sick, and his brother, who was an electrical engineer, but lost his
job because he refused to join any political organizations, still are
waiting to leave the country.
No money
When he arrived in Spain, Perdomo had no money because the
Cuban government did not allow those leaving to take any with
them.
"I lived on tea and crackers," he said. "I lost 40 pounds in a
month and a half."
After attending the University of Madrid and working as a
museum guide and a translator, he went to France to study at the
Alliance Francaise and work at more odd jobs.
Continued on p. 13
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Luis Perdomo, UNL financial aids advisor
FEB. 12th
AT 7:30 P.M.
60 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, Feb. 3, 1915-Charler day-the annual University
holiday in commemoration of the founding of the University of
Nebraska comes this year on Monday, Feb. 5.
Some 50 athletes are partaking daily in preparation for the
annual indoor meet on Charter day, Feb. 14. The meet is a big
feature of the holiday and it is safe to say that the meet itself this
year will be characterized by feature work throughout.
On Thursday evening of this week, the class in Medical
Gymnasium will be offered a rare treat in the form of a lecture by
Dr. Orr of the Orthopedic Hospital.
Another party of Senior girls will be held Saturday afternoon
Feb. 6, at the Temple. The Black Masques will again be in charge
and a fine time is assured. Those who want to sew will be provided
with rocking chairs around a cozy fire and those who want to play
games will find a variety arranged for them and those who want to
dance will find a orchestra prepared to furnish the music.
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Wednesday, february 5, 1975
daily nebraskan
page 11