Lara Gelya
About The Author
Born in Ukraine and going to school there, Lara Gelya went on for the next 20 years to the Kyzylkum Desert of the Republic of Uzbekistan, working at geological sites and expeditions of the Mining Industry. At that time Ukraine and Uzbekistan were parts of one country—the Soviet Union.
In 1989 Lara left the Soviet Union, lived in Austria and Italy before she, at last, found her way to the United States in 1990. Starting her life from ground zero again, and trying on so many hats, she was able to make a lengthy professional career that led to her eventual retirement on the shores of sunny Florida. Lara's debut book "Camel from Kyzylkum" is a poignant memoir about hope, struggles, loss, and finding the strength and inspiration to reach again and again for a better life.
In September of 2022, Lara became an award-winning author as her book, Camel from Kyzylkum, was awarded the Literary Titan Gold Book Award.
When she isn’t writing or making her videos and pictures, Lara spends most of her time reading, gardening, cooking, traveling the world, wandering through nature, or catching her favorite shows.
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Short Stories by the Author
The Simple Act of Kindness
Can you recall a time somebody was kind to you? To be kind is probably the most important value in our society because it involves loving and caring about others expecting nothing in return but the satisfaction that it brings to the soul. Being kind is an action that allows us to have a harmonious and peaceful coexistence. The environment that results from treating people with kindness is gratifying. I recently experienced a simple act of kindness from a stranger, here is my little story.
My arrival to the USA
I LANDED IN NEW YORK CITY, at the John F. Kennedy International Airport, on the morning of March 15, 1990. A representative of HIAS met me and some other Soviet refugees who were on my flight. He gave me a ticket for the flight to Buffalo, New York, and showed me where to wait for the flight. A Jewish organization in Buffalo had agreed to be my sponsor. By that time, my cousin Rimma, with her husband Yury and little daughter Elina, were already in Buffalo. They had arrived a few months before me.
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Books by the Author
