Self-described “recovering tax attorney” Aune recounts 13 months backpacking through all 15 states of the former Soviet Union.
The author’s fascination with other countries began early. She borrowed Spanish, French, and German language books from her elementary school library in Minnesota and wrote to pen pals in Mexico and Spain. In college, Aune majored in Russian and East European studies. When she wound up in the white-collar world as a tax attorney, she managed to take some international trips, but discontentment set in. Eventually, the travel bug won out: The author decided to quit her job, sell everything, and take off on a 13-month backpacking journey through Eastern Europe. Beginning in August, 2011, she visited former Soviet states and made additional trips to other countries, including Finland, Turkey, and Poland. Aune was struck by how little she understood about this part of the world despite her years of study. Only by strolling the streets, visiting the museums, and talking with locals did she feel she could finally grasp the reality of each country. The trip began in Russia, where she arranged to live with a family and teach them English. The bright, glistening room that was promised to her was in reality a ramshackle dump with a broken window overlooking the driveway. That sort of honesty is the strength of the book, a candid recounting of a long journey with low and high points not presented as a sugar-coated fantasy. The author includes observations from her sojourn that demonstrate the personal growth she underwent: “I was discovering one of the joys of solo travel. No one there knew me, so there was no one to judge me. And even if they did, what did I care?”
This engaging travelogue illuminates a historically significant part of the world that remains little known to many Americans.