CUBA 2014: Getting Situated

                 Upon arrival in Cuba, I began to locate people with whom to practice my Spanish. At first, I found that many of the hotel employees, workers at museums, etc. would ignore me and just say something simple in English, if they said anything at all. Toward the end of the first day, I asked a fellow student from Puerto Rico about this. I thought that perhaps my enunciation was poor or that I was speaking badly (accent, improper grammar, etc.). She assured me that everyone was doing it to her as well and she did not understand. She also affirmed that I was speaking clearly and understandably, and it must be a cultural thing.

I decided rather than to revert to English, to simply keep trying. So I talked to everyone I could and after a day or two, they started to warm up and smile, even telling me that I was doing a good job with my Spanish and talking back to me in Spanish. I think that this is an artifact of the tourism industry here – probably, they have been treated poorly by tourists, are not used to tourists actually speaking to them rather than complaining or telling them what to do. It is kind of like living somewhere touristy – like the Florida Keys – and having to deal with strangers all the time, most of whom do not care about you at all. So I learned that being considerate and genuine, as well as persistent, was the key to interacting with the locals.

                After that, I talked to everyone and made many friends. I learned and used more Spanish in my week in Cuba than I have before, even when I travelled to Mexico. I found it refreshing that so many people would speak slowly to me because they knew that I was learning and that they would actually ask me questions and answer mine in a way that was warm and open. I really fell in love with the people – they just seem so warm and friendly, especially once they found out that I am American. They are very used to meeting Canadians (Cuba is the vacation secret of Canadians, especially French speaking Canadians) but many had never met someone from the USA or at least, not in a while. Many had a friend or family member who “moved” to the US, but because of the embargo, it is rare to have visitors come over from the US.

                There were many misconceptions that the Cuban people had of us, and perhaps some that I had of them. For one, Cubans are very friendly to the US and look hopefully toward Obama to lift the “Blockade” (which we call the embargo). They do not think of themselves as communists, and although they do not enjoy all of the freedoms that we enjoy, they find very intelligently coded ways to express their opinions and feelings. They are very politically minded and well educated – one problem with the quality of life in Cuba is the government restricted salary – but the educational system is pretty exceptional. At the same time, like many of our neighbors, the Cuban people tend to think that we are all rich (which is understandable, since the aforementioned salary is equivalent to $10 USD per month). This may be exacerbated by the fact that only the more affluent are able to travel. It was hard to explain that teachers in the United States really do not make that much money considering how expensive it is to live here and that there is high unemployment and underemployment in the United States, as well. It sounds pretty empty when you hear yourself trying to explain this to someone who makes less in a month than you do in an hour.

                The food was actually a pleasant surprise. I ate very well in Cuba. Images follow, but in a nutshell, lots of fish, lobster, beefsteaks, beans and rice, salads, tropical fruits and great coffee, depending on where you get it. Of course, tourists also have access to a steady supply of alcohol. Since I don’t drink often, I got sticker shock over a soda, which cost much more than a beer or mixed drink. Because of the dual economy (tourists are charged with a different price and use different currency than locals) everything except alcohol is very similar in price to the US. I would equate it to Las Vegas type prices. Very variable and don’t expect to save money or operate on a shoestring budget without going into local neighborhoods and trying out the non-tourist spots (which I strongly suggest and hope to do more of in the future). 

Above are images of food selections in Cuba. The center is the breakfast in Hotel Vedado, the top picture and bottom picture are from Artechef, the culinary institute that we visited as part of our educational program. All delicious.