So Why Cuba?

“It’s only impossible until someone does it for the first time”

When I told people I was traveling to Cuba, I received a lot of Why’s? & You’re Crazy’s! But hearing those responses only justified my reasonings for exploring this mysterious, history-riddled island. Like so many other interests in my life, what triggered this sudden urge to travel to Cuba was just a simple sense of curiosity. What was it like to live in a Communist country? How did the Cuban people feel about their circumstances? Was there a way for Americans to travel to Cuba (illegally?) The answers to these and many other questions were soon to be discovered, but first – I had to make a commitment to go. And so I did.

I arrived in Cuba with very few expectations. I really didn’t know WHAT to expect to be honest. When I traveled to other more “popular” places such as London, Machu Pichhu, and Paris, there was already subconscious expectation for greatness. The media, the glamour, the exchanges of travel tips/advice were all made perfectly clear before, during, and after those trips. With Cuba, it was a blank slate. During my short 5 day trip there, I did my best to observe and soak in (literally!) all that Cuba had in store for me. What I came back were perspectives colored with a range of different emotions that really made me think and appreciate life in America so much more than I ever had before. And if you will allow me dear reader, I’d love to share some of these observations with you today.

A Country And A Life Without Internet 

It was a drastic transition coming from the heart of Silicon Valley where the Internet plays such a crucial role in the lives and businesses of millions of people to a country where words like, WiFi and Google were synonyms with goo-goo and ga-ga. Though the Internet was available (to a certain degree) in classier hotels and cafes, they were mainly reserved for foreigners and those with the financial means to use it. So for the majority of the Cuban people (~97% according to my research), the Internet was nonexistent.

This nonexistence of life’s most free and useful tool was both interesting and frustrating to see. I mean just imagine, a lifestyle without access to the Internet. While I’ve discussed this topic with my network of whether the Internet has ultimately hindered or advanced the lives of our generation, it was fascinating to see how the Cuban people lived on without it.

I remembered when Facebook acquired WhatsApp, the mobile messaging platform company for 19 Billion dollars and how huge of an impact it had on the tech community. Every one in the office was talking about it, Twitter was going bananas, and bloggers were having a field day discussing and rapidly meeting deadlines to produce content. But then you jump across a few thousand miles to the island of Cuba and you see that nothing has changed. Life as it was yesterday was the same today and tomorrow and the day after that. The gigantic world outside of Cuba and all the activity associated with it remains a mystery to its people.

On the other hand, it was also frustrating to see. The Internet, when properly used can be a life changing tool. The access to learning and bettering oneself in the matter of a few keystrokes could potentially provide a wealth of benefits for the lives and well being of the Cuban people. Growing up in the most digitally knowledged generation only made it even more painful knowing how much there was to gain with the power of the Internet.

Thankfully, there is some hope.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently visited Cuba to promote a “free and open Internet” to officials and students. You can read more about his visit here.

“We Are Like Clowns” 

In a conversation that I had with a local Cuban, I asked him a simple question. “Winfredo, are you happy?”

He looked at me with dismal, tired eyes, eyebrows slightly furrowed in frustration and answered –

“No. We are like clowns here in Cuba. On the outside, we are happy and joyous. But in the inside we are sad and angry.”

I’ll never forget that.

Winfredo’s answer echoed synonymously with a few of the other Cubans I exchanged conversations with. Among the youth especially, dubbed the “I” generation of Cuba voiced similar frustrations and anger at their limited opportunities. What about us? Why can’t we pursue the dreams we want to?

Although I don’t have a complete grasp on how “careers” and such work in Cuba, from what I observed and read, the opportunities seem extremely limited. In fact, a popular ambition and goal many females in Cuba have as a young adult is to swoon foreigners who visit in hopes of having the opportunity to go back with him to their native country. Boys on the other hand aren’t so lucky.

For myself, I’ve always had some interest in helping friends succeed in their career goals. Whether it be providing advice, encouragement, or  referring a job it was always so rewarding to see improve and become a better version of themselves. So when I really started digging deeper into the youth of Cuba and seeing people my age just continuously struggle and wish for more, I couldn’t help but empathize and feel for them.

Ugh.

Never have I felt so helpless during a vacation.

The Sky Ceiling Is The Limit

Up to this point of my 23 year American life, I had never really appreciated one of our country’s most foundational principles of freedom. What I took for granted as a catalysis for a great movie and rags-to-riches tale, it was only when I saw what a country without freedom looked like before my mental compass flipped on from North to South in a heartbeat.

Freedom can represent so many things. For some, it’s the freedom of learning. In the United States, parents have the power to dictate and guide where they see their children succeed in their education. For others, it’s the freedom of watching and reading whatever movie/book they please. (Just think! What if Game Of Thrones was censored from the USA?! The country would go into chaos.) But for me, as a lover of the world and its culture/sights/food/people/etc, what grips my heart for the Cuban people is their inability to leave the country.

“Cuban citizens cannot leave or return to Cuba without first obtaining official permission, which is often denied.”

Examples like these, (and there are more) only reshapes and refines my outlook on what freedom really means and boy! am I lucky to have been born here on American soil where freedom reigns ubiquitously.

Music And Dancing – An Essential Distraction

During our time in Cuba, it felt like we were naturally ingrained into the musical and dancing culture that was all around us. Obispo Street, one of the more visited streets of the city embraced visitors with the beautiful, exquisite sound of congos, maracas, trumpets, and the piano. These talented artists provided the platform for salsa dancers to slip in and show off their swirling footwork, with each step in perfect harmony to the beat of the music.

As melodic and soothing it was watching and listening to these passion-led performers, I couldn’t help but ponder about the overreaching importance of what music and dancing means for the Cuban people. The last couple decades hasn’t been easy. It’s been one filled with widespread poverty, suffering, and the continual hope for something better. Any opportunity to be distracted from these depressive thoughts was always welcomed with wide open arms.

So as I watched these Cubans joyously sing and dance, I wondered – What are they thinking of? What deep rooted pains are hiding behind these smiles?

The Power Of Limited Choices

There was a TED talk beautifully presented by Barry Schwartz  a couple months ago that discussed the topic of the freedom of choices. [Link to talk here.] In his ~20min presentation, he argued that, “choice has made us not freer but more paralyzed, not happier but more dissatisfied.” Barry has my complete support. My love for In N Out burgers extends beyond just their fresh juciy patties and magically done fries, but also because of the limited amount of options on their menu. You have your Hamburger and your CheeseBurger. Done.

But in Cuba, that ideal is flipped around. In fact, for many families throughout Cuba they are dependent on a rationing system. Families are given a coupon book that can be exchanged at their local bodega for the standard minimums of rice, sugar, matches, and oil. They are also given a whopping ~$17/month to purchase other food products (like meat.) that are also distributed and controlled by governmental centers.

Again, I wonder. For 3rd world developing countries like Cuba, would this same philosophy of less choices = more happiness applies? I would think that familiarity would lead to boredom and from there, an urge/need to want more choices. But when you are living on $1/day, I’m sure the first (and probably only) priority is to survive, thus exhausting any temptations to want more.

Food for thought.

 

Last Thoughts

“A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” – Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway, dubbed “Papa” by the Cuban people was a beloved figure adorned by all. His words, spread across the pages of legendary books often times reflected the hardships and celebrations of the Cuban culture and its people. In the above quote taken from his best selling novel, “The Old Man And The Sea” , the hero of the story shares an important lesson of harnessing a spirit of triumph despite dejecting circumstances. Although possessing very little, the hero (the old fisherman) had so much. An undying love for fishing and the genuine love for the camaraderie between him and the boy.

I was lucky to have met a few of these likeminded individuals during my visit. Individuals who graciously showed me love and enthusiasm for their country despite harboring hardships that I will never fully comprehend. Hemingway, and the millions of people his work continually symbolizes provides powerful lessons that can be applied to our lives.

Lessons of perseverance, appreciation, hope…

But perhaps the most important lesson during this trip that was reinforced in my life was a simple recognition: despite whatever circumstances people are in, people are just that -people. And as people, we all deserve the same simple pleasures of this life:  laughter, kindness, love, and respect shared among each other.