MY LIFE IN HAVANA, CUBA
The Incongruities of Living and
Experiencing Havana
: At terminal 2 of the Jose Marti
International Airports you would see the biggest ‘bultos” plastic wrapped
luggage each weighing 75 or 100 lbs., goods being brought into the country by
Americans of Cuban origin living in Miami, to sell in the street or to offer as
gifts.
: Most of these visitors except those who
had gone to see their relatives there and are coming home, are uneducated and
thus dressed like any other uneducated American
: Compare that to an average Cuban who is
well educated. The general population of Cuba is literate on a degree rare in
North or South America.
: Relationships. I will write in detail how
the Social Relationships are symbols in Cuba and how one uses them. Such
symbolic social relationships do not normally exist in North America or Europe.
: One can have delicious food in Cuba,
cooked at home from ingredients bought in markets in national currency
: Multitudes of unresolved conflicts
: Anger at those issues that are not easy
to resolve
: Loss of Dreams and sadness at that loss
:Obsession as Dreams, one such being an
obsession that every thing is better in the USA, then why are they crying when
they leave the island?
: Profound Pride of Cubans in the Island, the
pride that became false when they became Americans.
: Cuba is full of excellent professionals,
more than most Latin American countries including the Banana Republic of Miami
:Incongruous Economy where labour and
education does not correspond to an income
:Inverted system of salaries. No types of
currencies so the ones who are in contact with the second currency called CUC
are richer by just that contact, such as barmen, porters, taxi drivers, the
kind of people who do not actually contribute to welfare of the Cuban society.
And if the country is so bad, as the Miami
Cubans say, why is that such great amounts of Tears are shed at the Departure
Lounge when they are leaving for USA?
Every one is sad to leave Cuba
Whether they are Cuban or not
It is that for many, the island of Cuba is
the centrality of their universe, their life, regardless of where they live.
Energy Enthusiasm Arts Culture Literature
And the host of intellectuals unrivalled in
North Central or South America.
Bienvenidos a La Habana and its Life. Faded
portals, sensuality of the centuries, innocence glued to solidarity, desire to
be human. That is Cuban.
