The Trip

Over fifteen years ago, John visited Haiti on a mission trip.  He spent a week there with our church's senior high youth.  While there, he met two agricultural advisors from Cuba.   The Cubans invited him to visit their country, which could not be done at that time, by an American.  Over the intervening years, he remembered that promise.  In 2015, visiting Cuba did become an option, if one was visiting as part of a "person-to-person" trip, an education trip or a mission trip.  Such a trip became available, through National Geographic, and we decided to sign up, given our positive experience while visiting Israel with NatGeo in October. 

We departed Miami, on a charter flight, on January 3 to Havana.  Traveling with us were 21 other individuals, all interested in seeing Cuba before it changed significantly as a result of reforms put in place by Raul Castro.  Those reforms will move Cuba, at a minimum, from a highly socialist country to a country that blends its own approach to socialism with a nod toward individual entrepreneurialism.  

Our fellow travelers included two highly regarded anthropologists; two retired CEO's; the former UN High Commissioner for Refugees; an actor; an exceptional amateur photographer; three couples from south Texas, including a retired three-star Marine General, and other well educated and curious travelers.  We were a harmonious group and were commended for our good humor by the guides at the closing party.  It does take good humor to visit a country like Cuba, with few services, that is just beginning to experiment with small business and serving the needs of visitors.

We spent six days in Havana and three in Cienfuegos, a city on the southern coast of Cuba.  We met with a number of Cubans where we had the opportunity for dialogue.  We attended a wide range of arts activities:  dance, choral, stage productions, and visits to artist studios.  The arts are an integral part of Cuban culture and arise, in large part, among community groups that come together to bring some form of art to their neighbors. We saw and traveled in a wide variety of US vehicles from the 1950's.

We stayed in a hotel in Havana that is partially owned and operated by Iberostar, a large Spanish hotel chain.  It was equivalent to a very nice Marriott in the US.  While in Cienfuegos, we staying at a state owned property, which was clean and safe, and was equivalent to a tired Holiday Inn.  We were perfectly comfortable at both.

We returned to the US on January 11 after an intense trip where we met many people, saw much of two Cuban cities and developed a much deeper insight into Cuba and her people.

The Country--Past and Present

The first known westerner, to set eyes on Cuba, was Christopher Columbus,who, in 1492, professed it to be the most beautiful island he had ever seen.  Decades of Spanish colonial rule followed, leading to the Spanish-American War, when Cuba became a US protectorate.  Despite that "protection," Cuba suffered through weak or corrupt leadership for decades climaxing in the dictatorship of Flugencio Batista.  Corruption, harassment, imprisonment and police brutality, along with the gambling and prostitution brought in by the Mafia, were significant enough to inspire a young lawyer, Fidel Castro, to first challenge the Batista government in court and later to stage guerrilla actions in order to end Batista's control.  Regardless of what he grew to become, Castro's initial motives would have been supported by many who struggle with oppression.  

Life in the cities, under Batista, was challenging enough but the masses in rural Cuba were impoverished, ill housed, ill fed and poorly clothed.  Early deaths were common.  

Participants in the Revolution, including the parents of our lead local guide, were highly committed, idealistic and willing to do whatever it took, or suffer significant deprivations, to be free of dictatorial rule.  Their biggest impediment was, and has been, the United States.  Early on the US was sure Castro would fall, as had many Cuban leaders before him.  When that no longer appeared likely, the US supported Cubans, living in Florida, in an armed invasion that disastrously ended with the Bay of Pigs.  While we were near that site, we visited a museum of the conflict where we learned of "the Yankee imperialists unwarranted aggression toward the Cuban people."

Castro was, and has been, firm that his brand of socialism and that of the former Soviet Union are not the same.  Yet, when Cuba and the US parted ways and the embargo set in, Castro turned to the Soviets for economic support.  This was delivered in spades.  The Soviets, according to our local guide, provided "everything."  Cubans, as a result, learned dependence.  Their entire agricultural industry fell into disuse.  When the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990's, everything changed.  Cubans became impoverished and suffered significantly.  Over the last 35 years, they have pulled themselves out of abject poverty with the aid of Central America and Europe.  

Cubans are among the best educated people in the world with one of the world's finest healthcare systems.  They spend a third of their GDP on education.  Their number one export is professionals.  They send doctors, lawyers, programmers and other professionals to foreign countries who pay Cuba a fee and provide lodging and a stipend for the professional.  

With Raul Castro's reforms, put in place after his brother, Fidel, stepped down due to illness, Cuba has, in just the last year, gone from no possibility of private ownership to the ability to own a home; from only state employment to the emergence of small businesses, especially those related to tourism and from little foreign investment to growing and significant investment.

Where it will end up is anybody's guess but that surely will be a country that differs from the one of the last 55 years.  When we were visiting a well known square in downtown Havana, near the harbor, our local guide was quite taken aback to see a very large cruise ship pull up and let off hundreds and hundreds of passengers.  As she watched, the square filled up.  She looked around and exclaimed,"Oh, dear! What is happening to my little country?"  Clearly, it will never be the same again.

The Economy

The Cuban economy ranks 66th in the world with a GDP per capita of $10,200.  At one time, the Cuban economy was quite robust.  In the 19th century, Cuba grew and sold one-third of all the sugar--white gold--consumed in the world.  They have long distilled rum and rolled cigars.   The economy was also quite uneven, at that time, with very wealthy landowners and astonishingly poor field workers.  Corruption in government was endemic.  

Following the Revolution, the state took on the ownership of all means of production, all lodging, all livestock, all buildings, all cars...in short, everything.  Citizens were assigned jobs, provided lodging and food, as well as, free education and healthcare.  Today the state owns 76% of all enterprises and limits the ownership of personal property, yet has introduced reforms that now allow citizens far greater freedoms.  

Cuba pays state workers with the Cuban peso.  The average Cuban worker makes the equivalent of $20US/month.  There is some variation between manual workers and surgeons but very little.  In 1995, Fidel Castro supported the beginning of a dual currency by agreeing to allow US dollars as currency, to be used only by foreign visitors.  The US dollar was subsequently replaced by the Cuban convertible peso or CUC.  One CUC is worth about 24 times a single Cuban peso.  CUCs must be used by visitors.  Hence, if you are a worker in the hospitality industry--a housekeeper; a waiter; a taxi driver, a guide--you are tipped by foreign travelers in CUCs.  A taxi driver, consequently, can make significantly more than a state paid physician.  With few exceptions, goods for sale are priced in CUCs.  This makes certain items completely unattainable for the average Cuban.  The dual currency has had the effect of creating inequality in a society that prices socialism.  It is a significant problem for Cuba and is a problem that must be solved.  Short of a loan from the IMF, which would support the transition to one currency, it is hard to say how the problem will be resolved.

All Cubans receive monthly rations from the bodega, which were quite generous in the years of Soviet partnership but were severely restricted with the Soviet Union collapsed and Cuba had to go it alone.  Milk, for example, is provided only to children, seven years of age and younger, in a powered form.  Each citizen receives seven pounds of rice each month.  There are a few "general stores" which offer one style of basic black work shoe; jeans; tee-shirts, blots of fabric and a range of dry goods.  Most are priced in CUCs.  Produce is sold on the street side or in a community farmer's market.

While the visitor can buy fine art, rum, cigars and trinkets, there is virtually nothing else for sale.  Hotels were run by the state for decades.  Under recent reforms, Cuban is now entering into a number of business partnerships.  Our Havana hotel was owned 60% by Cuba and 40% by Iberostar, which hires Cuban employees who they train.  

The Cuban people are hoping that Raul's reforms will lead to a more stable economy and one where all its citizens can grow economically.

The Arts

Over the nine days we were in Cuba, we participated in the arts at least daily.  These ran the gamut from dance, music, or theatre to visits to artist studios.  Several of the groups, we met with, grew out of grass-roots efforts among the members of a given community seeking to revitalize their neighborhood and engage their neighbors.  Some projects are internationally known and award winning efforts.  These "community projects" are a hallmark of Cuban culture and values.

Muraleando:  In a suburb of Havana, a decade ago, neighbors came together to clean up what essentially was a garbage dump and it grew to be a highly regarded "community project."  An artist collective of dancers, visual artists and musicians now provide entertainment for their neighbors and art classes for their youth.  We visited their artist kiosk and attended a performance of their dancers, singers and musicians.  This project is funded by the sale of art works and performance contributions.

Joruba:  One of the strongest religious movements in Cuba is a blend of Catholicism and African worship of unique gods and goddesses.  Joruba is a museum depicting the various gods and goddesses.  Joruban youth presented, through song and dance, the presence and power of these deities.

Cafe Taberna:  At the end of our second evening in Havana, we visited a well known downtown bar featuring Cuban musicians performing in the style of the Buena Vista Social Club.  We enjoyed a classic rum cocktail while there.

La Comineta:  This was an after-school program, for 5 to 15 year-old disadvantaged children, who perform "fairy tale" stage productions featuring song and dance.  The youngest dancers were costumed as bumble-bees.  They greeted us, as we entered the auditorium, took us by the hand and escorted us to our seats.  After the performance, they returned and invited us to dance in the aisles and on stage at the conclusion of the evening's performance. This project is funded by Switzerland.

Habana Compas:  An Afro-Cuban dance company is another "community project," based on the vision of Liliet Rivera, and is comprised of 4 percussion musicians and 12 dancers.  Their principal device is the wooden chair, which they incorporate into their performances as a prop and a percussion instrument.  Habana Compas has toured numerous countries around the world and is looking forward to their first visit, this summer, to the US, to Tampa.  They were amazing and ended their performance by inviting our group to join them on stage in a final dance.

Choir of Cienfuegos:  An acappella group of ten men and ten women perform Baroque, Romantic, Renaissance and Contemporary music.  They, too, have performed all over the world and will compete this summer in Montana in the International Choral competition.  They were fabulous.

Finca Vigia:  Lookout Farms, was the Cuban home of Ernest Hemingway, set in a suburb of Havana, where he lived for twenty years and wrote the majority of his award winning novels.  The estate consists of a home surrounded by a wrap-around porch, a guest cottage and garage, a swimming pool, a tennis court and a boathouse.  The estate is in the process of renovation, as is much of Havana.

Studio of Jose Fuster:  The studio of Jose Fuster, a ceramic and mosaic artist, spills over, for his home, into the surrounding Jaimanitas neighborhood, via over 80 murals and artistic domes.  His work is whimsical, astonishing and award winning.  It must be seen to be understood.  We made one of our few purchases at Fuster's studio:  a ceramic tile of the Old Man and the Sea.

Cuban National Ballet:  In the newly renovated Opera Hall, the Cuban National Ballet performed Giselle.  Just before the performance began, the audience burst into applause, when the 97 year old former Prima Ballerina entered the Hall.  The performance itself was well done; the current prima ballerina was excellent.

The People

We had the opportunity to meet many Cuban people, both in Cuba and in Miami.  We were struck by how kind and welcoming everyone was.  No matter where we were, Cubans were engaging, open and very willing to chat.  Cubans are known to be incredibly social.  On an average day, ten to fifteen people walk through the typical Cuban home.

A short description of each person we met, along with their point of view, follows;

Miguel Coyula, Architect:  Miguel presented an architectural history of the island.  In 1565, there were 500 Havana residents and 500 sailors on ships in the Bay.  This presented a significant challenge in terms of food and water for the sailors.  A system of aqueducts was built drawing water to Havana from the mountains.  The oldest fortress in the Americas was built and a wall was constructed around the city.  By 1762, the island had been overtaken by the British but malaria and yellow fever ended British rule in eleven months.  They followed the Spanish and themselves were followed by Asians who built one of the first railroads in the world.  The architecture of Havana is a blend of ornate Spanish/Moorish structures and cement cubes provided by the Soviets.  Average age of Havana buildings is 75 years and in great need of restoration.  Everyday, on average, three building collapse in Havana.  The buildings were largely crumbling, peeling or rusting.  About 5% have been renovated.

 Alicia Peres, Tour Guide:  Alicia was our Cuban tour guide, an employee of the state, and an exceptional representative of her country.  She is quite proud of Cuba, thrilled to see American travelers and clear about the mistakes made by her country.  She is the daughter of two physicians, who fought in the revolution, the mother of a seven year old, a lead guide for Havana Tours and, often, an outspoken, but balanced, critic of her country.  When the Soviets pulled out in the mid-90's, Alicia's family survived by funding a rice farmer and consuming a portion of his crops.  Alicia is a graduate of the University of Havana and highly knowledgeable of her country, its people and their culture.  She applied for, and was denied, a visa to travel to the US.

Juan Valdez, National Geographic Expert:  Juan was born in Cuba and transported to the US at the advent of the revolution.  He was seven years old--one of the so-called Peter Pan kids.  He was lucky since he was rejoined to his parents and brother, who had been sent to Wyoming, just six months after his arrival in the US.  Many Peter Pan kids never saw their families again.  Juan's family settled in Washington, DC and he went onto become the lead cartographer for National Geographic.  His first of three lectures in Cuba was on the people of Cuba, staring with the Indians who came from Florida and Central America; the Spanish and the Irish who built cultural centers, established banking and retail; the French, fleeing Louisiana during the Civil War; the Africans, who, today, represent the highest population of the island; the Asians, who came to build the railroad; and the Europeans, fleeing War in Europe and the Americans.  

After the revolution, 2.5M Cubans migrated to the US and other parts of the world.  Juan's other lectures were about maps and map making--a fascinating process.  Everywhere we went, Juan had a gift of a suitable map for everyone we visited.  When we were with the Choir of Cienfuegos, who will be competing in Montana this summer in the International Choral Competition, he gave them a map of the US with a pin indicating Missoula, Montana.  They were thrilled.  Juan's favorite saying was:  "Once a Cuban, Always a Cuban."

Dr. Rosa Lopez, Economist:  Dr. Lopez is a University of Havana Economist.  She has taught there for 48 years.  She discussed the Cuban economic model, the US embargo and its effect on the economy, the application of the Soviet model and Cuba's economic mistakes. Chief among the mistakes is the two currencies followed by the extreme control of the state that led to forced full employment and the discouragement of small business.  Current economic goals include:  making socialism more sustainable, encouraging major foreign investments and widening and deepening the ports.  Dr. Lopez was forceful in her views and hopeful that Cuba could undertake economic reforms without losing its soul.

Professor Marta Nunez, Sociologist:  Professor Nunez teaches Sociology to Brown University students studying in Cuba.  She described Cuban society as highly patriarchal and quite homophobic.  While a tenant of the party is to be broadly accepting, that does not always happen.  Two-thirds of all professionals are women but governmental leaders tend to be men.  Sixty percent of Cuba's 67 universities' faculty are women.  Forty-nine percent of Parliament is female.  Yet, only 37% of managers, in the workplace, are women.  Professor Nunez was soft-spoken but also firm in her views.

Marc Frank, American Journalist and author of Cuban Revelations:  Marc has lived and worked in Havana for 25 years.  He is an employee of ABC and Reuters and is married to a Cuban woman.  He spoke about the many recent changes from the opening of relations with the US to the strong support Cuba receives from other Caribbean islands and Central American countries, who all had a hand in the US/Cuba thaw.  The more democratic these nations became, the more they welcomed Cuba.  In 1964, every country in the western hemisphere, with the exception of Mexico and Canada, worked with the US to topple Castro.  Today, everyone, but the US, has normalized relations with Cuba.  Cuba is changing, as well.  It has accepted greater responsibility for its own problems; greater acceptance of open and candid communications; and lifting restrictions on travel, small business, personal property and the internet.  Ending subsidies, ending two currencies and levying taxes is being discussed.  

Cristine Escobar, Cuban Journalist:  Cristine was the first Cuban journalist to visit the White House in 55 years, as part of the Cuban delegation following the change in travel restrictions and re-establishment of embassies.  She was educated in Cuba and clearly an excellent representative of her people.  Cristine said she felt Cuba had one year to prove itself--before there was a new US President, who could reverse the Executive Orders of President Obama.  2016 is to be a year of joint ventures with plans to sign 40 such agreements for $2.5B a year.  Only the US is not a participant and that might change.  One US Governor a week visits Cuban exploring economic possibilities.  While we were in Havana, two US governors were at our hotel.  Cristine, responding to a question, stated that Cubans want the return of Guantanamo.  They believe the Platt Amendment, which allows its existence, to be illegal.  What happens at Guantanamo is not so much the issue as their belief that the land is theirs.  

Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR):  One evening, following dinner, we visited a neighborhood in Havana and met with the neighbors living in one apartment block, which is a CDR.  CDR's were established during the revolution as a device to keep everyone marching in the same direction as the party.  Today CDR's are more focused on neighbor health and welfare and community issues.  Nonetheless, their control characteristic still exists.  The CDR we visited was very welcoming, with hugs and song.  Our group sang the National Anthem for them--not too poor a rendition.  They opened their apartments to us, shared food and drink and seemed genuinely happy to meet us.

Carlos and Maria:  At our Havana hotel, our waiter, Carlos, told us his story of fleeing to Mexico ten years ago and entering the US via that route.  As a small child, he listened to American music on the radio and was fascinated with our culture.  He did not believe there were opportunities for him in Cuba.  He disdained the socialist state that, ultimately, kept almost everyone in poverty.  Maria served us at an airport restaurant and had a very similar story to that of Carlos.  She, too, felt that America was the land of opportunity and that there was nothing for her in Cuba.  

The Future

There are as many predictions of the future of Cuba as there are individuals predicting.  The only prediction that seems firm is that change is inevitable.  The Cuba of tomorrow will be different than the Cuba of yesterday.  What the Cubans are hoping is that change will lead to a healthier economy and will not alter their values of equality, family, community and country.  The Cubans, we met, were all hopeful that the US rapprochement would continue and expand.  Cubans believe the end is in sight for the embargo.  That, however, does not seem so clear, at the moment and would be highly dependent on the next President and Congress.  

Given the 55 years that have passed since the revolution, it seems to be in everyone's best interest to continue to open, not close, relations with the Cubans.  It really does not look like we, or anyone, have anything to fear from them.  Their military might, if it exists, was not on display while we were in Cuba.  Their people are warm and friendly and well educated.  Partnering with them looks like a more attainable and more positive goal than our current distance.  I hope we will continue to reach out.