My hosts during my first stay in Havana were Miguel and Andrés. Miguel (65 years old) has owned the apartment for 20 years and worked as a government economist for 45 years. Andrés (80 years old) was a chef for multiple restaurants around town, and a clear culinary asset to the casa particular.
On my last night at their place, I was interested in gaining a bit more of a candid view on the Cubano experience. I had noticed that several services around town seemed government owned, especially the bread shops. My clues were: no advertising, very little selection, no frills, and cheap. That was my introductory question.
What followed was a long discussion about their lives in Cuba. Of course the language barrier limited it, but Im writing down the translation of parts in more fluent English.
Regarding Miguel's career as a socialist economist, I asked him if he felt like the government's shift of private businesses was helping the Cubans (in the last decade, Cuba has allowed private business ownership. Many entrepreneurs have popped up, evidenced by mini nail salons, mini barbershops, mini minimarts [these minis generally operate out of thr front rooms of apartments], lighter refuelers, cookie sellers [i bought a bag for my bus trip] and a small army of snow cone carts when rhe weather dictates). He said that yes, there are more opportunities, but while the government promised OPPURTUNITIES, the actuality has been much more lower-cased.
I related my experience in China and said that many if my friends' grandparents came of age when the US was an enemy. Did such animosity exist among cubans? "Well, Cubans had to develop two faces. At home, we loved America. Many of our family members and friends were there, and we admired it as the land of opportunity. Remember that through the '50s, we traveled freely to the US and knew what it was like. In contrast, the Cuban government tried to inject into our veins," he grabbed my arm at that point and made the hyperdermic gesture, "and when we applied for jobs or were at work we said 'We hate America. Down with America.'"
Regarding the observable improvements in structures around town and that they should have pride in the rebuilding, "Yes, we are happy, but that is tempered by frustration that things have gotten so bad. Because it didn't directly benefit from building maintenance, the government"--which I believe retained ownership--" neglected its duties and left it us a fewling of cynicism and despondency."
When I asked if they'd had the chance to leave Cuba for the US, "Yes most people did, but many who stayed did so for familial ties. Andrés' father had told him and his four brothers that it was more important for the family to stay together in Cuba than split up by leaving. I had plans to leave in 1980, but my father died that year and I had take care of things. This leaves in Cubans a certain sentiment of longing for what might have been."
Further, it leaves in Cubans a bit of resentment for those who did immigrate. I expressed my appreciation for the conversation we'd had, and that the personal connection was a major reason I enjoyed travel. I added that I thought important that I meet real Cubans than just listen to my schoolteachers or the media. Perhaps thinking that I had impressions based off of Cuban-Americans, he raised again the issue of difference and resentment. "The Cubans who immigrated will rent gold chains in the US to appear wealthy and come back to visit, showing off the lie that they have become super successful. We call them (I cant remember the word!)."
Although the conversation felt dominated by negativity, at least the parts that I recorded, I felt impressed that they remained fairly jovial despite discussing difficult topics. Perhaps this two-facedness, or ability to live with complexities in promises and reality, is a skill used frequently among Cubans. This disparity is especially observable in poor areas, where crumbling apartment buildings are flanked by glistening billboards espousing the promises of la Revolución. "Well, things are getting better for the Cubans," I mentioned. "Yes getting better for some, but very slowly for the rest of us."
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