| I really gotta hurry, I only have about 28 | | | | are missing their wooden slats, on the seat, |
| minutes left on my Internet card so I am | | | | the backrest or both. And these benches are |
| going to try to be brief here. | | | | located right outside Cuba´s most famous |
| | | | building! Today I received the explanation |
| The last few days have been extremely | | | | that quality wood is extremely difficult to |
| interesting. I am not a political expert, but | | | | get and that people simply help |
| in a city like Havana you can´t help but | | | | themselves..... |
| be confronted with politics. Everywhere you | | | | |
| see billboards with political slogans, | | | | The number and types of private |
| monuments of heroes that were significant in | | | | entrepreneurial schemes is too large to |
| Cuba´s history, pictures of Che Guevara | | | | mention. Only a few are legal, for example |
| and Fidel Castro, and the Cuban Revolution as | | | | the paladares (private restaurants in private |
| well as the present economic circumstances | | | | homes), the casas particulares (bed and |
| are omnipresent topics of conversation. | | | | breakfasts) as well as various types of |
| | | | private taxis. But apart from this small |
| I have read a lot about Cuba and tried to | | | | number of officially permitted private |
| talk to as many people as possible and there | | | | enterprises, virtually everybody in this |
| are a few things that have crystallized in my | | | | country has turned into an entrepreneur. Any |
| mind as general impressions of Cuba. Once | | | | person that owns a car, and car ownership is |
| again, these are my personal impressions and | | | | extremely restricted here, uses it to give a |
| they are definitely not based on scientific | | | | lift to people, picks up passengers at a |
| fact, but nevertheless I will share them with | | | | street corner and drops them off 20 minutes |
| you. | | | | later in return for 10 Pesos, all money made |
| | | | under the table. |
| Cubans are a fiercely proud and independent | | | | |
| people and more than anything they insist on | | | | All these things are strangely ironic to me, |
| preserving their national independence and | | | | since Cuba officially is a Communist country, |
| sovereignty. At various times throughout | | | | where private property and private enterprise |
| history Cuba was dominated by the Spanish, | | | | is all but forbidden, but in order to survive |
| the English or the Americans and since the | | | | the entire population has turned into an army |
| Cuban Revolution in 1959 Cubans have had | | | | of entrepreneurs. |
| self-determination for the first time in | | | | |
| history. Obviously, Cubans avowed political | | | | On the other hand, Cuba has achieved |
| enemy is the US goverment, but I have heard | | | | tremendous accomplishments, for a small, |
| numerous people say that they have nothing | | | | third-world Carribean country. Close to 100% |
| against the American people, their issues are | | | | of Cuba´s population is literate, public |
| with the US government, and in particular the | | | | education is available to everybody. Black |
| embargo and the travel restrictions for | | | | people and women in particular have benefited |
| Cubans living in the US. Apparently, | | | | from the effects of the revoluation. The |
| relatives of Cuban families are now only | | | | health care and education system are among |
| allowed to travel to Cuba once every 3 years, | | | | the most developed systems in the 3rd world, |
| so the policites were tightened significantly | | | | and Cuba´s life expectancy and infant |
| by the US government in recent times. | | | | mortality rates are among the best of the |
| | | | world. In addition, post-revolutionary Cuba |
| The results of the embargo and the economic | | | | has also dedicated itself to promoting sport |
| shortages are visible everywhere, buildings | | | | and athelticism and today Cuba excels in many |
| are crumbling, there is not enough | | | | different sports (track and field, baseball, |
| construction material, hospitals are lacking | | | | basketball, volleyball, fencing and others) |
| in equipment, and personal income is | | | | on an international level. |
| extremely low (eg. between $ 8 and $20 a | | | | |
| month...). As a result, everybody is forced | | | | So all in all, the Cuban Revolution has had |
| to open a little side business. During the | | | | some astoundingly positive effects on the |
| last few days I have heard that it is | | | | country, despite all the hardships that |
| extremely common in Cuba to steal resources | | | | people still experience. However, it seems |
| from the State since all economic activity | | | | that there is a little bit of optimism in the |
| including retail is nationalized. | | | | air, since Cuba signed trade agreements with |
| | | | Venezuela, various other Latin American |
| People steal cosmetics, hygience products, | | | | countries and China. And of course great hope |
| cement, wood, computers, cigars, everything | | | | is placed in Cuba´s tourism industry. |
| that is not absolutely nailed down. Then they | | | | |
| sell the products privately under the table. | | | | However, on the other hand, you have to keep |
| It is strangely ironic that in a Communist | | | | in mind that Cuba is still a dictatorship, a |
| country, everybody has turned into an | | | | totalitarian regime and human rights and |
| entrepreneur... The phrase that I have heard | | | | personal freedoms are restricted here. There |
| is ¨hay que inventar¨, you have to | | | | is a palpable paranoia here among people in |
| invent things - be creative in order to | | | | that they are afraid of publicly criticizing |
| survive. | | | | the regime. And organizations like the CDR, |
| | | | the Comite de la Defensa de la Revolution, |
| This mentality manifests itself in some very | | | | often act as watchdogs and informers on the |
| obvious ways: yesterday Pedro and I tried to | | | | people. Travel is extremely restricted, or |
| get into the Partagas Tobacco Factory since I | | | | impossible, and there are no official methods |
| wanted to go on a tour. The security guard | | | | of criticizing the government. |
| told us that an employee had died and that | | | | |
| therefore the factory was closed. Then, under | | | | This short little bit of time has been great |
| his breath, he asked us if we wanted to buy a | | | | in giving me an insight into Cuban culture, |
| box of cigars. How amazing: the security | | | | politics and economics, and my classes at the |
| guard protecting the tobacco factory is | | | | university are great since my colleagues also |
| selling (stolen) cigars on the black market. | | | | add to a very interesting discussion. We |
| | | | discuss and compare the Scandinavian, Cuban |
| Also, just outside the Capitol building, | | | | and Canadian health systems, political |
| Havana´s most astounding and most | | | | systems, mass media and economic policies and |
| well-known architectural jewel, there is a | | | | all this has truly been an eye-opening |
| beautiful park with tropical flowers, shadowy | | | | experience. |
| trees and benches. And almost all the benches | | | | |