Cuba: a reflection

By: Helena Prentis

Foto: Helena Prentis

In the two weeks which I have spent in Cuba, as cliché as it sounds, I have certainly learnt far more than I expected to about this country and its people, and much more than one can possibly glean from any book. It’s entirely true when people say that you essentially don’t stand a chance if you can’t speak Spanish- I have only met two cubans who spoke English- but the language is not merely a convenience.

Pick up any cuban book or visit any cuban museum on their relationship with the States, and you may not hear an entirely trustworthy account, but speaking Spanish has truly allowed me to understand how the trade embargo with the States affected cuban lives by speaking to actual cubans.

Even through just wandering around a town you can catch glimpses of a daily life with will show you how the history of the past fifty or so years has shaped this entire country. A broken-down bike on our cycle around the countryside outside of Trinidad enabled us to meet a real life cowboy who revealed that if cubans could go to any supermarket and buy milk as easily as much of the western world, his daily milk round would fail. The gentlemen who fixed our bike proved first-hand the resourcefulness and skill which has led many to title cuban mechanics as the best in the world- our broken bike was up on the road again in about ten minutes.

The determination, kindness and opportunistic mindset which I have encountered in so many cubans has once again made me compare this unique culture with the British one I am part of at home, or the Mexican one which I have grown so accustomed to. Quite apart from any national mindset I have ever come across, it reflects the consequences of a conflict which is still so tangible and omnipresent in everyday life. It reminded me that it is so easy to take for granted everyday comforts, such as fresh fruit and vegetables or even soap, and that we should really reflect on this in our cultures that can be so wasteful.