On my last article My Cuban American anti Embargo/Bloqueo and Democratic Socialist story I wrote about my political history and why I’m a democratic socialist and against the embargo on cuba and why I have mixed views on the cuban government but without further ado lets get into my first trip in cuba as a cuban american.
Day1: On my way to my transfer flight to Cuba I met up with Danny Valdes (founder of Cuban Americans for Cuba and dsa member) at Newark airport because he was co leading the dsa cuba delegation alongside Clare belchman. After we landed at miami international airport awaiting our transfer flight to Havana I met up with other dsa members including another cuban american andrew Cuan and Daniel Salup-cid who is half cuban half chilean and including my caucus buddy Christian Araos. I was chatting with Andrew and other dsa members about why my mom is against traveling to Cuba because she has no family on the island anymore and she doesn’t wanna give the castros money. After that we all boarded our flights to Cuba and looking through the window I already saw how beautiful the island looks on the outside. After we boarded to Havana I told my friends adios and see you later and went to my taxi to get to my airbnb and took pictures of myself and the outside view in Cuba and was shocked how despite being a poor country how Cuba looks on the outside. After my taxi ride was completed I went to my airbnb and met my airbnb hosts for the first time and they were more than welcoming to me especially since I told them I’m a us citizen of cuban descent then I went to casa linda for the first time and was shocked to see no empty shelves I was told my whole life that socialism means no food or water or any other basic necessities. Then I went home and texted my cousin on facebook messenger I landed in Cuba safe and sound and she said she would travel to see me the next day then I called my mom to let her know I landed in Cuba safe and sound.
Day2: I went outside to get a good look at the malecon and some 50’s style cuban cars and was amazed to see how despite Cubans struggling to get by that they’re still full of hope and spirit and I went to el punto supermarket which is a small convenient store where they have food I can buy like ham and cheese and those large crackers from them I buy so I can make lunch at home. Then I went to casa linda again to buy more beverages at the airbnb. I bought cocoa cola and guava juice. I tried to text my cousin to see if she’s ok but she still hasn’t responded so I just stayed at my airbnb and ordered a personal cuban cheese pizza for the first time from a place called Mimosa. After that I went to bed.
Day3: My cousin finally got back to me and said she couldn’t see me during my trip because her grandfather got sick and she needed to come see and take care of him and I told her I understand. Rather than sitting in despair I decided to go outside again and visit the capitol and visit a few places. I actually talked to a few locals near the capitol and how Trump ruined everything Obama accomplished when it comes to Cuba and how if at least Obama’s policy remained intact Cuba would have been a very different place. Then I saw the cigar factory from the outside and was shocked to see some buildings nearby are in decay. I visited china town for a little bit and saw some chinese cubans there and I actually learned more about the chinese cuban history and how some chinese people migrated from China at the time because they wanted a new life and they settled in cuba but sadly so many of them experienced kidnappings, tricked into believing they can afford to live there but the landlords betrayed them and a lot of them were sent to work into slave like conditions on sugar plantations during the 1800’s. Then I went to my airbnb to get to know the island more.
Day4: I decided to take a taxi to an art festival park called Fusterlandia. Fusterlandia was created by Jose Fuster who transformed his home into an artistically vivid art installation who was inspired by artists like Gaudi. I walked a lot around there and took lots of photos including Hugo Chavez’s illustration which makes sense given that Cuba and Venezuela are allies. I even saw illustrations of various latin american countries like costa rica, guatemala, peru, brazil, etc. I was so amazed by how artsy Fusterlandia really is. Then I got a few souvenirs including a cuban flag necklace and 2 dominos magic boxes. Then I went to my airbnb again and this time I got dressed to go to a local Cuban restaurant in person and I went to a place called Paladar don Lorenzo. I had their ropa vieja for dinner there with white rice and black beans and salad. It was delicious there. There was even a Cuban band playing at the restaurant which was super cool. One of the artists there asked me if I had a song request and I said guantanamera and they played the song anyway and I was so happy. Then I went to my airbnb feeling content.
Day5: I woke up having a cold and I was getting ready for my flight home and I had to say bye to one of my airbnb hosts and both her and her boyfriend were incredibly helpful and I told her I’m glad I went to cuba I’d love to return someday and I added her and her boyfriend who’s also a airbnb host on facebook and instagram. Then I went to customs and 1 person asked me why did i visit cuba and i said family visit my cousin lives in cuba and i enjoyed myself and showed him my souvenirs and he’s happy to hear i enjoyed my trip and said have a good day the process was easier than expected. Then I arrived at Newark airport and booked an uber home and went home safe and sound after my trip to Cuba.
Today I saw the most devastating news regarding Cuba and that was none other than the oil blockade on Cuba and now the sanctions are worse than ever for my people and my family in Cuba. I participated a lot more in cuban americans for cuba recently and helped record myself for our intro video and soon I’ll do another one discussing my thoughts on the Cuban government. My trip was a wonderful first experience despite not being able to do everything I wanted to do. I didn’t get a chance to learn more of my family’s current lived experiences inside Cuba and learned more on how race relations were different since Fidel Castro died almost 10 years ago. I still don’t agree with the government but more then ever I want to end the US blockade on cuba to prevent a successful genocide to my people and my family in cuba. Over the years I did thorough research on how many lived experiences of afro cubans and chinese cubans isn’t talked about more in academia which disappointed me. My great grandfather was once a cuban revolution supporter but then became anti communist republican but when he was still in cuba he believed in universal human rights and today me a democratic market socialist cuban american will finish what he started I want the political rights of salvador allende and the economic policies of titos yugoslavia.