La situation en Cuba

We were reminded many times throughout our 1 month tour of Cuba that the current situation in the country is not the greatest.

Most people will remember that Cuba has been blockaded by the US since the 1959 revolution in which Cuba became communist. The USSR took over in supporting the island until it’s fall in 1991 when the country was forced to open to tourism to be able to support its population. Since then this has been the nations largest industry. One can imagine then how much they were affected by Covid.

It appears Cuba never did fully recover from the pandemic. Since then people have started begging in the streets and trying to befriend tourists in order to obtain valuable dollars to shop at the dollar denominated shops. The average salary amounts to about $20 a month, not nearly enough to support a family even when taking into consideration the monthly rations. Anyone who doesn’t have access to foreign currency through tourism or family living abroad is forced to shop at the stores selling in Cuban Pesos which have less variety and prices too inflated to afford.

Unfortunately this necessity to welcome tourists is making the experience of visiting Cuba much less enjoyable since tourists are constantly hassled in the streets and any friendly local cannot be trusted as it’s almost certain he has ulterior motives.

The weight of the situation can be felt constantly, the people have a heaviness in their eyes and there are lineups for everything from buying bread to ATMs. Many people are in survival mode which makes it impossible for them to enjoy the good things in life.

After the first week we were already feeling down. The slow internet and disappointing food certainly didn’t help. But we wanted to give the country a chance and visit the destinations we had heard so much about. After a month we finally caught a flight to Medellin, Colombia and the difference was felt the second we got off the plane. It truly felt as if we went into the future, making me realize how much Cuba is stuck in the past, dragged down by blockades and poverty.

At that moment I felt as though we wasted the first month of our trip but now I realize that Cuba was simply one of those places that is more fun to recall than to experience. I am grateful to have had this adventure as it was unique and makes me appreciate the comforts we take for granted in our daily lives.