What happens in Cuba, Stays in Cuba
All-day, Havana was alive. During my nine-day trip, I decided to stay in Havana. I wanted to see, smell, taste, touch and hear the sounds of this city that has only been a part of my dreams. And it delivered. I could have stayed for much longer, and each day would have brought about the feeling of nostalgia. It was circa the late 80s, early 90s for me. The types of scenes you see in Black movies and you will understand why by the end of this post. Being off the grid for these 9 days was what I needed to be reminded of what was really important in life. At sunrise, the lovely birds wake you up. Windows of the homes are open to taking in the sun, breeze and sounds of the outdoors At 8 am, you have your cup of coffee before you head to work or school. And it is not on the go. It is sitting down with the family.
My days were so full. On my first day, I met an older gentleman who was so happy to see me. He wanted to show me the Afro-Cuban street in Havana where I could find music, shops, art, and places people just gathered for good Saturday fun. There were no amusement parks, arcades or movie theaters around so everyone spoke to one another. It was beautiful. People abandoned their original agenda to dance with me in the street and sat with me to have a Negro-Blanco. A famous beverage that unites blacks and whites in Havana. My coworker, who ventured to Cuba two weeks before me, told me when we saw each other in Panama, “Tiff, it’s so peaceful there.” And peaceful it was. And not a peace where someone is going to snap, it was free. Kids played outside and came up with creative ways in how they spent their time. No one was on their phones or buried in social media. The park, beach and basketball courts were lit. Hopscotch and chess were the highlights. Everyone was drawn outside in the evenings and during the weekends. There was always something to do. Not planned, but something you could just fall into. There were no flyers to promote, just word of mouth and the wind taking you wherever you desired to be.
On one of the days, two young teens had done something outside of a restaurant I was eating at and the cops were called. The entire community gathered around these young men. And not in the way our US mentality is picturing. They were talking to them. Letting them know the errors of their ways. The faces of the young men were filled with regret. The police officers spoke to them. Gave them lessons on life. About how their actions would affect themselves, their family and community. At this time, I couldn’t imagine what they had done but the amount of love poured into them was immense.. In the end, the entire community decided it was best that they learn the lesson and ride in the cop car. I couldn't believe my eyes. But I know at one point in the US, it was a village that raised a child, but we lost that somewhere along the lines of skepticism of our neighbors. And I believe part of it is because we are too busy to get to know them, build with them and of course, there are underlying reasons for that too.
Later throughout the week, I went up and down the streets to see boys, standing at the corner waiting for the most beautiful girls to walk by. I saw young teens throw rocks at the windows. Their love interests came to the balcony. Everyone was shooting their shot to find love. Havana is a city filled with love. Couples holding hands, sitting by the beach, whispering sweet nothings. Music filled the streets. Older women sat on their balcony waving to those who walked by and chatting with the other ladies on the next balcony. And this went on until almost midnight, every night.
If you are single, be prepared to abandon your return ticket home. Dating and finding a novio/a is super easy. For example. You lock eyes. They actually say hello. Despite the language barrier, they will figure out where you are from. You share a drink. You take a walk. You meet their friends. Since my Spanish is around intermediate, I helped a few girls and guys translate at the clubs in Havana. Even without me, they would use google translate. You make plans, and without exchanging numbers, you just trust they will show up. Life was simple.
I loved Cuba. Their connection to their African roots, the beautiful country, their hospitality made me feel like they have figured out what is important in life. Despite our western minds that think they are so behind, they are actually way ahead. While we are loosing connection by being connected, they actually prove they have been connected all along.
