While still in Havana, Antonio and I had several talks about the way the trip was going. One of the things we would discuss was how we would answer the question "How was your vacation in Cuba?" There seemed to be no way to give a simple answer. In time, I have been able to add some context to my experiences and am now able to answer that my trip to Cuba was an incredible learning experience.

 

Essentially, my experience began before I actually took the trip. After figuring my taxes and seeing that I would be getting a refund, I jumped at the chance to go to Cuba. On a previous trip to Mexico City with my friend Antonio, we had even gone to the Cuban embassy in an effort to go to Cuba, but were turned away since we did not have passports.

 

Before the trip I found myself telling everyone that would listen that I was going to Cuba. While some people shared my excitement, others were genuinely interested in knowing what would make me want to go there. I found myself giving quick sound-byte answers such as "the music, the cigars, the rum and beaches." Other more probing questions made me stop and really think about it. For a long time I had felt the desire to go to Cuba to see how things were there. As long as I can remember, I have admired Fidel Castro for holding on to his country and people for so long in spite of the hostile attitude of the United States. My feelings about the effects and economic and political influence of the US in Mexico made me want to learn more about how Castro was able to survive, and how it had affected their culture (imagine, no McDonalds). My perception was that this country's attitude toward Cuba, in addition of the influence of the Cuban-Americans that emigrated here since the revolution, had influenced the media to the point that any and all news and information about Cuba was inclined to be negative. News stories were generally on the poverty, the effects of the US embargo, and the continuing emigration to the US by Cubans. I wanted to disprove all these reports, if only to myself.

 

In preparation for my trip, I bought and read several travel guides and a collection of stories by famous literary people who had traveled to Cuba from the 1800s to the present. I was particularly fascinated by experiences of a mafia lawyer who traveled regularly to Havana to meet with Santo Traficante in the 40's and 50's. Two weeks before my trip, I went to see the just released movie about Cuba, "Buena Vista Social Club." Although I was surprised by the images of urban decay, the movie made me ache to finally be there to see Cuba for myself.

 

After a long flight from Tijuana to Havana, with a brief stopover in Monterey, I finally arrived at the Jose Marti Airport in La Habana at 3:00 a.m. A uniformed immigration officer thoroughly inspected my leather bag while asking me extensive questions such as why did I want to come to Cuba, who did I know there, who were the friends I was meeting, and even their names. After a few minutes, she seemed satisfied and didn't even finish looking through the one bag she had started on and waved me by.

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