An Open Letter From Cuba...

We live in a society where complaints are common. Often because there is something we want and we cannot get it right then and there…

Then something happens which brings focus on what we do have and how lucky we are, in general terms, to have it. Yesterday an email came to me. It was from my aunt, who lives in Florida and had the title … “Life in Cuba”. I thought for sure this was another one of those chain letters common within the Cuban community, depicting how much better life was before the current government came to power (which it was, by the way). But, on opening the mail (it was from my aunt, after all…) the content jumped at me.

It turned out to be a forwarded letter, written anonymously, from a 26 year old living in Cuba. A member of the newer generation which, thanks be to Our Lord, has begun to question the long standing status quo in the island. Censorship is a common issue in Cuba, where true internet access is denied the average person but, some of these last manage to once in a while get on the net and send some communication(s), as was this case.

The letter was translated with only one comment inserted, and this to explain a term of common usage in today’s Cuba.  It says:

“I was born in Cuba, but a foreigner has more rights than I here; I am free, but I cannot talk about what I want, or express my dreams.

I live in a democracy, but throughout my life I have only known one (political) party, one viewpoint, one government. I can vote in elections, but there is only one candidate.

A One Table Paladar

My education was free, but I had to work as a volunteer in the back country schools so I would not be thrown out of the free schools; my education was free but I had no choice in what I could study. I have a university degree but I work in a “paladar” (Note: private, semi clandestine mini restaurants catering mainly to foreigners, a way to earn some badly needed “hard” currency); officially these do not exist nor can they be advertised because they will be closed by authorities.

Officially we have nothing because of the American blockade, but for the tourists and foreigners the blockade does not exist; for them, there is everything. My mother used to tell me that before this government, when there was little to eat, they would eat flour … by the way … What is flour? 

My health care is free but at the clinic there are no medicines and the doctor who is supposed to take care of us in this area is too busy driving a taxi; the nurse is making do as a prostitute and, as this keeps her awake all night, we cannot call on her during the day

I have a TV, but there are only two channels and we see the same face on both. I have an electric fan, but often we have no electricity. I like to bathe, but often there is no water in my neighborhood.

No see ... No talk...

 When I have a toothbrush, there is no toothpaste; when I have toothpaste there is no toothbrush … I have a pencil but no paper and, when I have pencil and paper, I then remember that I cannot freely write what I think.

They say that you only live once … obviously, whoever wrote this was not in Cuba. Here, you don’t live life … you observe it. “

For those of us who still have relatives living in Cuba, this letter (and others like it) reflects the reality of the country. It is a reality which to us is a bad fantasy; sometimes difficult to understand and accept because we, even though are aware of the situation, live and work in a society where the concepts of censorship of speech or of the written word, of not being able to obtain goods according to our ability, or not being able to define the course we want to navigate are foreign ideas to our minds.

A Young Lady Looking to Survive

We get up every morning and, usually, focus on what is lacking. Often, without taking a second look to see the riches that we do have; it is this last which can bring a degree of inner satisfaction and of knowing that there have been achievements in our lives worth being aware of and, yes, proud of as well. It is the first which makes us feel unfulfilled and lacking. Take the time to really assess your life; not your personal possessions but your inner core, your self. What you “have” as material things can be here today and gone tomorrow … believe me when I tell you that I personally know whereof I speak on this issue. There is very little comfort in crying over that which is no longer in our possession; there is much comfort in understanding that the ability to maintain a positive self and to be able to go on, no matter what happens, is our most precious commodity.

Only when there is a chance to have an inside look into other people’s lives, especially when considered to be less fortunate than us, is that we might take that second look … don’t just do this to compare “who is better off”, but to truly understand the fact that we must be thankful for our wellbeing and for our ability to help someone else … then, go ahead and do it; you will feel the grace which comes from sharing what you have.

There is a blog which is written from within Cuba. If you ask me … how can this get by the censorship? I will tell you this lady takes daily risks in doing what she does; she has been already imprisoned and physically beaten in order to frighten her. That inner core we spoke of before? It keeps her doing what she understands to be her obligation: to keep a daily log-like blog of what she sees around her and to try and let the world at large know. Go ahead; go into her blog page at http://desdecuba.com/generationy/  you will be surprised by what you read. Her name is Yoany Sanchez and I consider her to be a true, valiant Cuban; someone who cares about her country and is not afraid to report from within on what happens, regardless of the repercussions to herself. People around the world have given of their time to translate this blog, so you can read it in several languages.

We’ll take up the usual tomorrow … once in a while a different tack is also important…

Be well … Be Back!!!

Final Notes:

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