Cuba Today: Complexities and Contradictions
And so it goes.
It was simply fascinating to be in Havana when Cuba was – ever so briefly – removed from the US Terrorist List. (The new Administration immediately overturned the decision).
If someone says they know what will happen next in Cuba – or in the US for that matter – they do not know what they are talking about. One thing is certain: Cuba and the US will continue being neighbors; that is a geographic reality.
Experiencing Havana through the eyes of 13 UMD students is both a privilege and a joy. These students – most from the disciplines of architecture, planning, historic preservation and economics – were extremely perceptive, inquiring and engaging. And so were the two UMD co-professors that joined us in this journey. I learned so much from them!
We were particularly proud of the diversity of our group, which included students with roots in Jamaica, Bangladesh, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bolivia and Mexico.
The students interacted intensely with eight Cuban professors, host families where they stayed, and an array of others vested in the culture and arts of Havana.
We were able to visit the usual sites – the Capitol, El Morro, Colon cemetery and the plazas of Old Havana. The beauty of Havana is undeniable; its rich history clearly evident; and the friendliness of the people is everywhere.
Equally as instructive: We ventured into the dilapidated buildings where people live in precarious conditions in Centro Habana; we walked the streets where garbage has not being picked up for weeks (and month); we saw desperate people eating out of garbage vins; and we were constantly approached by children for money. This too is Havana.
We also experienced the increasing culinary opportunities. Entrepreneur-owned and operated quality restaurants are everywhere. And so are small convenience tiny shops, many in converted porches or garages. The economy is clearly evolving. It is as if we are seeing an emerging market economy, albeit with heavy State control and limitations.
And yes, we had fun also.
The students played dominoes at the house of a host family, danced to the music of Buena Vista Social Club, went to the beach in Varadero and rode horses in Viñales.
The days of the old cars dominating the street scenes in Havana are all but gone. Mercedes and F150 pick-up trucks are no longer a rarity. Tiny electric cars – most which would not be street legal in the US – are everywhere. And so is a marked increase in the numbers of motorcycles, many electric.
Also evident: Long gas lines, 40+ year old Ladas, buses as full as sardine cans, and many people waiting endlessly trying to catch a ride.
Most jarring: The economic situation in Cuba today is nothing short of dire. Blackouts, collapsing buildings, collapsing infrastructure, anemic growth, rampant inflation, pensions averaging the equivalent of $10/months, salaries barely twice that amount, erratic exchange rates, selective acceptance of the dollar, the continuing impact of the indefensible embargo and illogic designation of Cuba as a terrorist state, and the unknown(able) ownership (oligarchs?) of the new hotels including Havana’s tallest building.
All of these experiences and observations affirm the complexities and contradictions of Cuba.
? What now ? (What’s next ?)
? Will flaunting wealth become ‘a thing’ in Cuba? (It already partly is given the new cars on the streets, newly renovated mansions and recently built hotels).
? How will the increasing divide of haves and have-nots manifest itself in cultural spaces? (The access to dollars is seemingly the key indicator of social class distinction).
? Will the complex, volatile currency situation stabilize? (Most notable: The official exchange rate is 120 pesos to the dollar; the street rate is 330 pesos to the dollar).
? Will the new hotels redefine the Havana experience? (Or will their presence exacerbate the social divide?)
? When will the trash be picked up? (Its omnipresence is numbing).
? When will the US realize that the proud Cuban people will not be starved into submission? (This approach by the US is simply cruel, counterproductive and will not work. It will also lead to the continued exodus of productive adults, something neither Cuba nor the US wants).
Again: If someone says they know what will happen next in Cuba – or in the US for that matter – they do not know what they are talking about.
Things could move real fast. Or not. Stay tuned. Or tune out. Either way Cuba and the US will remain neighbors. What remains to be seen is if that neighborly relation will be friendship, frenemies, adversarial, paternalistic, or diplomatic. Only time will tell. Except that time may be running out – on both sides.
(Updated version of the above)
PICTURES & MINI-VIDEOS
Reemberto’s Pictures & Some Mini-Videos
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Pictures of Classroom & Course Time
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