How was Cuba?
A lot of
people have been asking me this question since I got back from Cuba. It is
honestly an extremely difficult and loaded question, which is the reason why
I’ve been delaying this post for so long, that, and coming back to a million assignments. I can sit here and write
about what I thought about Cuba; but the truth is, Cuba is such a unique travel
experience and it’s different for every person that makes it there. Not to mention that it’s really hard to put
my whole experience into words. Now that I’ve actually been there, I
understand why I couldn’t get an idea of what my trip would be like from the
online forums I had looked through. I’m going to try my best to tell you about
my experience, but just know that its completely possible for you to go next
week and have a completely different experience from what I had.
Being that
my trip was a rather short one, at least
I thought so, I didn’t really have a chance to get to know any of the
people I went with, except for a couple
class meeting here and there. So we all jumped into this brand new country
with no familiarity of one another, and
no Internet if I might add. Although in the long run, these were the best
circumstances. It allowed us all to get much more intimate with each other without
the distractions of our devices. We spent almost every night drinking bottles
of Havana Club on the porch, talking about subjects that actually mattered.
This was especially convenient for me because: sometimes I find myself trying
to bring my friends on my trips with me, through my devices. However, this
allowed me to really disconnect and focus on what was in front of me.
Due to all
these circumstances, Cuba became quite the ultimate trip for me. With the new
mates, I went out exploring and got to ride through Cuba as more of a local and
less of a tourist, which is always my main
goal. It allowed for plenty of reality checks and recognition of my
privilege living in the U.S. It gave me the opportunity to see a country that
is constantly criticized in the U.S. for what it is and not what it’s made out
to be. Not that it’s perfect, but lets be
honest, neither are we. It allowed me to recognize that we are just as
brainwashed as every other country we criticize. While exploring the old city,
we got the opportunity to meet a local member of the community who took us out
and about to the real parts of the city. He showed us what was real and what
was commercial, and he even went out
clubbing with us. Cuba is honestly filled with so much beauty both
internally and externally. The Cuban people are so embracing you can’t help but
fall in love. The amount of times I was confused as a Cuban was too many to
count. When I told them I was Dominican they embraced me just the same and
labeled me as an hermano. I can truly say Cuba influenced my perception of the
world, as well as my own personal life and going was one of the best decisions
I’ve ever made. If any of you guys get the opportunity to go, TAKE IT!! You may
have a different experience then what I had, but it will be too unique of a
trip to ever regret taking.
I'm Off to Cuba
Ever since I was kid, I've had this tradition I follow before
a trip. Right before I'm about to leave for the airport, I'll write a quick
reflection about how I feel in that moment. Clearly I wanted to be a writer since adolescence. I figured now that I have this blog, I might as well share
my thoughts with the rest of you. I am leaving for my flight in a few hours;
I'll be spending the night in Miami and then leaving Saturday morning for Cuba.
Somehow it still doesn't feel real, it doesn't feel like I'm going to be in
Cuba in a day’s time. As always my anxiety level is at a high. Hahahah. No
matter how frequently I travel, I can never get rid of that preflight anxiety.
At least I know that the moment I get on that plane, all that anxiety will turn
into pure excitement. I am so excited for this trip because unlike my other
trips, I don't know what to expect. Few people have gotten the chance to see
Cuba for themselves so there isn't too much advice out there. Although, I'm
completely fine with exploring the mystery behind Cuba. I cannot wait to go
walking through the streets of Havana and find hidden gems throughout the city.
I'm packed and I'm ready. Wish me luck!
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