Vacation to Cuba Changed My Heart
Posted: Tuesday, April 07, 2009
by Kathy Somers
I pondered over writing this article, knowing that the US and
I asked another ‘Wryte Stuff' author what their feelings were about me writing an article about
On March 9th we got on the plane and four hours later we were in
from this to 
Anyone who doesn't know,
We were told before we left
We then got our luggage and headed out of the airport to catch our bus to the resort, the buses were very nice and air conditioned. We bought a couple of beer at the little beer cart outside the bus station, got on our bus, I was finding it hard to believe we were allowed to have open liqour in a vechile because, in Canada were not allowed to. Maybe it's the same law in
We got to our Resort, it was named "Club Amigo" in Guardalavaca,
I was really impressed. For a 3 star rating, it was more than perfect, especially for our price. The staff that worked there was super sweet, and could only talk a little bit of english. Once in a while you would meet a Cuban that could speak english well. I remember at times trying to talk to the bartender or cleaning lady and not knowing what each other were saying and trying so hard to get each other to understand, then we would both burst out laughing at each other.
I do have two sides to my story here; I just want to let you know that before I get any further into this article. There is the vacation side of this and then there is the Cuban off the resort side. The two will mix throughout the remainder of this article so I don't want to lose you and make you confused. I really want you to know that this article is not about the great big fun filled vacation I had, which most people go down there for, I also saw a different side of things
When the bus arrived at the resort were taken to our rooms, honestly we should have upgraded to the bungalow or villa sections, our rooms were in the barracks section. (So it's called by visitors, too funny. I guess those buildings were used in the war time) Our room had the necessities and that's all we needed. Two beds, a closet and a bathroom. It was very clean, and it was cleaned everyday for us. The building was old and needed work, but we are in
Back to my room story again, it was super clean! The telephone didn't work though, it didn't have to anyway who was I going to call? If anyone wants to call internationally they have to go to the front desk so they can call out of the country for you. There was a television in the room but we never even turned it on. (I would guess the stations were all in spanish anyway) It had an air conditioner which I was so happy to see, curtains, little desk and closet shelves, it was just fine. We never stayed in the room much anyway other than to sleep and get cleaned up. We did have a little problem with the plumbing but we got that straightened out quickly. Plumbing in
The next day we went on a little tour of
On the bus ride, looking out my window I noticed that there are no stores, no big fancy homes, I saw one gas station the entire time I was there, a lot of the homes did not have a roof on them due to Hurricane Ike. The houses were small, some made of cement, some wood or even poles all wrapped together. I had seen one home with a couple of tires sitting on the top of their roof to hold it in place. Some roofs were made of palm leaves which I was told held up better in hurricane weather than steel roofs.
One home we drove by struck me right in the heart bad, since I have two little ones here at home; there were two little children about 3 and 4 years old. Their mother was outside doing laundry or washing something in a tub beside their home. The house didn't have a roof, there were only 2 ½ walls standing, you could see right into their tiny home and all I could see was a sofa. I thought where did these little kids sleep at night? What if it rains? They didn't have any toys to play with from what I could see, their lawn was sand, their hair was tangled and their clothing was shambles, and these little children were smiling, waving and laughing with all their might to us, the tourist on the funny looking green train with wheels that they wished they could go for a ride on. (Probably)
I could not get the thoughts of those children out of my mind and it still bothers me today when I think of them. As soon as I got back to the resort I tried to explain this house and where I thought it was to a couple of bartenders but I couldn't speak spanish and they only understood some english, so how could I help them? I didn't know how to get back there again… But as the week went by and a couple of more outings throughout
The Children's School was destroyed in Hurricane Ike, and the teacher uses her own home to teach the children in.
Now for the neighbourhood clinic, I could not imagine having a baby in that building let alone just go there because I was sick. We are so blessed in the
You can see the nurse outside the clinic with her uniform on.
I asked about their clinic to our tour guide, their hospital beds are 1960's with the old fashion stirrups in them for women having their babies. They have nothing in there and nothing has been updated since US and
Our tour guy told us that if anyone wanted to know questions about
I asked about access to medications like Tylenol, I asked about access to food, clothing, education, work, Cuban wages, government etc.
I have to tell you all, that from what I had learned from our tour guides through the week and from other people on the island, and even from returning vacationers is that toiletries are near impossible to get, one bottle of shampoo is one month's wages to purchase, they can not even get a disposable razor to shave with, and they use antique barber razors. Clothing is impossible to get and to expensive. One child's t-shirt cost me 16 convertible pesos which would have been approximately 240 of their pesos, which would be almost 8 months salary. They get most of their clothes from tourists or if they can afford to buy material they make their own.
Their education is all free. If a person wants to study to be a doctor, it's all free. But they are not allowed to leave
Medicine like Tylenol, Advil, Children's Medicines are near impossible for Cuban people to find, it's both expensive and scarce. If they are able to get their hands on some they will share it with the entire family and neighbourhood if someone is sick.
There is a black market in
I had mentioned the word batteries for my camera to our tour guide and the guide's eyes almost come out of his head.
"Batteries? You have batteries?" he excitedly asked. I said "Yes right here would you like to have them?"
I handed them to him and he was so excited to even touch them, and then I had one of those light bulb moments and knew that I am truly blessed to live in a free country with access to some things we take for granted like batteries.
I told our guide that I had more batteries in my luggage and he was welcome to them, as I took with me a pack of 24 AA batteries for my camera and flashlight. He couldn't believe it that I was going to give him more batteries. He said that he could meet my friend and me in one hour after his working day if I was really serious that he could have more batteries. "Yes I am sure." I told him.
He has a wife and 2 children, one is only 5 months and the other was I think he said was 3. My friend I went back to our room, packed up extras for him like Tylenol, polysporin, women's necessities, Gravol, Imodium, band aids, hairclips, school supplies and more.
If anyone is wondering why my friend Flo and I had so much with us in our luggage like Tylenol, Advil, band aids, candy, women's things etc is because Flo had travelled before to places like Punta Canta in the Dominican and
Now back to our resort experience. The beaches were beautiful, the sun was gorgeous and warm, the swimming pools and scenery were perfect. You could eat whenever you wanted. The breakfasts were delicious, dinner snack bars, buffets, restaurants for supper, beverage bars all over the place and it was all included in the price of our plane ticket.
The resort's staff was awesome, smiling, friendly and funny. There were no mosquitoes, nothing bad at all. Only one detail I found a bit frustrating, it wasn't easy getting bottled water. They had it there, and I didn't know they sold it in the little hotel lobby store for tourists. The bartenders were not allowed to pass out the 2 litre bottles to everyone as they only had enough bottles at their bars to give people a glass of water if they wanted it through out the day. But the occasional bartender will sneak you a bottle of water if no one is looking. I think that they actually could get into to trouble for doing that.
Tips were not a must to give to the people but we left tips to the waiters, waitress's, garden keepers (listen to this, the garden keepers keep the grass cut by using scissors, not lawnmowers. Can you imagine?), maids, security guards everyone we could. One tourists Peso is pretty much equal to 15 of their Pesos (there are two different kinds of currency in
If a tourist wants to go visit a fisherman's village, a family will invite them into their home so they could show the tourists how they live. We were told by our tour guide that if tourists want to leave the family some money for a thank you gift for letting them come into their home and visit and sharing a meal, they have to refuse the money because they can't use it, reason being, the only Cuban people who can use the visitors pesos are the workers on the resorts, it's no good for anyone else. But if you have a gift like a bottle of shampoo or a bag of chocolate candies, razors or anything they would probably accept those things.
Some of the bartenders are teachers, doctors and lawyers. And they would rather be teaching or doctoring right now but the money is better working at the resorts on the island.
Funny isn't it how a doctor would quit his job to become a bartender or how a female teacher would have to quit teaching to clean rooms. But bartenders and resort workers make more money than a doctor or nurse because of the tips they receive. And the thing is they are all still poor, so if someone does have money to pay for a new roof, clothes, medicine what's the good of it if there isn't any of these things on the island to buy, and they are not allowed to shop in the
What do I know about the internet in
My article is getting too long and I think you get the gist of what I am saying. "WERE LUCKY"
My Own Questions and Answers:
Would I go back to
Was I scared there? At first but that went away fast as soon as I seen how friendly the Cuban people where on and off the resorts.
When will I go back? I don't know, probably when I couldn't afford to go and that my husband had a week's vacation from work to take care of my boys.
Would I bring my children with me? No, not until they got older. Around the ages of 10 or so, I would be scared that the food would upset their little stomachs and get the diarrhea and throwing up.
Did I feel that
Did I feel that it was safe on the resort at night? Yes I felt safer there then I do here walking alone at night. There are security guards all over the place in and around the boundaries of the resorts .So if you go vacationing in Cuba someday don't forget to tip them sometimes, they don't get tips very often and they are keeping us all safe there.
Why would I go back? Because I want to in someway help, I want to take down a load of stuff that they are not able to get, I want to say ‘HI' to some people that I have met there and hope to see them again. I just want to go back again.
I know some of you reading this will be thinking to yourselves, well
One story I read that a journalist wrote was about his friend who worked in
As for my own area and country, I support the Salvation Army when possible as well as other services offered to the unfortunate here in my area.
Why did I write this article? Well just because I wanted to get it off my chest, it's been bothering me and I figured that this is a good way of sharing my feelings and insight on what I've experienced.
I know if I start to complain because I have to go grocery shopping and I remember the people from Cuba, who would love to be able to go grocery shopping in a nice big mall instead of having to go to a ration store with nothing in it, I am going to keep my mouth shut and thank God I can buy groceries.
Whenever my little boys or I gets sick with a flu and temperature I am thanking God for our access to medicines and clean hospitals.
Before I finish off here, and I have so much more to say but I'll have save it for another time, I do want to say that the Cuban people certainly have something that most of us don't. True smiles on their faces because they are happy with what they have and don't take things for granted and they share with everyone.
They are truly happy people, I asked them if everyone was like that , and I was told yes most of them were, the only thing that really upsets them is that they are not allowed to leave the country.
In closing I have to say ‘thank you God for allowing me to live in
This Article has been viewed 2,207 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (10 total)Great article, Kathy!! Thanks for sharing. And you are absolutely right; we often forget or ignore our own blessings in life. Cuba is just one small part. There is a lot of poverty in our world that many people will never see or experience. We truly are Blessed; we just need to remember it more often!! Keep writing!! Kim Comeauand you my friend knows exactly what I am saying. You have seen poverty and trials in peoples lives in deeper levels than I did in Cuba, and that could be one reason why you are one of the happiest people I personally know, it's because you got it...how lucky you are.Thanks Kim for reading my looooong story...take care xo
Awesome Article Kathy! Thankyou .. It makes one feel like they can visualize the trip just by reading it. Poverty is a stranger to most of us here in this country and we dont realize how others live until we witness it. You are blessed to have that opportunity to travel and see how others live. Thanks for the story again.. JoanHi there, thank you for writing a comment and a very nice one, I want to introduce you to people. This is my mother Joan, who puts up with alot and who I hope to be more like someday. This lady here helps everyone around the community and knits teddy bears for Teddies For Tragedies...its on my website's home page. Anyway's thanks for reading mom.
Kathy, I'm happy to see that you decided to write this heartfelt article, and talk about what is on your mind. It was so interesting and I loved all the pictures. You have inspired me with your words. I would like to read more articles from you.May God Bless!Angie :-)Well your the one...Thank you for your comment Angie and I am glad that you liked my story. If i were younger like in my 20's I probably would have came back with an article about how much I partied in Cuba, actually I probably wouldn't have wrote one. I will talk to you soon...still waiting for them to call
Kathy, I am so happy that you got to see the Cuba that we see and not just the resort. Cubans are proud people and I find it amazing that poor as they are, they are self sufficient and could teach us a lesson in many things. I know you feel guilty that you can't help the rest of the world, but helping Cubans is a good thing and is within your means.Cuba is a way of life that we as Canadians and British don't see any more. It's like stepping back in time about 50 years. The family structure is amazing and they are happy about things we just take for granted. This will all change eventually, what you are seeing is very precious. At the same time it isn't the way it should be and you saw that. The people there are mostly very highly educated with a literacy rate of just about 100% and an infant mortality rate of practically zero.The basics of life there are hard to come by and so very important. We all do what we can to help whatever the reason for it being that way.Your article explained very well how it is through the eyes of a first time visitor and I am sure you will be back there time and time again.Thank you for telling your story.Carole.Well Hello Carol, I am sooo glad you like this since you are the Woman who I was worried about reading this. I hope and I am pretty sure I have my information correct and that I paid attention to what was told to me.Carol, whom I met in Cuba at the resort has her own website. She goes to Holguin frequently and is now in my email list, so after I wrote this and forwarded my link to my article I was a little dubvious that I had all my Ps and Qs right and I guess I must have passed...Thank you very very much Carol for commenting on my article and I am glad that you liked it.I hope to return someday again, and then we'll be able to sit and have a say and you can show me places where you have travelled to down there.Take care
A very heartwarming article Kathy! Many of us go there for the first time and fall in love with the people, their smiles, their genuine goodness... despite their living conditions. That is what keeps us going back again and again. Each time bringing what we can to help in the way of medical supplies, clothing, basic hygiene essentials. Whatever amount of weight allowed on the airlines and even what we bring down to wear during our vacations, most of our personal clothing and shoes are given away to the local people by the end of our trip. Again Kathy, you wrote an excellent article!Gayle (Winnipeg)Hi there, your right, there is nothing that is not hard to love/like whatever word you want to use, about Cuban people. It's not their fault they are in the mess they are in, what is wrong with that government? Probably same as wrong with the rest of the world's governments, their's is just a bit more stubborn.Thank you for reading and commenting on my story, I love it
Hi Kathy.First, your new photo is cute! Second, I am so glad you wrote this article. When I read your e-mail, I knew for sure that you had to write this.You took the words that were somewhat "breathlessly" put down in your e-mail and made them even stronger and more impressionable. You painted a picture of poverty and happiness that is hard for someone like me to reconcile. I do tend to take for granted the conveniences of living in a free America and I have tried to "simplify" my life. But I am just not sure that I could find happiness with that level of simplicity.As one who will likely never visit Cuba, I cherish your recounting of your experience, both here and in the e-mail you sent to me.Thanks so much for writing this and opening my eyes.DianneHi Dianne, I thought you would get bored reading it the second time around....there are a few things that I didn't mention on here that I told you about. I wanted to write more but I dont' know how long a persons' article is allowed to be on here, I think I am over the limit :) I hope Bruce doesn't mind.. :)I actually wanted to put in the piece where only pregnant women and children are the ones that get to eat meat, because it's expensive.....and so they get top priority, and there are a few other things that I didn't mention in my article just cause.....I am glad that my painting of a picture of Cuba in your mind works, and I hope it paints a picture in other people's minds as well. But it will be the same thing as me seeing poverty on TV, it doesn't sink in until you actually see it.Maybe I should look closer driving down the road here and I would see it closer than I actually thought it was.Anyway I am getting off course here, thank you Dianne for reading it again and commenting for me, you are such a sweet person...
Kathy,
I meant to be the first to comment then became side-tracked! What great article! The pics! You've made me want to go but as an American, hmmm....could pose a problem. So, you've taken me to Cuba with this amazing article. I felt I was there and learned many things I did not know.
I'm like the others, I'm happy you shared it. I have heard similar stories about Cuba. I will not let governments prohibit me from caring about people. Being from Florida and having lived in South FL, I had interaction daily with refugees from Cuba. But, being there is different, I know. Thanks for taking me to Cuba, Kathy!
Hugs, your friend,
AvisOk your from Florida and I heard of the problems that Cubans are causing down there and those ordeals are NOT nice at all. And I can understand people having their feeling about them turned off. But your are a Christian woman and know that there is good and bad in every race, there are good whites there are nasty whites, there are good asian and bad, good black and black, good indian and bad etc etc.I don't know if those Cuban people who ran from Cuba to try to make a life in US were going to start out causing trouble and doing all the wrong things like they are, they could have started out with good intentions and found it hard to live in the US and had to turn different directions, get mixed up with the wrong people to survive, either way they should'nt be doing the things they are doing to people. Plus they are making all Cuban people look super bad......and.....making MORE money does strange things to people as well, it makes them greedier sometimes then turn to crimes, jealousy, hatred.....Money is the route of all Evil. Maybe that is why the people that are LIVING in Cuba are more humble and nice, because the don't have anything. But I can imagine there are a few untrustworthy people there as well as there is everywhere.If you did go to Cuba, I want to come too. And I know one thing that you would be very pleased in how they treated you as an American...they are not the Government.Isn't Obama trying to get some GOOD connections going on between the US and Cuba right now anyway?Thank you for reading my article Avis, I value your opionon as well as a couple other searchwarp authors on here, your defiently in my top 3.So when I go next time I will meet you in Florida, trade you some American Cash for Canadian, and way we go...
Hi Kathy.. I found your article very informative.. I am going to town tomorrow to get some of the articles that you mention that they need in Cuba.. Dont know if your MOM told you or not but I am going there on Saturday. I wasnt sure what I would take but now I know.. I read evey bit of your article .. Never got one bit bored found it very helpful.. The way you discribed it well it made me think of when I went to the Phillipines , but the differance there is they do have stores to shop in but there is a lot of poverty.. So keep writing.. You do have a knack for it. I am very proud to say that you are my friends daughter.. Stella (Rosie)Oh your going to Cuba? Which part? Don't forget to bring Facecloths for yourself. I didn't bring them home with me when I was done, I just got a pack of 24 for Flo and I and left them there and told the maid she was welcome to throw them in the laundry, wash them and keep them or put them in the garbage can. They don't do the facecloth thing.I am so excited that your going, your going to have to write a story about what you seen as well or come back here to this article and tell us all.I will let you know what is like Gold to them, but if your going to a resort there should be a little shop there to buy a big bottle of shampoo/conditioner in one for about 4 pesos or so and give it to some ladies. I bought about 80 triple blade razors from the shop and gave 3 or 4 to the bartenders, cooks, plus to the ladies, and to people off the resorts...When I said "RAZOR??? want one?" They near jump out of there pants and say "thank you thank you" made me sad, but glad I could put a little smile on their face.There are NO toothbrushes anywhere...you can get toothpaste at the tourist stores but no toothbrushes, so there can't be any. I know at the Canadian Dollar Store you can get 6 for a dollar.Anyway, don't forget to pack kleenex and throw a pack in your purse when go on outtings, and bring a roll for your self...If your going to drink bring a BUBBA MUG and get er filled at the bar, sit on the beach and drink, so you don't have to go get little cups filled over and over again. I had my BIG TIMS 28oz mug with me...LOL made lots of friends and I could have sold it alot of times. If you go to a market they will want to trade you for your mug for things they sell...i hung right onto mine cause they don't make BIG TIMs MUGs anymore.I hope you have fun, take your immodiam, gravol and tylenol just incase...these are a must FOR YOURSELF...dummy me gave mine all away and then i got a yucky belly, so Flo had to supply me with hers. The food was Delicious, the first day is was...ok, but after that YUMMM and I loved their Ketchup and their Cafe'Lotcha..i brought a bag of coffee with me, really strong but it brings me back to Cuba....just like the Maxwel Coffee Bean commerical, when he cracks to coffee lid off he is back in Mexico...HEHEWish mom were going with you, I know she would love it there, too bad you couldn't get her to send you 5 or 6 bears for the kids you will see here and there....they dont' have toys. Next time I go I hope she has an entire Bag Full cause I would take some to the clinic and school.....Anyway I am on a rave again.....take care Stella and I am glad you are mom's friend, it's really great she has you to talk to.
Great article. Well done.It is very long and detailed - I like it.The pictures are great.thank you, i knew it was getting too long but I didn't know where to cut things off. i had so much more to tell. i even took out a couple of paragraphs trying to shorten it up some. thanks for reading and commentingLong is good.I just went in and corrected a lot of errors. My friend and cousin in my proof reader. Working in a paper mill for 19 years operating machinery kind of makes a person get away from writing properly. Anyway I am glad you liked reading my story...Thank youI don't mind so long as you can work it out and it is not every sentence.
Enjoyed your article. I always love to hear about what is really going on from unbiased sources such as yourself and the pictures were a nice touch. My heart goes out to people who live in countries like that. Really makes you appreciate our country.Linda DHi Linda, thanks for reading my story, and seeing this place certainly make me appreciate things in life that I take for granted..... My little boy (he is 4) says in his prayers at night 'please take care of the people in cuba'
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.