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Cuban Holidays

Decent Essays

This past summer I had the opportunity to travel to a place where the people and food were amazing, the buildings and artwork outstanding, the weather hot and the politics, well interesting- this was Cuba. Arrival: 48 minutes. That’s how long it took for our group of excited students and chaperones to leave Miami and touch down in a place that has not been legally allowed to host Americans for over 50 years. As I stepped off the plane my heart pounded, I realized I was in Cuba. I was ready to explore, but first- Customs. Customs: Where is it? I reached in my left and right pockets only to feel a mint wrapper and a Chick-Fil-A receipt. I became more frantic. Then it hit me, my red sports bag and, in the middle pocket, my Visa. …show more content…

For appropriately 60 CUP ($71 after exchange fee) you receive a spacious room with marble like floors, two beds; a bathroom and shower (lukewarm); a TV in which every station is in Spanish, except for Forensic Files. Also, the hotel had a stunning outdoor pool, as well as, a breakfast buffet. Every morning I would find myself planning how much food I could eat. The Food: One of my favorite parts of traveling is the food. However, with most places having such a heavy American influence, original and good tasting food can be something hard to find. This was not the case in Cuba. Each meal at restaurants (which the average Cuban cannot afford) came with a drink, the house appetizers: black beans, rice, fried plantains, fresh fruit, salads, one entree of your choice and a dessert always served with a hot espresso. The Environment: I felt as though I was in the 1950’s as cherry red Thunderbirds and baby blue Chrysler's stormed by. (In Cuba the cars always have the right of way.) I remember street vendors, women, in big and colorful dresses asking if you wanted to take a picture with them (expecting 1 CUP or $1). I remember the tall 1940’s and 50’s era colorful buildings along the stone and wood streets. Cuba is something that simply has to be …show more content…

The average Joe had to either steal or get a side hustle to earn money. Being a communist government Cubans are provided with food and clothes. Secondly, capitalism is frowned upon. If one were to own a business it would have to be shared and overseen by the government. The government owns everything, from your house to the food you eat. Lastly, the treatment of the Cubans, especially those of the darker complexion: Cubans are banned from things that others were allowed to do. I remember when our group was ready to go scuba diving our tour guide was banned because she was Cuban. It was not until we bargained with the Scuba instructor was she finally allowed to come. Also, I remember going into a restaurant with a couple of people on the trip, when I entered, an employee shooed me away mistaking me for a Cuban. Although, he apologized, the incident really opened my eyes to what life in Cuba means for everyone. My trip to Cuba was truly life changing in that it gave me a different perspective on the world and how different people live. This was truly one of those trips you remember for

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