CUBA: Final Note

Final Note


This trip is and has been the most emotional trip I have ever taken… actually the 2nd most emotional!(Banda Aceh can't be beaten if we are talking about harshness and adventure) This Cuba trip has been a life changer as well.
Would I do it again?
…I’m not sure….
there were times I wanted to give up, times I wanted to throw in the towel and call it quits. But I didn’t’ (plus I couldn't) and now I feel the rewards.
Cheers to adventure, 2 cheers for being uncomfortable and risking much, 18 cheers for priceless memories, pockets full of info & new knowledge & most of all, cheers to Cuba & A Coming Change...

The End…
…[The adventure] To Be Continued


Luis walking on the street with me



another roof shot of me.

Extras:

• The Cubans: Luis & Leslie (Pronounced Lay-Lee)(see B&W picture of Leslie below) Thought I should be a famous singer. My voice is better then my pictures? (Ahh Ohh! I may be in trouble if that’s the case)

• Ralph is the heartthrob now. Everyone wanted to see pictures of him again & again.

• I’ve inspired the crew of students to get in shape. We walked up 18 flights of stars everyday at least 3 times a day. Elevator was broken . now they are going to do it even when it works. Also go to the gym.

• I sleep & eat more then these people.

• Buses seat 40 but can holed up to 85 people, you often breath 3 other peoples breathe before getting a fresh one. Really easy to get sick.

• Fires are everywhere…not sure why…burning garbage, brush, ect.

• The sun is hotter here. Burning made easy.

• Downtown Habana has no beach…just a Grande Wall

• Pens suck here (mine jiggles a lot) That’s why I use tape.

• My English is horrible now. I now talk w/ an accent.

OH! & Cheers to getting back home safely!


Leslie in the doorway.

Relaxin on some steps after walking miles and more miles.

Goodbye Cuba.
I'm outa here!!!

Havana Cuba: Leaving

I didn’t write yesterday.
I was too busy going to the beach, drinking white rum & sprite and taking pictures. I got burnt for the first time this trip. Now I’m muy rojo.

Leaving
This morning... I was nearly screwed over big time.
But Jesus must be looking out for me. I set my alarm for 7 am, but forgot to factor the hour time difference! Ahh! I woke up at 6 am and couldn’t sleep. I tossed & turned for 15 minutes by needing to go to the bathroom really REALLY bad. While I was in the bathroom it dawned on me the time was really 7:20am and not 6:20!!! I was so happy that God had taken care of me and forced me to wake up. I needed to leave at 8am inable to catch my flight back to Mexico City. I would have been really messed up if I missed my flight!
Leslie & Luis showed up at my door like they said they would at 8am. They wanted to usher me out of their country and spend time with me during my last Cuban minutes.
Luis said he went to sleep at 5am! HAHA! He takes great pride in not sleeping. These people are amazing! They stop at nothing to be your friend, to come alongside & comfort you when you are sad. Cubans don’t have much interms of money, cars or homes. They lack NOTHING in heart. I’m writing this in the airport & I’m nearly crying…I guess I’m allowed to cry once in a while. The girl next to me is tearing up too at the site of me writing & crying at the same time. Haha, crying must be like yawning….contagious!
I learned some key things from my Cuban friends
Family & friends are the most important thing of Havana. Yes most of them are secretly frustrated w/ politics. They do want change. This is a place where you need to work all day to put some bottled water on the table or cervesa on a special occasion. And yes the Cubans have their issues, but where they lack…they make up w/ their big hearts & patience the love for each other & respect for their heros. In Cuba, life is hard. You can’t leave the country for any reason for fear you will see & experince greenier pastures, incase you won’t want to come back. The Cuban paseo or even CUC are useless everywhere else in the world. (The money exchange is horrible even if you come from a good economy) The Mexican paseo exchanges horribly as well as the USD (usd has a 20% surcharge added to every exchange) my 500 peseos from mexico got me 31 cuban (cuc) in the us, 500 mexican paseos would get me about $46 dollars.
I never thought I would say this, but I’m sad I’m leaving. I am sooo excited to speak to Ira, Josiah & Audrey.The second I’m in Mexico, I’m going to call them! I feel like Truman in the Truman’s show,in a shelter, seclueded from the rest of the world but also being closely watched!
This trip has been hard. I wish I could explain in words how much I've learned, but its just not possible. I've been alone, I've been lost, I've had to deal with getting cheated and stared at and being a minority, dealing with fear and getting fined for being here. Not having contact with the people you love the most is a huge damper on the day. Not only did I struggle with much, but I had no excess money, no credit card and certainly no luxary items...besides my Canon 5D (My best friend).
This trip has been a huge eye opener…the world may continue to get smaller w/ the population online and everyone united, but there is one place that refuses to give in to the almighty dollar…and that is Cuba.







Miguel on his front porch.



Fidel







A stronger Samuel




I'm sad I'm leaving.

La Playa 2

Feb 3,2008 Habana, CUBA

I spent yet another day on a Cuban beach! Which means another 2 hours of crowded bus rides...(from Hedado to the south eastern beaches) and this time I mean it was CROWDEDDDDD!!! I am literally making a statement in saying that I would breathe the breath of at least 2 new people everytime I inhaled... it was like a rolling box of humans, nothing but humans... i imagine being hauled to jail would be a somewhat similar feeling, except at that point you don't have to fake like you're enjoying it.

Alright Samuel, no more complaining...
Look why I took that wretched bus trip.
La Playa!!!

This was a highlight of the trip.
and the highlights inside the best day include:

1. Havana Club white rum (mixed with lime sodapop...mmmhmmm!)
2. Getting berried in the sand. (I would show pictures, but they are too graphic in terms of particular sand phallus' they attached to my sand body)
3.Ummm...the topless cuban women...(Sorry you had to read that mom)
4.The water. It was beautiful!
5.Getting to know my cuban friends more.
6.Relaxing and getting tan and then really tan and then burnt. (I wasn't that burnt and it quickly turned into a golden tan.)

taking some slick pictures!

heres a few.

My Cuban Familia

Castaway styled beach front property.

The other Cuban beer. its muy fuerte! Heres a picture of me enjoying myself...are you getting upset that I'm having so much fun without you??? haha

YES! i was as happy as I look.

It was a fun day and it was topped off with more homemade food, relaxing in the girls bunk bed rooms and watching the coast erupt from the crashing waves against the brakewall.

Tomorrow I return to Mexico City...I'm sad...but excited to return to Long Beach in 2 days!

Havana: Miguel and la Casa Madre

Havana, CUBA: Feb 2nd (morning excerpt)

Supposed to meet Miguel @ 10am. Still not sure of the exact time here even. Sometimes its 2 hora different then my iPhone, now I guess its only 1 hora ahead. It feels like this place plays by its own rules… its weird. (its actually 3 hours different)
Anyways I kept checking the window for signs of him…but nothing…due to the time confusion I’ve been having.
Finally I spot him. I’ve decided no more walking (I've averaged around 20 miles a day, or so my feet would complain)…plus I think he wants me to be blessed/converted by/to his “afrocubano” religious leaders- so I grab a shirt and some shorts to give to him. This is the last time I will be seeing him. I pick out a matte black long sleeve striped shirt & those hideous cut off jeans shorts (they'll think they're nice in cuba) + 40 pesos (I finally found out the money thing! 25 cuban pesos = $1 cuc but they look similar… its truly bizarre) he seemed happy to get the stuff. Plus the money was big time to him. I wish I could have given him more.
Returning to mi casa, the casa madre wasn’t happy w/ me giving stuff to him (she must have seen me do it) she said a lot of things… I understood peligro (danger) & cuidado (careful) I nodded and tried to explain he’s my amigo & he’s showed me around a lot.
Anyways, I’m not sure I like this woman she acts like a pissed off mom & wears too much make up & perfume (if that’s what you would call it, more like "Glade" bathroom spray to me) she gave me hot milk & café and some hard as a rock white bread & butter for breakfast. Shizz! I’m hungry! I haven't been spending more then $8 a day the past 2 days, so I may be able to get another good meal and a souvenir to take home w/me. The university kids want to make me dinner too! So that’s slick! I’m meeting up with them @ 12 noon.
I need to eat something and maybe go workout until then.

Catch you later!

-S™




Miguel in his room.

Afrocubano
(A little freaky if your coming to me for answers)

This is a little example of how we communicated the first day.

Keep in mind, these are excerpts from my recent trip journal... if you want to read more, you'll have to go back in my blog posts... if this is confusing... awesome! US citizens aren't confused enough...so this might be new to you.

Havana: The Students.

The crew. (LtoR Luis, Me, Mike,Geysis,Leslie and Ruth)


Havana, Cuba -Feb 2nd,2008


I went looking for my young friends I met on the street. They told me what building when I met them. They must have said good things to their building mates because when I got there the people standing outside immediately knew who I was.
I didn’t meet up w/ the original crew but met one similar and 3 of the 6 knew a little English!!!(how refreshing to speak in my native tongue for the first time in 4 days!)
With the new crew 6 cuban's and me, we grabbed food & cerveza at a local outdoor cafe near the highway looking out towards Florida ( this was the best meal I’ve had all week!) arroz con pollo w/ dried platanos tons of picante caliente sauce & all for pretty cheap! (the whole group couldn't believe how much I could eat.)
We then jumped on a little train like bus & toured old Habana, singing the whole way, when we got off after about 35 minutes it was about 11pm.
After sitting on the ledge overlooking the ocean for a while we then went Salsa/Reggeton (don't know if that mixes well, but after some cuban rum, it doesn't matter) So Dancing at the "university disco" on the 8th floor of their building.
After 2 and a half hours of dancing then resting, dancing then resting, I had to get some sleep! They all ended up walking me 20 blocks to my home @ 2:30am. They said I live in a dangerous zone. The end of a fun night... plans tomorrow of meeting them for lunch! I'm so happy to meet some fun people my age with relaxed personality's and honest and good hearts. I feel like I've known these students for years and its only been 5 hours! Good night Feb 2nd.





Like I said, I was hungry! I impressed them all with how much I eat.



Out on the town.











Thats why they call it the disco!


Some of that beloved Club Havana (with cola) Spilt

Things always tend to get crazy.


Trying to look awesome.

Cuba: Hardcore Alley Stickball

Feb 1 – Part Dos (or 2) “stickball”


That medical tape I brought has once again proven its worth (maybe even its weight in Gold?) First the pen(for journaling), now for béisbol! I was watching some older boys (14-20) Play Stickball in an empty lot. After about 15 minutes of watching, their ball got stuck/lost in a nearby tree. After a few moments, I remembered the tape in my pocket. I pulled it out and to their excitement offered to make a new ball. They asked ¿Cuánto? (how much?) I denied payment & I was immediately thrown into the outfield(which felt much like a small field of pavement littered with random divots and health hazards, I guess you can thank Fidel for free healthcare, although it may not be worth it) (see playing field in image above). I played w/ them nearly 2 hours. I’m sore. Between innings I would do pull ups called (barro) in espanol…or something like that, I asked a small child that was watching me "¿Cómo se dice pull-ups?" I asked him as I pulled up another. He replied "Barro"...but I really find it hard to believe...I'll look it up online when I get back to the states.

Anyways, I hit 3 huge hits that sent the ball over a building each time. Only one the team called a homerun, even though the others were good on regulation… then again that was my first time playing stickball. I liked it mucho gusto? I’m off to go get dinner… maybe meet up w/ those pseudo flirters HAHA. I need to hear some musico and have another mojito! Adios for now!



I didn't bring my camera to the alley to play, but I'll dig in my archive for an image of the place I joined a team to play.

I'm getting more and more tan each day. This Cuban sun is hotter then most. I'm enjoying it, especially mixed with exhaust and a warm breeze coming from florida.


Writers NOTE: This is a journal excerpt from my trip to Cuba a little more then a week ago. I am currently in my LA Studio.

Highs and Lows from Habana

Feb 1st (2 months till April Fools Day)
New pen! WooHoo! It was broken, but w/ a little medical tape and some hard work… it is now my tool of choice.
The new casa will be a good change of pace. The 1st spot was great, but I always felt crazy lonely and the place reminded me of being broke and new to the country. Now my spirits have changed. I've started picking up the bible, I've really felt like I can relate to Paul in Acts and David in the Psalms...it might sound pathetic and extreme to go that far, but I actually can grasp alot of their emotions at this point. Oh and then even being able to feed my internet addiction & contact familia. That was mucho bueno!
Miguel isn’t around today… kinda bitter sweet. Great tour guide & friend, but things get awkward when he asks for deniro I don’t have and sometimes I feel like he's pocketing some of it just because he can… Anyways, its good to have a day to relax, to break from walking 20 miles. My inner thighs are chaffed and these vans don’t prevent blisters. On that note: I’ve been enjoying the following… (keep in mind this is all copied text from a beat up little journal I woul dwhip out and jot down random notes and thoughts...I'm not crazy and I don't type with a pen)

1. More Language Confidence (I still can’t conversate, but I can comprehend much more)
2.El Sol (Sun) (Not too caliente, just perfecto(haha, thanx Rita:)
3. I’m only using 6 pesos a day. (3 for bread, 1 for vegetables and 2 for a good mojito)
4. Meeting cool people (everywhere!) Most people are extremly friendly if you can communicate with them.
5. Rationing. I’ve actually come to enjoy the challenge of not waisting anything!
6. Immunity to the tap water. This will save me at least a dollar 50 a day!
7. A break from photo taking. I left the 50 @ mi casa for my leica. Which is really only good in the day. Horrible w/o flash…
8. Free breakfast! El casa madre heard I’m broke & offered it for free! I now see where my So-Cal madres get it. They can’t see a nino go hungry. I told her my moms would be very greateful. But not as much as I am.
9. my new pen. The tip is being pushed further and further into the bac of it. So I may need to do surgery on it soon.
10. spending thime w/ Jesus. Has given me patience, endurance & wisedom.
11. Safety. It feels really safe here. Not sure why though…

Not Enjoying…

1. Showers… if these are hot! I would HATE to try a cold one.
2. The food. (although I did find a cheap pizza spot. Nasty… but cheap!)
3. Blisters on my feet from walking oh and chaffing hurts!
4. Being alone. No conversations except to my camera (video)
5. The litter… people here toss trash everywhere! It must be legal and maybe even a sport?
6. Exhaust: A lot of vehicles are from the 30's, 40’s & 50’s. That was back when emission standards weren’t a concern. Nor was air quality. Lucky for all living things, we are on the ocean & the air gets pushed around more frequently.
7. This pen. (every page I need to repare it!)


I didn't bring my Canon 5D today, since I wanted to blend in and look like a local...not that locals look like this...see video I took with my Leica D-Lux 3. (I'll post the video when i have time to get it up...iMovie is making me feel retarded)

Cuba's Bonita Playa

me.


January 31st
-=PLAYA!=-
Cuba:Journal Entry #4
I’m laying on La playa right now. Its not crowded, its beautiful! There is an Italian man lying basically on top of a Cuban chica. They are making pseudo love on a chair… they freeze everytime I look their way… very entertaining.
Miguel borrowed some (local) pasos and brought me back some odd meat, a tomato & bread. Its gross.
I’m eating it…
The time is probably around 3:30, although I’m not positive after the 2 hour bus ride! I still haven’t used the internet and I’m getting restless. Last nite I could barely sleep! Hoping the familia isn’t too worried. Although I bet they are:(. Its getting mucho hot (caliente) and I’m finished w/ my sandwich thingy(if thats what you would call it)… I'm off to jump in el agua!
After writing this… I met a few men & 2 women (the girls were from argentina ,they couldn’t stop oiling each other, it was like they had a phobia of being without oil. The men just couldn’t stop staring, including Miguel, I looked too for a second... alright maybe 2...it was a funny sight...but I didn't stop, drop the jaw and stare as if these were the only 2 women left on the entire planet) I also joined a pull-up contest w/ one of the young men. (who thought I was related (brother) to the prettier Argentinean girl, He actually approached me asking to take her out. HA) Anyways I won the contest by 17- He got 8. He then wanted revenge (from pull ups) and challenged me to a swimming contest. So I did that too, I needed a good arm workout anyways. I wasn’t sure how it was to work… I knew I was tired from the pull-up contest though,I wasn't about to swim a mile in the Caribbean sea right after that dirty sandwich and 25 pull-ups in the hot sun. I ended up just going w/ the flow. Both of us ended up running, diving & swimming as fast as possible out to sea (towards florida) we swam for about 45 seconds then I see him struggling to stay up. So that’s the end of the 2nd contest I guess. I found out a few things about this kid. He was obsessed with Argentinean girls, he was 18, new english like a young baby and was wearing a girls adidas shirt...I didn't have the heart to inform him it was for chicas. Thats the end of my first beach experience.
Later this night, I found internet (at a Grande Hotel). It felt good to send some notes saying I’m safe.
My pen seems near dead or at least it did. Geez! I’m writing so much my pen is dying!!!
I’m Hungry! I swear, when I get back I’m going to have a big ol’ bowl of Thai “Hot & Sour” Soup w/ seafood. I’ve ben eating shizz food! No lobster, no arroz, no papa’s just gross pizza, white bread, weird bread & chesse blah! Also fried chicken & beer? The thing at the beach wasn't exactly human food and tasted much like the beach itself. seaweed,rocks,driftwood,salt,ect...


Highlights from the day:
1.Che Tattoo on some dude's back.
2.Internet use
3.The hot beach
4.Pullup contest
5.Getting immune to their tap water.
6.Taking Portraits of a few locals

Habana, downtown Vedado
2 hour bus ride

slick structure.
Highlight #1 (Che tattoo)

Pull-up contest... the onlookers were just as entertaining.


I wander around for hours looking for pictures like this.






It looks like they're about to race.


A dad and his daughter.



Fidel is always watching.

The neighborhoods are relatively safe.