A deep travel into the amazing Castro's Caribbean Island

by Mariateresa Costi (Italy)

I didn't expect to find Cuba

I have just come back from Cuba. Guess it is hard to believe, but Cuba is not only beautiful beaches on the Caribbean Sea, wonderful weather all year long or an amazing old-cars museum. Forget all the Caribbean stereotypes. Cuba is much more than that, but you should go deeper to capture this simultaneous reality. Cuba was not only a holiday to me, but rather an introspective journey. In the end I felt in love with this hard place, so arduous to go in. I have traveled Cuba far and wide. I discovered the real Cuban life, because I spent all my time with Cubans and not in a five stars resort. Although the shortage of almost everything I found over there, I felt Cuba has a lot to give. At first sight, you will experience the complete nothing. They do not have many cars, neither to rent to tourists, nor to drive to go to work. Furthermore, those amazing colorful Chevrolets and Cadillacs, that we love taking pictures with, are still there since the 50’s forgotten by the Americans just after the embargo. Facilities like internet or packaging are missing, as well. You cannot whatsapp a friend whenever you want; and cakes must be carried by hand and not protected in boxes. Moreover, many Cubans do not have easy access to important commodities like electricity, gas to cook and often warm water to take a shower. What is worse, basic necessities are difficult to source. Despite all this, I have this feeling that Cuban nothingness is full of shades. Cuban people have a concept of property different from ours. In Cuba I saw poverty going hand in hand with happiness. I saw the real socialism, that one that Castro made them spit from their entrails. He tore it off from their bodies. They suffered famine and faced very hard lives. I think that Cubans learnt to find happiness in communion. Serenity is given by sharing things. So, ownership takes a different taste, a more powerful meaning. In Cuba people unlikely own. They have only themselves. The correct verb is not “to have”, indeed is “to exist”. As Cubans own nothing, they appreciate life more and enjoy it better than what we, the rushing population, do. They spend their time on the streets. Houses are always opened, and people sit in front of them letting time passing by. They are always in touch with others. They talk, they sing, and they dance. The music that comes out from every house is for everyone. There are no neighbors annoyed. No one complains about pumped up music. Everything is simply accepted and this is a life style. Cuban people always smile. If you go there one day, you will see so many smiles, which you are not used to, that you will believe they are fake. They did not lose the focus on what really matters. They are more real. Cuba stopped the time. All the things are simple and take their natural value. Everything needs to be toiled for and this is the reason why people live more strongly. Their approach to life reminds me when I was a child growing with my grandmother. In Italy it worked like this a long time ago. They still give the right importance to things. So as soon as I got used again, the island swallowed me up and coming out is now impossible. I swear, when you go back to your usual world nothing will appear “normal” anymore. We could write a fairy tale about Cuba, because it is another world. You realize the relativity of the situations, of the places, of the different ways of living. Especially, of values. Cuba silently arrives, docilely knocks on your door, colorful gets in dancing and lastly takes your heart away. Now it is not like if you have been to Cuba, but certainly you know more about this close country. The next time you hear "Guantanamera", I wish you will think about all these things, to the complexity of this land and to the limitless beauty of Cuban people.