roseadmin“Like stones rolling down hills, fair ideas reach their objective despite all obstacles and barriers. It may be possible to hinder them, but impossible to stop them.” – Jose Marti
Cuba has always been a point of controversy and mystique. As an American, you are continuously bombarded with conflicting views regarding the Cuban Revolution and the current state of the country. When I decided to visit Cuba, I wanted to observe the culture, learn the history, and really get a sense of what the citizens thought of their socialist government.
When I first touched down in Cuba, I really was not sure what to expect. I found myself triple checking my documents as I walked to customs, nervous that my visa or health insurance documents might have mysteriously escaped during my walk from the plane. Later I would realize my nerves were completely unwarranted because Cuban customs was amazingly efficient. Before I knew it, I was outside ready to begin my Cuban adventure.
Wide-eyed, with camera in hand, I peered out the taxi window admiring the colonial buildings, the malecon, and coco-taxis zooming by. I kept my eyes open for the devastating poverty and suppressed anti-revolution propaganda many described in their post-travel blogs and could not see what they saw. See, to me, this island appeared similar to any other Caribbean island I had been on. While people weren’t walking around in name brand apparel singing the most recent pop song, they were rich in so many other ways. The sounds of the street consisted of children playing futbol, reggaeton rhythm, car horns, and laughter. Walking down the streets of La Habana Vieja and Vedado, you could not help but feel immersed in the pride of the Cuban people; the countryside is where I felt it the most. Viñales was a short cameo, but the people welcomed us 
with open arms. It was here where I felt I learned the most about the Cuban history and government; my most memorable moment taking place in a tobacco field. A local farmer explained the process of harvesting the Tobacco and shipping to government factories. From the total production, he explained he would be allowed to keep 10% to sell or consume at his leisure. I had to ask his thoughts on this, to which he responded, “No es mio. Es para todos” [It’s not mine. It’s for everyone]. At that moment, I wondered how beneficial this form of government could be across the world and the implications a socialist government might have on creativity and ambition.
My trip to Cuba was enlightening to say the least and I would most definitely love to go back. Here’s a few tips I found helpful and some things I wish I knew in preparation for my trip to Cuba!
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Change your U.S Dollars to Euro
In Cuba, tourists exchange their money for CUCs. Euro to CUC is a1:1 trade; whereas, when exchanging U.S to CUCs you incur a 10% tax. Guess that’s payback for the many years of trade sanctions?
2. Bring Cash!
None of your credit or debit cards will work in Cuba, so withdraw the money you plan to spend with a few hundred for emergencies. I took $800 U.S and ended up spending less than $500, which included food, drinks, fancy tours, and souvenirs!
3. Don’t Pay more than 15 CUCs for a cab or vintage car tour
Especially if you’re just taking a spin around La Habana Vieja. The vintage cars are actually used as Taxis throughout Habana. You can pick one up just about anywhere, so no need to break the bank for this experience.
4. Educate yourself on Cuban History before Traveling
While it’s nice to learn on the fly, Cuban culture is deep rooted in their history. You’ll enjoy your interactions much more if you have a bit of a foundation to build on. Here’s a helpful website:
http://cubaexplorer.com/brief-history-of-cuba
5. Download “Maps.Me”
I had no clue this app existed until traveling to Cuba. It was a lifesaver. Maps Me is an offline map that allows you to determine your location via GPS and pin locations of interest. We used the pin feature to save our AirBnB location and map out restaurants, tourist sites, etc.