Casey Farmer
This past January, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Cuba for 10 days — something not many Americans can say because of decades of travel restrictions.
Although these restrictions were eased during the Barack Obama administration, Americans are still prohibited from traveling to Cuba for tourism. So, when Lehigh offered a trip there during winter break, I knew I had to take advantage of this opportunity.
Throughout my time in Cuba as part of the Lehigh group, we met with several professors and experts to learn about different aspects of the country’s history and culture. The lessons and stories were ones we would never learn in an American classroom. And whether it was because of the stark differences between Cuba and the U.S. or the unexpected similarities, each lecture grabbed our attention.
But the two most significant lessons I took away from the 10 days I spent in Cuba didn’t come from these experts or the various tours we took in each city we visited. Rather, they came from the people themselves.
Despite growing up in South Florida, only a couple hundred miles away from Cuba, I knew very little about the country and what to expect during my trip. Something I was told, however, was how kind and friendly Cubans are.
That expectation was certainly exceeded.
Despite a potential language barrier, people everywhere — from the shops we visited to the streets we walked on a daily basis — were eager to talk to us. We shared ideas and asked questions, expanding our knowledge of Cuba. I was amazed by their friendliness and surprised at their lack of contempt toward Americans visiting their country.
Frankly, I had always assumed Cubans would express some sort of resentment toward Americans. Americans don’t exactly have the best reputation in other countries around the world — as I noticed while I was abroad in Italy last summer — and in Cuba, they have been given good reason to think poorly of us.
However, through their kindness, the Cuban people taught me to rethink how I view others.
Americans have historically been quick to judge people from other countries and cultures, and this has held true under President Donald Trump’s administrative policies and intentions. As a country, we often look down upon benign foreigners.
Cubans, on the other hand, have had their lives negatively impacted by American policies for years, yet they welcome us with smiles on their faces.
From this, we must learn to look at people as who they are, not what we think of the countries they come from and the stereotypes they might carry. The compassion of the Cuban people has encouraged me to remain more open-minded about others.
The other lesson I took away from my trip was about happiness and its relation to circumstance.
Compared to the majority of Americans, Cubans have nothing. We were told most Cubans survive off of a monthly salary equivalent to $15-20. I can easily spend that much in a day here in the U.S. by going out to dinner or taking a trip to CVS. They don’t have great internet access either. Wi-Fi cards are expensive, and even if they can afford to purchase one, the connection is slow and only available in limited areas.
Yet, Cubans are some of the happiest people I’ve ever seen, finding pleasure in simple activities like dancing in the streets to live music.
Americans often seek self-gratification and happiness through wealth and various forms of technology and social media, only leaving us wanting more when we finally get what we originally desired. Cubans have far less than us, but I got the impression they are happier because they don’t base their happiness off wealth and possessions. They know there’s much more in life to find joy in.
I know I’m far from the first to make this point, but the idea is not easy to fully grasp until you witness it firsthand.
When I found out I was going to be able to visit Cuba, I knew I was taking an educational trip, but I never expected to learn life lessons in addition to academics ones. I hope to see relations between the U.S. and Cuba continue to improve, because I believe Cubans have a lot to teach us.
—
Casey Farmer, ’18, is the deputy lifestyle editor for The Brown and White. She can be reached at [email protected].
Comment policy
Comments posted to The Brown and White website are reviewed by a moderator before being approved. Incendiary speech or harassing language, including comments targeted at individuals, may be deemed unacceptable and not published. Spam and other soliciting will also be declined.
The Brown and White also reserves the right to not publish entirely anonymous comments.
8 Comments
I wonder how embarrassingly naive and even unpatriotic Casey’s letter will seem to her when she’s gained more experience in life, and has children of her own.
And I wonder if she’ll think she was well served by Lehigh staff who’ve helped inform her opinions.
This was a 10 day experience in Cuba……this was her reaction to what she saw…..Not your “wizened viewpoint”…..forget about being Unpatriotic…she reported on her 10 day experience. I am happy she had this experience!
This was a 10 day trip to Cuba…to observe the cultural aspects of the island; her reaction to what she experienced in 10 days was her reaction….To call this embarrassing naive and even unpatriotic/…is unfair of you Jane Dubose.
Her sour view of her own country and countrymen surely don’t come from that 10-day experience.
And her own country’s policies toward Cuba have always been directed at the Castro regime — never the Cuban people themselves, many thousands of which were driven to flee Cuba’s shores 1959 to present.
Please take a look at these two Amnesty International urgent actions on Cuba that reflect a Cuban reality many miss when visiting the island.
Eduardo Cardet, medical doctor jailed since November 30, 2016 for speaking critically of Fidel Castro now serving three year prison sentence.
http://cubanexilequarter.blogspot.com/2017/03/cuba-further-information-defender.html
Original PDF: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr25/5979/2017/en/
Family of four arrested for not mourning Fidel Castro’s death. Three siblings sentenced to a year in prison nearly died on hunger strike before being released.
http://cubanexilequarter.blogspot.com/2017/04/good-news-and-bad-news-from-cuba.html
Original PDF: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr25/6012/2017/en/
Cubans have had their lives impacted by 67 years of a totalitarian, murderous, hypocritical and corrupt regime NOT by US policies. I am always amused by how young, naive people like you are sucked in by the propoganda and rhetoric espoused by the Communist regime (and most likely your college professors) . In fact, did you know that the US is Cuba’s 3rd largest trading partner? What they want is credit… and they NEVER pay any of their debts.
I too have traveled to Cuba and have studied it quite a bit (something you should do on your own). The people are quite wonderful but remember, it’s only recently that they’ve had access to any information other than government propoganda. Castro would have been quite pleased to have The Soviet Union nuke the US during the missile crisis. He was actually quite angry with Kruschev for not doing so.
So I know you equate this to the horrible USA ruining Disney world but I assure you that you are terribly misguided.
You need to go back to Cuba and see reality.
You “were told” that Cubans can survive on a salary of $15-20? By whom? Go there and try that yourself. Look at the market prices for food on the site of 14ymedio”.
Do you even know that the average pension is $10 and the average salary is $25?
Did you know that Cuban economists have calculated that the average family of 4 in Cuba needs 7 times the average salary to have a decent life?
Do you know the rationed food only last for 10 days and that from then on food has to be bought in the black market, farmers markets and horrendously expensive “TRD” (dollar shops)?
Did you know that 62% of Cubans receive remittances from the US (Western Union data so mainly US add to that Europe)?
What is the “happiness” of a Cuban mother that can’t buy shoes for her kids?
What is the “happiness” of a Cuban pensioner that has to sit in the dark as he can’t afford running light or a refrigerator for that matter)?
I have friends that need a new refrigerator in Santiago de Cuba. The lowest price is $1300 (US) for a fridge that costs $265 (delivered) in Mexico city.
Consider yourself one of Castro’s dupes.
I enjoyed your article and appreciate your observations. It’s the people you are going to see and support, and the culture you are learning about. Having just returned from a visit to Cuba, I am looking forward to going back. Growing up in Miami and having Cuban friends, it was a very meaningful trip. Thanks for the article.