I Fell In Love
Bria Harper
Overall, the trip to Cuba was bittersweet. I fell in love with the people and the country. I laughed and danced with them as they embraced me with Rumba and Reggaeton but I also cried with Community ESPIRAL as they talked about the struggles that they still had to overcome. Coming to Cuba helped me realize just how privileged we are in the US and how much we take little things for granted. During our community project, we collected soap, lotion, shampoo, deodorant and other toiletries that are not readily available because of the blockade.
One of the things that I was most affected by was the housing crisis. One of my favorite things to do was to walk down the streets of Old Havana. The sense of community was evident as you saw people with their doors open dancing to music or watching TV. Neighbors were sharing their goods by letting a bucket down from the top floor to receive things from the people below. While I was overtaken by the sense of community and togetherness that unites the people, I was dismayed by the reality of their living situation. In Cuba, residents are not able to select their housing but are assigned their housing by the government. Because most of the buildings are remnants of high time during the 1940s and 50s, they are now falling down and in need of tremendous repair. Because there is limited housing available multiple generations live under the same roof. These crowded quarters can cause tensions within relationships. As we walked through Havana, we couldn’t help but notice the dilapidated buildings and those that had already completely fallen through. In some buildings, roof and the top floor were completely gone. During a conversation with professor Tomas Robaina, I asked “What happens to families that are in the houses when they collapse? Are they given any compensation from the government?” Tomas’ replied that the government does not provide any compensation and that there are sometimes deaths when the houses collapse. Even after the loss of their houses, the families have to wait to be reassigned to a new houses.
In spite of this, the Cubans still remain positive. Most people I talked to about the current situation in Cuba, while acknowledging their shortcomings and the progress that needs to be made, they also celebrate their progress and focus on the things that they can do to improve. I think that we could learn multiple lessons from Cuba on acceptance, community, and progress.
Bria Harper
Overall, the trip to Cuba was bittersweet. I fell in love with the people and the country. I laughed and danced with them as they embraced me with Rumba and Reggaeton but I also cried with Community ESPIRAL as they talked about the struggles that they still had to overcome. Coming to Cuba helped me realize just how privileged we are in the US and how much we take little things for granted. During our community project, we collected soap, lotion, shampoo, deodorant and other toiletries that are not readily available because of the blockade.
One of the things that I was most affected by was the housing crisis. One of my favorite things to do was to walk down the streets of Old Havana. The sense of community was evident as you saw people with their doors open dancing to music or watching TV. Neighbors were sharing their goods by letting a bucket down from the top floor to receive things from the people below. While I was overtaken by the sense of community and togetherness that unites the people, I was dismayed by the reality of their living situation. In Cuba, residents are not able to select their housing but are assigned their housing by the government. Because most of the buildings are remnants of high time during the 1940s and 50s, they are now falling down and in need of tremendous repair. Because there is limited housing available multiple generations live under the same roof. These crowded quarters can cause tensions within relationships. As we walked through Havana, we couldn’t help but notice the dilapidated buildings and those that had already completely fallen through. In some buildings, roof and the top floor were completely gone. During a conversation with professor Tomas Robaina, I asked “What happens to families that are in the houses when they collapse? Are they given any compensation from the government?” Tomas’ replied that the government does not provide any compensation and that there are sometimes deaths when the houses collapse. Even after the loss of their houses, the families have to wait to be reassigned to a new houses.
In spite of this, the Cubans still remain positive. Most people I talked to about the current situation in Cuba, while acknowledging their shortcomings and the progress that needs to be made, they also celebrate their progress and focus on the things that they can do to improve. I think that we could learn multiple lessons from Cuba on acceptance, community, and progress.