"Cuban eyes often look close to tears. Tears never seem far away because both their pain and their joy are always so close to the surface."- Brin-Jonathan Butler On a surface level, many of us are drawn to Cuba for joyrides in classic America cars, sipping Cuba Libres at one of Hemingway's favorite watering holes, smoking the finest cigars in the world, being serenaded by a street band singing Guantanamera and indulging in a seemingly nostalgic cultural yesteryear. True, these are infinitely alluring...but if you visit Cuba, you'll be failing yourself if you don't engage with the people (even if you don't speak much Spanish). They are irresistible. Their tangled complex and diverse histories are fascinatingly unique. I found myself perpetually sitting on park benches for hours on a daily basis. I had so many profound conversations with Cubans and learned so much through observation. One thing I found out about most Cubans.... they love to talk. They are passionate, charming, opinionated and proud. It is paradox at its finest. For a people that have been oppressed in myriad ways, they maintain an honorable sense of pride and genuineness that is palpable. In my experience, they were sincerely open to chatting and welcomed me with open arms. Right off the bat, they would ask where I was from. "Estados Unidos," I replied... half expecting to have to defend myself against our current political mess and turbulent history with Cuba...but no...they would all too often say "Bienvenidos a Cuba! Somos amigos! Venga y siéntate! Welcome to Cuba! We are friends! Come and Sit! I was genuinely surprised. Their welcoming spirit satiated my soul. Amazingly, with such a vitriolic history, they welcome anyone to sit next to them and chat. We could all do a bit more of this at home here in the states. Travel breeds compassion, vulnerability and expression.. Mil gracias Cuba!
