Things I Love about Cuba
It has taken me longer than I anticipated to adjust to life in Cuba - or as they say in Spanish - "para acostumbrarme a la vida cubana". After six weeks, I have identified some of the things I truly love about Cuba and that I foresee myself missing upon my return to the United States. Here is my list in no particular order:
1. The Music
I have come to love Cuban music, which is a unique combination of European (primarily Spanish) and West African influences. There is a night club - Bertolt Brecht - where we discovered the timba-funk band called Interactivo. Interactivo plays every Wednesday night and it is a really fun scene with lots of Cuban dancing (mostly salsa variations) involved.
Other groups I have heard and liked include Afro-Cuban All Stars (especially the songs "Amor Verdadero" and "Habana del Este"), Los Van Van, Los Zafiros (the entire album "Éxitos" is superb), Habana Abierta (try the song "La Novia De Superman"), and Buena Vista Social Club (I like "Veinte Años" and "Dos Gardenias").
2. The Weather
As someone who loves the heat, you would think that a climate in which the days are consistently 90° F and the temperature rarely drops below 80° F (even at night) would suit me perfectly. However, the humidity in Cuba is something else. At first it was uncomfortable, then it became incessant and unbearable, until finally there was nothing left to do but embrace it. A constant layer of sweat is now accepted and expected on most days. Walking more than a few blocks ends in me sweating through my clothes (backpacks are avoided for this reason when possible), face-washing happens multiple times a day in an attempt to feel human, and air conditioning is pretty much heaven. Exhaustion is another consequence of the heat. My afternoon naps sprawled out on top of my sheets with the one fan in our room on full blast have become all too frequent.
Despite the challenges, there is something liberating about no longer caring. Sweat and discomfort are no longer obstacles for me. I also think I have adapted in small ways. I no longer sweat as soon as I step into the elevator every morning, I can go for evening runs without my entire body burning up, and I walk to and from the university without needing to shower after.
The evenings and nights in Cuba are lovely. I can wear what I would wear during the day (minimal), and feel 100% comfortable. I will definitely miss walking through the streets of Havana or sitting on my balcony late at night in just a tank top and shorts.
I will also miss the strong and sudden thunder storms. They generally occur in the late afternoon or early evening and there is something cleansing about them. One minute it will be 90° and sunny and then it begins to get windy and dark clouds start to roll in quickly. The lightening is always beautiful (especially looking out on the Caribbean from our apartment) and the thunder can be earth shaking. The storms never last long and afterwards there is always the most beautiful light behind the clouds that remain.
Storm clouds
Watching the storm come in
After the storm
Our entire room glows pink at sunset
!!!
3. Maria
Maria is like our guardian angel in Cuba. She lives with us in the residence and is so much more than a house mama. She prepares breakfast for us everyday, cleans the residence, and washes our linens. She also jokes around with us daily and readily shares her wisdom and insight about Cuba and about life. Maria is 72 years old, but full of energy. Although she has 4 children (and grandchildren as well), Maria treats us like we are her own. For example, when we first arrived she told us exactly how much we should pay for things and that if someone tried to rip us off, we should tell them that she told us that price was wrong. She also tells us which restaurants "cook well" and which ones we should avoid. Additionally, for our own safety, Maria must meet and approve any Cuban friends we want to have over to the residence.
After I fell on the Malecón, Maria took charge of my recovery process. She has an aloe plant on the rooftop patio that she would cut a leaf from everyday and apply to my wounds. Living with Maria is such a gift, because she is always around in case we need anything and she has helped us find our footing in Cuba. She has taught us how to cut mangos, she taught me that in order to open a coconut I need to throw it against the ground, she helped us navigate the complicated laundry process, and she has shared her recipes for the traditional Cuban deserts and juices that she prepares for us.
Maria regularly addresses us as "mi amor" or "mi vida", but my favorite is when she says "que sueñen con los angelitos", which means "I hope you dream about the little angels". I don't think there is anyway to repay Maria for the unconditional love and support that she has for us, but we can try to show our appreciation with gifts of TuKola (the Cuban version of CocaCola) and peanut butter (which is nowhere to be found in Cuba!).
Maria teaching Delaine how to hang his laundry
4. The Streets
Although Havana is extremely urban, the streets (especially in Vedado) are unlike any other urban streets I have seen. The sidewalks may be deteriorating, but there are so many trees and plants growing everywhere! I am definitely going to miss the lush greenery and flowering trees on every street. I also love the way that people just stroll and bike down the middle of the streets (except major thoroughfares) and call out to friends or neighbors. Everyday I see people in open second or third story windows having conversations with people on the street. I always feel like I'm in one big friendly neighborhood. The high quantity of dogs roaming the streets is also a plus.
5. Máquinas
I love máquinas!! Maybe it's because we walk so much, but I was just saying the other day that one of my favorite feelings is zooming around the city in a máquina. Now that I know the general routes that the máquinas follow, catching one is just like catching a cab, except that in a máquina, I can get across the city for the equivalent of less than 1 USD. I love the casual vibe and the way that anyone can get in along the way. Also, I love the classic cars... Sliding into one of the bench seats (always leather) and speeding off to your destination is such a good feeling. The windows are always down, which means you get a killer breeze on your face for the duration of the trip, and usually the driver has some popular cuban music cranked up. I love máquinas.
6. The Food
Food items I will miss:
Mangos and Avocados. The mangos are sweet and juicy and perfect. The avocados are HUGE and also perfect.
Platanos. Platanos look like bananas, but they come in different variations and there are many styles of preparation that make them delicious and exciting. The larger variation is savory and delicious when fried or made into chips (called chicharitas). The smaller ones can be peeled and eaten just like a banana. Finally, there is a larger sweet variation. When fried, these sweet plantains are definitely my favorite.
Coconuts. Cocos are such a delicious food. They can be found at one of the many agros (like daily farmer's markets selling fresh produce) scattered throughout the city. I generally ask if they can open or puncture my coconut when I purchase it, so that I can drink all of the water. After I drink the water, I smash the coconut on the ground, which allows me to cut the meat out of each piece with a knife. The coconut meat is delicious. It has a creamy yet nutty flavor and we like to eat it with some of Maria's homemade guava jam.
Maní Molido. Maní is the Cuban word for peanuts. Maní molido literally means "ground peanuts" and it is a kind of paste (which generally comes in a block or a bar form) made from what seems to be ground maní and sugar. Think Reese's peanut butter without the chocolate. It's delicious. It might seem more delicious to me, because there is no such thing as peanut butter here and I miss it very much, but maní molido is still an excellent snack or treat.
Jugo. Jugo = juice. Because there is an abundance of delicious tropical fruits in Cuba, the juice is amazing. Some of my favorites are mango, piña (pineapple), guayaba (guava), melón (watermelon), and platano (banana). Maria's juices are delicious, but there is also a juice vendor called "Juguera* just blocks from the residence with an enormous menu of fresh squeezed juices coming in many different combinations. The best part is that each juice costs about 6 Cuban pesos (the equivalent of 25 cents US$).
Don Don. Don Don is the lunch spot I discovered this past week. It's one of the many typical 'restaurants' that are privately owned and generally operated out in front of someone's house. These tiny eateries are priced in Cuban pesos and usually attract only a very local crowd. Don Don has a tiny two tiny bars with maybe 3 stools at each, just enough room to stand and order your food from the woman behind the counter, and a tiny one-man cooking space where food appears in a window for waiting customers. The menu is small, but everything is delicious! My favorite dish is called Estofado d'pollo, which is like pulled/shredded chicken in a flavorful red sauce. Each dish comes with some sweet potato, green beans, and either congris (a rice and black been mixture) or white rice with a cup of beans (almost like bean soup) on the side, which most people pour over their rice. Whatever Don Don does, they do it right, because this place is addicting.
7. Diosbani (photos to come...)
Diosbani is like a big brother, a boxing instructor, and a stress reliever all in one package. Every time I go to boxing, I come home in such a better mood. We always have a lengthy warm up with lots of breathing and stretching exercises, and we always finish with a massage that reminds me of shavasana (the 10-15 minutes of corpse pose and relaxation/meditation at the end of yoga classes). We also help each other, because he likes to practice his English with us, while we can practice our Spanish with him. Usually once per lesson, he tells me "Remember... you are chort", which always makes us laugh, but he is right and I know it's important for me to remember that, while I'm boxing. He has also taught us some basic self-defense moves and has offered to help us with any language difficulties when we start writing our papers. He practices the Afro-cuban religion called Yruba, which I hope to learn more about throughout the semester.