The Big Two-OH

I decided to share my final project for my Photojournalism class! Enjoy! 

It’s a late breezy afternoon in Havana, people are busily walking home from work and school. One the corner of 17th and A in Vedado there is a woman with a gold rimmed glass case hoisted on neon orange pushcart quickly serving people various treats. Her cart is almost empty and she is selling what’s left quickly. Her name is Emilia Sanchez and she is one of the thousands of Cubans who have a license to be self-employed. She begins every morning, Monday thru Friday, with a glass case full of all different kinds of sweets. She is out when the sun comes up and she doesn’t go inside until her entire cart is empty. Everything that she sells is sold in Moneda Nacional. In the morning she has at least 500 different sweets in her glass case ranging from 2 to 5 Cuban pesos.

In August of 2010 President Raul Castro announced that the current self-employment sector in Cuba would be expanded. This new sector consists of 178 jobs that the government gives licenses out for. One of the 178 jobs is a food vendor and Emilia’s has a license for doing just that. The expansion of the self employment sector  comes after the government’s announcement that it will be laying off a total of half a million state workers. This announcement is a part of the Cuban government’s plan to try to decentralize itself and restructure the economy. The expansion of the self employment sector has the potential to help Cuba in both aspects. First the self employment sector has the possibility of being able to help absorb the half a million government workers. Furthermore the self employment sector can help the government increase efficiency and productivity of the economy. 

This sector is not a free for all, there are taxes. The Cuban government has created a new system of taxation for this industry that depends on personal income. It includes personal income tax, sales tax, income to be paid into social security system and a payroll tax. In addition only those jobs on the list 178 can be licensed and those outside of the list are still considered illegal. Some of the jobs on the list are Wheelbarrow Operator for  construction work, Bathroom Attendant, Buyer and Seller of Records or Extras  which means those people who are paid to pose for pictures in Old Havana. For example, in the fourth picture the man is painted entirely in silver working for tips is considered self employed. 

There are mixed feelings among Cubans about where this new sector is going and the challenges that it will face. Lise Perez, a 35 year old Habanera(a woman who dresses in old colonial era dress for photos) in Old Havana says that she works 2 to 3 hours a day, six days a week and she likes her job. She says she dresses in the old colonial dress but also sells roasted peanuts for 1 CUC tourist or 1 Cuban Peso for Cubans. She says that being self employed gives her flexibility and that she likes being able to work whenever she wants to. With an influx of people into the self employment sector there have been some problems such as competition. On many blocks there are five restaurants and they cannot all survive. Many people try to be self employed and then fail. However there are only two sectors in Cuba which are the self employment sector or the government. If both of those don’t work then what does a person do? This is something that the Cuban government is still working on answering. However to date the government has not completed the job cuts but the layoffs have begun. 

The Women And The Makeshift Cart 

Havana,Cuba 17 November 2011—Emilia Sanchez, a woman with a self employment license as a  food vendor, sells the last of her desserts from her makeshift cart made out of a glass case on top of a neon oranage trolley. 

Hard Work As Lesiure Strolls By 

Havana,Cuba,27 October 2011— A self employed Wheelbarrow Operator is hard at work filling his wheelbarrow, that he will push across the busy Malecon to continue his labor on a near by road, while a tourist couple enjoys a lesiurely stroll. 

Painted Silver Just To Make Ends Meet 

Havana,Cuba 11 November 2011—A man with a self employment license , as an extra, paints himself silver to entertain people in Old Havana for tips. 

Rows of Entertainment 

Havana,Cuba 23 November 2011—On busy twenty third street three young men sit among rows and rows of printout copies of the covers of the CD’s and DVD’s they are licensed to sell. 

Tables of Color and Creativity 

Havana,Cuba,13 December 2011—Everyday, on Calle Obispo from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening, self-employed artisans gather at this outdoor market where they set up tables full of their arts and crafts to sell.

A Modern Day Coachman 

Havana,Cuba 13 December 2011—A coachman also called a Horse Drawn Carriage Operator, discussing the recent government updates on self employment, stands among a group of horse drawn carriages waiting to pick up passengers. 

A Bathroom Attendant

Havana,Cuba 13 December 2011—A woman, who is self employed as a Bathroom Attendant, sits at her workspace in a lady’s public bathroom where she gives out toilet paper for a suggested price. 

Mani Mani Manisero 

Havana,Cuba 13 December 2011—Lise Perez, 35, walks through Old Havana in old colonial era  dress singing songs and selling roasted peanuts with a self employment license as a Habanera (a woman who dresses in old colonial dress for photos). 

All Photos Taken by Dara Jackson-Garrett 

I had every intention of writing a final post about Cuba from the U.S. But I got back to the States and it was Christmas time and then New Years and before I knew it three weeks had passed by. The longer that I am here the more I notice how much I have changed, grown and learned from Cuba. I always said that I would change being abroad but that I wouldn’t notice until I got back home and like a puzzle piece trying to fit into a board I will have changed. And that as I try to fit back into this giant puzzle board I will notice how I have changed and that is exactly what happened. 

No one told me anything about reverse culture shock. Nothing, Nada, Zip. So my first week here was full of  an odd mixture of feelings and thoughts. It wasn’t until a facebook chat with one of my sisters that I realized what I was experiencing was reverse culture shock. Some of the things are quite funny, for example, I thought American money looked so fake, like monopoly money. It’s green, plain and just ugly. Cuba has color money, Canada has color money and even  the Euro has got some color but no not the American Dollar. Others were not so funny. Somethings that use to be normal seemed weird. And coming home during Christmas when American consumerism is at its best was annoying. The list could go on and on.  However, I am happy to say that after three weeks  I am a lot better and I think the shock is just about over. 

Spring semester starts in a week. I am packing up to move into my lovely new apartment. I can’t wait to see my friends and my sisters! And so my chapter in Cuba has ended. But living in Cuba has had a tremendous impact on my life and how I see myself and the world. Once I was telling one of my Mom’s friends about my experience and I said the way I could sum up my study abroad experience and what I learned is by saying “I feel like before I was walking around blind and now my eyes have begun to open.” I have so much more to see, do and learn. And more than ever I am excited to do just that see, do and most importantly learn. 

I am done finals. I am finished all my papers. I am done with classes today as of 1:00 p.m. And I have two days left until I leave Havana,Cuba. For a while I had been unsure if I actually improved my Spanish. I have class everyday of the week so I should have technically improved. I still wasn’t sure though. 

So on Tuesday I had to go down to Old Havana to take some photos for my final project in Photojournalism class. I did my project on the new self employment sector here in Cuba which is composed of 178 jobs that Cubans can get licenses for. Currently in Cuba the government is trying to decentralize and one way of doing this is by firing half a million government workers because the government employs 85% of the workforce. Second the government is trying to increase productivity and efficiency in the economy. The self employment sector is something that can help with both of these things. It can help to absorb the half million workers and increase productivity/efficiency. So it is something that is really important in Cuba right now. 

  While walking around I saw a woman dressed in old colonial dress, walking down the street singing while selling roasted peanuts. One of the self employment jobs is a Habanera which is a woman who walks around in old colonial dress. I wanted to talk to her! Tourists were loving it and in the next half hour I am sure she will sell out of peanuts. So  I walked up to her and introduced myself. I stood there talking to this woman, Lise, for 30 minutes. I learned about her life, how she felt about her job and how she feels about the new self employment sector. 

One of the major points here is that I stood in the middle of Old Havana speaking in SPANISH to Lise and I understood almost 100% of what she was saying to me. And that was amazing. In a 30 minute conversation I learned so much. She gave me her telephone number and I wish that I could sit down with her again but I can’t sadly. My Spanish has improved so much but of course I still have a lot to work on. 

 I am so excited to go home but at the same time I realize how much more I could learn here. I could stay here another six months and learn and learn and learn. With only two days left I am saying goodbye, finishing up my tourist shopping and enjoying my last hours in this beautiful country. 

Before coming to Cuba I read a lot of articles and books where people would say that coming to Cuba is like stepping back into the 1950’s. There are old cars driving around, Old Havana has the grand old buildings, the cobble stone streets and some hotels simply look like 1950’s. At first glance that what it looks like. Its looks as though Havana has not advanced that it is some how stuck in some kind of time warp. 

But after living here for two months  I can honestly say that anyone who wrote that or thought it didn’t actually see Cuba. This city is not stuck in the 1950’s, not if you look closely. Sure there are 1950’s cars driving around but they have modern engines and some have dashboard and seats from new modeled cars. And for the most part these 1950’s American cars serve as cheap cabs that can get you pretty much anywhere in the city.  Havana Vieja has gorgeous buildings but they have modern day stores, restaurants and the insides of many of these buildings have been changed. Its a great place to walk around, take pictures and look at. While Cuba may have things from the 1950’s they are not stuck in time. Its more that the 1950’s have moved with Cuba into the modern day. They have taken these things and updated them  just like Cuba has changed and grown. Cuba is not stuck in the 1950’s. Things from the 1950’s are stuck in Cuba. And for me that is a huge difference.

Movies, Theater, Museums, Music, Dance & Literature all are forms of culture activities. In Cuba they have something more in common than that. Havana is a place where these activities have been made available to everyone. How? The price! The prices to go to the Movies, Theater, Museum or a Ballet are affordable for every single Cuban. On Friday night I went to see a play and it cost 10 cuban pesos which equals 50 cents of an American dollar. I cannot think of a time when I have every gone to a professional play in America for 50 cents…tickets can be extremely expensive. And the ballet that is expensive but here it is not, there is no reason not go. 

Second thing that all of these things have in common is how Cubans use them. They are used here as a way to talk about Cuban society. For example, the play I went to on Friday night talked about Women and their rights in Cuba. It analyzed it while criticizing at the same time. I have heard music, read poetry, saw painting and watched dances all discussing a part of Cuban society that Cubans think should be changed. And now is the time to do it. Cuba is changing everyday, the government is implementing new laws and starting new campaigns. The most current campaign is the one calling for more acceptance of the LGBT community. In the play that I saw they also discussed how the LGBT community is treated here. Here since these things are so accessible things like concert and plays take on a whole new role. They are a way to create awareness among the Cuban people because every Cuban can afford these events and can go to the events—-it is a way to reach a wide audience all while be entertained. 

If there is one thing that I love about Cuba its sweets. Ice cream, cookies and other sweets such as “Buchete Vanila” are just amazing. I eat ice cream after dinner everyday. But the best place for ice cream is Coppelia which is famous for its ice cream especially since its super cheap and in Monera Nacional. Just to give you idea, three scoop of ice cream which is called an ensalada ironically, cost 5 pesos. 24 cuban pesos or Monera Nacional = $1 . So ice cream is really cheap and really good. 

There is another dessert that the bakery down the street from me which is called “buchete Vanila o Chocolate” and its basically a Hostess Twinkee on crack…its amazing! Even the ice cream from the store or a street vendor is amazing. I am not really sure what makes it amazing but I don’t eat ice cream in the States the way I eat ice here. And I am sure that when I go back to the States I won’t eat ice cream the way I eat it here because it just won’t taste the same.  I am not huge fan of Cuban food but ice cream, cookies and other sweets well that I am a fan of. And more recently I have been finding new places to eat that have really good food. There is a place up the street from my school that has awesome lobster and its only 60 cuban pesos…you do the math and see how cheap that it is! Its amazing and yesterday found another good restaurant with a good Cuban chic pea dish. But really Cuban ice cream and cookies are the best…I wish I could put a bunch in my suitcase and bring it back to the States …not possible at all but a girl can dream.  

It all started with a man named “el gato” which literally means cat in spanish. He was the driver of the car that would take the three girls in my group and I to the province Pinar Del Rio. This past weekend we had a long weekend since there was no school on Monday because it was a holiday. So we decided to go on a trip to Vinales, Cuba which is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous. We got there Saturday morning and were staying in Casa Particular which is like a Bed & Breakfast. The we explored the city which then turned into a 5 mile walk to see the caves that Vinales is famous for. They were really awesome. Then we went on a tour of tobacco farm which was very interesting. And I got my first hand made Cuban Cigar! It was really good. 

The next day we decided that we wanted to go zip lining only to discover that it was in a town an hour and half way. So we pack up our stuff and hit the road. The only problem is its really hard to get around in Cuba if you don’t have your own car or planned a car to pick you up and take you places. But we eventually found a car that would take us to Sabor which was a place where they had a waterfall and orchards. The orchards were so beautiful, I took lots of pictures. Then after that we found another car which was really hard to do and took us to Las Terezzas where there was zip lining and natural pools. We got dropped off in the middle of the town. We wondered around until we found someplace to stay. This is a town on the side of a mountain, it had a lake and lots of trees. I took a lot of good pictures here. That night the four us just chilled in a random town in the middle of Cuba it was awesome!The next day we went zip lining and visited the natural pools which was fun and gorgeous. This weekend was full of seeing Cuba’s natural beauty.  

This weekend was also full of lessons. Something that I learned this weekend was “commission”. I had read about before I came to Cuba and my advisor told me about it but I learned it first hand this weekend. In Cuba when Cubans refer tourists to a restaurant or get them a cab, they will add like $20 to the actual price and then keep that extra $20. So basically they cheat you out of your money which happens in the U.S. But what makes it different here is that people act like they are doing you a favor, they are really nice to you while ripping you off—its deception.  Anyway I learned to always ask in Cuba how much something is before you buy anything, even a bottle of water. Second transportation in Cuba isn’t the great once you leave Havana. Its sparse, unreliable and can be expensive. But overall it was great weekend full of adventures, lessons and of course fun! 

This weekend I explored other parts of Cuba—->Santa Maria, Cienfuegos and Santi Espíritus. I had a great time! Anyway we left on Friday morning at 7 a.m. sharp and were on the road to Cienfuegos. We stopped first at Playa Giron( What we know as the Bay of Pigs) and it was absolutely gorgeous, there were tropical fish and  the water was perfect clear blue. I didn’t expect it to be as beautiful as it was since such a horrible thing happened there. Then we visited the Playa Giron Museum where we had a tour and learned all about the Cuba side of the Bay of Pigs which was very interesting. I learned a lot that the United States just doesn’t talk about.  After this we left and went to Cienfuegos. We stayed in a hotel that was built by the Russians in the 70’s, I felt like I stepped back in time! It was amazing even our room looked like the 70s. I use to watch that 70’s Show so I was kind of a nerd and thought  this hotel was awesome. 

Then the next morning we left at 7 a.m. again and got on the road to go to Santa Maria. There is only one major highway and it connects the whole island. It is not in the best condition but it is able to handle three lanes so its not too bad. However it is very different from the United States, there aren’t lights or rest stops or that many cars. Driving has allowed me to see many different part of Cuba especially the rural. 

Back to Santa Maria. It was a small city—the roads were small and so were the buildings. However I had the best time in this city—I had awesome food with so much flavor! I also visited a cultural center that is very special for Cuba because it hosts every kind of event- for kids, for old people, for teens, concerts, theater and the most interesting is that they have events for gays and lesbians. In Cuba there has been a huge push for more acceptance of the LGBT community.  So it was really cool that this cultural center had events like this, it shows that things are changing here.  While I was there I also attended a outdoor concert and it was so much fun. The bands here always have bongos, guitar, trumpet and then various other instruments. I love listening to the music here—its so beautiful. Anyway my weekend was awesome. Then to top it off on Sunday I climbed a mountain and swam in waterfall in Sancti Spiritus!

Friends? Its been kind of hard to meet people here other than the 5 other student in my group. The place where we are taking classes, Casa de Las Americas, is not a University. Which means there aren’t students walking around campus, no classes with students and no student groups. All of my classes are with my group  and well that’s makes it hard to get know Cubans our age. 

I will have been here one month in four days and was starting to wonder when will I meet new people. Then on Wednesday it happened! We wanted to do some kind of language exchange so we decided to go and meet some students who are learning english. And it was a success. Now that I have language exchange partners/friends…things are looking up. So Hola, me llamo Dara y yo estoy haciendo los amigos!  Plus I really need to practice my spanish more than I have been.  An exchange is nice though because I am unsure of my spanish and they are unsure of their english so the mutual unsureness just makes it easier to make mistakes and learn from one another. 

My first three weeks here were rough but I can definitely say that moving into my fourth week that I finally feel adjusted. This is a beautiful place and I am excited to learn more and see more. We have a couple weekend trips to visit other parts of the island which should be a lot of fun. After 26 days of being here I have to say I like it here and in another couple of weeks, who knows, that like could even turn into love. 

I am taking a Cuban History class that entails Cuba’s history form the beginning of time up until now. It is a lot and I have never been a huge fan of history. In most of my classes in the United States history is kind of dry to me. It is a lot of dates, a lot of people and a lot of time. And in the United States none of my professors were alive for or involved in the creation of the history they are teaching. The complete opposite has happened in my Cuban History Class. All of my professors- there are three, each one teaches a different time period- were involved in the revolution and the creation of the new Cuban government. 

Hearing and learning history from the people who helped created is cool and not so cool at the same time. It is very interesting because my professors will slip into personal stories about what was happening during whatever it is that they are talking about. It goes kind of like this, ” I remember when this happened,  I was sitting on a chair and Fidel was saying to me…” or ” When this was happening Che said to me…”. I mean it is really cool to hear history in a personal way. On the other hand it guarantees that the history that I am learning is bias. But the Cuban history that I learned about in the United States was also bias. The United States history books for the most part fail to mention anything about Cuba except for the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Pay of Bigs. And there is so much more to this country than just those two events. So maybe if I get both sides of the history and put them together I get the middle—-something a little closer to the truth or maybe not. It is worth a try.  Nevertheless learning history from those who made it is a once in a life time experience for me and it is something I am going to take advantage of. 

In D.C. waiting 45 minutes for your meal in a restaurant is how that particular restaurant gets bad reviews and empty tables. Waiting for the metro for 10 minutes during rush hour just makes people mad. Waiting for the light to turn to cross the street, if there are no cars coming you should be walking, doesn’t matter if the light is red or green. If you have an appointment that is at 9:00 a.m. you should be there by 8:50 a.m. People don’t like lateness, they don’t like to wait and anything slow just frustrates them. Everything is fast in D.C….think about the metro, the escalators. People walk up because standing would simple take too much time.

In Cuba waiting 45 minutes for your meal is normal. I am convinced that cars are always speeding because Cubans are usually late. If you are meeting someone for dinner at 7, they don’t get there until at lest 7:15 p.m. The motto is “I will get there when I get there”, which is the complete opposite of what I am use too. The only time anyone is on time is when professors come to class, the one time I wouldn’t mind a little lateness. But as far as anything social…late is normal. If you are early or even on time…it screams to everyone “HELLO I AM TOURIST!”. So getting use to “Cuban Time” is something I have been forcing my self to do. Ten minutes late is good. Ten minutes early is weird. So from now I am late. And late is on time.