Final thoughts on Cuba

There were a few things that I wanted to write more about but didn't want to take up space in my earlier entries.  So I figured I'd write them here for those who want to read them.

Money: CUCs vs. CUPs

Cuba is the only country I know of, although there may be others, that has two official currencies.  Historically, Cuba only had the Cuban Peso (CUP).  However, during the "special period" of the 1990s they began to accept dollars as well, mainly in the tourist sector.  Later a new currency for tourism was created, the Cuban Convertible Peso or CUC (pronounced kook), and dollars were eventually not accepted.  The CUC is pegged to the dollar and is worth 25 CUPs.  When you travel to Cuba you can only exchange money for CUCs and they are accepted everywhere.  If you exchange dollars, they charge a 15% fee but if you exchange Euros or Pounds, there is no extra charge.  So I took Euros with me that I got at my bank before leaving.  Even though the CUP is still the national money of Cuba, it appeared that CUCs were accepted everywhere and that everyone would rather have CUCs that CUPs because the latter is virtually worthless.  All the restaurants and shops that we went to only had prices in CUCs with the exception of the FAC which had them posted in both CUCs and CUPs.  Because of this dual currency, Cuba basically has two economies existing simultaneously: the official one in which professionals work for the government and earn about $50 / month in CUPs and tourism (drivers, tour guides, waiters, restaurant owners, etc.) where earnings are in CUCs and unlimited.  I don't see how this is sustainable, especially when needed professionals like doctors would rather be tour guides.  I have read that the government is considering merging the two currencies or abandoning one for the other.  It will be interesting to watch what happens in the next few years.  You can read more about Cuban money here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_convertible_peso

El Paquete

As I mentioned in an earlier entry, the internet in Cuba is not very reliable.  Apparently, it is strictly provided through satellite and frequently kicks one off after a short period of time.  However, the Cubans have come with an ingenious way to get information from the internet, as well as the outside world.  Two Cubans who are supposedly unknown started a scheme called the Paquete or Package to bring Cubans media from the outside world.  No one is exactly sure how they do it, but either from their own internet connections or from contacts in Miami, they are able to regularly download a terabyte of content that can be distributed across the island through a network of distributors.  Cubans who sign up for the Paquete are provided with a Terabyte external hard drive about once a week that is full of music, TV shows, news programs, website contents, movies, etc, subtitled in Spanish.  The content is all organized and labeled and each customer is given an hour or two to download what they want.  Prices range from 1 to 5 CUCs depending on how much is downloaded.  Apparently, the government turns a blind eye or is getting paid off, no one is exactly sure.  One of our guides said she had downloaded some episodes of Dora for her daughter and then two days later those same episodes were on Cuban state television, so many believe they are in on it.  Another guide said she worked during college writing subtitles in the middle of the night for the Paquete.  I think this is a good example at just how creative and adaptive Cuban people are.  The following article explains further how the Paquete works and how it has become a way for Cuban artists to publicize their work: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/8455249/cuba-el-paquete-file-exchange

The Blockade

In Cuba the US embargo is known as the Blockade.  Near the airport I saw a large sign that read "Blockade! The longest genocide in human history."  Although, I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, the US embargo has certainly done a great deal of harm, and in my opinion, it has only hurt the Cuban people and been a powerful propaganda tool for the Communist Party.  According to several people I met, whenever things aren't going well for the government, they blame it on the embargo and unite the population by getting everyone angry about it.  The cost of the embargo is clearly visible: Everywhere we went, except for Old Havana, most buildings needed a lot of renovation or at least a paint job.  We learned on the farm that because of the embargo it is nearly impossible to get machinery and supplies for farming.  Much of their work, such as harvesting black beans, is done by hand.  I honestly think ending the blockade would probably bring about the reforms that most Cubans seem to want rather than sticking with what we have doing for 60 years.  That is my opinion and I know reasonable people may disagree.

Soft Capitalism

I mentioned earlier that almost all Cubans have some scheme going on to make more money.  The average Cuban makes the equivalent of $50 / month but needs several hundred to survive.  Even though every Cuban is guaranteed a minimal level of food every month through a rationing system, it is not enough, despite being virtually free.  Our guide Julie told me that the chicken ration for her parents and her was about one thigh and one leg each month, for all three of them!  And fish is no longer guaranteed.  Despite being an island surrounded by fish, I suspect that it is being earmarked for tourists.  Cubans have to buy food at private markets to make up for what the government doesn't provide.  To make up for these shortages and to earn extra money, everyone is doing something on the side.  That might be driving a taxi or working for the Paquete or working part time in tourism or working in tourism and sending money back to your parents, as Julie does,etc.  Julie also said that there is a lot of corruption because everyone is desperate.  So you have this officially Communist country that is dependent not only on tourism but also a soft capitalist economy, and even some corruption, to survive.  And the government knows all about it.  I'm not sure how long that can be sustained either.

Well that's all I have to say.  I had a wonderful trip and I hope I get to back some day.  I would love to see more of the island and meet more Cuban people and experience more of their rich culture.