Cuba- We Can All Agree on Change

 

Change

It’s the one thing everyone, citizens of the USA and Cuba can agree on. Change is coming.  How change will manifest itself, is where the debate starts.  During our recent people to people exchange tour of Havana, the Cuban government employed guide was open and honest about answering questions about her opinions. We wandered at times unescorted, welcome to engage Cubans on the Malecon (sea wall) in Havana and in the various community projects we visited. Cubans we met, were worried about what the changes would do to their country and culture, but they also seemed excited about the opportunities.  My own opinions about Cuba were always influenced by the narrative of the exiled Cubans living here in the United States, but I realized that I didn’t always agree with their opinions on other political issues, so why should I take their word for it?  I should (wait for it!) GO SEE IT for myself!

The Cuban flag flies alone in a plaza with dozens of empty flag poles

The Cuban flag flies alone in a plaza with dozens of empty flag poles

Our family recently took a 5 night people to people exchange with Insight Cuba, called “Jazz in Havana”.  We have had Cuba on our list to visit since a neighbor went with his Senior baseball team 5 years ago.  It moved quickly to the top once President Obama announced the normalizing of relations between Cuba and the USA in December.   We chose this itinerary because it matched the interests of our family, and was a “legal” trip to Cuba. One quick perusal of “Cuba” on Trip Advisor will show that any American can visit Cuba from several Central American countries quite easily and cheaply and no one reports they are given more than a passing glance by immigration for the gap in their passports- Unlicensed visitors from the US don’t get Cuban passport stamps, so if you enter and leave Grand Cayman in the same day and then return to Grand Cayman a week later…There’s a gap there) But we had reasons to travel legally, and so we chose this Insight Cuba for a cultural exchange that matched our interests and our schedule and it’s reputation for being an expert in legal Cuban travel.  Because the US Dept of Treasury must approve the itineraries and requires participants to participate in all activities for the group running the trip to continue getting the licenses, there are full days that revolve around meeting with Cubans about the topic of the exchange, which in our case was jazz and art. 

 

Our daughter had the opportunity to play with the students and teachers at a school for the arts in Matanzas, Cuba

Our daughter had the opportunity to play with the students and teachers at a school for the arts in Matanzas, Cuba

My own quick read of the history is that a long time before most Cubans and most Americans were born, there was a Revolution in Cuba, where the US backed leader of Cuba was deposed and exiled and Socialism was introduced. The US hoped to muscle their guy back in power to protect its own interests, and started an embargo, hoping that strong-arming its allies into also depriving Cuba of trade would bring a quick end to the Revolution.  That didn't happen and the USSR allied with Cuba, hoping for a strategic location near it's enemy of the Cold War and supported the economy of Cuba in many ways until the 1990s. When the wall fell, and the support went away.  The 90s were a difficult time for the Cubans, with little international financial support, and little resources of their own, most of the young people in Cuba were born or lived through a time of great challenge.  

 

A mosaic of Revolution leader Che Guevara at the Jose Fuster Community Art Project

A mosaic of Revolution leader Che Guevara at the Jose Fuster Community Art Project

Years later the embargo and it’s effects on Cuba are still in play.  The best analogy I heard about this was from our guide at the National Art Museum-  more than 50 years later this is like a blood feud between two old aunts in the family who refuse to speak to each other; no one remembers exactly why, but the cousins still want to play together.   For the young people of the United States and of Cuba, this is not their fight.  Young Cubans want to make progress, whether that means iphones and internet, or having the ability to earn a living and some extra. Young Americans are curious about a place that has been off limits for reasons they may not have fully explored in history class.  My own opinion is that every country and form of governance has it’s challenges and has its benefits.  The only way for the people of one place to see if there is something better somewhere is else is to be open to the differences and  learning about them.

I personally try not to allow judgment to enter in the equation (this is a “good” place or “bad” place) because the United States is one very big glass house.   It seems there are lessons to be learned in what works and what does not in every society and the best way to better any society is to be open about sharing those ideas and for people to connect, which is exactly what we did! 

Members of our Insight Cuba Jazz in Havana group dance with dancers from the Santa Amalia project.

Members of our Insight Cuba Jazz in Havana group dance with dancers from the Santa Amalia project.

What we learned surprised us. A recent trip to Central Europe, and the Balkans introduced us to people liberated from Communism in the 90s and the mentality of the people 15 -20 years later was one of despairing. They felt that capitalism has not brought what they hoped for and many people were still waiting for things to get better. Many young people have left those countries to seek their fortunes in other places. Many people we saw were idle and a bit hopeless, not sure how to capitalize on capitalism. In Cuba we saw a currently socialist society with an entrepreneurial edge. Nearly every person we met in Cuba had a government job (making the equivalent of about $15-20) and a ration book for food and an apartment provided. But recent changes allow people to buy their own homes and cars and start small home businesses. Now it seems nearly every person we met also had a small entrepreneurial side business.  Government musicians sell CDs on the side, artists in government community projects get to keep (and pay high taxes on) art they sell to tourists. Even delivery men seem to have dual roles, delivering whatever they need to for government run restaurants while selling water to tourists. This "side" economy with outsiders is what drives the personal economies of whole families in Cuba and one of the reasons Cubans hope change will come. 

A man makes deliveries for work, and sells water to tourists from a blue cooler, likely it came into Cuba with relatives on charters from Miami.  We saw everything from bike tires to hula hoops and baby strollers on the baggage claim in Havana …

A man makes deliveries for work, and sells water to tourists from a blue cooler, likely it came into Cuba with relatives on charters from Miami.  We saw everything from bike tires to hula hoops and baby strollers on the baggage claim in Havana on our Miami charter. 

But we also encountered Cubans who felt there was grave danger to their culture with unfettered capitalism and influx of North American culture. We encountered such joy and commitment to the arts in Cuba. The government fully subsidizes incredible art and music schools and projects with what it can, and it makes the arts accessible to anyone, not just, as is often the case in the US, people of means. There is joy in the music and the art that Cubans make, despite very real challenges in daily life we witnessed. 

My husband made his own observation shortly after arriving in Cuba and seeing how joyful and musical the people are.  He said it reminded him of the Whos in Whoville.  Despite the fact that in Theodore Geisel's (Dr Suess) children's book, the Grinch had taken every trapping of Christmas; every last wreath and thumbtack, the Whos still woke up Christmas Day singing.  And in Havana, despite a deep lack of material things caused by a long embargo, and crumbling infrastructure, the people are making music, they are making art, they are joyful and friendly, and while life is hard, they seem happy.

Cubans are rightly afraid that their unique culture and happiness despite a lack of material things might be diluted by the influx of American culture and businesses that benefit people unevenly. 

 

Community members dance at Muraleando, where locals have created art and music projects to enliven and enrich their cultural community. 

Community members dance at Muraleando, where locals have created art and music projects to enliven and enrich their cultural community. 

Lots of questions remain as each country works through what each is willing to accept from the other, but everyone agrees, change is coming. For us it was really important to  go Cuba now (before the changes) and share what we experienced with others who might be curious. We will surely go back to Cuba in the future, (probably on a cruise ship) if the current path towards reconciliation of the US and Cuba continues. But we know it will never be exactly as it is now again. 

Classic old US cars are still in use 50 years later. A staffer at Insight Cuba told us the Cubans she knows are as anxious to sell the old, tough to maintain relics as collectors in the US are to get their hands on them. Everyone expects the way the…

Classic old US cars are still in use 50 years later. A staffer at Insight Cuba told us the Cubans she knows are as anxious to sell the old, tough to maintain relics as collectors in the US are to get their hands on them. Everyone expects the way the roads in Havana look now to change in the coming years. 

Upcoming: we have lots more photos and stories from Cuba and plan to post about the practical considerations of travel to Cuba now, more about the art and music and people we experienced, and of course, everyone is curious about the cigars and cars! 

Expecting the Best, Preparing for the Worst: Preparing a Travel Medical Kit

We all head out for a trip expecting the best...months of planning, organizing itineraries, and dreaming about a destination.  But it's also important to prepare for the worst.  Today, I am starting to pull together my Travel First Aid Kit, for our trip to Cuba, and I thought I'd share what and how I pull together the things I hope I will never need!

Our trip to Zambia included a village visit and time in the bush, which required some medical planning in advance.

Our trip to Zambia included a village visit and time in the bush, which required some medical planning in advance.

I cannot advise anyone about anything medical because not only am I not a doctor (and never played one on TV) but I’m also not YOUR doctor…only your doctor can determine what YOU need to bring along on a trip, and I highly recommend finding an excellent travel medicine physician or nurse if you plan to travel out of the country, especially in the developing world. Not only will this professional know what things you’ll need (and don’t really need) but they have the skills to sort out any unusual illness that might come up in the rare event that you come back with something uncommon.  

Step 1 is a visit to a qualified travel medicine professional.

To find a great travel health professional, I recommend asking a  well traveled friend or calling a local adventure travel agent and asking who they use before a trip.  I try to do this about 3-4 months before traveling, so I have time for any vaccination series or prophylactic medication I might need. I’ve got a great travel medicine provider who has the latest updates on illnesses and prevention of them in the destinations where I’m headed.  They understand the realities of developing nation medical care and are usually happy to provide you with “just in case” things, like antibiotics, that your general practitioner is rightly reluctant to prescribe.  I’ve also saved money and discomfort by having a pro that recognizes that I probably don’t need a rabies vaccine to travel to countries where that illness is endemic if I plan to be on a cruise ship and not out in the bush.  To be prepared for your appointment, be sure to bring along your whole itinerary, with every country and the activities you’ll be doing, as well as your own medical history and list of medications.  Extended exposure to people or animals in volunteer trips requires different action than a tour with a tour group which might have more limited exposures to the public and wildlife. The travel medical pro can best advise what you need and what you can do without, to keep you healthy!

My travel nurse suggested this CDC website for general food safety guidelines.

 

Step 2 Build a travel first aid and medical kit.

I’ll share how I’ve built my own medical kit, to give an idea about how to get started assembling the things you might need after your appointment with your own medical professional.
I purchased this AM/PM pill organizer from Lewis and Clark.  It’s really designed for a weeks worth of pills, but I use it to organize my medical kit.  (These are all products we buy ourselves and use; we have not received any compensation for mentioning brands.) 

This is the 16 pouch version (two weeks) which works better when packing for the whole family

This is the 16 pouch version (two weeks) which works better when packing for the whole family

This is the one week, or 8 pouch version which works for individuals or couples.

This is the one week, or 8 pouch version which works for individuals or couples.

It has individual pouches, which I organize by ailment.  This proved useful, when traveling in Botswana, our youngest had some kind of tummy trouble, and I could grab the pouch and head out to her tent and have everything I needed.  Since each trip back to my own tent required an armed guide escort, I wanted to limit trips when I went to check on and medicate her. 

One down at Little Vumbura camp in Botswana! Thanks to our medical kit and an excellent Wilderness Safaris nurse, she wasn't down for long!

One down at Little Vumbura camp in Botswana! Thanks to our medical kit and an excellent Wilderness Safaris nurse, she wasn't down for long!

Pouch 1: Pain relief- an assortment of our preferred pain relievers, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen sodium

Pouch 2: General tummy trouble- relief for all the general travel realted tummy issues; a laxative pill, gas remedy, antacid like Tums, and stool softner

Pouch 3: Big tummy troubles- when “tourista” hits (and in all our travels it rarely has- my travel medical pro replaces my Z pak because it’s expired, not because we’ve had to use it much!) This section includes a broad spectrum antibiotic prescribed by my travel doc, enough for each person to have a 3 pill dose, if needed. Also, in the baby aisle, I found little pedialyte films in a package (like those breath strips), which will replace important minerals in the case of dehydration.  They are made to slip under a small child’s tongue and dissolve, but because they take up no more room than a tiny pack of gum, they are a very efficient way to travel with electrolyte rehydration that you’d normally get in a bulky sports drink or pop.  We would use them with bottled water if we had ever needed them, which fortunately, we have not! I also carry Imodium with us. Although this isn’t always recommended for tourista.  Our Dr advises us about the importance of getting the “bug” out our system, which means, we have sometimes held off on Imodium and antibiotics to let “nature take its course" for the first 24 hours or so of these types of illnesses.  It is there as a backstop, should things not resolve themselves!  Lastly, I purchased an anti-emetic medication that is not available over the counter here, but is abroad.  It was prescribed by a nurse while on our Botswana trip, and while we’ve never used it, we are happy to have it in our kit! 

Pouch 4: Sleep Aids- I carry melatonin a natural supplement to help smooth out jet lag.  I get sleepy with that rather than sleeping pills or alcohol, both of which are likely to make things worse rather than better for jet lag. For more info on my advice on jet lag and being comfortable on the plane see my post What In the Air is Going On Here?!

Pouch 5: Motion Sickness- Whether its small planes over Livingstone, Zambia or boats in the Galapagos…motion sickness happens!  We pack  Ginger gum, meclazine, and  Dramamine (click here for our 4 prong attack to prevent motion sickness)

These are found in the motion sickness aisle of the drug store.

These are found in the motion sickness aisle of the drug store.

Pouch 6 and 7: Personal Medications: I carry my own morning and evening pills and supplements. Some locations require you to pack these in the original bottles if they are prescriptions.  Organizing these in separate pouches allows us to take one pouch to breakfast or dinner, if the contents are to be taken with food. 

Pouch 8: Cold remedies: benadryl, zinc lozenges, I carry extra tums, in another location, because they are bulky! The nasal decongestant spray has to go into the gel bag. I also carry a handful a zinc lozenges in my general toiletry kit because they are little bulky for the small pouches, but I find they do help me avoid the full force of a head cold if I start taking them at the first sign of a tickle in my throat!

Along the right side of my  pill wallet: is a flap large enough to carry a few bandaids, blister bandaids, and paperwork for any prescription medications. I have NEVER had anyone official check my pills in any of my travels, but technically prescriptions require a label and I find it easier to travel with a note or copy of our prescription label (the pharmacist can print an extra label) instead of carrying all the original bottles around.

In my liquids and gels bag:  These items are part of our kit but in order to carry them on board  the airplane,  they need to be in the quart bag. I always recommend carrying on your medical kit and medicines, as they are one thing you do not want to be without should a bag get lost or a flight delayed.  
-antibiotic cream
-cortisone cream
-tears or eyedrops
-oral anesthetic for braces disasters or kanker sores
-nasal decongestants, (which are to be used sparingly or risk rebound effects, but during a bad cold they help us sleep through the night for a couple of nights)
-anti fungal or yeast medicine
 

I keep my "liquid" first aid in my gel bag to show at TSA, but in their own small bag so they can join the first aid kit once I arrive at my destination.

I keep my "liquid" first aid in my gel bag to show at TSA, but in their own small bag so they can join the first aid kit once I arrive at my destination.

In my general toiletry kit: I pack insect spray and sun screen.  In many places the sun is the biggest travel trouble most people have!   If you are like me, you will probably never even open the rest of the kit, but the sun screen is the one thing you might use every day! This also needs to be packed into the gel bag (I use sample sizes and back that up with larger quantities in the checked baggage or buy it at my destination if needed.)

Step 3: Pack a “go kit” for day trips and outings  

Most of the items in my travel first aid kit are a back stop if things go bad, if we are really ill, we are likely to break off touring and head back to the room where we can access the kit.  But it’s bulky to carry everywhere during day touring, so I’ve created a tiny “go kit” that fits in my back pack (or evening bag!) with a few remedies that will help with troublesome, but not day ending problems.  A couple of pain relievers for sore feet or headaches, a benedryl in case a food, plant or insect touches off an allergic reaction, a couple of Imodium to help stave off any issues until we can reach a toilet, some ginger gum and meclizine in case any part of our tour gets us feeling queasy. Add to this a couple of band aids and blister band aids, a few packets of bug repellent wipes and sunscreen in our day bag, and we pretty much ready for anything!

My go kit is tiny, it fits inside a small travel wallet along with a few bandaids.  The clip wallet can attach to a belt loop for places where you don't want to carry a whole day pack. If you can't remember which pills are which, just put a pho…

My go kit is tiny, it fits inside a small travel wallet along with a few bandaids.  The clip wallet can attach to a belt loop for places where you don't want to carry a whole day pack. If you can't remember which pills are which, just put a photo in your phone with the names under each!

Step 4: Medical and Evacuation Insurance

I make sure my medical coverage covers me out of the country, and or that I have purchased both medical and/or medical evacuation insurance.  

Some trip providers coverage or require it up front, on other trips our TA might recommend a supplier.  Or you might do what I do which is get a quote from the travel provider and then compare that to plans I can get on Insuremytrip.com.  In a future post, I'll share more details about what I look for in travel insurance.

Step 5: Important Phone Numbers

Lastly, I always make sure I have the numbers and addresses for the local embassy and a hospital where it’s safe and allowed for foreigners to be treated.  Luck has been on our side, and we’ve never needed this, but having these numbers in my travel documents means I don’t have to panic if the worst case scenario were to happen.

Expect the best...prepare for the worst!! Bon Voyage! 

Please share with us any great travel health tips you have!