Wednesday evening, September 8 2016
Some of the bags are packed, Persey's stuff is ready for her trip to Bergen Bark Inn early tomorrow am. Having had long conversations with our team at Global about all the Cuba logistics, I am feeling confident(well, kind of) about everything going smoothly for our arrival in Santa Clara on Saturday on one of American Airlines first commercial flights to Cuba.
Meantime, my gracious and wonderful Spanish teacher, Don, arranged for Phil and I to spend the evening last Saturday with his dear lifelong friend Waldemar, a retired architect who left Cuba at the age of 21 in 1961. He welcomed us, strangers, into his lovely Lakewood home. With my meager attempts at practicing Spanish, we got started: learning about his young adulthood, his parents, his exit from Cuba, and his many years in the United States. His slide show of his recent return to Cuba told the story of his journey home to bury his aunt, renew his Cuban ties, visit his childhood home(found in much decay) as well as his school and childhood haunts. The photos revealed the poverty and aging of his old community outside of Havana. He spoke longingly of the Cuba he remembered and despairingly of the changes, the decay, and the poverty of the Cuban people. He admonished us to "just smile", even if we disagreed with something the government was doing, warning us that the "government will be watching you". He gave us advice about money, transportation, language and culture. Finally, he wished us safe travels and good luck.
More to follow from Miami and Cuba. Meantime, thanks as always , to everyone at home and at work who will be carrying on and taking care of everything while we are gone.
With love from Genesee,
Barbara
Some of the bags are packed, Persey's stuff is ready for her trip to Bergen Bark Inn early tomorrow am. Having had long conversations with our team at Global about all the Cuba logistics, I am feeling confident(well, kind of) about everything going smoothly for our arrival in Santa Clara on Saturday on one of American Airlines first commercial flights to Cuba.
Meantime, my gracious and wonderful Spanish teacher, Don, arranged for Phil and I to spend the evening last Saturday with his dear lifelong friend Waldemar, a retired architect who left Cuba at the age of 21 in 1961. He welcomed us, strangers, into his lovely Lakewood home. With my meager attempts at practicing Spanish, we got started: learning about his young adulthood, his parents, his exit from Cuba, and his many years in the United States. His slide show of his recent return to Cuba told the story of his journey home to bury his aunt, renew his Cuban ties, visit his childhood home(found in much decay) as well as his school and childhood haunts. The photos revealed the poverty and aging of his old community outside of Havana. He spoke longingly of the Cuba he remembered and despairingly of the changes, the decay, and the poverty of the Cuban people. He admonished us to "just smile", even if we disagreed with something the government was doing, warning us that the "government will be watching you". He gave us advice about money, transportation, language and culture. Finally, he wished us safe travels and good luck.
More to follow from Miami and Cuba. Meantime, thanks as always , to everyone at home and at work who will be carrying on and taking care of everything while we are gone.
With love from Genesee,
Barbara
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