Last March, during possibly my last spring break… ever, I took a school trip to Cuba with my professor. Here is the Culture Shock List of my travels to Cuba.
1) I almost flipped when I got to the airport parking lot and saw it filled with 1950s and 1960s American classic cars
2) Socialism is de jure; the market economy is de facto.
3) There are two currencies: one, internationally convertible, for the emerging middle class and tourists and the other, domestic and non-convertible, for the majority of cubans.
4) So many smiling people. Everyone seems happy. Laughing appears to be a primary form of communication.
5) The streets are filled with musicians, who would be renowned professional musicians, filling clubs and other venues, if they were in any other country.
6) Internet costs US$ 14 for two hours (as of March, 2014)
7) Even in Cuba, the good Cuban cigars are still expensive. Monte Cristo #4’s cost about $5 apiece (Che’s cigar of choice.)
8) Cubans are surprisingly open about discussing politics, their desire for change, and the hope that the US and Cuba will have better relations.
9) I made a few friends who were more up to date with popular American TV shows than me–namely Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, and It’s Always Sunny.
10) The crime rate is among the lowest globally. I felt safe at all times–even during the encompassing darkness during a power outage in a foreign land.
The Opulent Vagabond 