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The tour guide was formerly a doctor, a lecturer, etc.
In Cuba, you'll easily encounter former doctors, lecturers, and others fluently introducing tourist destinations in English. They are highly trained professionals, but with a monthly salary of only around $40 USD (approximately 900,000 VND), there's nothing attractive enough to keep them there. Essential needs like food, healthcare, and education are all provided by the state. Each family receives a "rice ration book" from the Cuban government, detailing the amount of rice, beans, bread, oil, and other supplies they are entitled to each month – enough to sustain those listed. After graduating from university, they will be assigned jobs by the government according to their specialization, and they must work for the government for at least two years. After that, they can choose to continue with that job or change to a different one.
With the increasing availability of internet in Cuba and the growing number of tourists visiting the country, educated individuals are realizing that there are many greater opportunities to improve their monthly income compared to working as civil servants.
…And living in dilapidated old apartment buildings.
Most Cubans are poor, truly poor. They live in tiny houses or rooms in dilapidated old apartment buildings that are on the verge of collapse, and three or four generations live in them. They want to renovate, but the government won't allow it because they don't even have enough money to feed all the mouths in Cuba, so why would they demolish and rebuild those apartment buildings?
However, looking from the outside, I was quite fascinated by the old, weathered walls; some apartments even had patterned tiles. Every apartment building had a balcony overlooking the street below, and colorful blankets and clothes were hung out to dry. Older people rested their chins on their hands, gently smoking cigars as the afternoon sun shone on the balconies. I suddenly felt that their lives were peaceful, without any hustle and bustle, just calmly living.
...Always know how to enjoy life
Despite their poverty, all traces of hardship or worry disappear whenever they hear music. And dance! Cubans seem to love music and dancing. They dance everywhere, and you'll always hear music playing on every street corner or as you walk past their houses.
In the late afternoons, strolling through the streets of Old Havana, I come across the swaying hips of young women gathered with their friends, as if they're practicing whenever they have free time. What they're doing is what makes Cuba famous for its incredibly sensual Salsa movements, the skillful footwork and hip shaking of Disco, Rumba, Bachata, and more. They dance naturally, regardless of their social class, from beggars to those with decent jobs. So it's not surprising to see tourists also dancing on the sidewalks or in the street – where music is playing from bands nearby. And you'll look cooler or more "Cuban" if you always have two cigars in your pocket and a mojito in your hand.
Casa particulars
The number of tourists visiting Cuba is increasing, but the number of hotels is insufficient to accommodate them. This has inadvertently created opportunities for locals to rent out their spare rooms to tourists to earn extra income. Cubans call this type of accommodation "casa particular," and it is common throughout the country.
The advantage of staying in these casa particulars is that you get to live with a Cuban family in their home, enjoy authentic Cuban cuisine, and talk to them and learn more about their culture. And most importantly, the cost of staying in a casa particular is significantly lower than in state-run hotels.
The downside is that these places often lack Wi-Fi, cable TV, etc., and most importantly, the owners are usually elderly people who only know a little conversational English, so you might sometimes have difficulty communicating with them.
Classic cars
Talking about classic cars without acknowledging that they are one of Cuba's defining characteristics would be a significant oversight. It's no coincidence that simply looking at a picture of a classic car against a backdrop of old, colorful buildings immediately identifies it as Cuba. When I asked friends from various countries why they chose Cuba as their destination, the common answer was that they were impressed by images and films of these classic cars driving around the country. And, if you're a fan of the Fast & Furious series, you'll immediately recognize the setting and classic cars in the movies as being in Havana.
These classic cars are a legacy of the strained relationship between Cuba and the United States. Cubans have no choice but to maintain and reuse these old vehicles because their incomes are too low to buy new ones. Currently, the cars still in use throughout the country are mainly American Chevrolets. In the 1970s and 80s, when Cuba received Soviet support, they imported additional models from Lada and Moskvick, with rather boxy, typical car designs. Although the exterior doesn't look much different from the old days, most of these cars have had their engines replaced for better fuel efficiency and performance. For example, the car I sat in had a Chevrolet body, a Toyota engine, and a Ford steering wheel…
Fishing in the Malecon
With its advantageous location surrounded by the sea on all sides, you'll easily spot Cuban men sitting in groups every afternoon, casting their lines with plastic containers nearby. They sit in clusters, chatting while fishing. Younger men even bring speakers to listen to music while they fish. The most prominent area for this activity is along the 8-kilometer-long Malecon boulevard in Havana. Every afternoon, it attracts over 200 anglers and hundreds of other tourists who come to watch the sunset over the sea.
That's Cuba in my eyes. What impresses me most about the people here is their positive outlook and their ability to enjoy life, no matter how difficult things get.
