The event of first time travelling for a Cuban is not simple. Putting aside this time the most important side of things, which is the emotional side, Cubans need to face a whole new world unknown to them: the so called developed world.

What is absolutely normal to others like credit cards, ads, summer season collection, crowded metro stations, Japanese food or a never ending underground parking place for many of us becomes overwhelming. Until that date we entered an airplane this all existed in films, pictures and stories.

Cubans are taught  from an early age to despise the evil Capitalism and the idea of being a third world country has not sank in properly. Therefore, Cubans do not consider themselves poor. Is richness a state of mind? We believe we are better off because we have free education and healthcare. So, the economy of the country needs to improve but we don’t want or need to be like “them”. Soon enough you realize that you have been missing A LOT, for example: Internet?.

Our philosophy of life will help us, but not at the beginning.  The amazing Cuban way of finding joy in little things in life will definitely add meaning to our existence, but later. For the moment, we have to figure everything out. We always hear about the true episode “I had to figure out how to use the washroom faucet”.

On top of that many decide to stay for good. They are travelling for the first time and there is no coming back, rehearsals are not allowed. Most of the times people have no idea what their lives will become: where they are going to work or live. The lucky ones have a close relative that can support them and give them a roof for a while or they have friends who will come with a bed, a table, a lamp or a set of dishes to help them settle. The not so lucky ones, well, they learn the hard way. Those probably did not travel to Spain or USA.

Furthermore, they have to forget their profession for a while. If you leave Cuba you have to be ready to pick up apples or to work as a waiter in order to pay your bills. You have to be ready to start brand new and it is not easy. Also, for many people having an income means that they can send money to their family back home.

I have a friend who recently moved to Spain and she does an office job with a low salary. She told me she was happy to have a job and nothing that was going on in Spain at the moment meant a crisis to her. -“This is a crisis for the Spanish- she said – “I came from a little school named Cuba”. I remembered how too many options for bread or pads or boots drove me crazy when I moved to Canada. Suddenly, I was able to CHOOSE.

The greatest part is that we can adapt quickly to things, especially if they are more advanced or better than what we previously had. Imagine if someone was to travel from the first world to live in Cuba, like a Cuban!