Various Updates

Not too much to write about since I posted those photos; I think we’re realizing that you don’t have to travel all over the province to learn while we’re here, since one conversation with any Cuban on the street is enough to give us plenty to think about.

On Monday I went with Michael to a meeting of the University Professors’ Union where they were discussing the various merits and shortcomings of Cuba’s imminent new Social Security plan. Surprisingly enough, Cuba is having an almost identical problem with their Social Security to what is happening in the U.S. The population is aging, and soon there won’t be enough young people to pay for their elders’ benefits. So the main point of the new plan is to push back the age of retirement by five years, starting next year and increasing in 6 month increments until they reach the desired age (60 for men, 55 for women). They’ve also thrown some other changes in, which suit some better than others; hence, the need to discuss potential revisions.
The process of revision goes like this: The ministry in charge of the social benefits distributes a draft of the plan to the public, through the government newspaper (the only newspaper) The Granma. People have a chance to read it, and then the various unions around the country assemble for a few months to discuss and debate about what works and doesn’t for their particular demographic. At the same time as this is going on, the same ministry that wrote the plan in the first place goes door to door in areas to take a census about what Cubans do and don’t like about the plan. Once the unions and citizens have pleaded their cases, their suggestions are sent back to the original ministry, who compiles everything and tries to accommodate as many people as possible.
Before the meeting began, the president of the Union made a sort of inspirational speech about what everyone in the room was about to do. He mentioned that in any other country in the world, even developed countries, their process would be performed by a Congress; thus, their responsibility was even greater since they were true representations of the people. I guess the people in the room had heard something to this effect before, because they didn’t seem particularly moved. To me, however, it was a true epiphany. For all of the liberties that Cuba takes away from its people, this was definitely a more legitimate manifestation of democracy than anything I have ever seen in the States. I’m sure it would be much harder to implement in the U.S., due to pure scale issues; still I’ve always thought it ridiculous that so few people, though they may be elected, have the power to control so much of our lives. I suppose it’s a result of having taken so much power away from the legislative branches of each individual state; with state congresses given their original Constitutional duties back, we would have a law-passing system very similar to the process that Cuba is currently experiencing.

There has also been progress this week with making friends with the Cuban students in our classes. It’s been a little tough until now because we float around various years and academic fields of study every day, whereas they stay in their same year and field all day, so we’re not really around them long enough to make an impression. But yesterday I talked with some students for a while, and then today when one of our professors didn’t show up, we spent the period (and some of the next) playing what is essentially charades with some of our classmates. It was a lot of fun, although the rules are a little different (there are different rules for every round, for example). The strange thing was that when the 20 or so of us returned fifteen minutes late for our next class, the professor simply let us come in without a word and began the class. Not continued. Began. For fifteen minutes she had heard us playing directly below the window of the classroom, and just passed the time until the final round was done. I’m not complaining, since I was kind of worried as the game continued that we would all be reprimanded. It was just kind of silly; I suppose she had sort of a “let kids be kids,” mentality about it.

Like I said earlier, life in Habana has become slightly less driven by the initial “Let’s go everywhere we possibly can and explore!” mentality, and the routine has gotten a bit monotonous this past week… Which is why I can’t wait for this weekend! Tomorrow morning we’re flying to Santiago, a city on the eastern side of the island. It’s a much slower way of life than in Habana, and the city seems to be frozen in the late 1800s as far as the architecture goes. Our hotel is apparently gorgeous, with a pool, gardens, and we each get our own bedroom! I have absolutely no work to do for the whole weekend, and I am more than ready to enjoy 4 days of vacation—which is funny because Cuba was supposed to be a vacation in itself. I guess I’m just really lucky; but then if there’s one thing this experience has taught me so far, that’s definitely it.

I won’t have internet at all this weekend, so until Tuesday!