La Habana Journals 6: Diseased

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The European colonizers of South America wiped out entire indigenous populations with what we know in the UK as the “common cold”… well now it seems those ghosts of the Americas past are eventually getting their revenge on an innocent group of European students in La Habana. Almost everyone has had some kind of flu-stomach-fever virus… I wont go into too much detail but several of my friends have tested out the highly acclaimed Cuban health system… Corina was “lucky” in that she got to go to a private clinic (basically for tourists, in Miramar, the district where all the embassies are) although this was in the middle of the night with a fever and after being rejected from a Cuban hospital. Tomas on the other hand got to stay a couple of nights in a public hospital. He’s German and I think she shock of the difference between the private health system he is used to and the Cuban one jolted his body into sorting itself out… after he was tested for dengue and if I’m correct was put on a drip. No-one knows what was to blame… was it the refrescos naturales made with unboiled water? Was it the now highly suspicious and definitely avoided “vegetarian” (but specializing in pollo - chicken) restaurant? Defrosted ice cream? … the possibilities are endless but I think it wasn’t food poisoning but a nasty Cuban bug that our feeble (or just unadjusted) bodies cant fight… although I have to say (proudly but with fingers crossed!) I had some of the symptoms but managed to get rid of them in a day with the help of some Ibroprofen and sleep. Get me.

Culture Vultures and ice cream munchers

By last weeked Corinna had recovered from the vicious Cuban flu and we had a culture filled weekend. It was the “Feria del Libro” - book fairing Prado in Habana Vieja. On the opening night there was live music near the central park - kind of salsa fusion with some electric guitars, really cool. Then we went to the fair on the Saturday, where there were loads of stalls selling books ridiculously cheaply. I picked up a couple of things for my courses. A lot of the stalls had the same books, all of which had some kind of (one-sided of course) political aspect to them, whether it was anti-US, socialist poetry or children’s stories with Marxist morals. We went with a good Cuban friend of ours who is very un-cuban. She’s critical of the system and unsatisfied with the way things work here(or dont). She cant wait to move to Germany (where her brother is), but she says she would want to return to Cuba when things are different. The book on sale at every single stall in huge piles was the best selling, 3rd edition of “Cien Horas Con Fidel” - 100 hours with Fidel. Its probably nearly 1,000 pages with him. I think even the Cubans who don’t like him must be so intrigued - he’s their president but he’s also this great enigma. A head of state loved but shut away in secret almost all the time. Sometimes even his name is a bit of a taboo subject.

In the evening we cultured ourselves even more at the Gran Teatro Nacional where this week the Cuban National Ballet was making a rare appearance. A Cuban friend got us tickets (for the equivalent of 6p) to see Gisselle. I felt so sophisticated dressing up for it. It was a fantastic show and our seats were great, we got a good view from above of the whole set. The ballerinas have so much strength and stamina and grace. It was classic ballet but we all really enjoyed it, I think its whet our appetite for more dance and theatre shows, I’d esp like to see some contemporary/experimental stuff. I love the importance that is given to culture here, there is surely nowhere else in the world where literature, education and the arts are given so much importance and are available to the general public at such a good price or free. That’s one of my favourite things about the system here. And so many people really absorb these opportunities.

On Tuesday, FINALLY! We had the first workshop with the school kids for my Arte del Caribe course. The kids where brought to our faculty and the first pair of students gave their class on introducing the space of the Caribbean. For the rest of us there wasn’t much to do, just help out the kids filling in their maps and learning myself where half the islands are. The kids where amazingly well behaved, articulate, polite and intelligent, I was so impressed. Oh so different to those crazy (but adorable) Honduran ones! We also talked to them about the Continental part of the Caribbean including the US. They got to give their ideas on what they already knew about it. One little boy said “It’s a country with a lot of trade…. And a very evil president!!”. Hilarious. Others mentioned that it’s a country that starts wars on other countries and even talked about the Hiroshima bomb! Their teacher pointed out that there is a difference between the American govt and the American people. Lucky because poor Gerard (US student) was feeling pretty outnumbered at that point! These kids are surrounded by propaganda and they repeat what they hear as if its fact. Looking forward to hearing what they bring up in the next meeting!

Today the weather is miserable, the sky looks like it came from Brum. We went to a concert last night in the open air which got cancelled because of torrential rain and it is still hanging around. Booo. Shouldn’t complain too much tho, the live concert we went to on Thursday night in Uni was awesome. It was put on by the FEU, like the student union, and there were several different acts inc a guy singing Lionel Richie, belly dancing, MCs, salsa band and my absolute favourite, a hip-hop - latin jazz fusion group who where WICKED!!! We where with a big group of friends, Cubans and foreigners who where all dancing like crazy to the music, which was being performed in front of the grand uni pillars… the campus really is special. I had such a good night! J I wanted to get my hand on some of their music but I spoke to someone from the band after who said they have a disk ready to record but I think it has some anti communist lyrics so they have not been able to.

Yesterday I had a classic trip to the famous Copelia’s for some delicious ice cream. Copelia’s is legendary, appearing in one of the most famous Cuban films ever - Fresa y Chocolate - referring(partly) to the two most popular flavours. I went with a huge group of my fellow students. We did the “cola” - queue - for nearly an hour but it was well worth it, this time coz we went early they actually had 3 flavours!! Instead of the usual one if u go later in the day. The Cubans can eat ice cream like no-one else- we got through mountains on our table. Many families even take a pot and take away heaps more for later! These are my kind of people!

Monday 22.10.2007
BEACH and gorgeous weather again yesterday woo! Hadn’t been for ages… wicked! Went on la gua-gua (bus) all the way there and back like proper Cubans (luckily we had 1 Cuban with us who knew what he was doing!

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