CUBAN TRANSITIONS

The global capitalist project has already created severe inequalities among the countries of the world as development in one country requires the underdevelopment of many others. The population in these developed countries have the privilege of escaping their reality to bask in the artificial tourist environment in Latin America. Some have more of this privilege than others in developed countries. I call this a privilege because a vast majority of the inhabitants of this world do not have the opportunity to escape their reality to sunbathe on white sand, swim in pools and clear blue ocean water, and dance in nightclubs. We, as students of a prestigious college in one of the richest countries of the world, have the privilege of escaping our reality of books, lectures, discussions, essays, and exams, while poor people of the world must face their harsh reality of poverty. All they can amount to in this world are peasant farmers or exploited workers never to experience how we rest during a vacation doing absolutely nothing but eating, drinking, and sunbathing.

In nearly every hotel we have stayed in, we have running hot water, a flushing toilet, air conditioning, unlimited electricity access, with no worries of starvation. Yet, I have witnessed how the campesinos live in Nicaragua. They have nearly nothing in comparison. A small house made of mud brick, wooden sticks, and sheet metal with little to no access to running water, electricity, and communication systems. There is no fridge, no gasoline, no flushing toilet. Their toilet is a hole in the ground. Their bathtub is a nearby river. Their stove is a stack of wooden scraps on fire. Every meal is made from scratch with handmade tortillas, locally grown vegetables, and meat and dairy from the family’s livestock. It is a simple life, yet just as fulfilling. The most amazing was their humility and conviction that they were just as happy with their lifestyle as any other individual in developed countries. I was frustrated because I am aware of the standard of living of middle class United States citizens and I know how far this class goes to live a comfortable life. In our quest to increase our standard of living, we have marginalized communities across the world, forcing them to live in terrible conditions. For this fact, I could not completely “enjoy” this experience in the tourist resorts of Cuba. The matter is further complicated by my background as a socioeconomically disadvantaged individual. I felt out of place in the tourist environment, especially in Varadero, and in general it is difficult for me to adopt my role as a tourist. In essence, as tourists we must be critical of our role as a tourist, understand our privilege of escaping our reality, and realize that a majority of the world’s population cannot do the same.