Thursday, July 26, 2012

"Wonnnderful"

 “A writer’s job is not to judge, but to seek to understand.” –Hemingway

What is there to say about Cuba? About Cubans? I’ve always hated the invariable, gushing assertion from any traveler abroad that the people of an area are “wonnnderful.” A skeptic might point to the deep pockets of the American tourist as the inspiration for the brightest smiles and sweetest compliments in the so-called Third World. I can’t say that I would disagree. The true source of my indignation, though, lies deep beneath a well-worn suit of armor constructed of only the finest cynicism with the sickeningly sweet belief that people everywhere are wonderful. To be sure, people are flawed and often misguided, but ultimately aren’t the great majority of us wonderful?

So what is it that makes me want to describe the Cubans as such? Our last night in Havana, we had the opportunity to celebrate with several members of Proyecto Espiral, a grassroots community-based group with whom we had been working all week. It was great to see these two groups of people from seemingly different backgrounds interact and just have a good time. Even I (shy to a fault and less than proficient in Spanish) was able to let my guard down and really try to communicate and connect with a group of people ultimately not so different from myself. At the beginning of the trip, I was nervous that I might encounter some animosity as an American in Cuba. However, I always felt that I was welcome and that people were open to hearing and discussing the various advantages and disadvantages of our two countries. I think that is what really stuck me as so “wonnnderful” about the Cuban people; among them you find a certain humility that is lacking in the United States.

I think perhaps one of the greatest problems plaguing the American public today is not debt, obesity, or even our unfailing allegiance to the likes of Facebook and the iPhone, but our arrogance. In the US, so many people have the set mentality that we truly are the greatest nation in the world. We have put ourselves high on a pedestal with the intention of illuminating our nation but with the effect of isolating it. Certainly, there is much in the United States to be admired, but we need to bring ourselves back down to a level where we can admit our faults and see other nations for what they really are.  We are so quick to judge those different from ourselves, but do we ever really take the time to try to understand? How is it that we list Cuba among our enemies? When I look back, I can only find friends.

I think the United States is still clinging to old Cold War grudges and in doing so is blinded from seeing the lunacy of our continuing embargo against Cuba. The Cuba I saw is not a threat to the United States. It is my hope and belief that soon our two nations will be able to work together as friends and neighbors to accept our differences while learning from one another. 
---
Christina Nespor

No comments:

Post a Comment