Cuba Trip III

February 5 2007: early learning and education in tobaccoland

This is my 10th trip to Cuba; like many things that repeat themselves, I fall easily into the trap often of thinking I know what I know. So this morning, my first visit to the tobacco-growing western end of the island, known as Pinar del Rìo, shook me out of these doldrums.

Many visits to many places across the western province, but the one that stays with me was the child care center (I can´t call what I saw early learning and education). In one of the larger towns, we stopped the idling 1956 Ford-painted a stylish flat black- in front of a non-descript house.

Four of us, including Donna Perry and Oz Mondejar, unloaded threee bags of educational materials and school supplies and carried them around back. WEe were in the middle of some of the richest tobacco fields in the world, horses and cows, and bicycles all around us.

When we reached the rear of the house, I was amazed to see no fewer than 40 children eating a mid-day meal at tiny tables, laughing and chatting (I am always amazed when speaking Spanish with a Cuban child how expansive their vocabulary is; a literacy rate higher than many parts of the United STates and a society that values conversation over television encourage help develop this). But they all fit in the back porch and side yard of the house...and were all about to go in for their post-lunch nap.

The nuns were solicitous, though nuns in Cuba still have the same effect on me as in the US--respect infused with a little bit of fright. One took me to the kitchen after I explained my interest in childhood nutrition. I used to teach nutrition to women in MExicali Mexico and was curious how they prepared the meal. It was balanced to be sure, with the rice and black beans forming the basis of a protein'rich meal. The children also received s small portion of fish stew-something like a bacalao for those familiar with the Cuban dish made with codfish.

The children were in this town because of a local prison that housed prisoners from around the island. These families needed real help and in particualr the aid they received from this program--run by Catholic Charities- seemed to be making a tremendous difference.

I ended the day in HAvana pushing a car up a hill in the neighborhood of Vedado. A fellow member of the delegation had to make a medicine delivery and the car we were in (Papito´s Russian vehicle) ran out of gas. We got it over the hill and then rolled all the way to the gas station...leaving me wondering about my own second adolescence. It was quite a day....and now I´m going up to get ready for the trip tomorrow to Cienfuegos in the South.

Jarrett

PS: For all the cooks out there, I finally found a copy of Nitza Villapol´s Cuban cooking primer in English!

Comments

[Jarrett Barrios]

In answer to the questions from the gentle readers about my travel, I pay my own way fully for this trip out of personal funds, period. The group, ACCESO, has a license --not from the State Department, as one gentle reader incorrectly asserts, but the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control. This trip is legal and we are keeping to the requirements of all federal regulations. Indeed, we will be visiting the US Interest Section while here.

[Poor Richard]

Wow, that’s great. Did the Senator think to ask how many of those smiling and literate children have had their parents thrown into Castro’s prisons for dissent?

Somehow I doubt it. The good Senator seems a little starry-eyed visiting the Gulag that used to be the pearl of the Caribbean.

[Barrios Blog Adminstrator]

In response to Dennis's comment, I would like to remind posters to keep their comments on-topic and civil. This comment came close to breaking the guidelines laid out in the Guidelines for Posting Comments. The purpose of Senator Barrios' postings is to give a sense of what the country and people are like for readers who may be interested in his humanitarian trip to Cuba.

As for financing of the trip, the Senator is paying for everything out of pocket including his flight, hotels and meals.

[Michael Shively]

Hi Jarrett,

I'm glad you're posting news about your trip. I've already written a couple of papers on Cuba for school, and I plan on writing my final undergraduate paper on the current status of the state and how the United States should act after Castro's death.

I thought about sneaking into the country from Mexico this past January, but I heard security had been heightened and I didn't feel like dealing with any possible US actions against me.

I know that you are the definition of busy, but if you would be interested, I'd love to perhaps interview you for my paper. Maybe during your constituent hours?? Just a thought!

Have a great trip!

Micheal Shively

[Dennis]

So these children "value conversation over television" ? Did you know you were in the midst of a COMMUNIST coiuntry ? ! The television there is broadcated entirely by the state owned media !

...and this is your tenth trip into this communist country ? I can see where you are getting your political views from now. Like some other folks I want to know just WHO IS PAYING FOR THIS ?

Please do all of us a favor, stay in Cuba.

[leftside]

I enjoyed reading about your group's trip - and even the previous year's report. I wish more Americans knew more about Cuba. As someone who went before Bush started fining people, and learned so much, I wondered if the reason is to prevent Cubans from "poisoning" our minds rather than the other way around.

I was particularly interested in your giving books to libraries. We always hear about the so-called independent libraries. But I always wonder why, if the aim is in providing books to Cubans, groups often ignore the established libraries. Libraries there seem well used and in good form. I've read the American Library Association report and they, like you, found no evidence of censorship - just lack of resources. These "independent libraries" seem like a political project more than anything - a way to push the notion that Cuba censors its books in the US press...

[JellyFish]

Also, how is it you were able to get clearance to travel there? Did you have approval from the US state department?

[JellyFish]

So Jarrett, who paid for your trip? You or the state government of Massachusetts? Did any private company who does business with the state government of Massachusetts pay for it in any way?