The “Reve Orchestra,” a popular Cuban musical group, boasts among its many successes one very peculiar song: “Agua pa Yemaya” (“Water for Yemaya”). It’s a catchy tune inspired by the goddess Yemaya of the Afro-Cuban Yoruba religion.
Read MoreMy mother used to always tell me: “Study Maria. One day things are going to return to normal, and you’ll get back more from knowledge than what you spent.” I should note that my mother’s idea of “normalcy” was linked to the idea of professionals returning to the top of the social and economic pyramid.
Read MoreWhen he reads this post, my good friend Paul is going to say — once again — that all we Cubans do is complain. He’s from the US. Likewise, my Italian friend Julian is going to repeat “if you spent any time in any other country, you’d have a better opinion of your island.”
Read MoreIn the early years of the Cuban Revolution — with the creation of so many offices, departments, organizations and ministries to implement the strict and bureaucratic control over individuals — this method of using abbreviations was exploited without end.
Read MoreI’m going to request to resign from the union on May 15, I wasn’t able to on the 1st. In the worker evaluation reports they do on me every three months, no longer will they be saying I’m interested in the union’s work.
Read MoreOn the corner near my house, a group of neighborhood men always get together with a bottle of rum. Each will take a sip and then pass it on to the next guy. A greeting by one of them made me stop. He then asked me if I had any books of adventure stories or novels at my house for him to read.
Read MoreI just got back after a week in Cienfuegos Province. We rented a cabin at a “Campismo Popular” camping facility and while there hiked in the Sierra del Escambray Mountains. We brought back a lot of stories that we’ll be sharing.
Read MoreIt was 7:00 a.m. at the Maternidad Obrera Maternity Hospital, where my fear was making me sweat. The abortion wing was full of impatient women: some nervous, others extremely sure of things, but all of them hoping this would be over quickly.
Read MoreVenezuelan women have no rights when it comes to decisions about their bodies. One woman dies every week there due to clandestine abortions and their consequences. Although a leftist government has ruled the country for 13 years, the criminal code seems to be governed more by the Catholic Church.
Read MoreWith all the taxes we pay, can’t they at least guarantee street lighting? I know this happens in all parts of the world, but since there are no tabloids here, someone has to complain – right? Let me tell you what happened.
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