Prague Awaits Me
Nonardo Perea
HAVANA TIMES — Ever since I found out that I’d been selected to study an intensive video course in the Czech Republic, my life has turned around 180 degrees, in terms of thinking; I’m thinking a lot about what is to come, about what the experiences I’m going to live in an unknown country will be like.
The only things I’ve heard about this country have come from a colleague who recently told me about his time there and he thought it was marvelous in every aspect, but mostly for the real freedom you can breathe there.
I have to be honest, it’s sparked up different emotions, I’m leaving behind my mother, my boyfriend, my dogs, my friends and my neighbors, but it’ll only be 10 days away, for me to go somewhere and learn new things, getting to know new people, and this is good for me.
The bad thing about all of this, is that relatives and people I know, when they find out that you’re traveling abroad immediately begin to think that you’re going to become some kind of millionaire, and they begin to ask for silly gifts, like a leash for their dog, the Chanel perfume that Marilyn Monroe used, a packet of talcum powder because we don’t even have talcum powder here, chocolates and various vibrators. In fact, the number of dildos I’ve been asked to bring is so great that I’ve already said that if they inspect me at customs they could arrest me because they’re going to think I’m going to open a sex shop in Havana.
At the end of the day, the things people ask me for are trivial but if you add them all up you realize that you won’t even be able to buy food to eat everyday, that’s to say, that in order to make other people’s lives happier I’d have to have water with sugar for breakfast, not eat lunch and return to Cuba as starved as I was when I first get to Prague, because I’m going without a single Euro in my pocket.
By the time you read this post, I might already be on the airplane (which I hope doesn’t explode) or I might even already be in Prague, walking along its clean streets where I’ve been told people talk quietly, are polite and everyone is accepted, independent of their sexual preferences or what they look like and that makes me happy because that’s what I want. At least for 10 days I’ll be happy and I’ll feel free for the first time in a country where I wasn’t born.
Prague awaits me and I’m going towards it with all my desires to take on the world.
I’m nervous, but happy.
Possibly the same pocket as that which paid for Dr. Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara’s stay in Prague in 1966 when he couldn’t return to Cuba following his departure from Congo as he had resigned his citizenship of Cuba on April 1, 1964 and Fidel Castro did not wish his return. Prague happily is long since liberated from the communist yoke.
‘Che’s’ visit to Prague following Dar-es-Salaam for a prolonged period of months in 1966, followed a first visit when he included it in his itinerary of his second world tour of three months which commended on December 17, 1964 which included visits to North Korea (Kim family regime), United Arab Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Dahomey, Congo-Brazzaville, Tanzania, Ireland (to establish his roots where his grandfather came from) and Algiers where he gave his final public speech as a Minister in the Castro regime on February 24, 1965 prior to returning to Cuba to be greeted by both brothers Castro at the airport and then the prolonged silence before Fidel announced on October 3, that ‘Che’ had resigned on April 1.
What about the supply to Cuba by Putin’s Russia of cement containing asbestos? Is that a concern for you?
Russia is still supplying cement to Cuba containing asbestos – and GAESA companies purchase it.
Who’s paying for your trip Warhol ?
Some low quality raw talcum powder contains asbestos. Since the 1970’s, no commercially available talcum powder is allowed to contain any asbestos, in the US.
I’m sure similar standards apply to Europe, so no worries.
I was in Prague during the Russian invasion, 1971-1972 as well as Romania. Long story but Prague is the most wonderful city I’ve ever visited. As with Cuba, it’s the people. Oh, freedom rings in Prague as well. You’ll bring back some wonderful gifts sharing the time you spend there with family and friends. Look forward Warhol to reading about the journey.
You don’t have talcum powder in Cuba? That’s probably a good thing, as it’s been found that talcum powder produces ovarian cancer.
You will love Prague, it’s a beautiful city, rich in culture with friendly people. Good luck!