Americans In Cuba: Everything You Need To Know Before Your Visit
Cuba has been on my “must see before I die" list for about ten years now. Something about the impossibility of it made it more appealing to me. I wanted to experience a country that wasn't dominated by consumerism, a place where new trends rarely reached, and most of all, I wanted to experience what it meant to live a Cuban life. And now, since Obama took a trip to start mending the not-so-stable relations between both countries, I knew it was my last chance to visit before McDonalds and Starbucks began plopping their consumerist claws on the island. But wasn't that everyone's thoughts in the summer of 2016?
In May 2016, I took a 20-day trip to do a little research, embedding myself as a Cuban look-alike with an American thought process. What I didn't know at the time, was that this trip would put my travel booking skills to the test. Of course, because I'm cheap and refuse to pay for a travel agent to book my trip from start to finish when I have a brain and Google at my fingertips.
Then I fell flat on my face when I learned that Cuba has extremely limited access to internet, creating a predicament for someone like me who likes to research details about a country before diving in head first.
Due to the lack of information available about Americans going to Cuba, I figured I would make a research trip out of it all to write this blog that I was needing all along. Here are all the things Americans need to know before going to Cuba.
Plan How You'll Book Your Ticket to Cuba
Six airlines were approved to fly direct flights from cities in the USA to Havana, but let's not disregard that you'll probably have to pay big bucks to get the comfort of a 45 minute trip from Miami.
I did it the old fashioned, cheap way, which meant a lot of risk taking and hitting up Mexico before heading on to Cuba. I found my flight on Skyscanner from LAX to MEX – the largest airport I've ever seen, and from there booked a flight to Havana. The entire trip time was about 10 hours with a four-hour layover, and cost me no more than $750 round-trip. On the way back, I booked from Havana to Cancun, and Cancun back to the USA. I've heard Cancun's airport is significantly better to enter Cuba, because unlike Mexico City, you won't feel like you forgot the memo to pack your track pants and running shoes.
Buy International Health Insurance
Again, this information wasn't BOLD or outlined anywhere, but while I was researching, I came across a few articles that stated all foreign travelers booking a trip to Cuba must have international health insurance to enter the country. Imma be real; I've never bought travel insurance or international health insurance before, which is probably careless.
Whoops.
After closing several tabs that quoted about $200 for unnecessary insurance policies, I came across the company Roam Right that gave me basic insurance for a month of coverage for only $15. The bonus with this was that they didn't only cover health incidents, the policy also had trip coverage listed and $300 of reimbursement if any luggage was lost, among other things that gave me more peace of mind when planning such a stressful trip.
I entered and left the country fine without having to show anyone my insurance policy, but it was still comforting to have spent the extra $15 for a tiny bit of ease.
Buy a Tourist Card
Wow, what can I say about this step? Months before I even took the trip, I found myself mumbling things in Spanish over the phone to the Cuban embassy in the USA, and to the workers of the Mexico City airport all in an effort to get the answers I needed.
I've taken trips abroad in which you need to go to the country's embassy ahead of time and pay to apply for a visa, and anxiously await a response. I've also gone to other countries like Egypt, where you simply get off the plane and buy a visa when you're already in the country.
Cuba uses neither of the two systems that I've experienced, and it seemed like no one could explain how I could get a freaking visa/tourist card to go to Cuba before getting to the airport.
What You Need to Know Before You Travel to Cuba
Some flight and tour companies sell you the tourist card with your flight – make sure that it's included if you're buying a direct flight from the USA to Cuba. Since I was a cheapo, clearly that wasn't my case.
If you book with a travel agent, they'll most likely handle this for you as well.
OR if you're going the old school way, you'll need to buy it right next to the check-in counter of the Mexico City airport. There will be a tiny podium with some janky signs posted about fine print policies – don't expect an easy “BUY TOURIST CARD HERE" sign, because that'd be way too easy. There will most likely be an airport worker taking passports and scribbling on pieces of paper. That's exactly where you need to go to ask about your “tourist card." After you find the podium, it's all simple and straightforward (finally, jeez). You pay $25 USD for a visa that lets you stay in Cuba for 30 days. You have the option to renew for an additional 30 days once in Cuba.
Prepare To Have Limited To No Connection
As of now, there's absolutely no way to get cell phone service with American telecom companies in Cuba. Don't even bother buying international texting or some sort of “global" cell phone plan, because it won't work. You will also experience the least amount of WiFi you've ever experienced; which is great in the long run. It's one of the few places left in the world where you can actually enjoy your time in the country without posting about it every two minutes.
In order to plan for this lack of connectivity, download all the entertainment you'll want for your duration abroad. Take screenshots of your flight bookings and documents as back up. Write down important addresses you'll need when you arrive in Cuba. Become best friends with a notebook and pen. And lastly, notify your family that you'll truly have limited connection when you arrive. If they're worried, give them your flight information so they can check when you land in Cuba.
Once you're settled, you'll be able to pay $2-$10 for Nauta WiFi cards that will give you one to five hours worth of internet that can only be accessed in public parks (nothing beats tweeting and sweating), on random corners, and inside hotels. If you see a group of people standing around outside, it's because they're updating their Facebook statuses.
You'll be able to buy the best cards at an actual ETECSA Telepunto store (where Cubans go to buy their phone minutes and internet cards), or go to any public park and buy a slightly over priced “tarjeta" from guys sketchily selling them on the street.
Try to get as close to these prices as possible:
1 hour – $2CUC
5 hours $10CUC
Accommodation: Booking a Casa Particular
Since Cuba is pretty new to the tourist game, options for accommodations are a little bit different. There are basically no hostels and pretty few luxury hotels, that I clearly won't be staying in.
The only other option is staying in a Casa Particular. Think of a Casa Particular of a temporary homestay, almost like an Airbnb (which also exists in Cuba, with a twist, see below). Here's the basic idea behind a “Casa Particular": if Cubans have extra rooms in their homes that they'd like to rent, or entirely vacant apartments, they'll put a sign on their door with the iconic blue anchor to show their vacancy and that they're a legal Casa. Sidenote: blue signs are for tourists, red signs are for Cubans only.
I found my first Casa through a friend, it was on the pricier end of the spectrum ($45/night for two people) for a private apartment with a balcony facing the Malecón and the ocean. It was definitely worth every dollar, if you'd like this casa's contact information, email me: jo@damonandjo.com with subject line “Casa in Cuba."
Casas can be as cheap as $15/night for up to two people, but cheap rooms usually don't have windows, which is a personal deal breaker; traveling ain't so good when you can't see anything.
Most Casas have the same amenities as you would a hotel; usually private bathroom, clean towels, sheets, etc, don't count on ever having WiFi though!
Also, it's important to know that you can book listings on Airbnb.com only BEFORE getting to Cuba. Once in Cuba, you'll be blocked from actually booking rooms through the site. Book your accommodation in advance to avoid the stress of knocking on doors like I had to once my accommodation ran out.
Prepare Your Money
While joining the dozens of gringos waiting in line to exchange money at a Cadeca, or a “Casa de Cambio (House of Exchange), I overheard some Americans behind me speaking to a local, who was clearly trying to scam them for an inflated exchange rate.
What they didn't know, like most other Americans, is that while relations between the US and Cuba is slowly getting better, there are still fees for using the USD.
Any Cadeca will charge a 10% commission fee for converting USD into CUC, or Cuban Convertible dollars, aka “Tourist Currency," not to be confused with the CUP, or “Moneda Nacional" for the locals. The smart technique is to exchange Euros in advance and use that to exchange into local currencies while abroad.
Here's some info to give you an idea:
This is CUC or tourist money:
Any bill with a face on it is Moneda Nacional, or CUP mostly used by locals:
$1 USD should = $1 CUC, but costs $.87 after the commission is taken out
$1 CUC = $24 CUP
Oh, and the most important part about planning your finances is that you CANNOT withdraw money from any ATM in Cuba, nor can you use any of your credit cards, so you need to bring enough cash money to last the entirety of your trip.
For more information on money tips: https://www.visitcuba.com/travel-guide/travel-tips/
Prep Your Tummy
To put it simply, cuisine in Cuba is an overall pretty crappy experience because of their many years of isolation, and the fact that all rich restaurant owners fled to different countries when the revolution wiped out the rich (hospitality savvy) class. Aside from the political reasons that cultivates crummy food, the water quality produces limp fruits and veggies. I swore I ate a watermelon that was so dry it had the texture of a cookie. Be sure you understand that this will not be the best culinary experience of your life. Privately-owned restaurants are still learning how to cater to the Western world's standard of service. Here are tips to survive the stomach pains:
Beware of the Water
Water in Cuba might will give your stomach a poopy time, literally. Some good advice would be to pack enough probiotics to last your entire trip, and to take a few days before you even leave. Bring Immodium AD and Pepto Bismol for if and when things get bad; these medications are nearly impossible to find there. While Cubans are immune to the terrible water, tourists will not withstand its wrath. Even if you're not chugging glasses of tap water, you'll most likely drink a mojito with ice cubes made from tap water – watch yourself.
Bring Snacks
My first few days, I was craving chocolate like never before. It seemed like there were no stores that sold cookies, chocolate, or anything in general, because there were barely any stores. At this point in time, Cuba is the furthest thing from having a consumerist culture, things are extremely difficult to get, stock, sell, and buy.
The few grocery stores that there are sometimes require you to wait in four lines; one to check your bag, another line to get inside of the store, another to order basic things from behind the counter (i.e. hair products, cookies, basically anything that you'll really need), and another line to check out. It's a struggle, so I suggest you bring extra snacks that you know you'll miss to avoid major chocolate withdrawals like I did.
Going out to Eat
You might see windows on the street, or “cafeterias" selling pizza, spaghetti, or simple sandwiches, which I've eaten in, and never had any major problems. If you have a sensitive stomach, you might want to stay away from “street meat." You'll also see Paladares, which are privately-owned restaurants inside locals' homes. The name comes from a Brazilian novella about a poor woman turned millionaire after opening her own small restaurant in her home called “Paladar."
The service in these privately-owned restaurants is usually way better than at government-owned restaurants, which make you feel like your middle school cafeteria, served at five star standards. How do you know if it's a government-owned restaurant? If the servers all look the same and greet you with a less than impressed gaze or boredom, you're at a government-owned restaurant.
Pack Extra Clothes and Toiletries
This one is the opposite of advice I'd normally give for long trips, but here's why you need to pack a little extra to go to Cuba. Most Cubans have challenges affording basic things like hygiene products, clothes, shoes, etc. There is also a shortage of things like paper goods; paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. Things that we take for granted every single day in The States is a reason to celebrate in Cuba. When the average salary of a Cuban is equivalent to $20 USD a month, there's no way every Cuban can achieve a standard of living beyond simply surviving.
You'll notice that the airport check-in for baggage to Havana will be bigger than any you'll ever see; family members returning to home will bring back massive flat screen TVs and duffle bags filled with lotions, Ziplock bags, and clothes.
Even if you're a backpacker, you can probably pack a few extra shirts that you've only worn once, that will make all the difference to a Cuban.
On our first day, we met a Cuban man named Frank who passed the sketch-o-meter test. All he asked was for clothes he could give to his sisters in exchange for local information. Fast forward and we had a full day of Havana sightseeing and paid him back in four tank tops and shorts that I've worn in videos 324908 times that I didn't really need.
And Lastly…
And so, while Cuba is still difficult to get to as an American, I can confidently say that it's been one of the most gratifying, profound, and eye-opening trips I've taken. I highly recommend you experience it all for yourself through a local lens. Be prepared to strip yourself out of your comfort zone, put your gadgets and gizmos away, and get lost in time for the very first time.
Is Cuba on your travel bucket list? What places are you trying to travel to before you die? Let us know in the comments below!
*Article Originally Published On Shut Up And Go
Damon and Jo are two travel YouTubers who are changing the face of the travel industry with a backpack, multiple languages under their belt, and only a few dollars to their name. Check out their travel and day-to-day adventures by subscribing to their YouTube channel and by keeping up with their Shut Up And Go travel blog.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Not too long ago, while in an interview, someone asked me for a top complaint that I hear husbands say (first) and then wives state (second) as it relates to what goes down (or doesn’t go down) in the bedroom.
Ladies first: when it comes to women, I think what comes up more than anything might surprise some: it’s boredom. A lot of wives want there to be more spontaneity instead of taking the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach from their partner. As for men? I mean, would anyone be shocked to hear that they wished their wife would initiate sex more often?
I’m telling you, over frequency, technique, and even dressing up more for bed (and yes, those things also come up quite a bit), hands down, what I hear that more men want is for their partner to show them that they are desired by taking the initial steps to make copulation happen…more often.
And so, since I’m all about doing whatever I can to reduce dissatisfaction and frustration in the bedroom department, let’s explore this very topic today — from a few angles. For starters, what it truly means to be a sexual initiator; two, why it’s so vitally important to be a sexual initiator, and three, why it could literally change the entire tone, energy, and outcome of your sex life with your partner — if you’d simply be open to initiating sex more often than you (probably already) do.
What It Means to Initiate Something. LITERALLY.
Giphy
I’m word-literal — there’s no secret about that. So, when it comes to the topic of initiating sex, let’s start with what the word means. To initiate is “to begin, set going, or originate” and “to introduce into the knowledge of some art or subject.” Some synonyms for initiate include begin, open, set up, trigger, admit, introduce, and invest. And when it comes to all of the meanings of these words, between men and women, when it comes to sex specifically, guess who does it more? Men. BY A LONG SHOT TOO: a whopping 60 percent.
When it comes to why a lot of women are so comfortable with men initiating intimacy, many think that, just like men should pursue them for a relationship, it is also “the man’s role” to pursue sex in the bedroom; they literally think that it makes them look desperate or needy for them to be the initiator — yes, even as a wife. What in the world?
Listen, when two people sign up to be each other’s exclusive sex partner until death parts them, it means they are both saying that they desire each other so much that they are willing to make that kind of commitment — and so, there should be no “I don’t want to appear this way or that” when it comes to sexual activity.
So, with all of that ridiculous overthinking out of the way, that should make you want to “set up” some sex plans, “admit” to some sexual fantasies that you may have, and “introduce” some new ideas to your partner; especially since that’s exactly what so many men wish that their lady would do, to begin with.
So, with all of this said, if you’re someone who is hung up on not initiating, first spend some time really processing what the word means. Because when two people are eager to begin sex and invest in each other sexually, that is the recipe for a truly satisfying experience…over and over and over again.
C’mon. Who Doesn’t Want to Feel Wanted?
GiphyI remember once reading an article that said our brain processes rejection the same way that it does physical pain, and y’all, I don’t know about you, but if something is physically hurting me, my natural inclination is to get away from it. Along these lines, when it comes to relationships since research has proven that rejection can lead to things like jealousy, shame, anxiety, loneliness, and guilt — yes, it makes all of the common sense in the world that you would want to do all that you can to make your partner feel wanted…both in and outside of the bedroom because, just like no one wants to deal with physical pain, no one wants to keep dealing with rejection and all of the fallout that comes with it…either.
Actually, when it comes to this particular point, I think that an article that I once read on Psychology Today’s site said it best: “Not only does being needed help define your role in a relationship, but being needed can also influence how satisfied you feel in a relationship.” And before some of you say that “sex is not a need” — the hell you say? I mean, the only purpose of your clitoris is to provide sexual stimulation, so that alone should make us all deem sex (and sexual fulfillment) as pretty damn important.
Plus, by definition, a need is something that is deemed as being essential while also being something that is extremely necessary, and anyone who thinks that a romantic relationship doesn’t need physical intimacy? That’s someone who really needs to remain single because one of the top things that makes a relationship more than a friendship is there is intimacy that’s involved.
Besides, who doesn’t want to feel wanted by their partner — and I do mean, in every way? And when you make the decision to be in an exclusive relationship with someone else, you are declaring that they are someone who pleases you to the point where you don’t need to look for anyone else to do it; and, if that is indeed what you are saying, it doesn’t make sense that you wouldn’t initiate sex with them sometimes (and I do mean more than on their birthday).
One, because you choose them to “fill that role.” Two, because they are the source of your fulfillment in that area. Three, because it’s completely unfair (not to mention totally hypocritical) to expect them to make you feel wanted when you’re not being intentional about making them feel the same way in return. Not to mention the fact that initiating also helps to safeguard your relationship on a lot of levels too.
Since sex is important and rejection is detrimental on so many levels, it’s crucial to make your partner feel sexually wanted and desired by you. One way to definitely do that is to initiate sex.
What Initiating Sex Does for You
GiphySo, what does initiating sex do for the initiator? Something that I tell a lot of my women clients is it helps them to create an atmosphere that puts them in the mood. What I mean by that is, if their husband is perfectly content having sex on the couch during commercials (I’m kind of exaggerating to make a point…kind of…LOL) while they would like some candles, mood music, and rose petals — they can control that if they are the one who initiates.
Another perk that comes with being the initiator is you have more “control” over how the sex goes. The kind of foreplay you want, how fast or slow things go, how intercourse begins — all of this, you have more of a say so in if you’re the one who is initiating intimacy. Why? Well, think about when your bae initiates — doesn’t it seem like you tend to follow his lead more when he’s the one who is first to get the ball rolling?
Oftentimes, when a couple comes to me about being sexually dissatisfied, and I recommend that the one who doesn’t initiate takes more initiative, the one on the receiving end likes the fact that their partner is “running the show” — and the initiator likes “being in charge” more than they thought that they would. As a result, both end up experiencing far more pleasure.
The initiator shows what they want more of while the receiver feels desired in the process. A win/win for everyone.
What Initiating Sex Does for Him
sexy black and white GIFGiphyA couple of weeks ago, while in a session with a client, he was joking about how much he has “too much of a good thing” when it comes to his wife’s libido. Although science says that the fact that men have a higher amount of testosterone in their system, and it is the reason why they typically have a higher sex drive, don’t sleep on a lot of women out there who want to get it in more than their husband does. His wife is one of them. Since she’s a client of mine too (oftentimes, we do our sessions separately), it’s interesting that he’s fine with having sex a couple of times a month while she would like to a couple of times a week.
So, is he denying her when she wants it more often? Nope. The reason why they’re not having more sex is that even though her drive is higher, she still waits for him to initiate. Why? Because she thinks that’s what “the man should do”; not only that but “being wooed” turns her on more.
As I’ve been working on helping them to find a middle ground (because if marriage ain’t about compromise, I don’t know what is), he says that he feels like because he plans a lot of the dates, he wishes that she would initiate more: “I don’t think a lot of women get how hard it is to be a Black man out here. Nothing feels better than knowing that if no one else is thrilled by your presence, your woman is. For us, initiating isn’t just about sex. It’s about feeling wanted as a whole. And when we feel like our woman adores us, there is no greater turn-on.”
I’m not sure what y’all heard, but what it sounds like to me is when we, as women, initiate sex, men feel holistically special and cherished. That makes sense, too, because if we were to put our feet in their shoes, we would probably say the same thing. That’s just one more reason to pull the “gender roles” out of this topic; men and women both want to feel like they are the best thing on the planet by their sex partners. And again, initiating helps us all to feel that way.
What Initiating Ultimately Does for Your Relationship As a Whole
Issa Rae Love GIF by Insecure on HBOGiphyPersonally, I can only imagine how much better sex would be for everyone (who is in a sexual relationship) if people simply initiated copulation whenever they wanted to have it. That way, everyone would feel desired — and what could possibly be wrong with that? Especially if both individuals factored in some of the definitions for initiated that I already shared. Just think about if you rushed home tonight because you read about something that you want to introduce to your man or there’s a fantasy that you have that you want to admit.
The mere conversations alone will help to bring the two of you closer together because, after all, deep intimacy is about minds, bodies, and spirits getting as close as possible…right? And so, yes, by initiating sex, it can bring more closeness and stability to the relationship as a whole.
And what if you initiate and your partner isn’t interested at the time? Or what if you’re shy about initiating due to having a fear of rejection? That’s a fair and legitimate concern. One day, I’ll need to pen an article on how couples should handle situations like that with grace (on both ends) while applying the golden rule of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.” For now, I’ll just say that if this is your greatest point of concern, share that with your partner as well.
After all, it’s pretty unrealistic to expect them to always want it when you do (although it’s been my experience and observation that men are almost always far easier to convince…LOL); just know that not wanting sex at the exact moment that you do doesn’t mean that they don’t want you altogether. Besides, oftentimes, a nap or a night of sleep can rectify that issue. Trust me.
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Rihanna was actually once quoted as saying, “To me, sex is power. It’s empowering to do it because you want to do it.” I personally think that’s a great way to bring this to a close. Make your partner feel wonderful, empower yourself, and strengthen your relationship by initiating sex more often. I can’t think of one reason why it’s not a wise move. Can you?
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Featured image by Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images