Life in Cuba: the level and duration of life of ordinary people

For some reason, Cuba wants to be called a miracle island, about which is sung in the song "Chunga-Chang". But is it really easy and simple to live there? Is life bad or good in Cuba for Russians and in the opinion of Russians?

Everyone has their own opinion on this score. And about the Cubans they say: "Beggars, but proud." Half-starved, but dying with laughter. "

The very same country is seductive. Here the most beautiful natural landscapes: extensive beaches, inaccessible mountains. Havana - bright and colorful. All these different people at different times talked about one country - about Cuba. This she is to this day.

Before Socialism

Cuba was a big gambling house. There was a huge number of casinos here, huge sums of money were rotating. All this was in the hands of a bunch of foreigners, mostly Americans. They also owned the island's industrial enterprises and most of the land. Fulgencio Batista was in power, a cruel tyrant. For ordinary people, life in Cuba was a real horror. Hunger, the murders were in those years the norm.

Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro - the personality for the Cubans is ambiguous: some consider him a hero-liberator, others - a dictator.

In 1953, 27-year-old Fidel Castro first entered the political arena of the country. The son of wealthy parents who had friendly relations with the president, who had brilliant prospects as a lawyer, decided to end the injustice in the country. On July 26, he, with a small detachment of daredevils, including his own brother Raul, stormed a military garrison in the city of Santiago de Cuba. The operation ended in failure and arrest. Castro and his accomplices were tried as rebels.

The sentence is 15 years in prison. But in May 1955, Fidel left and went to Mexico with his brother. There he was joined by Che Guevara.

In 1956, the rebels returned to Cuba with a detachment of 16 people. Very soon the squad suffered the first loss - the rebels remained 15. The island started a guerrilla war. More and more ordinary people joined the liberation movement.

The standard of living in Cuba was so low that people simply had nothing to lose, and even a drop of hope pushed them forward to fight against tyrants.

In 1959 Batista left the country, the government left by him did not last long, it had to surrender to the insurgents.

Fidel Castro demanded respect for the prisoners. They were forbidden to insult, rob. They could dine at the same table with the rebels and communicate in a friendly manner.

The country began to build socialism under the leadership of Fidel Castro and his associates.

Granting land to the peasants, the fighters for the people's interests proceeded to nationalize industrial enterprises and banks.

Dissatisfied with the new government were subjected to repression.

The government of Fidel Alejandro Castro Rusa lasted until 2006. Then his successor was brother Raul.

Castro continued to lead a fairly active political life, as far as his health allowed.

Died commandant, as he was called on the island of Liberty, at the age of 90 years in 2016. By his order, the cause of death remained a mystery.

Characters

Simple Cubans idolized their ruler, because he freed them from the tyrant and provided a completely good, by their standards, existence.

People in the country still revere their liberators. Throughout the country you can see posters and portraits of Che Guevara, Fidel Castro. On the streets of cities you can meet musicians singing songs about the revolution and their glorious rulers.

Cubans are very friendly and sociable. They are ready to talk around the clock, especially if they see the interlocutor's interest and, if not bound by any vows or fear of special services.

The people of Cuba are very responsive. They will certainly come to the rescue if they see that a person needs it.

Favorite games of Cubans - football and baseball. Baseball players of this country are happy to play in national teams of neighboring countries, including America.

Food

The standard of living in Cuba today remains low, but this does not prevent the indigenous people from feeling happy.

To this day, Cubans use cards to obtain basic food at low prices. And they include rice with black beans with or without meat, sugar, some vegetables. The rest of the products can be bought in villages near the city. Although it happens that on the streets of the city you can see chickens or black pigs walking and getting their food on lawns and lawns, and in the evening returning home on their own.

Cows, like in India, idolize. They are forbidden to kill. The animal must die by its own death. The owners cause special services and the carcass is taken out and buried. Violation of this rule is punishable by a serious penalty.

For all foreigners, these same products are sold at completely different prices many times more expensive.

The salary of Cubans is 12-20 dollars per month in national currency - pesos. And $ 20 are paid to government employees, and this can be called high income.

Cuba is famous for rum. It sells different varieties, different shades. The darker the rum, the better. And also cigars - they, perhaps, are known all over the world. Removal of them from the country is limited to 23 pieces. The country and coffee are famous, but here it is very expensive.

Education

Life in Cuba today is possible with such small salaries for several reasons, except for food cards. At all levels - from kindergartens to higher educational institutions - education is free and public, although recently there have been attempts to open private schools. Its level is currently low, although previously the schools of Cuba were famous for their teachers. Now the old teachers retired, and the new ones - former school graduates, who have no proper education.

Medicine

Medical care is another aspect that helps maintain a more or less acceptable standard of living in Cuba for the local population. It is absolutely free for Cubans, including dentists and abortions. Moreover, there are still good specialists that attract foreigners to the country who need inexpensive medical assistance from good doctors. For many years, Cuba has been a provider of medical personnel to third world countries.

Lifespan

Life expectancy in Cuba is quite high. An example of this is the surviving elderly commandant.

The reasons for this fact are the absence of synthetic food products, all food is natural and simple. Here, eat at home, it is not accepted to go to cafes and restaurants. They cook often right in the yard at the stake, because the house is too hot.

Again, the role of affordable medical care plays a role, although there is a very modest set of medications in pharmacies.

Another reason is the low development of industry, that is, a favorable state of the environment.

It's amazing that Cubans smoke almost from early childhood, and in large numbers. Their pockets are literally stuffed with cigars. At the same time, addiction does not really affect their health.

A positive lifestyle is another huge plus for a long life expectancy. Despite the modest life in Cuba of most of the population, people never lose heart.

Only foreigners who meet on the streets of cities look sick here.

So you can talk about life in Cuba as much as you like. The very residents of the country are quite happy, as long as they are not spoiled by the benefits of civilization, which, however, may change in the near future.

Money

The monetary system in the country is quite unusual for most people in other countries. There are two currencies: local and for foreigners. The first is a peso. Local money enjoys the privilege. Counting in shops and for services, the owners of this currency buy everything at completely different prices, much lower than the owners of cookies - so they call the local currency for foreign guests of the island.

In Cuba, American dollars are not welcome, as are the Americans themselves, but they happily enjoy the financial assistance of relatives living in America. Tourists are advised to take with them currency in euros, and preferably in cash.

Exchange currency is best at the airport in Havana. There are exchange points both indoors and outdoors.

And those who have visited here, advise to exchange money less. Tourists say that here tipping is expected everywhere, even in exchangers. Many, leaving about what life in Cuba, reviews, indicate the amount of $ 400 left for tips in different institutions of the country.

Transport

The country has poorly developed transport links. To leave from one settlement to another, people can stand for several days on the road and wait for them to come up with some kind of an opportunity.

There are very few buses. Here they ride on any transport, including open trucks. There are no traffic jams on the roads because of the lack of cars.

The bulk of cars accounted for the American brands of the 1950s and the Russian "Zhiguli" of the 1970s.

Often they have a very shabby appearance - corroded to the holes of the body, broken glass, broken headlights. These "car wonders" often break down right on the roads, where they are left until the opportunity. Spare parts of the road, get them difficult. Here, the ubiquitous Chinese come to the rescue, so there is not much left of their own spare parts.

They also use tractors in Cuba. They are also very few, they travel only on rural areas.

For communication between nearby settlements local residents use bicycles, also very old, sometimes more like a pile of scrap metal. Looking at them, one can only wonder how you can go on this transport.

Another mode of transport is a horse cart. Slowly, but reliably. It happens that the bulls are harnessed by bulls, but few, except the owner, run the risk of using such a vehicle. But on a horse in the city - easily.

How urban transport works here and something similar to a three-wheeled moped with a roof that does not help at all from the rain and wind.

For foreigners, taxi rides around the city. Local residents use them seldom, since pleasure is not cheap, primarily because of the high cost of gasoline.

Between large cities there is a railway service, but trains also go infrequently.

In this respect, Cuba does not spoil its citizens, the life of ordinary people can not be called easy. Many even have to hitchhike for work.

Weather

For many, life in Cuba seems like a paradise because of the mild climate. In July and August, the time is the hottest, when temperatures reach 35 degrees. In January and February, it is cool here. The temperature drops to 20 degrees. In the autumn and winter, the sea is often troubled. From May to September here is the rainy season.

Religion

The country has a huge number of people who believe in magic. The most common religion is the Santerium. This is a mixture of Catholicism and African cults. One of the directions is the Yoruba. Her followers say that this is the oldest religion, and all others have gone from it. 75% of Cubans are its adherents, even Catholics. All rituals are kept secret, although real ritual performances are played for tourists. The locals say that Fidel Castro was also an adherent of santeria, which helped him save his life after many attempts.