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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Less & Less Of Us Have Close Friends These Days. Why Is That?
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” At close to two decades of working with married couples, I agree with this man 1000 percent. It’s actually the main motivation for why I once penned, “Are You Sure You're Actually FRIENDS With Your Spouse?” because, the reality is, if you’re not friends with the person who you vowed to share every aspect of your life with, for the rest of your life, it’s going to be very difficult (if not damn near impossible) to honor that level of commitment. Without question, I will now and forever die on the hill that if you like your partner, you can make it through the not-so-in-love-right-now moments. Vice versa? Eh…not so much.
A basis for why I feel this way? Another quote immediately comes to mind. Famed author Jane Austen once wrote: “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” You know, back when I also wrote “10 Things You Should Absolutely Expect From Your Friendships” for the platform, I shared that some of the traits of a friend — a real friend — include loyalty, honesty and compassion. And if you can’t say that your spouse is this way (as they say the same thing about you), chile…what is y’all doin’ over there?
So, why am I talking about marriage when this article is supposed to be about friendship? It’s because, something that life has taught me, kinda sorta the hard way, is we should vet potential friends — especially close friends — almost like we would a spouse.
And if you keep reading, I think you’ll get why I framed the intro in the way that I did.
Why Friendships Are Still Hella Essential
GiphyOkay, so before I get into why it seems that people have fewer friends than they ever had before, let me just say that, even as an ambivert who enjoys my own company and has absolutely no problem with being alone a good amount of the time, every personality type needs friends. That’s not just my opinion;science makes it a fact. Not only do studies support thathealthy friendships help us to feel more satisfied with our lives, but they can also reduce our chances of experiencing depression, stress, and anxiety and they increase longevity overall.
This is why — without going too deep because it’s kind of another topic for another time — it’s important to not allow past hurts and disappointments from former friends (or folks you thought were your friends) to cause you to build up walls as you declare that you don’t need anyone. When you do that, all you’re really doing is working against your own health and well-being. The saying that “no man (or woman) is an island”? It is absolutely true.
That said, even if it’s just a couple of people, make sure that you’ve got individuals in your life who you can call a friend and, in turn, they can say the very same thing about you, okay?
Are All of Those People Your Actual Friends? Or Do You Just Happen to Know a Lot of Folks?
GiphyAight but what if you happen to be someone who swings on the other side of few? Meaning, if someone were to ask you how many friends you had, you’d quickly declare that you’ve got too many to count. Listen, not to patronize or anything yet, but whenever I hear folks (especially if they are over 35) say something along those lines, it takes me back to high school — a time when so many of us thought that so long as we knew a ton of folks and/or we were popular, clearly, we had many friends.
Wisdom and pure ole’ dealing with humans on a consistent basis will teach you that an article that I wrote a few years back for the platform has a title that is spot-on: “According To Experts, We Only Have A Few Friends — Here's Why.” According to it, the average American (based on a survey that was conducted) has somewhere around 16 friends. Oh, but wait. Last fall, I wrote another article for the platform entitled, “What's The 'Five Friendship Theory' All About?” According to it, if you’re someone who takes the word “friend” and the responsibility that comes along with it very seriously and quite literally, as an adult, you can probably only maintain about five close friendships.
Why? Well, that brings in another article that I once wrote: “Life Taught Me That True Friendships Are 'Inconvenient.'” Chile, I don’t know about y’all but my friends know that if I call you that, you can call me in the middle of the night, and you can have money towards your rent (I’m not your mama but we all have hard times sometimes) and I’m gonna have your back in a way where you’ll wonder where you stop and I start — and no, I don’t have a lot of bandwidth for a ton of those people.
Okay, but what if you’re someone who is like, “I know that I have more than 16 and definitely more than five friends, no question”? The next thing that I would encourage you to explore is a theory by Aristotle (check out “According To Aristotle, We Need ‘Utility’, ‘Pleasure’ & ‘Good’ Friends”). Without even realizing it, many of us have people who we use the word “friend” for when…it’s kind of like how social media apps say “friend”: we’re familiar with one another and enjoy some of the same things, we might even have some of the same goals; at the same time, though, we’re not “all-encompassing friends.” We just get along really well at work (utility friends) or like to go to brunch at the same spots sometimes (pleasure friends).
Taking all of this into account, are you sure that you have a ton of actual friends? Or do you just happen to know a lot of people and you use that word for the lack of having another?
And that brings me to my next point.
There’s A LOT of Space Between “Friend” and “Enemy”
GiphyIf you read a lot of my friendship content, something that you will notice me saying quite a bit is that there is quite a bit of space between friend and enemy. It needs to be mentioned, as often as possible, because there are some people who get offended if you don’t consider them to be a friend — and that is unfortunate. I say that because the conclusion shouldn’t automatically be that they are your enemy just because “friend” isn’t what immediately comes to your mind.
They can be an acquaintance. They can be “cool people.” There is someone in my life who, while we’re not friends in the traditional sense, we are each other’s confidant; years ago, we agreed that we would be the place to tell each other whatever and it would stay between us — that is the main purpose that we serve in each other’s lives. Some people, you may consider to be spiritual family in the sense that you care for them and have some deeply profound things in common and still, they are not exactly a friend (I mean, a lot of blood relatives aren’t “friends” with each other).
All I’m trying to say here is we’re all too old now to only put folks in two boxes when it comes to this particular relational dynamic: friend or enemy. So, take some time out to seriously reflect on what you consider the various people in your life to be. I can promise you from personal experience that the sooner you know and the clearer you are, the easier it will be on everybody — because needs and expectations will be clear to you (and them once you articulate them) too.
What Got Folks to Having Less Friends? The Pandemic Plays a Significant Part.
GiphySo finally on to what inspired this piece to begin with. A part of it was an article that was published last year by Big Think entitled, “Americans more than ever have no friends. Here are 5 steps to make more friends.” Another was something that The New Yorker published back in 2021; it’s entitled “What COVID did to friendship.” Y’all don’t have enough time and I don’t have enough space to get into the fact that, just because the media may be talking about it less, that doesn’t mean that we’re not still in a pandemic.
In fact,one article stated my thoughts on it quite well when it said, “The real question, then, is not whether COVID is still a pandemic, but how much COVID illness and death are we willing to accept?” SMDH. And one of the things that has come with experiencing COVID is an interesting type of PTSD: detachment. There are plenty of articles out here to support the fact that my saying that is not merely my opinion.
Even according to the American Psychological Association, loneliness damn near skyrocketed, especially during lockdown and, unfortunately, a lot of people have not recovered from it. That’s why it did not surprise me at all when I read that more than ever, many people do not consider anyone to be a best friend; fewer people are relying on friends for any type of real support, and there is a semi-steady decline in people having friends, especially quality friendships, overall.
In fact, as far as close friends go, currently, close to 50 percent of Americans say that they only have three or fewer, and a relevant contributor to that was what the pandemic revealed as far as people’s proactive participation in other individuals’ lives (I actually read that young women were the ones who lost touch with friends during the peak of the pandemic the most). I also thought it was interesting that some studies cite that 12 percent of Americans say that they don’t have any friends at all.
Is the pandemic the only cause? No. So are things like people working more hours and spending more time online than they probably should (which also increased due to the pandemic, though). To that, Teen Vogue once published, “Social Media Is Impacting IRL Friendships” and Healthline once published, “Social Media Is Killing Your Friendships.” Then we also have to factor in having families of our own which can also take up a lot of time, and that sometimes can cause us to forget to nurture our friendships; so, before you know it, they fade to black. Not due to a fallout or anything, just…life.
And all of this? Some people are saying that it has led to what is known as a “friendship recession.” A huge flag about that is there are reports that a drop in close friends can cultivate a type of loneliness that is just as health hazardous as smoking a whopping 15 cigarettes a day. Not good, y’all. Not. Good.
Quality over Quantity Is Key. Just Make Sure That You Have a Friend or Two.
GiphyOkay, so what is my overall point? That’s a fair question. Just like sometimes “life life-ing” can make us forget to tend to our friendships, if you don’t stumble across content like this, you might not even realize that you’re feeling mentally stressed, emotionally strained, or super isolated and it’s all because you need to prioritize your friendships — because your mind, body, and spirit need them. Again, science has proved it.
At the same time, if, like a client of mine, you find yourself getting a little bit paranoid because you have noticed that over the past several years, your close friend count has been far less than what it used to be, this article proves that you are absolutely not (pardon the pun) alone. Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with having a very small circle of friends because quality is gonna beat out quantity every time; you just need to assess when it happened and why so that you can be sure that you are choosing it to play out that way and it’s not due to some underlying cause that you hadn’t taken into consideration — until now.
An Italian priest by the name of Thomas Aquinas once said, “The happy man in this life needs friends.” Even if it’s just one or two people, please make sure that you have folks who aren’t just your friend but your very close friend. You need them. They need you.
Everyone else, figure out where they fall and nurture accordingly. Life is a lot. We all get by with the help of our friends. Real talk, y’all. Thank goodness for them.
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Featured image by jose carlos cerdeno martinez/Getty Images