hospitalidad

What is hospitality but the invitation of another to speak, excitement to listen, fervor to communicate. Our group was offered a beautiful offering of hospitality last night, the most beautiful I have come to know, the most perfect and pure form of hospitality, from a Cuban university professor of philosophy and history, Juan and his companion Evita. Our group met the couple at their apartment in East Havana, a community of housing that is a small drive from central Havana, through a tunnel under the Havana Bay. The streets were sprinkled with people walking to their various destinations on that Sunday morning. Children rode bikes, while their parents screamed “coche, coche,” not unlike the conscientious parents of the United States. Charles almost hit a bike rider cruising with the innocent freedom of a child around the streets. I have come to believe that we are too quick to assume that the bike wanderers should submit to the will of the cars moving quickly in business minded fashion. The tight freedomless motion of vehicle transportation should revolve around the whims of imaginative explorers of the streets. I am certain of it.

Juan and Evita invited us up to wait for the car they hired to take them to the beach, las playas de Habana, the essential meeting of the turquoise Caribbean Sea and the land. At their insisting we enjoyed a small cup of Cuban coffee similar to espresso with a bit of rum, in Cuban tradition. The cups used are reminiscent of a child’s tea set, but the flavor of the treat is meant for a sea of coffee drinkers. Es muy rico! Juan extended his invitation for us to consider his home, our home, and expressed the hurt and disappointment he would experience if we did not take this invitation to heart. Mi casa es su casa. It is not just a catchy whimsical phrase often hung above American doors, it is a tradition. After five hours under the Cuban sun at the beach, and swimming in the beautiful waves on the coastline, we returned to our home.

Dinner was served in courses…drinks and guava fruit while we waited, and then the main courses together over conversation. Moros y chritianos (black beans and rice cooked together), fried plantains, pork and potatoes cooked in a savory sauce, avocado, and green beans were served beautifully. In the American tradition we moved the table to the center of the room so that many chairs, seven exactly could fit around the small café table at the same time. Juan responded with surprised protest at first, as the Cuban tradition is that the guests eat first followed by the hosts; however, we reminded him that as he said this was our house as well, and “our house” became the humorous theme of the night. We could do as we pleased because, after all, this was our house. Juan told us of his work on his masters in Russia, written in the language of Russian, his time teaching in Algeria as an exchange teaching program for two years, and his travels in Europe. Although he has been invited several times to speak on international panels, because the panels have been in the United States, he has been uninvited by the United States.

Alison asked the question of the night. If the Cuban people look unfavorably on the government of the United States, which is unwilling to open up dialogue with the Cuban people even when invited, which has taken a steady position against the Cuban government for the only reason of Fidel’s length of governing, which has no interest in the human rights of its own citizens, let alone the rights of people of other nations, what then is the feeling of the Cuban people about the people of the United States? Juan answered with what he called a hard answer given in a soft voice…

The Americans have no democracy. The United States has the worst representation of democracy in the world. The poor have no representation. What is developed about a country that can boast the most use of drugs, the most drug trafficking, the greatest sales of arms, the most wars initiated, absolutely no preparation or response to the destruction of hurricane Katrina, and children killing their peers in classrooms. The problem, he said, is not the people, but the system. We are deceived into thinking that these problems are universal… they are not. Cuba had 1,600 doctors prepared to fly to the US after the passing of Katrina. They had millions of dollars of drugs and supplies and tents at the ready. One thousand and six hundred doctors were sitting in a room, ready to board planes, in route to the US, waiting outside. Bush said no. Don’t send your help here. The doctors were sent home. Where money and dissatisfaction rule, there is not a system built to encourage the growth of people, but the growth of technology, of money making, of exploitation. Material things, he said, do not make one more human. Providing all people their right to education and health care makes people more human.

I have begun to delve into the delicate balance and study of what exactly the human potential is, what exactly is the good end or purpose of humans. In a capitalist system people are encouraged to develop in one discipline becoming the master of that subject. In this way it is thought that all will prosper if all are concentrated on the mastery of one thing. However, the holistic education of a person is ignored. Values and principles held in common are not emphasized. If asked could a person identify the common values of the American people, the values held up that all would agree upon? If you say liberty, I would say what then is the right of a criminal, and your answer will not be self determination or rehabilitation. If you say education, I would say that all children in the US are not promised financially the education they deserve and desire. If you say pursuit of happiness, I would say what is the happiness in the dissatisfaction of the endless pursuit of money? What EXACTLY is it that we are defending when speaking of the US? Our right to imperialism? Individualism, though important in some philosophies in development, comes with a price. Some values are universal. Human rights are not to be negotiated, and should not be stripped to the bare bones for the benefit of those with their needs met. I will leave you burdened with this questions that are burning inside of me…What are basic human rights? Is the US meeting these rights for all people? Should these rights be back burnered for the monetary advancement of a few? What are we voting for? As a human, not as a capitalist American or a tax payer, do you feel represented?