I want to live Not exist

Welcome to Expat.com mayling_7!

If you've got any query, do not hesitate to ask.

Harmonie

Do you live in Cuba Mauritius?

I am Harmonie, and I live in Mauritius Island.

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Expat.com Team

hello everybody i'm senegalese man and i wanna live in havana and i don't know about life in cuba i want the information please thanks

mayling_7 wrote:

I WANT TO LIVE IN CUBA

These are the six bad words my friends and family cannot understand. "Of all the places on earth, why the hell would you want to live in  Cuba?'
Well,lets see now.
The people are friendly and the energy is down to earth beautiful.
I can look out my window and see green and not buildings.
Children are respectable and although T.V is censored, I don't believe I have seen any type of mind bugling garbage that I see here. 
I don't have to look behind my back walking the streets at night.
There is either very low crime or no crime
Free education
Free health care
A warm weather..for starters.

OK. sounds beautiful... and how about job or, rather, bread-earning possibilities? I'm considering to move to Cuba, but the main problem is - I do not know, if I could live there just on my own. I'm well-educated and intelligent, but I do not know Spanish((((

Providing that you have income from an overseas source, life in Cuba can be enjoyable during the period for which you have a visa. But, I would not advise immigrating to Cuba and becoming a Cuban. Dual nationality is not allowed and it is a one party Communist state where criticising the Government is an offence.

I should have added that as a foreigner you cannot work in Cuba and if you were a Cuban with for example a Masters degree and are in addition qualified to teach, the salary is almost exactly 0NE DOLLAR per day! That equates to 25 pesos, a 200 gm loaf of bread at the empresa costs 5 pesos, a bunch of bananas costs 5 pesos, a good sized pineapple 10 pesos and 1lb of pork 30 pesos.
Currently the Empresas are having a problem in supplying sufficient bread and the wait can be over an hour. In the town where I live when there, there was no coffee available during the months of January, February and March and no cheese or butter available during the second half of March and first half of April. However,in tourist areas like Varadero and Trinidad coffee is available all the time. It is wise to remember that none of the countries that were liberated by the implosion of the USSR subsequently elected Communist governments and to reflect upon the reasons and to remember also the uprisings in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. When deciding to wear a shirt bearing a well known image, reflec upon who supervised the Executions without trial at El Morro and at Santiago de Cuba.

Learning Spanish is not impossible.
I know it will be challenging though but Cuba will not be the same forever, the embargo will not be in place forever.....just in our lifetime......maybe. Either way, I see myself as part of a Expat community. This blog can help people to connect.

Remember, if it were not for the embargo, we may not be having this conversation or maybe this blog.

Hello from Canada.
You can always email my Cuban brothers and friends at 
[email protected].

Let me know when you email them so I can let them know to expect you.
  One is Yulie and the other is Oidel. They are just genuinely good people. They will meet you at airport and take you around if you want. This is how I got to know some of Cuba.

Welcome Mayling, you are right to criticize the embargo for it  enables the Government to use it as an excuse for all it's inadequacies and is contrary to the purposes for which it was introduced. It is the second embargo, the first was imposed by Dwight D. Eisenhower upon Batista in 1958 and had the desired affect of driving him from power. The current one was introduced in 1960. But, whereas if I was President of Cuba I would ban my government from purchasing from the US, the current government imports very large quantities of food and other goods from the US. That is why you can purchase canned fruit and vegetables from the US in the government operated shops and US apples in the street. You referred to the five TV stations being censored. That is not necessary as they are operated by the government. The Mesa Redondo for example only has contributors who concur with party policy which makes discussion very agreeable but totally disinteresting as there is only one view. Here, you can switch to other stations if you regard a programme as garbage - I recommend channel 30 (BBC in the US). For those many Cubans who live in Marianoa in Havana their view is of buildings, for those numerous Edmontonians who overlook the river valley in Edmonton, they look out at the longest urban park in North America and see green. I agree with you that tropical greenery is different from that in the temperate zones, but here people can choose where they want to live. In Cuba you require permission - not readily obtained - to move to Havana. Education and Health Care are the two strong points of government policy in Cuba, the educational system however like the educational channel on TV constantly promotes the merits of "Socialismo". Yes, it if "free" just as ours is, but in Cuba the University education is also free. If it were not, there would be no students as the government controls the cash - how could they tax incomes of less than a dollar per day. I have now reached the core of the differences in our systems. In our democratic system we, the people, receive the money and contribute a part of it as tax to our government, in Cuba, the government receives the money and distributes a very small portion of it to the people. If we the taxpayers don't like an elected government we have the opportunity to change it by election. No such opportunity exists in Cuba and criticism of the government is a crime. To conclude, yes, the Cuban people are in general very nice, the country is in general very beautiful and as I have said in previous contributions the strength of their society lies in the family and the soul of the country is it's music. Oh! yes learing Spanish is advisable - try Michel Thomas CD's you can get them from Amazon at quite a low cost and the system works! Chau!

Thank you MacDuff,
You know a lot about the country...how long have been going there?
You are correct the one thing missing in Cuba is the choice to choose. I do not  believe things will remain the same for much longer but change and adaptation will come slowly..even for the next generation on teenagers who will be born today.


Thanks

Hola everyone....

I too am a wanna be expat.... 6 months a year if possible..   I have 3 years before I get pensions which will enable me to go..  I literally crave the warmth, and Cuban beaches.. the easy "apparently stress free life" .. yes the choice to choose for Cubans is not there in many logistical things... but they have something that is so rich.. relationships.. we have lost that in Canada... Crime, Stress, Work, have made Canadians so aloof to neighbours and those who live around them..  Well at least here in Ontario.. I lived in Nova Scotia for many years and it was not like that there. I made the mistake of moving back to Ontario and I do not like life here at all.  I can feel it in my spirit that it has become hard.. very hard to live.. People here think they have the choice but in reality they don't have much choice once they follow the Canadian way.. debt.. Cubans have no concept of being in debt.. and the stress that comes with that.   It's a big money machine here.. fall off it and you are lost.. homelessness for some.. Is there a homeless problem in cuba? 

I love my grandkids and they are the reason I moved to Ontario.. but I left behind all my friends that I had made over 25 years.. I am 61 and the first time in my life I am not content with where I live.  I sincerely want to live in Cuba for the 6 winter months. I can't bear the winter anymore.. the hardness of travel, shoveling snow, manouvering over the ice.. i can't do it. . It almost killed me last winter, we had so much snow. Another thing cubans do not have to deal with.   

I have made a decision that I have to believe my dream.. I first had this dream over 20 years when I first went to Cuba.. I thought then "I would like to live here one day" . .. /Even though I had the same reaction to moving as the above post.. Why would you choose Cuba? from family, I have to go.. I feel like an Alien in Ontario... I get life in cuba.. I don't get it here.. 

I have to believe I can do this.. and I would like to meet friends who have done it/ are in the process. .. I was also thinking of other places but it appears too confusing, and it doesn't feel as safe as Cuba..   

I think the way to do it is the 6th month visa.. I want to write.. childrens stories.. ages 10-16.  They have very little good reading material so my teacher Know it All.. daughter tells me.. I get very depressed in Nov as the day light vanishes.. and the cold falls on us.. I need sun ..

look forward to meeting you..

livin easy

mayling_7 wrote:

Remember, if it were not for the embargo, we may not be having this conversation or maybe this blog.

I can guarantee we would not be having this conversation.. The charm to me is no Americans(very few) on that island as it would soon turn to what Mexico has become with it Starbucks and McDonalds on every corner not to mention the drugs,crime that will all come when and if embargo lifts... "just sayin"

OK, you are repeating what you said a year ago. So, immigrate to Cuba and persuade the regime to let you work. Become a Cuban citizen and earn on average $20.69 per month. Better take some cash with you to initially rent and eventually purchase somewhere to live. Don't worry about income tax, don't worry about taking part in sites like this one, don't worry about not knowing what is going on in the outside world and don't worry about having to walk everywhere until you have the monrey to buy a bike. Don't worry about politics - there's only one party. Don't criticize the regime - there are lots of jails.
Remember the statistics of the 2012 Census de Cuba. Only 5,600 people in Cuba were born in other countries (this includes the vremnants of the USSR military). 17,600 Cubans fled last year to other couintries.
Go figure Mayling_7 -better do it now rather than later!

I spend more than six months a year at home with my wife in Cuba. Do you have a Cuban husband? Only Cubans can buy property, otherwise you have to rent and there is a shortage of over 600,000 houses, so rent means making an arrangement with a casa-particular for the duration of your stay.
I do a bit of writing - it gives a use for my lap-top as we cannot access the Internet. But don't imagine that you can publish in Cuba. Daughters - yes I have three, may be trying to be helpful, but don't know the circumstances of life in Cuba.
As a senior and grandparent of more years than youthful you, I totally comprehend your wishes. If you decide to go for a trial period, I suggest that you endeavor to go to one of the places visited by tourists - I DON'T mean resorts like Varadero, but places like Vinales, Baracoa or Trinidad where you can get to know some locals and have the relief of the odd conversation with visiting English speakers
To get a good look at the opportunities, go to:  cuba-particular.com
The site shows the various towns of Cuba and the casas. It is run by a fellow named Raul Fuentes - there is no charge. You can browse the site thoroughly and you can then write to him saying which town you wish to try and ask what the monthly rent would be for a 3, 4, 5 month stay. Also, explain that you would like some cooking and washing facilities.
Don't try to live in Havana! The smaller towns whether inland or by the sea are preferable. We live inland - the three "B's" of the Beach, Booze and Buffet not being my scene. But if you need the sea, Guanabo east of Havana caters mainly for Cubans and would I think have modest charges. You can get spaghetti for supper at Bim Boms for about 3 CUC. Hope that helps - your idea of staying in Cuba for the cold half of the year and spending the other half in Canada is much more sensible than those who say they want to live there year around. In July, August and September the temperature goes to 33-34C every day with high humidity which at about 3.00 pm results in a tropical downpour. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have , but will be incommunicado from the end of the month as I shall be at home.

MacDuff wrote:

OK, you are repeating what you said a year ago. So, immigrate to Cuba and persuade the regime to let you work. Become a Cuban citizen and earn on average $20.69 per month. Better take some cash with you to initially rent and eventually purchase somewhere to live. Don't worry about income tax, don't worry about taking part in sites like this one, don't worry about not knowing what is going on in the outside world and don't worry about having to walk everywhere until you have the monrey to buy a bike. Don't worry about politics - there's only one party. Don't criticize the regime - there are lots of jails.
Remember the statistics of the 2012 Census de Cuba. Only 5,600 people in Cuba were born in other countries (this includes the vremnants of the USSR military). 17,600 Cubans fled last year to other couintries.
Go figure Mayling_7 -better do it now rather than later!

Why the hostility today? its so not like you from the posts I read of yours ..

Sorry if I was a bit blunt and offended you. Whereas I totally understand why people would like to spend prolonged periods in Cuba, moving to live there is in my view lunacy. The Castro family regime is a communist dictatorship. There is repression, there is food rationing, there is a policy of restricting information and access to it. What I am advising is that anyone who considers moving to Cuba should ascertain all the realities before doing so, not later.
I say this out of concern, I know the country fairly well. I spend more than half my time there, I love my wonderful talented wife, when not there I miss home and our dog, the family and  my litltle God-daughter aged 3 who is a bundle of mischief. But I also value freedom and democratic values - being able to both agree and disagree with friends and politicians, being aware of what is going on in the world at large. TV's news, history channels etc., the Internet - for purposes like this. These things are denied in beautiful Cuba by the ugly regime.
Hope that acts as both an explanation and a salve!

You never know until you try! We are lucky to be canadian and have a safe place to return to if our Cuban dreams fade away.

We move to cuba Oct. 4th, our container left this past Monday .... No turning back now :0

Congrats Cuban lover on your move....

I wish you all the best.. success in finding your home, friends.. everything it takes to make a nice life..  You can do it... hold onto your dreams, believe you can do it and you can.. sure there will be concessions and things you have to give up, but there is a lot to gain..  don't be put off by nay sayers, there will always be those, but listen to  people who have done it, succeeded...  I am following a blog on the Costa rican forum, and it is amazing what some have done. 

and yes you can always go back to Canada...it you choose to at some point. 

keep us posted..

livin

Thank you for the words of encouragement!
I will update ..... When I can

You have very great courage and I do hope that your move provides you with happiness. Naurally you hope to keep us informed, the question is how?
Good luck!

mcduff,
Are there no internet cafe's, even in Havana?   At the resorts one can buy time for $2.00/30 minutes..dial up.  Cubanlover can maybe write up post first, then copy/paste into forum..  Schools?

Anyway it will be interesting to see how things work out. 

livin

I just found out I was god father along with 4 others Yumas to the same child.

Ricardo58 wrote:

I just found out I was god father along with 4 others Yumas to the same child.

What's a "Yuma" in this context, please? Does it mean an American? Also, what nationality is the child?

By the way - Google has quite a few entries for "internet in Cuba".

I know several people here in Cayman who are arranging to acquire property in Cuba after the present political system collapses. They may be fooling themselves, of course, but... And some Caymanian men with Cuban wives visit Cuba regularly, and speak highly of the place except for its politics. Cayman has scheduled flights to and from Havana; usually the planes are filled up with US citizens, taking advantage of the fact that the Cuban authorities at the airport don't stamp their passports!

I thought it was possible now for foreigners to buy property/house in /Cuba now?  A Canadian ? I have been under the impression that it would cost more for a Canadian to buy without being married, and doing the 51/49 split, own the house but could in fact buy/own a house.  Is this not correct.  That said there is always  the possibility the Cuban Government could change their mind and sieze it.

livin

In January I went to a hotel in La Habana and internet was way out expensive. So I held a line (patience....) at a post office and the connection was not so bad and far more cheaper.

Wow congrats CubanLover! If its possible could you post details about the container, cost, delay, agency? what about custom fees? Im sure some of us could use the info.... gratias!

livineasy4life wrote:

I thought it was possible now for foreigners to buy property/house in /Cuba now?  A Canadian ? I have been under the impression that it would cost more for a Canadian to buy without being married, and doing the 51/49 split, own the house but could in fact buy/own a house.  Is this not correct.  That said there is always  the possibility the Cuban Government could change their mind and sieze it.

livin

You have a whole lot of wrong information....

There are a grouping of condos that were built for sale to foreigners exclusively in the 80's. It is my understanding that you can still purchase a condo as a foreigner but only in that specific location .... I'm thinking between veradero & Havana if I remember correctly?  Of course they are being sold at prices much above the Cuban average in the $200,000's I believe. As of now, that is the only way for a foreigner to own property in cuba. Even if you are married to a Cuban you still don't own the property. Your name is on the title & you can not be forced to move out but can not sell it.

I have travelled the road between Havana and Varadero a lot and also we have relatives in Santa Cruz. There is one location east of Santa Cruz where there are a couple of hotels. and it isn't far off the road to the Hershey Gardens, but I am unaware of any condo development. There have I understand been various discussions over the last 5-7 years about the Brits in particular developing a condo project, but I think it may have gond in the tank following some of the "corruption" trials when both British and Canadian company directors have been jailed for making additional payments to staff beyong the wage paid by the State.