Visitors from Cuba

Cuban Americans often find ourselves in situations where a visiting friend or relative is overwhelmed by the consumerism of modern American society. Just a walk down the cereal isle at any major supermarket can be a daunting experience for some.

Buying a car is another experience that a visiting Cuban will not soon forget, as I was recently told by a visitor who went along as a family was buying the first car for their teenage daughter. They visited four or five dealerships, and looked at about 10 models with five or six different colors. Some were two-seaters, others four-doors, and a few SUVs. Some had sunroofs, others didn’t. How do you pick one car when there are so many to choose from? And why does a teenager need a car in a city with one of the best public transportation systems in the country?

Some aspects of modern culture are down right absurd… how many I-Pods does a person need? How many game consoles? How many TVs should a 3-bedroom house have? And should each TV have its own home theater system and cable connection? Should children share movies and games, or does each child require her own copy of Lord of The Rings and Star Wars?

We generally shower our visiting relatives with love, gifts, stories and travel experiences… but when they return to Cuba, we return to supporting men like Carlos Gutierrez and Posada Carrilles.

May God forgive us.

Peace.