Journeys that matter

The last event in my life that turned my world upside-down was a trip that I did to Cuba. When you travel, it is easy to be astounded by new places and experiences, but some trips are way more meaningful than others. This one remains one of the most meaningful ones I have ever done.
Before I was able to materialize this adventure, I had been fascinated with Cuba for many years, ever since I discovered their traditional music, like “el Son cubano”, and the books of Pedro Juan Gutierrez, one of my favorite writers. I made the decision of going there after a period of acute emotional turmoil, when I reached a point that the only antidote that I could think of to all of that distress was a classic but effective one: doing a trip alone somewhere far away. The decision was not an easy one, as a trip like that would involve being trapped inside an airplane for plenty of hours, one of my biggest fears.
Somehow, I managed to remain calm for most of the voyage, due in big part to the endless collection of films that the aircraft provided. Once I landed in Havana, I could feel the radical change of environment almost immediately; there was a different energy in the atmosphere, one that injected me with a big rush of adrenaline that lasted for the rest of my stay there. The first two days were kind of a roller coaster ride, as, despite of being aware of the Cuban trickery, I ended up meeting a lot of people who tried to scam me in diverse and imaginative ways. Although I tried to impersonate their accent in order to be a less easy prey, they guessed my condition without much hesitation.
Once I learned the basic surviving manual, I was able to relax and experience the place in its pure, wild essence. I avoided the touristy areas in both Havana and the surrounding areas that I visited, a choice that helped me get a wider perception of their culture. I met many locals that floored me with their unpretentious charm, vital vision of life and laid-back ways. Needless to say, the music shows that I attended blew my mind. The cream of the crop was that I got to meet the aforementioned writer. We were in the same flight back to Spain and chatted for quite a long while. Up to this day, surprisingly, we are still in touch.
This new atmosphere that I got to absorb made a transformation in my whole being; a huge burden lifted from me. As the cliché goes, I wasn’t the same person as when I left.