Visiting the United States post-9/11 has been a taxing experience. However, being only 90 miles away from Cuba, it still is the most convenient location to chill out despite the blood-sucking prices those Charter flights are charging for a mere 45-minute flight. Never mind those cranky Homeland security personnel and those over-the-top security searches. Vale la pena! Still, this must be the most expensive route per nautical mile on earth. It’s actually cheaper to go to Caracas than to fly to Miami. Those freaking Charter companies are really making a killing. I wouldn’t really mind the trouble if I’m not flying on those “vintage” planes. I like my wine vintage, but not the plane I’m riding on. Shame on you, Marazul, CTC, ABC, etc. You are all sucking the blood of those poor Yuma bastards who don’t have any other choice but to use your service! At least, give us more choices of alcohol drinks on the flight! I can’t wait for the unilateral US travel embargo to finally disappear so that your racket will be gone forever.
Miami, a.k.a. North Cuba, does not make you feel like you are in the United States at all. The weather, language, ambiance and the people make you feel that you are somewhere in Latin America. You can hear a cacophony of different Spanish accents – Mexican, Cuban, Dominican, plus a plethora of Brazilians speaking in their hard-to-decipher Portuguese tongue. Are Brazilians really that rich now that they can afford to come in droves? Just like the Chinese, they are everywhere nowadays. Viva los BRICs!
It seems that Latin America has somehow invaded Miami. It just feels out of place from the rest of the US. This is probably the only place in the US where the WASPs acknowledge that they are outnumbered. Spanish is the primary language of communication in Miami, it seems. Heck, even those Haitian taxi drivers try to speak Spanish which, in exasperation, led me to say: sil vous plait monsieur, je ne comprend pas! I was in Miami during the historic election wherein Obama was elected. I distinctly remember some GOP college volunteers who happened to be staying in the room next to mine telling each other to watch out because they were actually “in a foreign country but in name.” Those shameless racists! But they are actually right. Miami belongs to Latin America, culturally and linguistically.
Orlando was a surprisingly nice side-trip from Miami in spite of the circumstances that led to my visit. I was originally planning to travel to DC and Virginia, but a passing hurricane ruined my plans. I had to choose a different destination with all outgoing flights cancelled. I chose to visit Seaworld Orlando instead. I initially thought I was too old for that shit. It turned out to be a great surprise. Here’s a toast to the SHAMMU whale shark show! I had so much fun despite being drenched wet by the intermittent downpour brought by the hurricane.
The only downside I remember was being identified all the time as a seafarer for being Filipino, which was, none to say the least, annoying. Then at the end of it all, the tour agency really pissed me off when they forgot to pick me up on time at the waiting station (the bus arrived an hour late). El conductor me dijo que se olvidó el chino. Of course, they forgot El Chino! Just a minor hiccup in Third World Florida. What else could you expect from Cuban-Americans! They never show up on time just like their relatives on the Island.
New York was definitely a treat, except that the city was sweltering when I came to visit. The temperature was soaring to record highs that one really had no choice but to wear almost nothing. I was walking around in sando and shorts just like everybody else. It was a fun sight though as the women had an excuse to wear the skimpiest clothing they can get away with. I have never seen so many stunningly beautiful women in my life, or was it just the temperature that made me delirious.
New York in summertime is overrun by tourists (including yours truly). They were everywhere. A normal 30-minute queue up the Empire State building took me almost 1 1/2 hours to finish. When I finally got up to the viewing deck, my camera’s battery had run out – mala suerte. The Rockefeller Center was actually much better. It’s also less trodden, but has better views of the city skyline. Avoid Empire State and go to Rockefeller Center instead. All the hassle is not worth the trouble when the alternative is better.
Before summer was out, I got another chance to visit the US, this time to Massachusetts and the District of Columbia (DC) as I complemented my quixotic quest to apply for a scholarship at the Fletcher School with a side trip to DC. Summertime in Massachusetts is something to behold. I love Medford, a small town situated just outside Boston best known as the location of Tufts University. I can see myself living there for an extended period of time although they told me that the New England winter is really horrible.
I went to see the school for myself and for an interview. After being asked why I want to apply for the MALD program, I honestly thought I have no idea why I want to do it. All I know is I need a break from Cuba and the Foreign Service and going back to school is an attractive alternative from the status quo. My interviewer actually gave me something to think about: she told me not to worry since everybody at Fletcher feel the same way. They are also trying to find their way in this world. There you go, Fletcher School! I belong there, so please let me in!
DC was the last leg of my American summertime sojourn. My previous plan to visit the city was cancelled because of a hurricane. I couldn’t pass up the chance to visit the city again (I visited it last April but I couldn’t really go around then) despite being low on funds. Bank of America (BofA) chose the worst time to close my credit card account, allegedly due to “suspicious” transactions, which led me thinking: was it the porn I ordered at the hotel? BofA has a lot of explaining to do. They have already done it to me twice: once in Cancun and the other in Vienna. In both instances, they abruptly closed my account just as I had run out of money. In Vienna, I had to swallow my pride and go to the Embassy to ask for a loan. How embarrassing! In Cancun, I had to subsist on Doritos and the hostel’s free coffee the whole time I was there. I should sue those BofA chumps for all the trouble they got me into. Despite that unfortunate hiccup, DC was simply amazing though I would have loved to explore Georgetown more. Well, there’s always the next time.