Cuban Daily Life
The daily life of most Cubans revolves around one theme: resolver — "to solve," "to organize," "to procure." In a country with chronic supply shortages, the art of obtaining things is a basic life skill. Where are there eggs today? Who has soap? Where can you buy flour? The lines in front of the stores (colas) can last for hours.
The state average salary is equivalent to 20–40 € per month (4,000–8,000 CUP). No one can live on that — prices have skyrocketed since the currency reform. Cubans survive through a combination of:
- Remesas: Money transfers from relatives abroad (especially Miami)
- Black market: Bartering, informal businesses, selling homegrown vegetables
- Tourism: Casas Particulares, taxi driving, cigar sales, waiting tables — a waiter with tips often earns more than a surgeon
- Libreta: The state ration book that guarantees subsidized basic foodstuffs (rice, beans, sugar, oil) — enough for about 2 weeks per month
Despite the economic misery, the joy of life of the Cubans is astonishing: music, dance, humor, and neighborhood help are the counterbalance to scarcity. The hospitality towards strangers is genuine and heartfelt — not just a tourism strategy.
