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Bonus Materials:FinalEntries&Thoughts

FacesofCubaGracias

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July 9, 6:08 AMMoving Day

My alarm was set for 5:45AM, but I awoke and gotup 8 minutes beforehand. I

performed one lastritualistic bathroom

procedure then sat down towrite a quick entry,

probably my last from thecompound. The sun is not

quite up, but most everyonein our group is. I heard onelast water cart rattle down

the street. In about sixhours I'll be back inAmerica!

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2:48PMBackintheUSA

TheMiamiairportisnottheeasiesttogetaround.LuckilytherewasalongKmebetweenourarrivalfromHolguinandthe2:55

departureforPhiladelphia.Theplaneisboarding,butitiscertainwewillnotleaveonKme.TheexitfromCubawaspreQymuchas

unevenRulasmyentrance.Thesecurityguardwhookayedmydeparturedidnotseemtobeinagoodmood.HeaskedifIspokeSpanish

andwhereIstayedwhileinCuba.IpolitelyansweredthequesKons.Iwasmostdisappointedwhenhesimplyreplied,notomyrequest

tostampmypassport.

Ispentmy12remainingCUCsonatshirt,oreansnackcrackers,andcoffeeforaKe.Bytheway,it's2:54,andwehavejustleZthegate.

Backhome,backonKme

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Hellbenttospendmyfirstnightbackinmyownbed,IdeterminedtoexercisetheleastdesirableofthreeopKonsaffordedmewhenI

gottotheGeorgeSchoolandmycar.Franwalkedmetomycartomakesureitstartedup,aZerhavingsatintheparkinglotforthree

weeks.Itdid,andheleZtojoinhiswifeintheirnearbyhome.AsIbackedthecaroutofthespace,myheartsank.Itseemedlikeeither

somethingunderneathwasbrokenorthatIhadfourflatKres.Irefusedtoletthisdeterme,figuringthattherewasnoservicestaKonor

garageopenonaSaturdayevening(norwouldtherebeoneopenthenextday).Iputthecarontheroad,hopingthatwhateverwas

wrongwouldrightitself.UnKlthismoment,thatneverhappens.Luckily,Iwaslivingineachmoment.Imademywaytothe

PennsylvaniaTurnpike,acKvatedthecruisecontrol,andheadedforhome.ETA:2AM.Thenightdriveprovidedscantglimpsesoffamiliar

terrain,butthefamiliarfarmlandsstoodasideandletmepasseffortlesslyforthesixhourdrive.By1:30Iwashome.

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Asfatewouldhaveit,IwouldalsogettoDisneyWorld.MywifesjobtookherthereinNovember.With

vividmemoriesofthepovertyandsimplicityofCubasKllfreshinmymind,itwasaninteresKngtrip.Ithink

aboutmyexperiencesduringthatthreeweekperiodwithmixedemoKons.Pungtogetherthisphoto

essaybroughtbackmanystrongfeelings,bothgoodandbad.AsIthinkaboutmylifesinceCuba,Ihave

beentruetotheprinciplesIwantedtomaintain.WhenIsharemyexperiences,Ialwaysspeakofthe

peopleImetasbeingCubansnotCommunists,butgroupsdrivenbyfaith,family,andresilience.Theyareproudoftheirheritageandaccomplishments.Theyaretalentedandstrong.Theyare

survivors.WheneveraKmecomeswhenIneedtobesostrong,IhopeIamuptoit.

Ofcourse,thetriptaughtmetobemoreappreciaKveoftheresourcesIhave,both

materialandfamilial.ItrytogetthemostoutofmyKmewithfamily,and

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eachnightthemoonshines,Ismile.

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