fields of love. [reflections on communism, part one]

may thirtieth.

it’s day one.
and i’ve only been here
for a few hours,

but i should just go ahead
and throw this out there:

i just don’t know
what i think about this
whole socialist gig.

i mean, it doesn’t seem
too bad to live like 1962.

cool cars.
high waisted skirts.
really big & teased hair!
big band music with latin flair.
and all the rock n roll oldie goodies.

without all the
never-sleeping-social-media madness
because internet is scarce. and when
it is available. it’s a dialup modem
from 1999.

it feels like the outside
is more appreciated.

and that the society flows itself
within simple days,
seemingly.

i know the population is deprived
of many rights, expressions,
and opinions. along with

unlimited opportunities.

i have read about this country
for years. i grew up in florida.

where this island was just a smidgin
of 90 miles south of our coast.

i grew up in the northern part of the state.
which is close enough to hear first-hand stories

from the older generation about wearing dog tags to
school in jacksonville during the whole missile crisis.

but not close enough to have experienced the sweet
and loving and family oriented warmth of the exiles
that had moved to south florida.

so since my experience was based upon the culture of my geography,
i remember learning about the island’s political environment. and
assuming how communist-ly cold everyone who lived there must be.
and i imagined the people

all wearing soviet union branded parkas
just like i saw on the saturday morning cartoons.

i don’t know, i was in elementary school

and i didn’t really think about the fact
that no one who lives that close to the equator
would ever wear a parka no matter what their

political orientation may be. but i envisioned
cold & harsh & empty minds and souls.

[embarrassing ignorance, i admit]

—
but now that i am here.
now that i am breathing in the air.

is it really so bad?

simple streets of havana.

free healthcare for all? check.
free education with a 100% literacy rate? check.

like i said,
i just don’t know
what i think about this
whole socialist gig.

it’s only day one. and
my journal is already filled
with so many thoughts and ideas
and dreams.

and self reflections
and communist reflections

and hopes for freedom
for both.

—
so here’s to the process
of questioning and experiencing
all the world’s view points to

sharpen my own.

—
brilliant 100c photography
credited to @susannakohly.

Tags: children, cuba, cultures, havana, travel, worldview