Several Americans have desired to taste the forbidden fruit of Cuba, illegal for most people to travel to due to the embargo that has been in effect since the 1960s. It is becoming less impossible over time, as loopholes in the travel ban make it possible for a small number of individuals to go yearly. The number of individuals traveling to Cuba is increasing annually, but do not mistake Cuba for Busch Gardens or Cancun or the price to pay will indeed be very steep.
Cultural swap makes Cuba travel possible
The relationship between Cuba and the United States in the last half century has not been very good. It has been pretty terrible really. MSNBC states that President Clinton signed a bill in 1999 allowing a small number of people to travel to Cuba although the Cuban embargo the Kennedy administration put into impact is still there. An individual is allowed to go to Cuba as long as they are going for “people to people contacts,” or to engage in Cuban culture and learn about the people in Cuba. It is not enough to hope to see the people and places. Individuals must have itineraries to be able to be allowed to go.
Not as tough to get in
An individual has to book a trip through a group authorized to go to Cuba if an individual wants to get in. The State Department won’t have to approve travel itineraries anymore ahead of time meaning it will be easier to get into a tour of Cuba. It is not a good idea to take children to Cuba though. The State Department site explains that even though “person to person” travel is allowed, more individuals will Cuba for governmental, religious or journalistic purposes. As long as relatives are Cuban nationals, people can go to Cuba to see them. There is no United States Embassy in Cuba, though a U.S. Special Interests Section is located in the Swiss Embassy in Havana, functioning as an embassy of sorts.
Get documents in order first
The State Department claims Cuba is “a totalitarian police state” that utilizes physical and other means to control its citizens. Make sure you have your paperwork in order and are behaved well while visiting Cuba. Most Cubans cannot travel at all. Cuba costs have to be around $150 with the exit visa “white card” that Cubans need to leave Cuba. The Christian Science Monitor reports that Cubans typically are hardly able to eat with the $20 a month they live off of. If the Raul Castro regime is willing to make changes, President Obama would be willing to lift some restrictions on trade and travel, states Reuters. Evidently Obama is attempting to normalize relations with the country. Trade in Cuba is beginning to occur more often. Castro will not bid farewell to communism though.
Citations
MSNBC
msnbc.msn.com/id/43126754/ns/travel-news/
U.S. Department of State on traveling to Cuba
travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html
Christian Science Monitor
csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2011/0513/Cubans-may-no-longer-be-stuck-on-Caribbean-isle
Reuters
reuters.com/article/2011/05/13/us-usa-cuba-obama-idUSTRE74C3P820110513
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