A hope for change is wished upon Cuba’s current state by two natives from Cuba: Bakersfield College professors Maritza Salgueiro-Carlisle and René Trujillo.
Spanish professor Salgueiro-Carlisle and philosophy professor Trujillo both had different memories of what it was like growing up in Cuba.
In 1959 the dictator of Cuba, Fidel Castro, gained power through the Cuban Revolution. Recently Castro resigned supremacy and handed office to his brother Raul Castro. “How can they pass the power to a blood brother?” said Salgueiro-Carlisle. “They are treating that power like it’s no big deal.”
“It’s a slow approach,” said Trujillo. “With Raul in power there might be some change because of Raul’s connection with the people.”
Both professors have the same idea of change. The change could be slow, but there’s hope.
“There’s an old Spanish saying,” said Trujillo. “It’s better to live with the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.
“Here in America, there are always positive views of ‘change,’ ” said Trujillo, ” but every Cuban will question if it will change for the better or the worst.”
Cubans had different views of the way Castro ruled Cuba in forms of the currency system, public transportation, economic change and the educational program.
“What I remembered the most about Cuba was the desire to learn,” said Salgueiro-Carlisle. She said the educational system was provided for all ages and any kind of ethnicity. “The literacy level dropped,” said Carlisle.
“What I remembered the most about Cuba was fear,” said Trujillo. “If my family and relatives were going to be OK, because it was prohibited to speak about the government.”
Salgueiro-Carlisle described the land structure in Cuba and how they were being watched by federal agents.
“Each block had a committee, which watched each house,” said Salgueiro-Carlisle. “They were watching and making sure we were not against the revolution.”
Growing up, Trujillo had a father who spoke against the government and the previous government. “Because of the government, my father was forced to leave the country and cause my family to be separated.”
Salgueiro-Carlisle had a similar situation regarding separation of the family structure. “Some sort of military figure was chasing my brother,” she said. “That terrible system forced us to hide my brother, but there was no reason to chase my brother.”
According to Salgueiro-Carlisle, all schools wore uniforms and all were forced to wave the Cuban flag when Castro spoke. “It was a huge robotic society. It was frustrating to live like that,” she said angrily.
Trujillo mentioned that Cuba lost its ideal for the people a long time ago. “The 1959 Cuba does not exist for those who left and are hoping to go back, and the dream does not exist anymore.”
Both professors left their homeland at an early age, Carlisle at 11 and Trujillo at 10.
“We left in a small raft to Mexico and were able to locate my father there,” said Trujillo. “Under John F. Kennedy, the Cuban Refugee Act helped us get to the United States.”
Salgueiro-Carlisle described her arrival to the United States. “My uncle was able to claim us, and we were able to travel to Miami. From there we traveled to Puerto Rico.”
Sometimes, people return to their homeland to visit. “I would absolutely go back to visit,” said Trujillo. “I still have relatives over there, and I still have some emotional attachments for my homeland.”
Salgueiro-Carlisle had a different opinion: “I would not visit Cuba until everything is fixed. It’s like an abused kid. Once you hit age 18, the teenager would get out of there., and say ‘I’m free.’ “