Havana, Cuba
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Today I will live a day like a Cuban.
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Good morning, it's approximately 7:30 am,
and I want to welcome you to this experience that we will live together.
Because I think there is no better way to understand the reality of what is happening in this country
than to live life as an ordinary Cuban.
And for that I am staying here in the house of a friend who has kindly told me...
-Come in! -Good Morning!
Look the crazy face I have, come in.
-Hi Frank! -Hi Frank! Hi Oscar!
Everything is fine.
Nice to meet you, I'm Frank Camallerys.
Frank has the biggest YouTube channel here in Cuba.
But as you are watching, being a YouTuber and having a YouTube channel
does not make you a different person from what ordinary Cubans live in this country.
That is what this video is going to be about,
that you show me how your daily life is,
how you bathe, or what products you use, or what breakfast your grandmother is preparing for us.
Let's see, that's no big deal.
I mean, I don't think it's that interesting, but if you want.
Yes! I think it can be very interesting for me, as for all the people who see us.
Look, if you want to live like a Cuban every day, the first thing is breakfast.
My grandmother is already preparing breakfast and I want you to go.
And she is making coffee? I need a coffee right now.
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Well, I'm starving!
What you see here is a typical Cuban breakfast.
We have bread with omelet and we have eggs stuffed with ham.
That's delicious! I've never seen it!
Boiled eggs...
The yolk is crushed, you add ham and mayonnaise...
-Perfect! So, stuffed eggs with ham, right? -Exactly.
-And obviously coffee. -And mango juice.
Mango juice... This tastes good! Delicious!
Well, bon appetit.
And you don't add butter? Do not you add cheese?
You can eat bread with butter in the morning or bread with mayonnaise,
but if it is with omelette, it is bread with omelette, and that's it.
-And that's it? -Yes.
The Weekly Package
Ok, for many of us this is a common hard drive,
but in this country this hard drive is extremely important.
Do you want to tell me how valuable the information is here?
-Well, look... This is the weekly package. -The weekly package!
-And what's in here? -Now, basically there are several people
who are dedicated to downloading information from the internet,
whether it is Netflix series, HBO series, reality show, novels, YouTube videos.
I mean, YouTuber's best known and they put it here.
Here is a Terabyte of information.
You rent it for 24 hours, they bring it to your home, you copy it...
-On your computer... -What you want to see...
Is like the internet of Cubans!
Okay, wait... We're going back and digesting this information a bit in case it wasn't clear.
It turns out that here in Cuba there is no satellite television, there is no DIRECTV, there is no Dish TV,
there is no Latin Movistar, obviously there is no internet at home.
-No. -And there is no cable television either.
-Neither! -Neither...
So, the only television you can watch is the television that the government provides.
-There is no private television. -There are no private channels.
The only way for the Cuban people to connect and stay up to date with what happens,
with the television series, with the Netflix series, even with YouTube channels...
-It is the weekly package. -It is the weekly package.
How much is this? I mean, how much does it cost to be subscribed to this service?
-We pay $ 1. -$ 1 every time it arrives?
-But it's very cheap. -Yes.
It also has everything you want, you have the last season of La Casa de Papel,
the last season of Game of Thrones... Next week you have it.
Now, another thing that obviously makes me more impressed
is that we are watching this through YouTube,
you don't watch YouTube on your home computer,
you watch YouTube videos downloaded here.
I'm dying to know what videos and what we are going to find inside this hard drive.
Okay, I love this moment of the video because Diego is helping us record.
Hi Diego! Say hello.
He is Frank's cousin and is addicted to the YouTuber he sees.
Okay, we're about to check what's in this hard drive. Frank, what's in there?
You see, the first thing that shows us are film cycles,
firm cycles are simply trilogy of films.
Concerts. Let's see, concerts. The only concert we see here is that of Bon Jovi.
Exactly. Because it is the concert that was recorded this week.
Okey. perfect. Ready! What else is there?
-They are reality show but in Spanish. -Okay, El Desafio...
El Desafio... Is that program broadcast by Caracol or RCN?
Exatlon, this is broadcast on Telemundo right now.
Here is Junior Master Chef 1, The resistance. Master Chef Uruguay.
Oh, Woao!
America's Got Talent, Big Brother US, English Britain's Got Talent,
Celebrity Treasure Island. Perfect! What else?
Woao!
-All the internet here! -Literally!
Humor... Oh, woao! Here is El Rubius, Juega Germán, Luxu.
Let's see some of Juega German...
Here you can only see the most famous YouTuber.
Okay! What famous YouTubers are here?
Here is Auron Play, Dallas Review, there is David López, De Barrios,
Encufhe TV, Juampa Zurita, Lele Pons, Los Polinesios, Luisito Comunica, Luisito Rey, Pew Die Pie...
Okay. Open a video of Luisito Comunica to see if they are updated or not.
Here is the Dubai thing, open a video, open a video to watch.
WTF!
Luisito Comunica not on YouTube, but in the weekly package from Cuba.
Look, here in the "Interesting" folder, there are also Youtubers...
Ah! Interesting! That is, the trends...
-Let's see… -For example, here in "Varied" folder...
-You can see the last video... -Oh ok! Varied folder…
"Alan por el mundo"... Ok! I love it!
Ok, those are Alan's latest videos, obviously.
-Badabun. -Badabun!
Rosy Mcmichael!
MarialeLSP, here is Sandra Cires that I love...
Okay, I'm freaking out, my head is exploding right now.
How long will it take to download, to all these people, this amount of videos?
Because there really is a lot.
I've asked myself too and they take a lot of work to do it...
-For $ 1. -For $ 1.
Friends, this is shocking.
You should start a business in Miami of weekly packages.
I believe that it is not necessary! That it is not necessary, honestly.
The Ration Card
I have in my hands something that I have been hearing since I have reason.
This is the popular ration card...
But if you read it, it says exactly: "Sales control for food products".
Frank, how does this matter work?
Look, if you open it, it has a few numbers and there is also a stamp,
for example, I will read what it says, fuel, ready...
Electricity, manufactured gas, kerosene, liquefied gas, if I keep moving forward...
That depends on the service your home has.
I mean, it depends on how you pay... For example, the gas,
if the service comes from the street... You must pay for this service here...
But, let's see... Also, look, if we turn the page there says products:
rice, grains, oil, sugar, sugar c, compote, salt, food... Then comes consumers...
That is, they are the people who live in the house and are registered there.
Okay, I'm seeing some names, a date of birth, sex.
-Those are the meat products... -The meat products...
That also include the eggs there.
But, notice, on meat products there are annotations that are not understood.
The fact is, how does this matter work?
Each family has a ration card. I mean, all families...
-Each family has a ration card. -Exactly.
And all the people who live in a house are listed here.
-Okay. -Once a week...
Regardless of when they leave different products that they give you,
you go to the store, which is where they give you all the products,
they write that they already gave it to you that month, and you return to your house.
-And they give them to you? -Yes.
The interesting thing about this is that they give it to you for a very cheap price.
Ok, it's not free.
An example, the bread that is also registered on the ration card, that we just ate...
For example, the 8 loaves that come to my house are about 40 cents.
I mean, I'm feeling a little bad right now
because I just consumed some of the products that were for someone in your family.
Exactly. It was a bread that could have been eaten by another person.
but usually when you go to the bakery, apart from the 8 loaves
-you can buy more bread for a price... -At a higher price...
Super cheap anyway... I mean, it's not like you ate anyone's bread.
Ah, okay!
I see grains, rice, oil, sugar, compotes, salt, coffee, matches.
But, for example, I do not see shampoo, I do not see soap, I do not see toothpaste,
they are not products that are in the ration book, we need them in everyday life...
How do you do that?
Those products do not come in the ration book because the ration book is only food,
those products you buy them in the same warehouse but you buy them on your part.
-Do you know what I mean? -Sure, of course.
-It is not included there but you can buy it. -At a higher price?
Cheap anyway, just not here...
In the warehouse is where you can find them cheaper, that's what I try to tell you.
For example, how long does a ration card last?
It is renewed every year, it has targeted for the twelve months of the year.
Do they ration these products monthly?
Depending on when they deliver it to you, but yes, it is monthly.
It is monthly, I consumed the bread this month
and I am entitled to the same amount of bread the following month.
Exactly, the problem is that they give you bread daily.
I mean, every day you can go to get one bread per person.
It is complicated!
Time to leave home...
Okay! I think this morning has been quite interesting and we have learned a lot.
And you just told me that we're going out because you have an interesting plan for today.
I'm going to take you to a place you're going to go crazy.
Woao! Where we go?
I will not tell you now.
But first I invite you to take a shower and I will explain how you bathe in Cuba.
Wait! Wait! A Cuban shower?
I mean, but showering is the same as everywhere in the world... Water, shampoo and soap.
I mean, the Cuban shower was something that came to mind,
but I will explain to you how Cubans bathe every day.
-I mean, the majority. -Well, okay. Let's do it.
Let's see, I welcome you to the bathroom of my house,
and I will show you two elements that cannot be missed when a Cuban is going to bathe,
one is a bucket and a jar.
Okay, what I'm not understanding is that if tap water comes out...
Why do we have a bucket and a jar?
Because when it's cold, what do you do? You fill the bucket to some extent
you heat water, because there is no hot water in the shower.
Ah! Because there is no hot water in the shower.
I got it all, ok.
So, you heat the water, add it to the cold water you already have, and with the bowl you bathe.
I think that everything makes sense, the idea is to bathe with hot water.
Exactly.
-Okay. So, I am going to take a Cuban shower. -A Cuban shower.
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Here I brought you the hot water.
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If you see, the water has magnesium, that is because when they heat it,
it releases the magnesia and stays in the pot.
This is the pot that your family generally uses to heat the water.
Exactly.
Ok, moment of the Cuban shower, how to use, grab the jar,
this water is delicious, it is warm.
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-Frank! -Tell me.
-And the shampoo? -We do not have.
-You do not have. And then how do I do it? -With soap.
-With this bar of soap. -Exactly.
Ok it's fine.
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I honestly think that it is more comfortable to bathe from under the shower but, well...
If that's the tradition here, well, you have to follow them.
I promised to live a day like a Cuban.
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Okay, we're right at the bus stop in front of Frank's house
and I want to know what are we going to do and where are we going?
Right now we are going to one of the most visited places by the Cuban.
I want you to tell me please which means of transport we will use to get there.
Right now we are going to take a guagua, it is a public transport,
it is the most common daily transport throughout Cuba.
But I have seen that there are many public transports,
you have talked about almond cars, taxis... A guagua, what is it?
For us, the guagua is the bus as it is said worldwide.
-Okay. -It is given that name.
And how much does it cost to move in a bus?
Actually there are 40 cents of Cuban pesos, like $0.05.
-Nothing. -But normally the Cuban pays 1 peso.
Now, you told me that it exists as a kind of transport crisis. How is that affecting?
The truth is that there is little fuel in the country
so the number of buses in all of Havana was reduced.
Okay, so there are fewer buses and therefore there are more...
Higher demand, so the buses fill up a lot more.
Well, let's see how we are doing in this transport experience.
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We spent an hour waiting for the bus, but it did not arrive.
Are we not riding a guagua? Is this not a guagua?
This is called rutero, which is different from the guagua.
-Okay, but does it serve the same purpose? -Yes.
-And this is more expensive? -It is worth 5 pesos.
-It is worth 5 pesos. -While the bus is worth 1 peso.
-While the guagua is worth 1 peso. -Exactly.
-Well, but it is taking us where we want. -And with air conditioning.
The guagua does not have air conditioning.
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We arrived at our first destination.
Inside this ruined building is a sale of vegetables or, as we say here, an "Agro".
Vegetables, greens, and pulse by law cannot be sold inside supermarkets in Cuba,
that's why they created these places.
The prices are marked in national pesos and, as you can see, they are quite supportive,
accessible to the Cuban, although the variety is quite limited.
Of the whole list of fruits that they should sell,
we could barely see some bananas, avocados, yucas and potatoes.
You could not miss a poster to remind everyone who comes to buy here,
who is the commander of this situation.
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Where are we at this moment? What particular place is this?
Look, since soon you will return to your country I want you to go clean.
That I go clean? Where have you brought me?
I brought you to meet the best Babalao I know from all of Havana.
-To the best Babalao in all of Havana? -Exacly!
He is going to do a cleaning for you to leave like never before.
Hey, very good!
Look, Oscar. I introduce you to Jorge, and he is the person I trust most.
-Hello Jorge, nice to meet you! -My pleasure.
Tell me, what are we going to do right now?
Well, let's do now, let's do a Sara Yende Yang Pie of Legua
-Wait wait! A little slower. A what? -A Sara Yende...
-A Sara Yende... -A Sara Yende Yang Pie of Legua.
Yang Pie of Legua... Okay. And that is a cleaning.
A cleaning for you to return to your country with health and stability.
Well, I love it. And what does it take to do that cleaning?
-An oni... An egg. -An egg...
Well, let's start.
I am very anxious and excited about this that will happen.
-Can you take off your hat? -Yes, sure.
-That's it. -The ceremony is over.
It's finished.
This oni, which is the egg is thrown into a mountain...
If it sounds, it is that it picked up something negative.
Let's see, and does it sound?
No. It means that it has not picked up anything negative.
It has not picked up anything negative. You came clean.
I came clean, what good news, but you have to throw it away.
Asking Legua to clean you, to guide you on a good path, to give you health and stability.
-And what should I say? Amen? -No.
Let's see, let's repeat.
Can you teach me?
-Thank you very much, nice to meet you. -My pleasure!
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Well, ending this day as a Cuban we have come to a place that I am very excited to be,
and I want Frank himself to be the one to present it and tell you where we are.
Well, we are in the traditional and magical Malecón Habanero,
one of the places that I think all the people who come to Cuba should visit,
and that also visits the Cuban too.
I imagine that you heard that song of: "Until The Malecon dries up",
and I am understanding the song because The Malecon is always wet.
-All the time! -That is, the song means... Never!
I mean, this will never happen, because The Malecon is never going to dry.
Tell me, you told me just before you arrived that you Cubans
had a kind of ritual when you came here, tell me a little about it.
Exactly, the Cuban when he wants to forget the sorrows, when he has a problem...
You failed a test, your wife threw you away or you simply want to come and have a good time.
You come to the Malecon, you sit with a view of the sea,
you forget what is behind and you let the sorrows.
Well, we are going to do it immediately because if you as Cubans, this is your tradition,
we are going to do it right now, we are going to sit on the edge,
what we have here on our shore is the Caribbean Sea.
At this moment I want to ask for the Cuban people, I want to ask for all of you,
I want to ask for this beautiful nation that has opened the doors for me,
I want to ask for all the community I know in Miami that have proven to be the best people.
I want to ask for your dreams to come true,
I want to ask for Cuba to be the most beautiful country in the world and to be happy,
I want to ask right now, here, on your Malecon, on the Malecon of your town,
in the most magical place in this city, that all that can be accomplished.
Many thanks!
Thanks to you because you have been the best guide for me to make my video come true,
and I will never forget that.
It was a pleasure for me to have met you and, more than anything,
that you enjoyed being in my country.
So is. Obviously you have to subscribe to Frank's channel,
here at the bottom I will leave the link to start watching his videos.
And I am @oscaralejandro on Instagram and you are @camallerys.
That said, from here, from the magical Malecon of Havana we tell you that it will be...
Until the next video!
Suscribe!
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