tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39966887025826757532024-02-08T05:07:57.872-08:00Journey to Cuba with Pastors for Peacejanine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-24733304016454275032012-04-14T12:31:00.000-07:002012-04-14T12:31:11.564-07:00911 Truth with Jim Fetzer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nKvFbtI9NGw" width="420"></iframe></div>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-91902281055852024882012-02-11T12:31:00.001-08:002012-02-11T12:31:30.267-08:00danny glover on the cuban five<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/riNcuAnA07o" width="560"></iframe></div><br />
</div>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-56750817375049849362012-02-11T12:12:00.000-08:002012-02-11T12:30:36.679-08:00Charity, or Justice?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VqrBGXS30vU/TzbLiKaSekI/AAAAAAAAAWM/-ob0ri_WOzY/s1600/janine+in+cuba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VqrBGXS30vU/TzbLiKaSekI/AAAAAAAAAWM/-ob0ri_WOzY/s320/janine+in+cuba.jpg" width="240"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">An online friend of mine, a social worker, recently returned from Cuba. I told her I’m <span style="color: #0000f2;"><a href="http://pastorsforpeace.org/" target="_blank">planning to travel with the 23rd Friendshipment Caravan again this summer</a></span>, and she responded:</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br>
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">“I wonder about the impact of charity on the Cuban identity and their autonomy. I have this same concern with the work I do but do it anyways, cuz where would the people be without it? Very hungry and cold!”</span></i><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br>
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">Regular <i>Street Newz</i> readers know that we appreciate the hard work of front line workers, but ultimately we hope to inspire change at the source. We, along with the reputed 99%, realize that the overall situation is in serious need of an upgrade. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br>
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">I told my friend that the Caravan does function in the realm of charity, bringing donated hospital and school supplies directly to an organization of Cuban people (not the government) who distribute the aid using an application process. In addition, though, the Caravan is working for fundamental, foundational, systemic change. We demand a normalization of relations. For the past 50 years, US Foreign Policy has maintained an immoral and (according to everyone at the UN General Assembly except the USA and Israel) an illegal economic blockade against the small island nation whose experiment with socialism is perceived as an ideological threat. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" face="'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br>
</div></div><a href="http://cubajourney.blogspot.com/2012/02/charity-or-justice.html#more">Read more »</a>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-7988127840491036262011-12-30T17:01:00.000-08:002011-12-30T20:43:19.557-08:00planning for the 2012 caravan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">it's been a couple of years since i participated on the caravan. although it's a ton of work with a distinct lack of (or uncomfortable) sleep, it's such an incredible adventure. in 2011 i went to the us/canada border to help send the caravanistas on their way, across the first of three international borders, and we were confronted with much resistance. it took several hours to get the van and caravanistas across, and in the process a friend and i (both former caravanistas) definitely caught caravan fever. we've made a pact to survive the 2012 journey, and today i bought a new sleeping pad (made in seattle) during the boxing week sales, in preparation for the adventure.<br />
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here's a video from the 2011 picnic at the peace arch park just south of vancouver, as the caravan prepared to cross into the usa: <br />
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<object height="264" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/10150296192570891" /> <embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/10150296192570891" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="264"></embed></object></div>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-33998897820308677502009-09-01T10:14:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:15:50.757-07:00Rev. Lucius Walker talks about his visit with Fidel Castro<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pFaKO865GNE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pFaKO865GNE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><span class="fullpost"></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-66959552500786347442009-08-26T10:25:00.000-07:002009-08-26T10:33:42.251-07:00BC Throne speech signals uncertainty for health care<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SpVxMrndhtI/AAAAAAAAAUk/s7an8seKiWw/s1600-h/DSCN6075.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SpVxMrndhtI/AAAAAAAAAUk/s7an8seKiWw/s320/DSCN6075.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374326193017161426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(photo: despite a 48 year economic embargo, Cuba continues to put health care on the top of their priority list.)</span></span><br /><br />August 25, 2009 <br /><br />The <a href="http://heu.org">Hospital Employees' Union</a> says today's Throne Speech offers little comfort to B.C. families and communities who need to know that quality and accessible health care will be available even in tough economic times.<br /><br />The government’s promise to protect health care has already been badly compromised by its direction to health authorities to make more than $300 million in spending cuts to critical services including seniors’ care, community health programs, surgeries and diagnostic procedures.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />"British Columbians are looking to government to ensure that health care and other vital public services are protected, especially when their own economic security is at risk,” says HEU secretary-business manager Judy Darcy.<br /><br />“But government’s actions so far this summer and the message in today’s throne speech provide little reassurance to families and communities.”<br /><br />Darcy says a planned review of health authority spending and operations will fail if its chief objective is to pave the way for further cuts.<br /><br />“Our health care system is already stretched to capacity. Further cuts to front-line services and staff would be a costly mistake,” says Darcy.<br /><br />“A rushed review to meet budget pressures is doomed to fail patients and cost taxpayers more in the long run. Careful planning and consultation with front-line staff is key to finding better ways to deliver services to the public.”<br /><br />In response to the government’s re-announcement of a public sector wage freeze, HEU says that the province’s fiscal situation must be balanced against the reality of ongoing retention and recruitment issues.<br /><br />For many health professionals represented by HEU, like Licensed Practical Nurses, wages are no longer competitive with those in neighbouring provinces and do not reflect increased training requirements and expanded responsibilities.<br /><br />“Government has acknowledged that we need to rejuvenate the ranks in health care and other parts of the public sector in the face of an aging workforce,” says Darcy.<br /><br />“Our union is committed to working with government at the bargaining table and in other venues to make sure that British Columbians continue to have access to skilled and experienced health care workers in the future.”<br /><br /> </span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-39100635372481786042009-08-26T09:03:00.001-07:002009-08-26T09:06:39.937-07:00Caravanista Jerry's Awesome Photos!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gcrangi">Click here to see Jerry's really beautiful photos from this year's Cuba journey.</a>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-24251071338598171402009-08-23T12:51:00.001-07:002009-08-23T13:11:32.665-07:00Dear 09 Cuba Caravanistas:)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SpGiYeiYCTI/AAAAAAAAAUc/pqQBEwvGuTk/s1600-h/DSCN5310.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SpGiYeiYCTI/AAAAAAAAAUc/pqQBEwvGuTk/s320/DSCN5310.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373254371827517746" /></a><div><br /></div>It was a pleasure to travel, work and learn with you in Texas, Mexico and Cuba. I hope you have all returned safely home or are enjoying your return travels if not yet home. I have uploaded the bulk of the 3,400+ pics I took during our two weeks together into 12 MobileMe galleries (see links below). I have only deleted a few images that were private or potentially embarrassing. Otherwise you get to see my unedited pics (good, bad and ugly).<br /><br />I am happy to share these with you as I know that many of you did not have cameras or that your cameras had problems. Sorry if I got in the way of your shots and hopefully the images I captured can replace ones you lost for one reason or another. Feel free to use these for Facebook, presentations, etc. All that I ask is that you give me credit as the photographer (Blake H. Schmidt) WHEREVER you use my photos and please DO NOT sell my photos. If someone is interested in them please let me know.<br /><br />Each original (RAW) image I took was 8-10 MB. The ones you can copy are about 1/10th the size but still good quality JPEGs. If for some reason you need larger/higher quality copies of selected images please contact me.<br /><br />Have a great rest of the summer and best to you and yours.<br /><br />Blake<br /><br />P.S. You can find me on Facebook as Blake Howell Schmidt. My other contact info is below:)<br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100071">CC 09-1</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100064">CC 09-2</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100081">CC 09-3</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100189">CC 09-4</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100218">CC 09-5</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100179">CC 09-6</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100225">CC 09-7</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100195">CC 09-8</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100243">CC 09-9</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100260">CC 09-10</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100268">CC 09-11</a> <http:><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bhschmidt#100275">CC 09-12</a> <http:><br /><br /><br /><br /><mailto:bhschmidt com=""></mailto:bhschmidt></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-9774458035228974622009-08-13T11:48:00.000-07:002009-08-13T11:50:17.624-07:00HARLEM-BASED PASTOR MEETS WITH CUBAN LEADERS RAUL AND FIDEL CASTROMEDIA ADVISORY<br /><br />August 12, 2009 — for immediate release<br />Contact: Lucia Bruno (212) 926-5757, (347) 426-4330<br /> Ellen Bernstein (646) 319-5902<br /><br />ON EVE OF 83RD BIRTHDAY, FIRST PUBLIC PHOTOS OF FIDEL SINCE FEBRUARY 2009<br /><br />Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., founder and executive director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, had the unusual opportunity to have extended meetings with Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz and with ex-President Fidel Castro Ruz. The meetings took place when Rev. Walker was in Cuba recently with the 20th Pastors for Peace Caravan.<br /><br />Rev. Walker indicated that he came away from these meetings with a renewed sense of the potential that exists for improving US/Cuba relations. "Both leaders made it clear that Cuba is ready for talks covering any and all points of interest to both parties” said Rev. Walker.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><br /><br />The 20th US/Cuba Friendshipment Caravan organized by IFCO/Pastors for Peace returned from Cuba last week. Its 130 participants successfully delivered 132 tons of humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba.<br /><br />Since 1992, Pastors for Peace caravans have delivered more than 3132 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba. The aid includes hurricane reconstruction supplies, medical and educational equipment, computers, and school buses. Members of the 20th caravan visited Havana and several rural provinces, where they saw and participated in ongoing efforts to recover from the three hurricanes that hit Cuba in the summer of 2008.<br /><br />Rev. Walker is available for interviews and appearances on talk shows.<br /><br />Pastors for Peace is a project of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), which has been working for racial, social, and economic justice since 1967. Photos, video clips, and more information are available at <a href="http://www.pastorsforpeace.org">www.pastorsforpeace.org</a><br /><br />ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE</span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-78765238310260243222009-08-09T14:42:00.000-07:002009-08-10T12:58:07.524-07:00A Comprehensive Links List<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/Sn9M-NT1-3I/AAAAAAAAAUU/8ChxTbNGDfo/s1600-h/DSCN6094.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/Sn9M-NT1-3I/AAAAAAAAAUU/8ChxTbNGDfo/s320/DSCN6094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368093912457411442" border="0" /></a>here's a list of all the photos and videos i've uploaded from the 2009 caravan. for some reason the photos uploaded in reverse order, last to first. there's a lot more video that i'll be editing as time permits over the next while, i'll add the links to this edit. feel free to link to this site, to download and keep any of this stuff, or to pass the links along to friends.<br /><br />i'm gonna put the 2009 caravan behind me now, and resume blogging at <a href="http://janinebandcroft.blogspot.com/">janinebandcroft.blogspot.com</a>, as time permits.<br /><br />hasta la victoria siempre!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Caravan Photos:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100483">From Victoria BC to Seattle Washington</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100564">A free day in Seattle</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100565">Seattle to Missoula</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100567">Missoula Montana</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100594">Bozeman Montana</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100648">Pocatello Idaho</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100648">Salt Lake City Utah</a><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100648"><br />Las Vegas Nevada</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100652">Pheonix Nevada</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100663">Silver City New Mexico</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100677">El Paso Texas</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100706">Preparations in McAllen Texas</a><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100717"><br />Reynosa to Tampico - Crossing the border, hanging out in Reynosa, driving to Tampico, unloading the 115 tons of humanitarian aid into shipping containers until the wee hours</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photos from Havana</span><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100742"><br />Morning in Tampico, Arriving in Havana, Press Conference with medical students at Casa de la Amistad</a> (<a href="http://relativenewz.ca/">audio file in the podcast section of RelativeNewz.ca</a>), <a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100742">At the grad ceremony for ELAM (Latin American School of Medicine</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100786">Chatting with Cuban youth</a> (<a href="http://relativenewz.ca/">audio file in the podcast section of RelativeNewz.ca</a>), <a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100786">Lucius' Birthday at Casa de la Amistad / Hip Hop evening, Various photos of Havana, Lucius' Birthday at the William Carey Centre </a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100754">Various Havana Photos - at ICAP, at the Salvadore Allende Health Centre, in hurricane bedraggled Old Havana, at the Biotech/GE centre</a> (<a href="http://relativenewz.ca/">audio file in the podcast section of RelativeNewz.ca</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100775">A morning at a Cuban Beach (in the neighbourhood where travelling dignitaries, business people, eye operation clients, and Chernobyl victim survivors stay or live) and a visit to an urban garden in Havana</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photos from the Province of Matanzas </span><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100726">Havana's Malecon, Greeted by the Communist Party, Sunday Church, on the beach, some of Veradero's all-inclusives, pulling weeds at an urban garden</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100763">Bay of Pigs</a> (<a href="http://relativenewz.ca/">audio file in the podcast section of RelativeNewz.ca</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100791">Leaving Havana via Canadian built airport (note Palestinian flag), Through Mexico, the Reverse Challenge crossing back into the USA</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Videos</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QALewZNuAuc">From 2008's Caravan Journey -- Eight Days in Cuba</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ4QqHUaCno">Singing labour songs on the Ferry boat to the Canadian/USA border Peace Park</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100529">At the Canadian/USA border, singing a song written by the Raging Grannies</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100533">At the Canadian/USA border, Hasta Siempre</a><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100543"><br />At the Canadian/USA border, my farewell</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPrBrXaYpzE">Caravan at Seattle Washington</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVi0j59RxbY">In Montana, with former Caravanistas Susan and Bob</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-vklMnAoC0">With the Brown Berets in Salt Lake City</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jf-M-KEtWA"><br />Cuba/USA Solidarity Rally in Havana</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yTjwasOI98">Comida No Bombas !!!</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="fullpost"></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-72378891758376831682009-08-07T11:08:00.000-07:002009-08-07T11:10:09.147-07:00Cuba / USA Solidarity Rally<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Jf-M-KEtWA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Jf-M-KEtWA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-89622241065971024402009-08-04T13:11:00.000-07:002009-08-05T14:44:20.392-07:00Catching up with photos etc ....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SniW2tOpBxI/AAAAAAAAATk/gc-CDWP7PRA/s1600-h/DSCN6406.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SniW2tOpBxI/AAAAAAAAATk/gc-CDWP7PRA/s320/DSCN6406.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366204822610052882" border="0" /></a><br />i have collected a ton of audio, video, and photos. check here now and then for updates ... i have a newspaper to create, but i'll get all this cuba editing done as time permits.<br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft/100717">click here for photos from reynosa to tampico, way a long time ago after we crossed the border into mexico.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://web.mac.com/bandcroft/Relative_Newz/Podcast/Podcast.html">click here to choose from audio files from various events in and around havana cuba.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100742">click here for photos from havana.</a>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-61554007950586227082009-08-04T07:38:00.000-07:002009-08-04T08:28:44.627-07:00To the Editor ....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnhJiHH9A-I/AAAAAAAAATE/aVcDTZfFPdU/s1600-h/DSCN5469.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnhJiHH9A-I/AAAAAAAAATE/aVcDTZfFPdU/s320/DSCN5469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366119806388732898" border="0" /></a><br />An AP article "Travellers Challenging Cuba Ban Return to U.S.," published in the NY Times on August 3rd, offers many insightful truths. It is illegal for U.S. citizens to visit Cuba; both the Venceremos Brigade and the IFCO Pastors for Peace have been challenging that ban for many years; and we were all able to return to the U.S. on August 3rd. The crossing was "without incident" for U.S. travellers, however three international travellers, who had broken no laws, were taken aside at the Reynosa border and threatened with deportation plus a lifetime travel ban to the United States.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />International travellers routinely travel on the annual Pastors for Peace friendshipment caravan to show solidarity with their struggle to expose the injustices of this particular U.S. foreign policy. This is my second year working in that capacity. Last year's return crossing was without incident. This year I was isolated, threatened, and groped by a female border guard who insisted it was necessary - for safety and security.<br /><br />I assured the border guard that I did not feel safe and secure, in a small room alone with her, all my possessions elsewhere, her hands touching my breasts and between my legs. She was concerned I might be carrying a weapon. I assured her we that we Canadians are not usually prone to violence, particularly those of us working for peace and justice. She didn't care. I learned later that my other Canadian friend, also a woman, and a male German Caravanista were treated similarly. We three comprised half of the international travellers returning to the U.S. after visiting Cuba.<br /><br />Eventually we three were able to consult with Pastors for Peace representatives, and we signed the document that we had formerly been advised not to sign. It was this refusal that led to our interrogation and harrassment. While U.S. citizens respond "on advice of my attorney, I refuse to answer those questions," our response holds no merit since we are not entitled to the liberties offered by the fifth amendment.<br /><br />My experiences crossing the U.S./ Mexican border on August 3rd were not "without incident." I would have preferred to have been barred from your nation for life rather than have a stranger's hands between my legs. My country does not deny me travel to Cuba, or anywhere else. Canadians comprise 50 per cent of the travellers who visit the beaches of Cuba each year, our dollar is valued more highly than the greenback, and as far as I know we are not subject to harrassment and intimidation from our government simply for chosing freely to travel to a small island nation determined to walk a different path.<br /><br />Si se Puede. Yes we Can.<br /><br />Janine Bandcroft<br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/03/us/AP-US-Cuba-Travel-Ban.html?scp=2&sq=pastors%20for%20peace&st=cse">click here for the original ny times article</a><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Chttp://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/4431-gorilla-radio-with-chris-cook-sean-paton-dave-lindorff-janine-bandcroft-monday-aug-3-2009.html%3Ehttp://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/4431-gorilla-radio-with-chris-cook-sean-paton-dave-lindorff-janine-bandcroft-monday-aug-3-2009.html"><br /></a><a href="http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/4431-gorilla-radio-with-chris-cook-sean-paton-dave-lindorff-janine-bandcroft-monday-aug-3-2009.html">click here for an audio description of this incident (about half way through)</a><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-39758704611432139062009-08-01T12:34:00.000-07:002009-08-04T12:55:08.961-07:00Preparing for Departure - Aug 1st<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SniR9U6OkuI/AAAAAAAAATc/m4lQ7BR4Dmg/s1600-h/DSCN6278.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SniR9U6OkuI/AAAAAAAAATc/m4lQ7BR4Dmg/s320/DSCN6278.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366199438782927586" border="0" /></a><br />lucius is telling us about july 26th and his opportunity to visit with raul and then fly to habana in his plane and meet fidel. he says fidel is in good health, that his mind is as sharp as ever, and he has a huge amount of respect and gratitude for the work of the caravanistas and ifco.<br /><br />contrary to what some believe, neither fidel nor raul have any say in where that humanitarian aid is delivered on this island. it's collected from people in the united states, loaded onto a cuban ship in tampico, and then delivered to a central church in havana. there's a committee of people who distribute the aid to organizations who have submitted applications requesting things. the committee is comprised of community representatives, doctors, people who work with seniors or disabled folk. the medical aid obviously goes to hospitals and poli-clinics, as it's needed. the sports equipment goes to youth centres or schools. computers and other educational materials are priorized for organizations that work with disabled or otherwise disadvantaged children. this year there was a lot of paint, shovels, other construction equipment that will go to neighbourhoods trying to keep up with the damage inflicted by the annual storms.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><br />and now alison is telling us about the construction brigade that worked on a housing project yesterday in marianao, a neighbourhood in havana. there were plans to have the construction brigade situated in pinar del rio for the duration of our time here, but that was cancelled because of the july 26th holiday. the cubans took time off for the holiday, and decided there weren't enough consecutive days to transport the caravanistas and organize that level of work. but the folks who signed up to work were able to contribute yesterday, and they're happy about that.<br /><br />today a few of us went to a beach just outside of havana. it's the same beach i visited last year. i learned some more about the neighbouring community. there are still over 10,000 of the chernobyl victims living there. they were brought to cuba after the nuclear disaster for the purpose of healing. it's a lovely neighbourhood and houses are also available for international business travellers and dignitaries.<br /><br />cubans are able to visit specific beach resorts for a certain number of days each year. i think it's 3 or 5 or something. the government (which is, truly, all of them) pays for that. everyone gets monthly ration cards which are used to provide the necessaries of life (food and water, and children and elders get free milk), and if they're working somewhere, they get a salary too. salaries aren't, as i had thought, equal across the board. i guess the special period (their first peak oil experience) necessitated some changes. they needed to encourage people into certain industries, so farmers became the highest paid people in the country. next is military and police enforcement, as i understand it. there are young police on the streets all the time, but unlike police where i live, these guys seem to be part of the community. they do carry billy clubs and small guns, and they can ask people to produce identification at any time, but their job is to maintain social order - unlike our police who spend far too much time hassling homeless people.<br /><br />there are no homeless people in cuba, so police can instead be on the lookout for those provoking violence, or theives, or that sort of thing. houses are built collectively here. if you want to build a house, you talk to your cdr (committee for defense of the revolution) to help organize a work crew (comprised of your neighbours), and to attain the necessary materials. there's still a problem with housing in cuba, primarily because of the hurricanes that batter their shores on a consistent basis, plus their inability to buy any building materials from anywhere since the usa government forbids it. but i understand there is no homelessness at all here. there is community. a community of people who care so deeply about each other they'll defend their revolution and, even through their most difficult times, make sure everyone's got access to health and dental care and some place to lay their head at night. i've also heard, but forgot to get it affirmed from the cubans, that they own their own homes but they don't own the land the house is built on. people live in the homes their family own, so sometimes they're a bit crowded, and that's one reason there are always so many people outside - children and adults and teens gathering on the malecon or in the parks or on the sidewalks. i don't know how much to attribute it to the police, but i've never felt safer in my life.<br /><br />one night my friend tom and i went for a walk along the malecon and into old havana. we heard some music and went inside a building to find a theatre with young hip hop musicians on a creatively adorned stage with large screens on either side projecting images of themselves. they might benefit from some public relations planning, showing something more entertaining and informative, but they seemed very popular with the crowd. we couldn't understand much of what they were saying, but they werre sure enthusiastic about it. we stayed for a few songs but it was hot and loud so we tried another place across the street where we also heard some music. we walked up a staircase that was propped up with wooden two by fours, i suppose because of storm damage. the building was beautiful, ornate, the damage was heart breaking. i felt it was appropriate to mourn all the architectural damage i witnessed, knowing that the cubans are primarily focussed on evacuating everyone so loss of life is very minimal. i don't think i've ever felt sorry for a building before. we sat on the balcony where, presusmably, people of material wealth were enjoying what some would call 'fine dining.' the young trio sang 'hasta siempre' (a song about che) at my request, and later accepted tips from their small audience - some of whom seemed reluctant to contribute. on our way home we again walked along the malecon and there was a huge street party with lots of teens and young adults. i followed tom as he wound his way through the crowd, it was like being at a house party, and i'm delighted to report that not a single one of them touched me. not at all. neither an intentional feel, nor an 'accidental' brush against me. there were cuban women who fought or otherwise aided the revolution - wilma castro (raul's relatively recently wife) among them was one of those, and she founded the federation of cuban women that strives for real equality. i would argue there's no safer place for women than cuba. and their birth rate isn't spiralling out of control, further evidence that education is the best form of birth control.<br /><br />though they love their rum and beer, there's not a lot of drug or alcohol abuse in cuba, as far as i can gather. that might partly be because there aren't needles readily available (diabetics are very grateful to the pastors for peace and other groups who bring needles and insulin), but it might equally be because these people don't need to escape from a society that is primarily motivated by selfishness and greed, that will stand by while their friends suffer through a lifetime of poverty and then freeze or die unnecessarily from some simple and curable disease. rum and beer are readily available from various merchants all over town 24 hours a day, but never once did i see any obnoxious drunken behaviour. and amazingly, despite their challenging sewage conditions (again no doubt the consequence of the international blockade dictated by the usa government), no signs of public urination problems. it's okay to take a bottle of rum to the malecon or walk down the street with a can of beer. these are a civilized people who are considered intelligent and necessary individual components of a little revolution that continues to succeed despite all odds against it.<br /><br />if only people knew.<br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-88098230590978109132009-07-31T11:34:00.000-07:002009-08-03T21:59:18.272-07:00Touring Old Havana<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnfAFJeH1gI/AAAAAAAAASk/8LdtqjBrB7M/s1600-h/DSCN6093.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnfAFJeH1gI/AAAAAAAAASk/8LdtqjBrB7M/s320/DSCN6093.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365968675709376002" border="0" /></a><br />yesterday afternoon we had some free time, so i enlisted gerry to provide a tour of habana viaja - old havana. little did i know what i was getting into .... the man is in his 60's, and i knew he was fit (plus he's vegan so i know he's healthy), but after wandering the streets with the ragged sidewalks for a few hours, i could no longer keep up with him. "i do this all the time," he told me. gerry's a retired college professor. i told him my adventures in walking or cycling are more about getting where i need to be rather than any sort of endurance training. and he walks fast .... he said that when he was walking his students through the streets of london, he would wear a brightly coloured hat so they'd be able to find him if he walked ahead of them.<br /><br />i was absolutely exhausted by the time we got back to our hacienda, but i can say i've seen a fair chunk of downtown and old havana. it's perhaps not surprising that the area where the touristas visit is clean, painted, and under repair. they have garbage bins. the rest of havana is not quite so clinically unsullied, but it sure has character.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />there are lots of people in cuba, on the streets visiting with each other, walking from place to place, riding in various forms of taxis or bicycle transportation or motorcycles or buses or cars. we saw a little shop selling herbs for medicine. we saw newspaper vendors, and learned that there was a front page article about us in two different newspapers yesterday. who knows how many others of those there have been - we've been too busy to buy a daily newspaper. we stopped for a beer (gerry tried one of the cuban colas) and gerry told me about the camera obscura in the building across the square. we saw the places where cubans trade their ration stamps for goods.<br /><br />there weren't a lot of choices on the shelves. the embargo doesn't allow it. the embargo was designed the starve the cubans into submission. to encourage them to give up and just accept and embrace the corporate and militaristic and hedonistic takeover of their world, as is happening in the rest of the world, as was happening prior to their revolution. but these people don't want to be slaves. they acknowledge that there are flaws with their socialist system, but they are united in their struggle to be something other.<br /><br />at the moment we're at the icap centre, visiting with relatives of the cuban five. the cuban five are imprisoned in united states jails because they dared to reveal anti-cuban terrorism in miami. there are images of the cuban five all over the place - on government buildings, in restaurants, museums, and shops. ariel's busy translating the many questions (actually, mostly comments about acts of solidarity in the usa and canada) from the audience. i asked him yesterday, when we were at the urban garden, if he'd received my emails. i'd written asking how they fared after last year's hurricanes. he said he had responded .... mysteriously, i didn't receive his response. there are a few other people whose emails are blockaded from my mailbox at islandnet.com. i've been working with their tech support people to determine where the problem originates, but it's not an easy task. and then there were those cuba files that were somehow hacked on my computer. those anti-cuban mafia guys really hold a grudge!!<br /><br />we were up early this morning, had a quick breakfast (thankfully i brought instant oatmeal and tea, otherwise i'd be looking at bread ... no hotdogs or cheese for me) and then met up with the venceremos brigade for a rather huge and very impressive rally to express solidarity with cuba and the usa. there are about 150 of brigaderos, maybe more, and they're working on farms and doing reconstruction work. it's their 40th anniversary here, so it's definitely a big year for all - 20 years for the caravan, 40 years for venceremos, and 50 years of revolution. (venceremos means "we shall overcome")<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-6424111774872963282009-07-30T12:47:00.000-07:002009-08-04T08:31:57.677-07:00a quick little essay from havana<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnfCE9JVyxI/AAAAAAAAAS0/egUpFaCggEw/s1600-h/DSCN5841.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnfCE9JVyxI/AAAAAAAAAS0/egUpFaCggEw/s320/DSCN5841.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365970871424240402" border="0" /></a><br />i had the brilliant idea of writing blog entries, putting them on my magic transfer stick along with a photo for each, and then heading over here to the havana libre hotel to upload them and update the blog. strangely, when i got here, i realized that none of the files i´d attempted to transfer are on my magic stick.<br /><br />of course i´ll blame this, as i do everything else that messes up unusually, on the cia. or the agent 66 or whatever those folks in miami call themselves.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />i´ve learned a ton, and am enjoying cuba even more than last year. most of that is documented in my blog entries, which i´ll update maybe before we leave, or which might have to wait until i get to texas. for now, i´ll summarize, in these 20 minutes, since it´s 3 pesos for 20 minutes, some of the highlights.<br /><br />our visit to the provinces was awesome. i travelled to matanzas, to varadero, which is the tourist mecca for cubans and internationals. canadians comprise about 50 per cent of their travellers, and they give us a better rate on our dollar than my united states friends are getting on theirs. of course i´m teasing my caravanista friends about this incessantly. but in a polite canadian way.<br /><br />we visited the bay of pigs, which is a couple hour drive from varadero. we learned a lot about the invasion, including the fact that of something like 1197 anti revolution fighters, bought and paid by the us government to invade cuba and attempt to establish an interim government quickly, within 72 hours, so that the usa could declare to the world a victory with support of the cuban people, in that propagandized way they function, of those 1197 or whatever the number is who were captured by castro´s government, only 5 were executed. the rest were treated for their wounds and traded to the usa for medicine. interesting, isn´t it, that now the usa holds 5 cubans who reported on anti cuban terrorists in the usa. i wonder if that´s their way of retaliating. apparently the 1192 mas o menos imperialist cubans who wanted to destroy the cuban revolution and were traded to miami have now formed anti cuban groups, including agent 66 or whatever they´re called.<br /><br />we learned that the first line of defense at the bay of pigs were teachers, though fidel had troops stationed there and all over the island where he thought they might invade. the teachers told the defenders of the revolution, of which there were many, that the invasion had begun at the bay of pigs, and castro and his buddies stopped the imperialists in 66 hours. che guevara had been stationed at pinar del rio, and raul castro was in santa clara, in case the attack happened there. but fidel had guessed it would happen at the bay of pigs since the area´s surrounded by swamp land, wetlands, and he assumed that´d be where they´d land and try to set up their little government. he was right.<br /><br />people love fidel. we attended the graduation of this year´s class from the latin american school of medicine. there were a number of usa citizens who graduated. those folks are here because lucius walker, and the pastors for peace, helped them get enrolled. the school was set up to help people from poor nations, in south american and africa, become doctors, but lucius and folks helped convince the cuban government that there is a desperate need for not for profit doctors in the usa. so those students, all who attend, are trained for free, are given free housing and food, and a stipend. the usa students who graduated thanked the cubans, especially fidel, for their generosity in allowing them to study here. they said those words through genuine tears of gratitude.<br /><br />there´s so much people don´t know about cuba. this morning we were at a biotechnology centre and it was explained how cuba has developed vaccines, for example for meningitis. they can cure meningitis. they can also cure cretinism and other mental health impairments. the trick is to diagnose the babies early and then treat them. they´ve reduced hep c to almost zero and there are very few cases of hiv-aids.<br /><br />last night i walked to old havana with a friend. we found a hip hop club, and also stopped for a brewski at an old hotel that was clearly hurricane damaged but where touristas were having dinner. an expensive dinner. we listened to a trio of very young musicians, there are so many musicians and dancers and artists here as kids are encouraged to study whatever it is they love to do. i requested they play hasta siempre. i love that song.<br /><br />i love this revolution.<br /><br />there are still things that concern me about the cuban revolution, such as the fact that cubans cannot travel off the island unless they have an invitation. so, at a public forum where this was explained to us, i invited all the cubans to canada i got the feeling, while in varadero, where tourists stay in fancy all inclusives and swim in the most beautiful ocean in the world, or certainly some of the best beaches anywhere, and fund the cuban health and education revolution, but i got the feeling that we weren´t eating much fruit where we were, even though a lot of fruit is in season right now, because it´s being redirected to the hotels. i learned later that banana crops were wiped out during the hurricanes, though, so that might be part of it too.<br /><br />they do so many things really well, though. the health system is only the beginning of that. they have people who stand on the highway and organize hitchhikers with rides. the health system includes dental care. the people are intelligent, knowledgeable about the world and their place in it. they love the pastors for peace and understand that the usa citizens are not the government. lucius walker and a few of his staff were ushered to the very front row, in front of raul´s podium, to hear the july 26th speech and then lucius flew in raul´s plane. raul talked about the importance of agriculture, of creating even more of it to feed the people. they do eat too much meat, but they also do all organic and understand the importance of that. raul also mentioned the pastors for peace, and our 20 caravans that have offered so much help to the cubans over these decades. he said all that to over a hundred thousand people who went to listen to him speak, and also over the national television.<br /><br />there´s so much bullshit about cuba and the castros. i love it here. i´m off, now, to visit old havana.<br /><br />hasta la victoria siempre!<br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-50602479489669109812009-07-28T11:30:00.000-07:002009-08-03T22:10:43.452-07:00From Varadero, In the Province of Matanzas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnfCr8qSW6I/AAAAAAAAAS8/BDw7ZnXMw8k/s1600-h/july+28.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnfCr8qSW6I/AAAAAAAAAS8/BDw7ZnXMw8k/s320/july+28.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365971541308890018" border="0" /></a><br />i'm being tortured. waking up and walking across the street to the beach for a swim before breakfast, then fitting another two or three in during our busy days - pulling weeds on an urban organic farm, visiting the museum of the battle of ideas, meeting with men and women who worked for, and continue to build, the peoples' revolution. today we're off to the bay of pigs - about a 2.5 hour bus ride from where we're staying.<br /><br />most of us are staying in the casa del carino - the house of loving care - in veradero. some of the men are bunking in a church about a 20 minute walk away. the house was donated by a benevolent man, to be used as accomodation for groups like ours. it's literally across the street from one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />i'm sharing a room with 7 other women, who seem intent on maintaining a level of air conditioned cold that is intolerable to me. i joke with them - it's colder than a witches mitt, colder than a canadian winter, i didn't travel south so i can sleep under blankets, i do enough of that at home. some of them are willing to compromise, to set the air conditioner to 28. but i wake up in the night and it's set at 25 or, like last night, at 21, and someone has bug spray on them and it's getting in my nostrils and my lungs and my cells and i grab my yoga mat and my pillow and light blanket and go sleep outside on the picnic table where the natural weather is quite comfortable. i'm fairly good friends with the picnic table, after two nights there, it's under cover so as long as it doesn't storm like the first night i'll be alright. (the first night i got control of the air conditioner and now they're on to me so as quickly as i change it, the cuban woman on the bunk near the controls adjusts it to cold and i head for the picnic table.) it's not the most comfortable place to sleep, but i wake up to an amazing sunrise, change into my swim suit, and work out my body's kinks with a morning swim in the healing waters of the tropical sea. i might also note that my tinnitis has returned .... and i think i saw some chem trails ... maybe that's what causes the annoying ringing in my ears?<br /><br />an aside: tom smith is telling us about their july 26th experience. he, ellen, jim, and lucius and reps from the venceremos brigade were up at 2, left by 3 am, and went to the airport. it's about a 55 minute flight to the city where the event was held, and there were thousands and thousands of people. lucius was ushered to strand in a place at the front of the speaker's podium. there was a choir to the right, and presidente raul stood right in front of the podium where lucius was. the sun began to rise, and the heat, but they endured and listened to speeches from the ministers and accomplishments they've made in the various provinces. there were also provinces that received awards for the work they had done, and the focus of the celebration this year was on the province that made the most progress after the devastating hurricanes of last year, rebuilding and restoring things to normal. most of the parents of the cuban five, who are currently imprisoned throughout the united states, were on board their plane.<br /><br />jim told us that raul's main focus was about maintaining the goals of the revolution, the need to build a supply of water through dams, and encouraging the people to do this work. he said there's been enough thinking about hurricanes as something horrible, it's necessary to think of them as part of the norm and just get prepared for it. during the three hurricanes last year, which devastated over half a million homes, only 8 lives were lost because the cubans focus on preparedness and emergency training.<br /><br />after it was all over, lucius disappeared and they learned later that he had flown back in the president's plane.<br /><br />the president challenged the people to work harder. he apologized for the sun rising and the way people were positioned in front of it and if he could he'd turn the world around so they wouldn't have to suffer the morning heat. he talked about putting the land back into the hands of people, concerns about maintaining self sufficiency in food production.<br /><br />end of aside.<br /><br />thinking about cuba, this being my second time here and i'm able to build on my foundation of knowledge (this is such a different place, a different head space), but still i have a few concerns. i've spent a few days in varadero, the number one tourist destination in cuba. it's right up there with other world class destinations in the caribbean. there are 5 star hotels. the cubans are very intelligent. they know about the evils of capitalism, how it encourages greed, and their how to deal with tourist and tourism courses include an understanding that tips are to be shared, and some given back to the revolution to maintain a health care system for all. but still, it seems clear that cubans living in tourist areas are livin a slightly higher standard of life than others who do not have acces o tourist dollars.<br /><br />on the way here lisa told us that this area was owned by wealthy united statesian families, and the mafia, and the beaches were all privatized. there was nothing in the way of reasonable accomodations for the people, who were treated as slaves and kept as peasants. after the revolution, money was diverted from havana to the rural areas so they could build houses and hospitals and develop their communities, rather than moving in droves to the cities which would no doubt have become ghettoized as they're unable to accomodate all of that. this is inspiring, and one clear example of why we love the revolution.<br /><br />but here's a concern -- the cubans are big consumers of animals. there doesn't seem to be much awareness of the amount of energy and resources needed to produce animals as food. their imaginations seem stifled by these traditional (and oppressive and unhealthy) eating patterns. the attitude, the belief, that animals are destined for use by humans can be seen in some of the wild cats and dogs. many of those are well tended, in much better condition than their mexican counterparts, wandering freely. but occasionally we see emaciated dogs, diseased, barely holding on. maybe it's a judgement call, but i'm quite sure that people who don't see animals as food treat animals differently. in the tourist area of varadero there's an aquarium with trained dophins. that's one concern.<br /><br />here's another one. we've had very little fresh fruit provided to us and i'm convinced that they're diverting fruit and other food production to those hotels. and other resources, like water and energy for air conditioners. sure, it's true that there's no gambling in the resorts, the cubans realize that gambling was responsible for the horrific conditions that existed prior to their revolution. and it's also true that the money they earn from the tourists and, presumably, from the partnered relationships they've established with other nations in building and maintaining thei hotels, offers some pay back. there's no doubt that the distribution of wealth does reach the people, in the form of education and an amazingly high standard of health care that includes preventive and dental maintenance. plus, they're sponsoring all those young students from all over the world, turning them into doctors at no personal expense. there are doctors in honduras where previously there were none (and those, since the coup, are concerned for their lives), there are doctors all over africa and south america and in the ghettos of the united states working in public health clinics. all those tourist doctors no doubt help fund that.<br /><br />but .... everything comes with a price. as the revolution evolves and changes, will the cubans remain true to their core values? do they ask themselves "what would che do?" do they consider the vast amount of energy, food, and water diversion necessary to accomodate an ever increasing number of five star tourists? yesterday representatives from the tourism industry told us there are many plans for more hotels. we saw where a wetland is being destroyed to accomodated another marina. do they realize the reprecussions of damming rivers and flooding fields? if someone speaks against unmitigated growth of the tourist industry, would their concerns be heard? if they were able to organize a group of people to protest the damming of wild rivers, would they be greeted with police and imprisonment, as we are in canada? what would happen if they were to insist that the world change to meet cuban standards, rather than cuba changing to meet the world's standards, if they were to offer smaller and simpler accomodations, ecotourism for example?<br /><br />we're passing through the city of cardinas, which can boast the only statue of a bicycle in the world. there are many bicycles there. our hostess, the macrobiotic woman whose name i don't recall, is telling us that the blockade, and the fall of the soviet union, resulted in a lot of bicycle riders during the special period when there was no oil available. the people became increasingly healthy, expanded their lung capacity. then, when oil became available again, many people got back in their cars. our hostess was one of those. i told myself i'd not drive my car everywhere, she said, but i do.<br /><br />so i wonder .... will the cubans be able to curb the seemingly universal human greed component that kicks in when wealth is plentiful? will they know when to say enough is enough? or will they, like so many in the rest of their world, justify their use of the natural world for the purposes of selfish human consumption?<br /><br />in some ways i'm living in paradise - for one more day until we return to havana. the sun and sea and tropical rains and greenery are magnificant. in other ways i'm being tortured - unable to sleep comfortably, and tormented inside at the idea of cuba promoting human health and comfort at the expense of the environment, the earth, and all her sentient creatures. but i'm not really in a position to comment on that. it's their revolution, and they'll evolve it however they collectively decide. and they do make great efforts, it seems, to hear each other's concerns. i just hope someone's voicing them.<br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-66849604461504358662009-07-26T11:39:00.000-07:002009-08-04T08:36:16.321-07:00Cuba 09 - July 26th the sounds of silence<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnhVXUlXPyI/AAAAAAAAATM/FR8b5UMTi9o/s1600-h/july+26.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnhVXUlXPyI/AAAAAAAAATM/FR8b5UMTi9o/s320/july+26.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366132815162720034" border="0" /></a><br />i realize that the sometimes near deafening tinnitis that afflicts me every day of my life in wifi/cell tower victoria, or indeed almost anywhere in north america, is absolutely non-existent here in cuba. prior to leaving i had intended on noticing the difference, since last year's visit left me with a feeling that the vibe around here affected me differently. but i hadn't paid particular attention to whether or not it was in fact an absolute silencing of the incessant humming that can drive me to near madness, or more of a quieting of the sound. turns out it's silence.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />after dinner last night we experienced a truly tropical storm. we're staying very near the beach, and the claps of thunder were closer and louder than i think i've ever experienced. earlier in the day we had been introduced to the province by the municipal communist league. they told us about their hurricane preparedness, this being one of the regions hardest hit during the annual storms. they showed us a grid, with each house on every street clearly identified. it may sound big brotherish, but i'm sure there are folks with similar maps in every country in the world, and these maps are used (perhaps among other things, who knows) to track every single individual in the province. they know which houses are hurricane safe, which are in need of repairs. they have a plan that enables the people in less sturdy households to partner with other households, and some people are actually bussed to structures that can contain them. there's no katrinas here, he said. in the past four hurricanes they've not lost a single person in matanzas. i remember hearing, after the three major storms that hit this lovely little island last year, that the cubans lost half a million homes, but only a small number of people. maybe it was five. something like that. compare it to haiti, next door, which is ruled by a corporate military elite, where the people are considered nothing more than fodder for the sweatshop mills, where the same three storms took many many lives. in cuba, lives are actually worth something, and hurricane preparedness is something they take very seriously. our evening storm gave us an idea how powerful the earth really is, an even greater appreciation for this peoples' revolution.<br /><br />my new caravanista friend nonkululaka asked me, on the bus ride to matanzas, whether i could live in cuba. i told her it isn't really up to me, it's up to the cubans and their government. but, she said, could you live here? i told her that my life in canada is dependent on being connected to internet, that i publish a newspaper and leaving all that would be difficult but, ultimately, yes, i could live here. if they'd let me. in fact, this might be just the place to write that book i've been contemplating ....<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-68381902263157555002009-07-25T11:40:00.000-07:002009-08-08T07:37:58.000-07:00Cuba 09 - July 25th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/Sn2NoDdzYuI/AAAAAAAAATs/jlZHk3kdVdM/s1600-h/DSCN5538.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/Sn2NoDdzYuI/AAAAAAAAATs/jlZHk3kdVdM/s320/DSCN5538.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367602050160091874" border="0" /></a><br />today's the day before the anniversary of the battle that marks the beginning of the cuban revolution. apparently it was not a successful battle for the revolutionaries, but it did galvanize the movement. january 1st is the official anniversary, for cubans. the chiapas zapatistas also sparked their revolution on new year's day, in the year of the nafta.<br /><br />during the afternoon, yesterday, we were bussed to a theatre to witness the premiere screening of the documentary film that filmmakers catherine and america, who joined us last year in mcallen, were working on. it's titled 'people to people: pueblo a pueblo and the producer, consuela, a cuban woman produced the film with financial assistance from her government and icap (the instituto cubano para amistad con los pueblos - icap, an organization established to nurture friendship with foreign organizations). although consuela's team has been working on the film for many years, and there was a definite historical story told about the pastors for peace friendshipment caravans, there was a lot of film footage from last year in mcallen and shutting the border and crossing the border and loading the shipping containers in tampico.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />lucius, the founders of pastors for peace, was celebrated a lot yesterday. he was given a bouquet of flowers at the film opening. he was on stage at the graduation ceremonies for the latin america school of medicine (we were invited to attend those after the film screening). and he was also invited to speak at the william carey centre celebrations last night.<br /><br />for me, yesterday was exhausting. finally, the body wins. it's simply not possible for humans to continue without sleep endlessly, so i had to surrender last night and i missed out on some of the welcoming party. we were a little off schedule, dinner was a bit late, and i was washing some stuff in the sink and getting prepared for our adventure to the provinces while some lovely young people were singing on the outdoor stage. i assumed there'd be lots more such music through the night, since the folks staying at the martin luther king jr. weren't there yet, but as darkness fell the program proceeded with various speakers and music dispersed throughout and, as the president of the national assembly, ricardo alarcon, spoke ..... i just couldn't stay awake and quietly removed myself to my room and i'm sure i fell asleep even before my head hit the pillow.<br /><br />i know we were told to do all we can to stay awake at all events, regardless of how tired we might be, but last night i reached a point where it simply wasn't possible. i really was interested in hearing about the cuban five, impressed that such a high ranking government official cares enough about political prisoners to actually tell the story so emphatically, to impress upon us the significance of their plight and to encourage us to do all we can to convince the usa government to set them free. now. i listened intently for about 20 minutes. (cubans seem to have much longer attention spans than the average north american and are, no doubt, inspired by fidel's lengthy sharing). this morning i joked with my companeros that there's something about politicians, even cuban ones, that put me to sleep. i would have stayed and listened if i could have, really i would have, but last night my body won. i slept, and now i feel great.<br /><br />we're at the icap centre, listening to a representative speak about the history of cuban/american relations prior to departing for the provinces. i've managed to set myself up on a little table near a plug in, and diana is holding onto my recording device so i can record and write and listen. at this moment the icap representative is talking about guantanamo, that there's talk about the usa closing guantanamo prison but keeping the land. this does not serve cuba's sovereignty. she's making it clear that she does not feel animosity towards the united states citizens, she's lived there and has friends there, but she's not all that thrilled (to say the least) with the bullshit and propaganda about cuba, and the usa inspired blockade that messes up cuban trade opportunities with all other nations.<br /><br />as the icap employees poured bottled water into little plastic glasses for us, honoured guests, i asked our representative to clarify the procedure by which cubans can travel to other nations. for example, i said, one of my raging granny friends (and i mentioned that only so it'd be clear this didn't come from some right wing lunatic) who works for peace and justice, she has a granddaughter and a son in law here. prior to leaving she told me how difficult it was, dealing with the cuban government, to bring her granddaughter to canada for a visit. an invitation was required from the cuban government, and then a bunch of paperwork and a lot of money. our rep was quick to defend her government's policy, perhaps because criticism is still, even after 50 years, not particularly encouraged, and attempted to turn the question around and blame the canadian government for the travel troubles. sure, our government is goofy right now, there's no doubt, but it still bothers me that cubans are not able to travel unless they have an invitation. how's the average cuban supposed to get an invitation? our representative is very informative, very passionate, but earlier, when asked about foreign investment and our concerns that cuba will become just like everywhere else, nothing's off the table, she said, from the cuban perspective regarding the normalization of cuban/american relations. there's nothing the cuban government won't talk about with the american government, there are no restrictions. let's build a walmart, she suggested, and then see how the cuban people feel about it. "hey, i like walmart," she said.<br /><br />maybe next new year's, in 2010, as the world begins to witness (if they pay attention and check the interweb) the massive movement against the philosophically misaligned corporate olympic disaster that will be imposed on the people of british columbia (the theft and destruction of wilderness, the further colonization and division of indigenous cultures, the privatization of public services, the increasing homelessness etc ...) maybe next year we can begin a new, peaceful and non-violent peoples' revolution, without walmart, in our home on native land.<br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-49003363498669902102009-07-24T11:20:00.000-07:002009-08-04T08:40:15.627-07:00We´ve Arrived !!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnhV-KM36EI/AAAAAAAAATU/C35LKUJ9E0I/s1600-h/we%27ve+arrived.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SnhV-KM36EI/AAAAAAAAATU/C35LKUJ9E0I/s320/we%27ve+arrived.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366133482390546498" border="0" /></a><br />this year's airplane was significantly different from last year's -- bigger, newer, more spacious. but still russian. i guess some countries are not afraid to take the cuban pesos. consecutive days with little sleep sparked caravanista plans for IFCO (pastors for peace) airlines -- we'll travel on various routes, establsh affinity groups, and our motto will be "we don't care what you think." we're going to cuba.<br /><br />we arrived around 4 am. the advantages of travelling in large groups was also discussed. imagine what fun it would be if we organized a hundred people each time we want to go to the market, or to a movie. it's just so much more entertaining and challenging to travel in groups of a hundred. individuality can be so expedient.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />when we arrived we were greeted by many pastors for peace supporters. after a speedy pass through customs, an early morning press conference for the pastors staff, we found a few of translators we'd met last year and they guided us to the awaiting buses - brightly painted relics from previous caravans. some of us, destined for the william carey centre, boarded the spirit of humbolt - a rusty old school bus that woody had lovingly steered on the 2004 caravan. we heard stories of everything possible on the bus falling apart, of caravanistas holding a mirror out the window so that woody could see behind him.<br /><br />at the centre staff were awake and kindly showed us our rooms - dormitories with bunks for women, and for men, and one of the men's rooms has bunks three high. for some reason two of the other places we had hoped to stay, to distribute our caravanista bodies and their earthly requests for sleep, food, and bathrooms, were unavailable so we're all assigned to the william carey centre downtown and the martin luther king jr. centre a short distance away in marianau. i'm happy to be close to downtown, even though it's a bit more crowded. this year i want to explore a bit on my own, to see old havana.<br /><br />after a few hours sleep, an attempt about the vegan caravanistas who will appreciate comida sin los productos animales, and a shared breakfast of granola and soy milk that gerry and i brought to the island, we all boarded the old humboldt schoolbus destined for the casa de la amistad. this lovely heritage building and its surrounding gardens serves as a gathering place when all of us caravanistas need to be together. this morning we were witness to an international press conference. lucius explained about this, the 20th caravan, its cargo, answered questions about the border crossing and the journey, and then we moved on to a second press conference focussed on the graduation ceremonies of the latin american school of medicine that we'll be witnessing this afternoon.<br /><br />two usa citizens from this year's graduating class spoke about their experiences. they both welled up with tears as they expressed their gratitute to the cuban people, and especially to fidel castro, who have made this opportunity available for them. these are women of african heritage who would not otherwise have had an opportunity to become healers. they are now destined to return to their neighbourhoods, to serve, as they say they learned from the cubans, to give without expecting anything in return. lucius walker and ifco helped facilitate this training opportunity. i didn't know of their involvement in the school until now .... these folks really are doing the work for its own sake, rather than for any reward or accolade. i'm very honoured to be here with them.<br /><br />we moved outside to plant a cuban mahogany tree in the gardens of the friendship centre, to represent continued growth for the school, for the work of the pastors for peace. although, ultimately, it is hoped that the evil usa embargo will be lifted so that these people can have access to all the necessary hospital and healing equipment they require to fulfill their mission, outlined in the cuban constitution, to provide health care and education to all cuba people equally<br /><br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-47119447199319607252009-07-23T09:22:00.000-07:002009-07-23T19:02:05.879-07:00From Tampico July 23 09<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SmijOeXe-cI/AAAAAAAAASM/b63JALaJo7k/s1600-h/DSCN5463.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SmijOeXe-cI/AAAAAAAAASM/b63JALaJo7k/s320/DSCN5463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361714825449634242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />(i'm at the tampico airport, waiting for our flight. the cubans did a very thorough search of our checked luggage, very different from last year. <a href="http://gallery.me.com/bandcroft#100709">you can click here for photos from yesterday and loading the storage containers.</a>)<br /><br />(by the way, the pastors for peace want to buy roofing materials to help rebuild the half a million homes that were lost during last year's hurricanes. you can donate online - they want to buy the corrogated roofing supplies locally, in tampico - at <a href="http://pastorsforpeace.org">pastorsforpeace.org</a>.)<br /></span><br />a few of us have braved the tropical heat and wandered to an internet cafe in tampico. they wont let me plug in, their keys are different, so i dont know where all the punctuation is, i cant upload photos, i've only got an hour, so ill make this quick and try again somewhere later.<br /><br />our two border crossings, in the north, were pretty much without incident. but last night, after driving all day, we got to the docks in tampico around 9 pm and had to wait a couple of hours before theyd let us in to unload the buses.<br /><br />the people were out in the streets, as is common here, kids playing, elders chatting, and there was much hoopla when we arrived. especially at woodys party bus where the hip hop was blaring and folks were dancing. the dock people took the names of all the people on each bus, reconfirmed the drivers about three times, took license plate numbers as many times, then photographed the license plates. armed military dudes showed up after an hour or so. we were instructed to remove license plates and cb radios from all the vehicles destined to cuba. and meanwhile, over the course of about 2 or 3 hours while all this was slowly unfolding, pastors representatives were negotiating our entry into the port.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />for some reason, this year, the authorities didnt want to allow us entry. here is the story as i have heard it from some of the drivers and others. first they insisted that only the vehicles would be allowed in, and that they would transfer the aid to the storage bins themselves. of course this is unacceptable. we didnt haul all this stuff, 115 tons of it, across canada and the usa to simply hand it over to people we dont know and many of us dont trust. i was suspicious that a bomb could be planted, and attributed to the pastors. who knows what might go on. ive had my own cuba files hacked on my computer, theres a lot of frustrated hedonists out there who want cuba back. we were not going to give up those buses.<br /><br />the next choice was to allow two people per bus into the dockyards to unload. this, too, is unacceptable. we would have been there all night. as it was, there were between 80 and 100 people unloading the gear and we didnt return to the hotel until 4 am.<br /><br />strange and mysterious. they claim its because of the quote drug war. i think its because theyre diverting all their social spending, as are so many nations {except cuba] to the military and they need to find excuses to validate their priorities. i mean really ... the quote drug war [and we know the cia has been running drugs since at least vietnam if not earlier] isnt something new. but every few years these goofy power hungry government types need to prove their importance so they inflate an already tenuous situation and spark fear in the hearts of their citizens and send in the military and we are all supposed to thank the heavens and feel safer. meanwhile the kids are going without dental care and the sewers still arent capped and the waters are increasingly polluted ... but a bunch of kids in army fatigue get their paycheques and a pat on the back and the miltiary war economy continues to prosper. at the expense of everyone, and everthing, else.<br /><br />one guy we talked to on the street last night told us that there had been a shoot out right where we were standing just the other night, that the military had captured some drug runners [i guess its common between tampico and reynosa] and shot them dead. another caravanista didnt believe him, but i wouldnt be surprised. there is no justice. people are targeted and shot, their drugs taken and sold on the streets. thats what i think happens. capitalism breeds such activities.<br /><br />to end this on a positive note .... you can not believe the outpouring of support from the mexican peoples. they stood on the roadsides and waved and gave us peace signs. we saw them sparingly as we drove along the highway, but as drove through tampico to the docks i felt like we were in a parade. these arent the wealthy elite, of course, theyre the victims of patriarchy and the globalized war economy who understand that cuba is doing something different. that we are doing something different. that there is a better way.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(back at the hotel now, on the slow internet, will try and upload a photo or two ...)</span><br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-6579873746926047962009-07-22T18:28:00.000-07:002009-07-23T18:32:59.449-07:00Driving through Mexico - July 22nd<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SmkO_iP36EI/AAAAAAAAASc/3Fi1snMd8jg/s1600-h/DSCN5414.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SmkO_iP36EI/AAAAAAAAASc/3Fi1snMd8jg/s320/DSCN5414.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361833316049217602" border="0" /></a><br />i love looking out the window of this big blue bus and seeing the caravan of buses and trucks headed for tampico! we've worked hard to collect and transport all these goods for the cubans, and we've now got tampico sign posts on the side of the narrow two lane highway (that's under construction, to be expanded). the mexican labourers are smiling and waving and offering peace signs as we pass. they understand, so much more intently than those who have it all, or who have the opportunity of it all, or who are forced to look and yet are still denied it all, north of the border.<br /><br />rick (our driver) suggests his country needs a new name. mexico is also known as the 'united states.' and we can't call it 'america,' because america is much larger than just the middle bit. he's suggesting 'kleptopia.' he says he's been promoting that for about 15 years. they'll need a new anthem, and a new flag.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />we left early this morning, though much later than last year, after sleeping four to a room at the capri hotel in reynosa. i'm adjusted to 4-5 hours sleep, amazingly my body fell into the pattern before i left home. i guess it sensed the journey, and remembered last year. this year doesn't seem nearly as harsh. of course, it helps that i didn't fall ill this year. that's no fun at the best of times, and especially when on the road and without the usual comforts and herbs. so yesterday, after all those hours at the dockyard waiting for the mexican authorities to finish their work, i snuck a few quiet moments alone in our room, watched a colbert report i'd downloaded, caught a 20 minute nap, and headed out for dinner with more vegans than i've ever met in a random situation.<br /><br /><br />did i mention that there's a woman on the caravan who lives in the same town as stephen colbert? apparently he lives in a regular house, drives a regular car, and teaches sunday school at a catholic church. who knew?<br /><br />we left so much later than last year because this year the mexican heffes wanted to keep the buses overnight at the border. we didn't have to navigate the narrow mexican streets with them, that was a good thing, but it's a long hot drive to tampico and leaving that much later means we'll be unloading the aid until the wee hours. luckily we don't fly until the afternoon so at least we'll get some sleep.<br /><br />in reynosa last night, after a vegan dinner of frijoles, arroz, y guacamole (and a coronisata, a little tiny bottle of cerveza .. what's the point) my new friends and i wandered over to the zocalo where we sat and watched the commuity gather. people so often talk about places like mexico and south america in terms of mere finance, claiming they're 'poor,' but i rarely see family and friends gathering in the city square of any north american city after dinner, to just talk and let the kids run around freely. there's a price that just can't be put on community. thanks to capitalism, the preponderance of individualism at the expense of community building, and the corporate media that promotes fear and hysteria, we north americans are denied these simple acts of solidarity and friendship.<br /><br />from the plaza we returned to the capri. i stopped in the restaurant and had a real sized beer and chatted with some caravanistas, then wandered up to the rooftop. last year there was a horrid stench up there, though the view of all the neighbourhood 7/11s (and there are many of them) almost made it worthwhile. this year there was a lovely evening breeze, a gathering of progressive minded young folk, some music, and a distinctive lack of sewer stench. i laid on my back and listened to their conversations and the music and looked at the stars and marvelled at this adventure i'm so delighted to be a tiny part of.<br /><br /></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-88695168327657063392009-07-21T18:12:00.000-07:002009-07-23T18:27:11.805-07:00July 21st - At the Border<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SmkNnTimkCI/AAAAAAAAASU/VsGwv0YTB_o/s1600-h/DSCN5330.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DTobjJHF60Y/SmkNnTimkCI/AAAAAAAAASU/VsGwv0YTB_o/s320/DSCN5330.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361831800272752674" border="0"></a><br /><font style="font-style: italic;">photo: debra faulkner, a unitarian minister (originally from victoria, now living in toronto) leads our morning reflection the day of the border crossing.</font><br /><br />it was somewhat anti-climactic on the usa side of the border with mexico .... homeland security (plenty of them) looked through various boxes on the many buses, and when they got to ours (the last one, the 'sweep'), they took a laptop. apparently they took a desktop computer from a different bus. that's it. they didn't check our passports, they didn't try to steal any huge amount of our stuff. they ran their big x-ray truck machine over our buses (we were standing in the corral so we wouldn't get fried), took the two computers, and let us go.<br /><br />the mexican authorities sent in the army. kids in fatigue. they snapped on latex gloves - we feared cavity searches but all they wanted to do was look through the boxes of aid. this was after they asked us to leave the buses, one bus load at a time, and walk single file to the office to be processed. they were friendly and helpful, we got our transit visas, and walked back to the bus. our passports were returned to us as the next bus load walked single line to the admin building. then the inspection of the buses began. the latex gloved guys on the buses, the fellow with a wand like instrument that he used to scan the vehicles, the slave dogs instructed to sniff them.<br /><br /><font class="fullpost"><br /><br />bus loads of people and paperwork and inspections later, we are starting to load the vehicle that will take us into reynosa to our hotel. we were told that vehicle would be a bus, and that it would arrive in a half hour. that was a couple/few hours ago. a vehicle finally arrived, but it's not a bus, it's a small van. and a car and a truck. we're 120 people. it's gonna take a while. hurry up and wait - i learned that on last year's caravan.<br /><br />our buses, filled with aid and the bulk of our personal luggage (except what we need for overnight in reynosa), will be held by the mexican authorities overnight. this actually saves us the worry of security for the aid, plus the hassle of parking the buses. we'll somehow be shipped back here in the morning to commence our day long journey to tampico where we'll load all this aid onto a cuban ship, and fly to cuba the following day.<br /><br />while we were being processed, one busload at a time, the cuban ambassador to mexico arrived. he spoke to us, one of the caravanistas interpreted. he appreciates the work we've done to bring all of this to the cuban people, and they're very grateful. the united states has a beautiful history, except the last 50 years with the embargo. wait a minute ..... i couldn't possibly have heard that correctly. i asked a young bolivian/american afterwards and she said she'd have interpreted it differently. she'd have said the usa likes to tell people about its beautiful history. that makes more sense. and my african/american brothers and sisters agreed. there's not much about the history of the usa that's particularly beautiful. apparently the unofficial interpreter also missed the part where the ambassador said the blockade is an act of genocide against the cuban people. hmmm.<br /><br />who knows when i'll be able to post this blog. maybe not until i return from cuba. i'll collect my writings, though, i still owe a chunk of change to the canadian government for this ability to write clearly and comprehensively, so i might as well make the most of it.<br /><br /><br /></font>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-3015635307615513582009-07-20T18:34:00.001-07:002009-07-20T18:34:59.770-07:00Viva Cuba !!!!one last post before i get the final chores accomplished in preparation for tomorrow ....<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QALewZNuAuc&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QALewZNuAuc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span class="fullpost"></span>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3996688702582675753.post-42720986288960213762009-07-20T18:24:00.000-07:002009-07-20T18:32:23.069-07:00Onwards to Cuba ....Art Farquharson sings on the BC Ferry, July 5th, on our way to the Peace Arch park where this adventure began. We'll be crossing the big border tomorrow ... wish us luck, send us light, and check in again in early August when I'll have a chance to update after 10 days in Cuba 2009.<br /><br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tZ4QqHUaCno&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tZ4QqHUaCno&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object>janine bandcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14889095194207444738noreply@blogger.com