Corruption, Politics, and History - Create Great Brain Fodder No?

When you think of Cuba, what do you think about?  Beaches?  Rum? Or do you think of the history that has taken place on that island in the last 50 years?   I am in love with the island and all of it's positives and even some of it's negatives, so much so I have been to the island 6 times in the last year.  This of course has raised a lot of questions for me, some of which I could find answers to in Havana and others I have had to search for once I am home because  out of a still existent  fear, or out of pain, some Cubans just won't speak about the answers I seek.

Questions and what if's are what drives a story.  I have found my self querying pre-revolutionary Cuba a lot.   I am fortunate that I have an acquaintance who is American, but who was born and raised to the age of 15 in Havana before his family had to/chose to leave after Castro took power in 1959.  He has been generous enough to share some of his stories with me, and some other interesting information, including why in general the middle class of Cuba in the 1950's supported Castro, and the ultimate betrayal they felt when what they were promised was forgotten so quickly after their goal was achieved.  The story I am working on isn't necessarily about the political situation, but it gives me the back story and the mood of the people during the time I am writing about.  His story has raised more questions again for me, but luckily I have him to query further, and of course on the other side of the coin, I have a very close family in Havana who the matriarch is a faithful Castro supporter and has the opposite views of my friend.  Both stories share similar memories but the feelings associated with those memories are direct polar opposites.  Needless to say - I am inspired more than I have ever been to dig deeper, to find all I can to help tell the story of the character in my mind.

Over all yesterday was a day of discovery for me, and although some of the things I read bothered me to my core, it hasn't affected my love of the island, actually if it is possible I love it more.  Although my return to "my home" (as my Cuban family refer to it) is still long off, I am going to spend the time between now and March learning all I can - and telling the story of a young woman who loses everything she knows, and must fight in her own personal revolution  in Havana as Castro's revolution was taking place right outside her door.

As an old friend used to say to me, colour me inspired.

Jack

If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water.
-Ernest Hemingway