REUNITED

In August of 1994,Jose sacrificed his life coming to America in making a better life not only for him, but his wife and daughter. His daughter was six years old at the time. 
Since he left Cuba, his wife moved on making it impossible for him to bring his daughter. After sixteen years, Jose and his daughter, Francy, are reunited.

 

Cities With High Cuban Population

http://www.statjump.com/lists/cuban-population-dp1c107tc.html

     The link above gives a break down of cities with high Cuban Population, starting with the city with the highest number.

LIFE WITH A CUBAN

Honestly, i don't know where to begin, It's like putting a little kid in a candy store.

     Almost 16 years ago, i was working at Skip's Cutting in New Holland. This is where i met Jose. What attracted me to Jose was his eyes, a beautiful clear sea weed green color. This is what all the girls talked about. I found out from my friend that he was interested in me. I was like no, sorry, already in a relationship, but he was very persistent in trying to talk to me, because he is Spanish and knew no English.
     I could not see myself with a Spanish man because my parents would disown me. They were not prejudice, but they just did not believe in mixed relationships. For Jose, "NO" was not an option. Finally i gave in, my parents on the other hand didn't want anything to do with him. Three months later, my parents saw how happy my 2 year old twin boys were and myself. They apologized to Jose for judging a book by its cover.
     In the beginning of our relationship, it was a struggle because he knew no English. Thank god my best friend is Spanish because she was our communication. It was like playing a game of charades to get him to understand what i was saying. When i thought he understood what i was saying, i would turn around and he's doing something completely opposite. I kept telling him, if he wants to be with me, he needs to learn English. I even took him to the front door of Mckasky High School, that was starting an English class for adults. He did not go in. I think it was his male ego, thinking people were going to make fun of him. He knew this is what he had to do, but he wanted to do it himself. It took him about three years to learn.
     In learning about Cuba, i realized he was here to make a better life for himself and it was obviously he was not afraid of change. When i say this i mean its apparent Cubans come here for a better life, but most Cubans don't realize the skies the limit. The majority of the Cuban population lives in Miami, Florida. This is known as a little Havana, Cuba. To them life is better because their not in Cuba. There's jobs, housing and even food. This is their culture and this is what they know. Of course business owners take advantage and charge high prices for them to live and pay them bare minimum to work. I know most are not educated enough and are afraid to step outside of what they don't know, REJECTION maybe. Jose left Miami a few weeks after he was brought here and given his temporary paperwork. He came here to change his life and get away from the life he left behind.
     When he started realizing he could have anything he wanted as long as he had money, it had to be at that minute. No matter what it was or how much it cost. Getting him to understand how everything worked in the U.S. was very challenging.
     Here we are almost 16 years later, a total of 5 children and still as happy as ever. He blends so well with the way of life in America, many people do not realize he is from Cuba.
    
    
    
    

A PERSONAL JOURNEY

 

  Jose was only 13 years old during the Mariel Boatlift of 1980. He wanted to leave, but knew he was a kid, being raised by his grandmother and had to stay. Around the age of 25, he was desperate to leave. The Soviet Union had suspended trade with Cuba, which left Cuba in a dismal economic situation.  "As a result, the government instilled a rationing system to deal with food, electricity, and gasoline shortages". Many Cubans desired economic and political freedoms, as many also desired fleeing their country for those freedoms. If Cubans got caught fleeing Cuba when the gates are closed, they go right to jail. If they come within 10 miles of U.S shores their free. Jose made two attempts, but failed.

     He than heard that Fidel Castro was going to be opening the gates and knew this was his chance. Since Cuba was deteriorating everyday, Cubans found whatever material possible to build a raft, that would float. On that day in Aug 1994, known as the Belsero Rafters Crisis, Tens of thousands of Cubans fled to the waters in hope of freedom.

     Jose had shared a raft with 7 other people. This was it, there was no turning back. His determination to have his freedom and make a better life for his wife and daughter at that time gave him no fear to the journey ahead of him. 
     Jose recalls being on a raft floating in the middle of the ocean with nothing around him, except the deep blue waters and sharks. They picked up 4 more Cubans along the way, that lost the majarity of their raft. They were just clinging to a piece of their raft barely keeping their heads up because hyperthermia was setting in. In the distants he heard the screaming of other Cubans that were attacked and killed by the sharks. The smell of blood was all around.

     When they were preparing to leave, oil was a necessity. They kept a 3 to 4 foot long trail of oil in the water behind the raft to cover up the scent and keep the sharks away. They could only do this in the back because having it along the sides, the direct sunlight would cause the material they were carring the oil in to pop. After spending 7 days in the water, they were finally starting to see land. Before they got close enough, the U.S. Coast Guard was ordered to gather up all that survived and take them to Guantanamo.
     After spending a year and a half in Guantanamo, Jose was brought to Florida and given his temporary papers.

     

 

REFERENCE:

Jose Calichs (Cuban) 

Balsero Rafters Crisis

     Right after the Soviet Union suspended all trade with Cuba. The government went with a

rationing system to deal with food, electricity, and gasoline shortages. Fidel Castro also

opened the gates the second time in August 1994. This is known as the Balsero Rafters

Crisis. Among the tens of thosands of Cubans that fled  in the waters that day, my husband,

Jose, is one of them. The Cubans built rafts out of what ever materials they found, that

would float.
    
     The Clinton Administration ordered the U.S.Coast Guard to interdict the refugees in the

high seas and ship them to Guantanamo, after ending the traditional U.S. welcome. Clinton

wanted to make sure it was not a repeat of the Mariel Boatlift. While being detained in

Guantanamo, each Cuban was checked out thoroughly. Than after a year and a half being

detained, the Cubans who had no problem, were brought to the U.S. While being detained,

they knew they were safe.

REFERENCES:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP3u9_ePRj8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfx9W_pceRI

Mariel Boatlift

     Fidel Castro opened the Port of Mariel, in 1980, allowing disaffected Cubans to leave en masse for the 

United States. Amidst growing dissent, housing and job shortages as well as a plummeting economy, left 

throngs of Cubans crowding into the lushly landscaped gardens at the embassy, requesting asylum after he 

removed his guards from the Peruvian Embassy in Havana. This is the first time Fidel opened the gates and is 

known as the Mariel Boatlift. 

     

     The Coast Guard established patrols to aid refugees and to enforce neutrality, interdicting the 

transportation of men and arms. In a five month period the Coast Guard sailed in small vessels from South 

Florida to Mariel. Gathering as many Cuban refugees that took to the waters, as they could possible fit and

sail back to South Florida. Total that year, 125,266 refugees arrived in a tumultuous exodus that forever

changed Cuba and South Florida. A political disaster and the most disorderly migration in the country's

history President Jimmy Carter faced.  After the President first welcomed the refugees, he soon learned,

among the good seeking to escape, were the criminals and the mental patients.     

 

     The Mariel boatlift forever changed the ethnic landscape, cementing the Cubanization of Miami, 

expanding the exile community to more broadly reflect Cuba in terms of race and age, economic and social 

strata, as well as political perspectives.

 Here are a few pictures of the U.S. Coast Guard bringing in Cuban Refugees, during the Mariel Boatlift:

REFERENCES:

"Military." Mariel Boatlift. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan.  2013. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/mariel-boatlift.htm

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/castro/exodus.html#storylink=cpy

     

     

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/castro/exodus.html#storylink=cpy

     

  

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/castro/exodus.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/castro/exodus.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/castro/exodus.html#storylinky

Brief History

     Historically, Cuba was changed forever in 1959. That was the year of  Fidel Castro's 

revolution, who took control of Cuba by force. A communist regime was set in place two years 

after this revolution began. The new government began confiscating businesses, property, and 

even personal possessions. They even took ownership and regulated places of employment.  

 As a result, many Cubans fled to America, leaving behind all they did have left, in return for 

their freedom.

      That same year Cuban exile forces, trained by the U.S., failed in their attempt to overthrow 

the Castro government. This became known as the Bay of Pigs. The Soviet Union cut off their 

aid to Cuba leaving the economy, only to deteriorate. To stay and live under communism, 

meant a future without hope. The Mariel Boatlift and the Balsero Rafters Crisis allowed Cubans,  

a chance at FREEDOM.