IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 9 ENGLISH | Page 124

things they can’t. There is a sector of
the Ecuadorian population that does not
swallow the Cubans; but for me,
everything went very well during my
short stay.
What are the prices of the goods you
bought for resale?
The merchandises are pretty cheap in
Ecuador and we, the Cubans, usually
make bulk purchases. Clothes are
always cheaper. When you arrive in a
mall and ask for the price of a pullover,
if it’s six dollars, a dozen will cost you
four dollars, and so on. You can also
bargain, something that can’t be done in
Cuba within the formal market.
I've heard that Cubans have been
breaking bad in Ecuador.
It is well known that almost all Cubans
are well prepared. Many of them got
good jobs there thanks to their studies
here. Some have already a house and
some sources of earnings; others are
working in hospitals, because they are
professionals. And that strongly
influences the public opinion. Cubans
are a plague not only in Ecuador, but
also in other Latin American countries,
where people even get upset because of
the benefits that Cubans receive in the
States under the so-called adjustment
and the rule “dry feet-wet feet.” On the
contrary, the Latin Americans who
illegally enter the US do not enjoy any
benefit, but face the risk of deportation.
How do Ecuadorians live?
The basic salary is between three
hundred and four hundred dollars.
There's always a job available and with
the average salary you can peacefully
live, because the food is very cheap. I
told you that the clothes are not
expensive either; thus, if you earn a bit
more than the amount needed for paying
the rent, you can live without problems.
If you should choose between Cuba
and Ecuador to live...

I would choose Ecuador. Not because I
do not like my country, but because
there is much more freedom and you
can do whatever you want. I am a
professional; I can go and find a job,
although it would last six months. I can
easily spend that time if I bring money
to cover meals and lodging. As soon as
I get a job, I begin to live well. I have
friends there who are doctors and earn
two thousand dollars a month, enough
for living with comfort. If you have
your papers in order, you can happily
live in Ecuador.
Do you make a real business by
reselling goods?
It always gives you some profit. Take
into account that, once a year, we get a
custom permit for carrying 125
kilograms. If you get the cheapest air
fare possible and enter such a weight of
merchandise, you really are doing
business. You can recover the money
spent in the round-trip fare, the stay in
Ecuador and the amount invested in
buying things. And you will always get
some money extra. For me, making a
dollar is a business, because you travel
abroad, can learn about another country,
have fun, bring goods back and recover
the investment.
And with so much merchandise, how
are you treated at the airports?
Cubans must go through stressful
moments anywhere, because we nudge
each other. At the departure, the Cuban
authorities ask you a million questions.
I traveled with Aeroméxico and the
flight included a stopover of around
eight hours in Mexico. Since we left
Cuba, our passports are taken away,
because we don’t have an in-transit
visa. The stewardess collected the
passports and put them in a bag. So, we
were left undocumented. At the airport
in Mexico, a cordon of police was
awaiting us. They lead you down a
hallway to a room full of people. We
were treated pretty bad. Eating was

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