I never thought after my Cuba trip in 2017 that I will go there again next year but well sometimes your inner wish is heard. After some thought, I booked my second Cuba trip in 2018 February.
But this time I decided to do a few different things. I was reading a lot about Cuba in the meantime and was collecting information about what different things I can do this time. While surfing on the internet I found a page of "Give Globe a day". There I read about this volunteering programme at an organic farm in Cuba for a day. It was very interesting.
One has to go to this organic farm near Havana and work there for a day and enjoy some good meal prepared from the fresh farm produce. The cost was approximately 20 CUC very fair price.
The farm I worked at is owned by a lovely couple Annabelle and Alfredo. Very lively, energetic, kind, knowledgeable people.
I wrote an email to them asking about the overall plan and cost etc... To my surprise, I got a reply very promptly. They both speak very good English so communication was easy.
The day plan is normally like this; they pick us up from our place in Havana and also drop back to Havana for a very fair price of 30 CUC. Once we go there we get a wonderful breakfast of some fruit-flavored yogurt, Fresh Cuban coffee, fresh juice, and some fruits. I am just used to eat typical test less supermarket bought yogurt but when I tested this at the farm it was very tasty. Never had such good yogurt before.
After this wonderful breakfast get on to work. This varies from day to day and season to season. Just follow Alfredo's instructions. It’s really a pleasure to work and also makes you realize how much physical energy you need even to do a small job at the farm. Work goes on until 11:30 Then nice walk around this very big farm of 15 acres or hectors ЁЯШХi am not so sure about the unit of measurement. And then the best lunch ever cooked by Annabelle using everything produced on the farm. I really never had this tasty food before in Cuba.
I got picked up from Havana at 7 in the morning and the person who came to pick up really came at the specified time. which is not normal in Cuba. But he was on time. After that we drove to the farm .it takes around 1 hr. This time Alfredo’s father Oscar also came with us to the farm. He lives in a city and visits the farm from time to time. He also speaks very good English so we had a very nice chat during our drive. One of his sons works currently in India with some IT firm and so we were talking about India.
At the farm, Annabelle and Alfredo welcomed me with a big smile. Annabelle is originally from Nicaragua and was working as a chef in France. Alfredo is originally from Peru and an IT engineer was also working in France. 4 Years ago they both decided to leave France and come to Cuba to start their organic farm family. They both learned on their own about farming and now have this beautiful, big farm with many new ideas to implement.
The farm has different vegetables, fruits; some usual fruits and some which are not so easily available in Cuba nowadays e.g. a fruit called Mamey Santo Domingo, beans, sugarcane, and many more things.
Annabelle cooked very delicious food for us that day. We also had Barbequed meat which was done with a self-made barbeque. Grilled on a very low flame for a long time. That had an excellent test.
After lunch, we relaxed under the tree. And around 3 it was time leave ЁЯШЮ. It was a day very well spent. Went back home with some very good positive energy.
I really wish to go there again.
If you happen to be in Havana then I really recommend to spent a day in this beautiful farm and with this positive people.
More details of their farm you can read here: http://tungasuk.com/about-us-nosotros/
In general, in Cuba I met very nice, kind people and this wonderful couple is very special. I wish them all the best in all of their future plans and really wish to see them again and again.
By
Anagha Datar
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