Chatty you have such a giving and sharing soul. Welcome back Eagle who also has a giving and sharing soul. I missed ya big time.
Now I have a question. Is it possible to get cuban exchange at a bank in the US in the form of a cheque and forward it to someone in Cuba? I am curious. What about mailing something light? Let us know what you think Eagle.

Chick, not a simple answer. First, many of the neediest Cubans we know don't have bank accounts so would not be able to cash a cheque. There is a way to put money directly into a Cuban bank account if you have their bank info and their personal ID #, but the admin and exchange fees are high. I'm not sure what the percentage is, but I'll wager a guess that after all of the fees, they would get about 75-80% of the cheque or money order.

Secondly, mail still gets opened en route...i.e., not everything we send makes it to the people we send it to. In fact, we've stopped sending care packages in the mail because the rates have gone way up and because the packages either don't make it intact or don't make it at all. That's expensive for us and disappointing to the people at the other end. We've been to the Cuban embassy to complain, and there have been improvements - my BIL still sends out about 40 packages a year and most of them make it, albeit usually with something missing. I think something gets removed in lieu of custom tax (which most of our Cuban friends wouldn't be able to pay, so perhaps they offer one of the items in the package as a bartering chip?)

At this time, if someone really wanted to get money into the hands of the people who need it, the best way would be to give it someone who's going there. If anyone really wants to contribute, I would make sure that any money sent to me would go in a special envelope and all contents of that envelope would make it directly into the hands of someone who desperately needs it, remembering that the bank and exchange rates will each take some of it.

I don't think you can exchange US dollars directly into Cuban pesos outside of Cuba. Cuba has two currencies, the tourist pesos for tourists and regular pesos for Cubans. Cubans cannot officially use the tourist pesos in most stores (but can and do use it on the black market).

As for mailing something light, do you mean to Cuba or to me? Mailing anything to Cuba is risky. If someone really wanted to mail something for us to take, here would be a few light ideas: packages of needles, thread (e.g., white, black, denim blue), underwear (all sizes), socks (all sizes, even toddler), safety pins, emery boards, disposable razors (men's and women's), small frisbees and hair thingies (scrungies, butterfly clips, etc). These are all things that we try to put in every bag, so need dozens of but rarely ever bring enough.

I just want to add that these are are the same sorts of things that are desperately needed in women's shelters and homeless shelters in everyone's own communities...it's okay to put together a bag or two of these things and take them to your nearest shelter instead of sending them to Cuba...

Eagle, you are a fount of info...can you tell me how you and hubby got started doing this? I'm sure you've given this info before, but I don't recall reading it. I would love to know. And why Cuba? I'm just curious...and hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries with the questions....no?

Oh and thank you so much for including the part about the shelters. I know I forget myself sometimes that the needs of others is staring me in the face right here at home. Oh boy...I need to get back on track and see what the Children's Advocacy Center needs right now. Thanks gal!

JJ, hubby got involved through his two brothers (who originally went there for vacation about 20 years ago and met the old man on the front porch - that's how it all began.) His brothers (and their families) went every year, so when hubby retired from the military, he went with them. I couldn't go because I was still working with the military (as a civvie). Then after switching jobs, I was able to go to Cuba, but we went to Havana and other parts. Hubby's family always went in the winter and I could never get time off work to go at that time.

Hubby's brother still goes every year, as well as the other BIL's widow, and hubby's sister and her husband (though they didn't go this year). Most years there are 8 or 9 of us there.

I don't know why Cuba. In those days, it was very cheap. My BIL's probably chose there because it was the cheapest and safest. Cuba is still one of the safest places on earth for tourists. It's customary in Cuba for tourists from all four hotels to take an after-supper stroll along the street, even to go stroll through the other hotels to see what's going on and who's there. Since many of the tourists in that area are return-guests who come back year after year, it becomes like a big family reunion out on the street!

The biggest attraction for us in Cuba are the people, the Cubans. Very happy, kind, lovely people who have nothing and yet would still gladly give you the shirt off their backs. We've traveled a lot but have never met friendlier or kinder people anywhere else in the world. They know how to live, I mean, really live. Family, music, dancing, laughter are all the mainstays of their lives. It's infectious. Some of the most pleasant moments we've ever had on vacation are the times we've spent with our friends, simply sitting in rocking chairs and chatting, or playing dominoes with the family.

I understand and now remember that was the same way you explained before when I asked. Thanks for being patient with my failing memory. Oh and rest assured that I would neither need or expect an accounting of any funds sent to you for the people in Cuba. You are the expert and beyond question. I may go to my bank and see if I can change some American money into Cuban money and send you the proper Cuban currency. That should eleviate any problem, what do you think?

Chatty, you really are one of the kindest souls in the universe! Your light shines so bright!

I'm not sure you can send money through the mail...it's illegal here in Canada, to the point that Canada Post is authorized to open the envelope and change the cash into a money order (keeping some to cover fees, of course).

I'm not sure what's the best option to suggest. You don't happen to have PayPal, do you?

No, but not a problem, I will have it when it comes time to send something. Will PM you later in the month.

After wading through almost 700 pictures, here are a few:

This is actually a carpenter's workshop, and a barbershop.


This shows some of the hurricane damage. Somebody still lives in this house! Some of our friends lost their entire house and/or all of their belongings.



I love this picture of the Old Abuela in the village where we go to visit our "adopted" family.


Chuppa Tongues!

Kids...love them. They are great all around the world. Good shots, Eagle!

Great to see the photos, Eagle. It would be nice that one of the children or two will be able to travel or do something that meets their dreams.

This is an Irish female travel writer (Dervla Murphy) who just had a travel book released this year: http://www.amazon.ca/Island-That-Dared-J...3290&sr=8-1

She has a long personal history of amazing travel around the world and writing travelogue books. Earlier she used to cycle right up to her 70's. But now, she has modified her travel.

She tries to research about the places to give some context to what she sees and learns. There aren't many travel writers who can travel and write deeply to explain about places with difficult complex but rich histories. And most likely, Cuba is one of them.