Orchid, the reason why you wouldn't be able to hear the "real story" from within Cuba is because they're not allowed to speak or write the truth without risking their lives and the lives of their families. When we visit our friends, we are very careful not to get into any political discussions, because we know how dangerous it is for them if they say anything against the regime. We have often had to beg our Cuban friends to stop talking about these things because we know better than they do that the walls have ears and that as soon as we leave, our friends will get a visit. We cannot trust ANYONE there (in terms of being able to talk politics), because there is no way to know who's a government informant because they are everywhere. It's the ideal place for anyone with paranoia to feel right at home, because it's probably the one place where paranoid is the safest way to be.

The reason we keep going back is because we know that until the system changes (and it will and has already begun to change for the better), the people need help to get through to the other side of these changes...I believe that everyone's heart is sparked with a passion for something, right now ours is helping these people. But we can't ever talk about the "why" of it all with them, for their safety. It's also why I don't post too many pictures of their faces online anymore, because we found out that it also puts them at risk.