Q: What was your perception of the economic climate?
1. People were rather poor, so lots of begging and black market activity from those trying to improve on their meager salaries.
2. Some private ownership of homes and cars had recently begun. People could actually sell their homes and cars.
3. Some private ownership of businesses and joint ventures with Cuban government.
Q: Did the Cuban officials seem interested in fostering trade?
EVERYONE we met was very interested in fostering trade with the U.S.
Q: What was you most memorable experience?
1. Ellen’s–On the last night we had dinner at a private home (“paladar”) where we got to know the owner and her daughter. Very intimate and enjoyable evening.
2. Paul’s–Visit to a Community Project “El nino y la nina”–a sort of a “Boys and Girls Club” in a poor section of Havana. I was completely charmed by the 11-year-olds, who were very well educated, well behaved and interested in learning about us.
3. We made friends with a cab driver named Raul who offered to escort us for the last 3 days of the stay. Through him, we met his father (Raul Sr.), who was a dentist who also drove the cab to spell his son. They added immensely to our knowledge and enjoyment of Havana.
Q: Would you go again?
Absolutely!
The Lewises have a son, Adam, who is a junior at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Ellen is president of Resnick Search Group, an executive recruiting firm for investment bankers. Paul retired in 2011 after a long career in commercial banking and online services.