Day: February 22, 2008

Cuba, love, politics, travel

Dreaming of Cuba

Christa Avampato

I’ve been in love with Cuba since watching the movie For Love or Country with Andy Garcia. The white sand beaches, the music, the food, the art, and the language. I considered hopping over the border and entering illegally though after my South Africa passport debacle, I don’t think that would be wise. Instead, I have been waiting for Mr. Castro to pass on or step down as the US government has made it abundantly clear that they will not lift the ban on Americans traveling to Cuba with him in power.

And he has stepped down. Though his brother has assumed power, it seems that change may be afoot on that small island only 90 miles from Miami. In my lifetime, I may get to sink my feet into that white sand, take in the music and the art, drink my authentic Cuban coffee with my authentic Cuban sandwich, and drown in the beauty of the language and the people who have so long been isolated from us. 
One can only hope that love and country no longer have to be mutually exclusive.      
The above photo can be found at: http://www.vjv.co.uk:.webloc.
career, job, networking

Contributions

Christa Avampato

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” ~ Anita Roddick

What I lack in height I try to make up for in personality – small and mighty. For the first time in my life I am working a full-time job at a large corporate headquarters office. Though I work in a small, close-knit team with a supportive boss, there are plenty of times that I feel a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of people I don’t know in the hallways. I’m used to knowing everyone where I work. 
A large number of people in a company can cause us to feel helpless at times, passed over, or insignificant. While there is strength in numbers, there is also anonymity, and with anonymity can come frustration or the feeling of being fully replaceable. I was having one of these moments recently and then read this quote by Anita Roddick. 
So how do we have an impact being a very small fish in a very large pond? We carve out our own piece of that pond. Though there may be 1500 people in my office building, they are all individuals and we make personal connections one person at a time. Before we know it Cindy introduces us to Jane who introduces us to John and so on. The web starts to build and with a little effort and a little patience, that place where we felt we had no impact becomes a place we can influence, one person at a time.