Sweet Celebrations| Memorable Weekend with the Family [EN]

The second Sunday of May is Mother's Day in my country, Cuba. So, last weekend was all about honoring and celebrating those amazing women who bring so much to our lives. In this post, I'll summarize how those two days were for me, and why I believe it's more effective to write a single post than splitting it into two. So, come with me and let's relive it together!

I'm fortunate enough to have my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother in my life, and each of them has made a significant contribution to shaping the person I am today. On Mother's Day, I make sure to show my appreciation and affection to all of them in my own way. They all deserve to be spoiled a little bit for everything they do for me.

I had a tight deadline of 72 hours to find three gifts, and I knew I had to use my time wisely. However, finding gifts in Cuba is not as straightforward as it may seem in other countries. Due to various factors beyond the scope of this post, it's not always easy to find the perfect gift quickly. Sometimes, we have to get creative and improvise to come up with something meaningful. But, don't worry, I'll share my experience with you.

On Saturday, I woke up bright and early, fully aware that if I didn't, I could end up spending hours waiting in line to find what I needed. Remembering the proverb, "The early bird catches the worm," I knew that getting a head start would be crucial.

My first objective was crystal clear - find a gift for my sweet 86-year-old great-grandmother who knew exactly what she wanted, and in this case, she just wanted cookies. Thankfully, I knew which ones she loved, so I set off on my quest to find something similar. I visited multiple stores in search of these cookies, but to no avail. Feeling desperate.

I decided to seek the help of an old family acquaintance, Francisco, who was known to fetch anything for a hefty price. But, since it was a gift for my beloved great-grandmother, I didn't hesitate to give it a shot. On my way to Francisco's, I was gearing up to negotiate with this shrewd character and trying to come up with a convincing story. However, much to my surprise, my luck turned around. As I passed by a small shop, I spotted the exact cookies my great-grandmother wanted on the top shelf. Without even checking the price, I bought them and scurried out of the store, feeling relieved and overjoyed.

My second objective was the most challenging of all because I had to choose a gift for my grandmother, someone who values sentimentality over material possessions. Fortunately, my mom decided to join me on my quest to find the perfect gifts. By noon, we were both starving, so we stopped at a cafe to grab some pizza (I was too hungry to even take a picture). With our bellies full, we continued our search by checking out some garage sales, which have become quite popular in the city lately, regardless of the day. We stumbled upon one not too far from the cafe, where we were greeted by a lovely lady with distinct Asian features. She kindly showed us all the items she was selling, and one thing caught my eye - a small Buddha statue. Although my grandmother isn't a practicing Buddhist, she had gifted me with a similar Buddha when I was young and told me that rubbing its belly before facing any life challenge could help me overcome it. Now, at 23, and with my Buddha missing, I bought another one for her. I knew this gesture would mean a lot to her and symbolize the connection between her and her grandchild. With only one gift left to find, we continued our search with renewed hope.

In order to buy a gift for my mom, I had to get rid of her. But before that, we stopped by the local market to buy some fruits and vegetables for the next day. To get rid of my mom, I had an accomplice - my sister, who pretended to be sick to make our mom go back home and take care of her. She played her role so convincingly that in less than 30 minutes, I was left alone to continue with my shopping. (Thanks, little sister, in case you're reading this.)

My mom is not a difficult person to shop for, as she has a sweet tooth. Luckily, a few days ago, an excellent quality bakery opened up nearby, making my task even easier. However, it was already getting dark, and I had to make my way to Chinatown, which was only a few kilometers away from home. The challenge was that the streets of my city can become quite unsafe after dark, making it risky to walk alone in those areas.

When I arrived at the bakery, I was taken aback by the long line that stretched for what seemed like miles. It would have taken me around three hours to get through, but I couldn't wait that long as it was already getting late. However, I couldn't leave empty-handed, knowing that my mother would love the sweets. As I stood a few meters away from the entrance, I noticed that those who only purchased liquids were allowed to bypass the long line. Without hesitation, I approached the door and requested to buy a liquid, which they promptly handed to me. Once inside, I was directed to the refrigerator and then to the payment counter. However, on the way, I explained my urgent need to buy those sweets to the salesgirl, and luckily, she allowed me to purchase a high-quality tasting. Upon leaving, I realized that no one had questioned me, so I asked what the long queue was for, and they kindly informed me that it was for buying cake. I felt foolish for assuming otherwise.

Sunday had finally arrived, and it was time for the much-awaited celebration. Despite staying up late packing the gifts, I woke up late and missed some of the earlier festivities. However, I managed to arrive on time for the most important parts - the food and the gift-giving.

For the meal, we roasted some chickens in a small oven at home, prepared by my great-grandmother with her secret seasoning that no one else knows. It was a culinary delight that we all savored. My gifts were a success - my great-grandmother was grateful for the many cookies I gave her, my grandmother was moved to tears upon seeing the Buddha that connects us, and my mom was too busy enjoying the sweets to speak. It was a good sign that the sweets were delicious.

To wrap up the day, we played a game of dominoes, which was, in reality, the start of a fierce competition in my family, as nobody wanted to lose. And with that, my weekend came to an end, filled with emotions, and I felt recharged for the tough week ahead.

Hope you enjoyed reading about my weekend full of emotions. I'll keep sharing my experiences here, so catch you all soon. Take care and stay tuned for more!