Two Worlds

By Vera

“When he got here, he realized he had to get used to a whole new world.”

Vera: My dad Evelio Roque was born in 1966 in Havana, Cuba. A communist country, that practice the ideas of common ownership and social avoidance. From an early age, he became fascinated with American movies and music. He began idolizing what it would be like to live here, especially California. He was able to achieve this dream when he moved here in 2001, by marrying my mother, with a baby on the way.

When he got here, he realized he had to get used to a whole new world.

Dad: When I came here my big concern is like, I have my little baby boy Lucas, who was born premature, so that was my personal… obstacles, challenge. We come from a communist country and we had to get used to a new universe of things. We Cubans come with a positive attitude because we have a, an ideal situation about the U.S. for years. So, when you come with a positive attitude, is easier to get used to the stress.

Vera: He offers some comparison to better understand where he's coming from.

Dad: The other day, I was talking to other Cuban people who came after me and people who came before me, to this country. We live the experience of the special period. No matter how difficult things are now, the worst time, in Cuba, was a special period from 1992 to 1994.

We were literally isolated. With fourteen hours of blackout. With no food. I was so skinny that one of my ex-girlfriends saw me on the street, and she asked me if I have HIV. That skinny I was, with black eyes and all that.

Vera: How old were you?

Dad: Uh, 1992, 93, I was… 26, 27. That's when I started music because there wasn't anything else. I used to work for the movie industry, but the chemistry for film that's needed at that time came from the ex-communist, Germany. That country collapsed.

So, the movie industry collapsed. That's when I started music. It was something, you know… that I can do on my own, I depend on my own quality, not on somebody else I had to know.

Vera: My dad was lucky he found music when he did, because not everyone had this option.

Dad: During that time, there were tourists so there was a, well, what the Cuban government called "harassment of tourists."

You get in contact with tourists, they have American money or foreign money, especially Europeans. And they, invite you to those stores that are only for tourists. And it was a, a denigrating way to survive, especially in 1992 to 95. After 1995, the government allow the Cubans also, to use the American currency. The, you got engineers and architects working in hotels to make currency, instead of doing their own trade.

Vera: About ten years later, things were starting to look up for Cuba when it started opening up. And that's when he met my mom.

Dad: Well, it was really interesting. I met your mom at a hotel in Havana and the jazz festival in 2007. I have a...

Vera: 2007?

Dad: Sorry, 1997. You were born already. 1997 I met your mom and you decide to see each other and day. And then somebody called me for a recording and I didn't show up on that day. The jazz festival used to be every year on December. So in December, 1998, and I see her again in the same hotel, I guess it was meant to be. American tourists are friendly in a friendly environment, and we Cuban were friendly with tourists, that make it easier. Because she was a tourist, I had the opportunity to… actually meet my country. I went to places that as a Cuban, I wouldn't be able to go. From Vinales to Baracoa, that's from far East to far West on the country. And, uh, everywhere we were welcomed and, you know, friendly with me and with her. We was, you can, blessed.

Vera: Final thoughts or concerns.

Dad: We live difficult times. The country is more polarized, and more divided now than during W Bush. We live in tensions years, and I hope this country doesn't go to a civil war. Because of this country is based on, is, is founded by immigrants and people like me who come from communist country, see the America as the… the ideal country for freedom. And now we're having a crisis that, that is socially involving every citizen in this country.

Vera: Thank you so much for talking to me today.

Dad: Thank you.