Rebeca Monzo, Translating Cuba, Translator: Unstated
It has been two years since I started my blog. Starting it was not an
easy decision to make. Fear – such an innate human characteristic –
overcame me. I had to decide if I would write using my real name, or one
created by me. As a reflection of my true being, I opted to identify myself.
Initially my blog caused few problems. However, as time passed and I
continued to comment on new events, this changed. Some close friends
became scared, and distanced themselves. The majority, were the type who
are also afraid to display a Christmas tree or holiday lights. Or those
who hang lights only on the last day of the year, to welcome "the
triumph of the Revolution"and take them down before "Three Kings Day",
to avoid misunderstanding. Yet, there are also those that have
encouraged me, and become closer friends to demonstrate their support.
It is to these friends that I feel a heavy responsibility.
I remember my first post which I had to stick on a friend's blog. I did
this because even though I had enough material to get started, I had yet
to create my site. It was titled, "Wild, Wild Central Havana". It
described the challenges a group of friends and I were ringing in the
New Year with, anticipating having to conquer.
Immediately the critiques emerged, both the good and bad. I realized
that from this moment, everything I wrote would be under close scrutiny.
This did not dissuade me. On the contrary, it filled me with incentive.
With the passing of time, "Through the Eye of a Needle" has continued to
win followers, admirers and detractors. To refer to my country, I have
started to use the word, "planet", to signify that our land is not
comparable to any other, nor is it ruled like any other. What is
considered normal in any other part of the world, here has no place.
For, whoever else writes without hiding their real identity is also
subjected to harsh criticism, and false accusations through the
political structure.
Finally, finding balance, I feel I have derived more pleasure than
trouble from continuing my blog. I try to write with relative frequency,
in spite of our technological limitations and the imposed prohibitions
that we must try to negotiateon a daily basis.
I hope to be able to keep counting on the support of you, my readers,
taking into account your comments, favorable or otherwise, to improve
myself every day and keep bringing these daily snippets that concern me
and those that, in some way or other, I am part of.
December 31 2011
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