Hallo everyone,
kali ini aku akan men-share satu lagi contoh wawancara dengan seorang Tour Leader.
let's read.
LISETTE (
Tour Leader InsightCuba)
InsightCuba caught up with
Lisette Poole, an insightCuba tour leader that currently resides in New York
City. She talks about her best days as a tour guide through Cuba, what
she likes most about the Caribbean island and how she relates to Cuba. She also
shares her work as a freelance photographer. Lisette recently worked on
three major photography projects documenting her Cuban family (Family), the
looks and vigor of the Cuban people (Vanity) and the devastation of hurricane
Sandy (Sandy) sweeping through Cuba.
InsightCuba: Who is
Lisette?
Lisette Poole: Well, I’m born
and raised in San Francisco, California. My mother is Cuban, and though she
left at 12 years old, she never let a day go by without mentioning her
homeland. I have always been very proud and curious about being Cuban and
Cuba.
In college, I studied
photojournalism, so later, I used my background in photography to discover Cuba
and my roots there. I began traveling there over 14 years ago now, and for the
last few years have spent long stretches of time in Havana mainly, working on
photography projects. At this point, it feels like a second home to me.
What propelled you to
become a tour leader in Cuba?
I love Cuba, and going
there has completely changed my life. I really have learned a lot from being
and working there, and the people I’ve met. It can also be a hard place to feel
comfortable and get things done, in many ways it’s different than what we’re
used to, but once you’re able to figure things out, it’s really worth it.
I think knowing people there
before you go, even one person, can make all the difference in whether or not
you are able to have a good experience. My favorite part of the job is that I
get to share my love of the island with the visitors that go there,
making it easier for them to see all the beauty the island has to offer.
Why
insightCuba?
InsightCuba really focuses on
the experience of their clients and makes sure they have the best time
possible. Insight is very focused on this, and it really shows. Passengers
invariably love the time they spent in Cuba and want to go
back.
Favorite insightCuba
tours that you lead?
My favorite so far is Classic
Cuba, although, I’ve worked many Weekend in Havana tours and really like those
as well. Classic Cuba is
a tour where you get to see a little bit of everything that is Cuba, small
towns, coastline, as well as Havana. The Weekend
In Havana tour is great because you will probably have more
experiences in four days than you ever will in such a small amount of
time.
You’ve received
countless positive comments from the insightCuba clients. What has been your
greatest reward?
I have gotten to meet so many
amazing and wonderful people on these tours. I think anyone that goes to a
country with this kind of travel, is looking for a unique experience. They really
want to be part of the culture, and for the most part, they have already seen
the world. It’s very enjoyable to get to talk to them about their lives.
I also can’t tell you how good
it feels when I ask the clients whether they want to come back and their hands
all go shooting up. It feels so good to know that I had a part in bringing
their dream of experiencing Cuba and a cultural immersion into reality.
What do you like most
about Cuba?
What I like most about Cuba is,
of course, the people. I just learn so much from them. It’s very difficult for
me to describe. I find in them a zest for life, as well as an openness. They
won’t hide the fact that they feel upset, if that’s the case, but there’s also
a way that they don’t let anything get them down. “No cojas lucha,” is an
expression there that means, “Don’t fight it” It’s a way that they explain away
hardships, if someone in the US would tell me to “calm down” when I was upset,
it might make me things worse. But when someone in Cuba tells me that I just
need to stop fighting whatever it is that’s bothering me, it really works.
There’s also music, and dance,
and just having a good time. Cuban people are so talented, innovative,
creative; they can make a party out of anything. It’s really incredible. I’ve
had some amazing fun experiences in Cuba that I can’t compare to anywhere else.
Best and worst day as a
tour leader in Cuba?
My favorite experience was at
the children's theater "La Colmenita." The children danced and
performed for us and they were so talented! They brought us all up with them to
dance and be part of the show! It was so hot that day that everyone was hot and
sweating but we all danced anyway and had a great time! The best part was how
brave and talented the kids were. One boy, he couldn't have been more than 11
years old took me by the hand and said "do you dance casino?"
(Cuban-style salsa) and he proceeded to show me all his best moves! These kids
were dancing like professionals and all because they loved it and were willing
to dedicate the time to it! It was very inspiring and everyone in our group,
passengers, the guide, and myself, left in great spirits that day!
Worst day was when one client
lost her passport. We eventually got it back, but we’d spent the whole weekend
planning what to do. She was worried she’d have to stay in Cuba while her new
passport was ordered. I felt so helpless and knew that she was having a hard
time.
How was your event on
raising funds on Santiago de Cuba?
The event was based on photos I
took in Santiago de Cuba after Hurricane Sandy. We sold the prints and gave the
money to Pastors for Peace who will be bringing supplies down to Cuba for
continuing reconstruction efforts there. It was another way of bridging the gap
between the two countries and that always feels amazing.
While shooting the Vanity
project in 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Cuba, on its way to the U.S.
- it was the second-largest storm in the island’s history. I was in Havana, far
from Santiago, where the hurricane had passed, but I began to hear stories of
the devastation left behind in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. I traveled by bus
(16 hours) to see for myself what had happened to Santiago, Cuba’s
second-largest city. When I arrived, there was no water, and no electricity.
Thousands of homes were left without a roof and hundreds of homes were
destroyed completely. But what I also found were communities coming together to
help one another, to clean up, to provide shelter. Santiago’s residents
welcomed me into their homes.
Having just moved to New York
this year, and hearing so much about Hurricane Sandy’s impact on the East Coast
of the United States, I knew that I wanted to do something to raise awareness
about what had happened in Cuba as well. I returned to Santiago this year to
photograph for the one-year anniversary and found the city still struggling to
put the pieces together. At the benefit in Brooklyn, on October 24th, exactly
the one-year anniversary of Sandy in Cuba, we printed the Santiago photos and
sold prints to raise money for Pastors for Peace, and organization that brings
building supplies to Santiago. The event was a success! We had a great
turnout and in keeping with the tradition of Cuba, we had music, food and a
good time too!
Advice to prospective
travelers to Cuba?
Have an open mind. Be prepared to have the trip
be completely different from what you expected. If something bothers you, “No
cojas lucha,” and keep your eyes open for lessons learned and beautiful gifts
you’ll find along the way. Dance! Take a lesson from Cubans and shed any ounce
of shyness you have! Ask questions. Do some research before you go. This will
help a lot. While you’re in Cuba, don’t sleep. You can do that back home. Rest
if you really need it but make sure you spend as much time as you can,
experiencing what’s happening.
