Hi Soo, have just seen that you asked for your post to be removed under racist grounds, I am so sorry it has come to this, I know that you have come on here as an innocent party trying to get advice/help, and somewhere along the line it has got out of hand.
Please do not give up posting on here, as we are all not bitter and twisted, yes I admit, that I am sceptical, and I see and tell like it is, thats because I live the experience, but myself personally or the lovely jennifer will never be horrible to you, so please do not be afraid or put off by coming here again, as there is some really people that reply on here. :-)
Sep 18, 2010 Rating
Japanese Girls Ask For Trouble by: Annette.
I teach ESOL in an English language school.
I find that Asian girls especially Japanese can be very naive.
I work in a large cosmopolitan city with a large African and AfroCaribbean community.
Perhaps it's the sense of the 'exotic' or the fact they do not se them in Japan, but Japanese girls have a big thing about black men who are like a magnet for them.
They disappear with them into the night as soon as they arrive, they head for the reggae and African clubs.
We warn them of the dangers of being so trusting. And not because the men are African or Caribbean, but because it is very risky when in a foreign country to go off into the night with men you do not know.
They could be robbed or raped, and many are.
But they are even more willing to sleep with the men immediately and rape does not even enter into it.
We have a sense of responsibility for them, and do our best to protect them.
But they are just wild for African and Caribbean men for some reason. We've have some rapes and a few with unwanted pregnancies.
Affluent Japanese women are seen as a great catch for those men. they even travel to the Carribbean for this reason, for sex tourism.
They are naive, solvent and very wiling to sleep with them,
They do not even have to target them, the Japanese girls chase them.
They sleep with them on the first night without worrying about the obvious consequences.
Sep 18, 2010 Rating
My experiences were good. by: Alejandra
Soo I am not basing whay happened to you on my experience.
I have a Mexican boyfriend. We had a great holiday after the first night mshap. We stayed in legal casas and met great people who did not hustle us for anything.
We travelled there together. We are members of Couch Surfing. Rxxxxx was arrested because it is illegal to host foreigners or guide them around town.
Unless your friend was running a legal Casa Particular he was acting illegaly by accommodating you, and could be arrested by doing so. Read what Vic has written in response to your post. Also read what he says about Havana Jineteros.
He is clearly in on the scam with the 'Representative' who charged you 10 CUC, they most likely shared that.
He was not the owner of a legal casa so he coned 10 cuc out of you. And all the rest, clothing kitchen utensils food etc.
You were used.
Sep 18, 2010 Rating
He Was A Jinitero. by: Max
THIS COMMENT IS DELETED BY THE WEBMASTER ON REQUEST OF THE VISITORS.
WE DO NOT ALLOW LINKS TO SEX SITES!
Sep 18, 2010 Rating
please, by: soo
Alejandra,
There is something that you misunderstood.
Please, I appreciate your concern toward me but again please, do not assume anything based on your experience and also with just seeing what I wrote, There are a lot of part that I did not describe here and I just wanted a rough advice so did not described each detail of what happened.
No, he did not charged me 10cuc.
Building represent guy charged me and he just 'informed' me. They have to register me to the country to be not illegal.(Anyone knows about this rule? I heard it is mandatory to register being foreigner in home and pay the registration fee)That was the money that they can't have.
Of course he can spend time with me a week because it is summer vacation now. His school started at Sep 6 and my school started at sep 7.
I gave him my old school hoodie and my travel raincoat and I bought food for him and 'me'.
I bought kitchen utensil because I noticed one day when we cooked I hated to use the knife that is so old and cut almost nothing. He appreciated everything and he did not asked me those things.
I do know he never been arrested before.
Because one day when he and I walk Havana Vieja together, since I am way stand out holding his hands, policeman came to us asked him a id card. He showed his id, policeman check his information and checked his record using walkie-talkie.
We stood there like 20 minutes. No record.
Policeman let us go. If he had a previous record of arrest, he will arrest again right there.
Yes, I agree. Love is blind. However, don't you guys think this is way to much? I first really enjoyed to see all the article here and now I kinda feel people who write here think every people in Cuba is Jinetero and Jinetera. Seems like everyone want that the guy I met was Jinetero.
Sep 18, 2010 Rating
The Signs Are There by: Alejandra
Soo, you ay that no one can tell he's a Jinetero.
But think about it for a moment.
You met him in the street.
He's not working.
You mention study, but did you see him actually in College.
He had the time to spend the week with you.
He charged you 10 CUC.
It was obviously not a legal casa.
How many times has he done that before?.
You gave him clothing, you bought food, you bought kitchen utensils.
Believe me had to stayed in a proper casa it would have cost you less and you would have been a lot more comfortable and been legal.
You do not know how many times he has been arrested. Single women are huge targets for a generation that want to make money from them.
The word Jinetero means 'Jockey' someone who rides off the back of a tourist rather than work.
They make a living from tourists, and their ultimate jackpot is the one who flies them out.
I was there with my b/friend, but the guy who hosted us was arrested. We do not know if he really was a lawyer as he said. He's online all day long. Desperate to get out of Cuba.
He has Cuban wife and g/friend but claims to be seeking 'Amor de Mi Vida' in his profile
I have seen the hassle that single women experience in Havana and I woould avoid it like the plague next time. It is Jinetero central. Santiago is just as bad, horrendous and full of hustlers.
Good Luck, I do hope it works out. But remember love is blind. I hope you can see the reality one day.
Sep 17, 2010 Rating
That's me by: Soo
That's me
I forgot to changed the name field
Again, no one can tell that he is a jinetero or seasonal jinetero
Before he ask money or fancy jeans or iPod touch.
I will update what will happen next couple of months.
Thanks for the comments and concerns toward me though.
Sep 17, 2010 Rating
If Anonymous is Soo then I understand by: Alejandra
Soo if you are posting as 'Anonymous' then I understand your student is not Rxxxxx.
I do not know how your student got round the law, maybe he's a seasoned Jinetero who knows how to sneak in foreigners or pays off someone.
But the Rxxxxx we met clearly does exist.
You will find him on Couch Surfing and on Facebook.
He is online all day long, and a pain in the butt. We had to block him. He is desperate to get out of Cuba.
The fact he spends all day online is why I doubt he is a lawyer.
I mean when does the dude work??
He says he works in Cultura de Cuba or some such organisation.
He was arrested so we checked into a Casa. We did not need the hassle.
Sep 17, 2010 Rating
I Do Not KNow Who or What You are Reffering To by: Alejandra
To the last post I do not know what or whom you are referring to.
You are clearly a Cuban trying to cover your tracks. Because you are not the same 'Anonymous' that posted three posts back.
That 'Anonymous' referred to a Rxxxxx 30's Black works as a lawyer, Posts all day on the net on sites like Couch Surfing.
I defintely met Rxxxxx on Couch Surfing. Black, Lawyer, says he works in Cuban Culture. 35-38 ish. Married but has Cuban novia , don't they all.
Profile on Couch Surfing claims he is looking for 'Amore di Mi Vida'. Yeah, are'nt they all.
Same guy has a Cuban wife, daughter and Cuban g/friend.
He hosted us, we bought food. Sadly we never got to see Cuba by night.
The police arrested Rxxxxx in Havana Vieja, so we moved into a casa next day.
Nice guy but incredibly ambitious.
Clearly seeking a Yuma to fly him out.
Sep 17, 2010 Rating
Not the same guy by: Anonymous
Hi
I don't think he's the same guy..
Not the same name and he lives in Havana vieja.
He's not tall more like 20insh looking
Not the person who use Internet at all
And a student, not a lawyer.
Also when I arrived he's house he called the represent of the building and let me know that I have to pay 10 cuc per night
(he came to me and wrote down my name and the day
I stay here)
Anyway the building representive guy did not receive money until the day before I leave and I gave him money at the day that I leave.
The guy who I stayed together said next time when you visit I don't have to pay this fee because I kinda registered..
I did not have any problem getting in the house and out..
Since I spent a week at his house policia might noticed us but there wasn't any problem me staying at his house..
Sep 17, 2010 Rating
Could Be The Same Guy. by: Alejandra
Re. the last post.
I think we may have met the same guy. Tall black 35ish?.
Name of Rxxxxx.
Met him on the Couch Surfing website, he lives on the outskirts of Havana and offered to host me and my friend.
He works as a lawyer something to do with Cuban culture.
Of course we wanted to see the real Cuba and thought it would be a great idea to stay with a Cuban family. He had a wife, though she had left him. He also had a Cuban g/friend and an adolescent daughter.
We bought food and his mother cooked for us. However our sightseeing of Havana by night was cut very short because on our first night he was arrested and spent the night in prison.
Apparently it's illegal to have foreigners stay in your home.
Why would an otherwise intelligent man, a lawyer, who has a family, take that risk by continually inviting foreigners to stay in his home.
We did notice that on his C.S profile he claimed to be searching for the 'Love of His Life'. 'Amor de Mi Vida'. though he had a Cuban wife and Cuba novia.
I guess if he was really honest he would admit that he is seeking a one way ticket out of Cuba and a passport in another country.
Soo you were very lucky your friend was not arrested also. It is illegal to have tourists stay in your home.
We did not stay in touch, he was online all day and we work in very busy offices and could not possibly find the time to keep answering his continual flow of emails.
In the end we had to block him.
Sep 16, 2010 Rating
They Are Time Vampires by: Anonymous
I met a Cuban guy online. He claimed to searching for the 'Amor de Mi Vida' despite having happy family pictures of a wife and daughter.
He was good looking, AfroCuban 30ish but the problem soon became apparent.
The guy was a real bully. He demanded hours of my time, and I failed to see how he managed to get any work done since all he wanted to do was chat online and make demands that I send him history of my country, background on Che etc.
Despite me telling him to go to a library.
I guess he was actually support IT worker otherwise how could he justify chatting all day on line.
In the end I had to block him. He was totally monopolising my days. I felt suffocated, asphysiated. Smothered.
I told him he was a time vampire draining me and stealing my time.
He was angry and responded with huge capital letters 6cm tall. Obviously enraged.
I told him my friend would be visiting Havana next month he immediately asked for her email and offered to host her. I told her she had a boyfriend and would travelling with him, he did not like that,
Clearly Rodrigo was seeking a mug to fly him anywhere in the world but Cuba.
He mentioned how keen he was 'to travel and explore' other cultures. Yeah sure he would at some poor woman's expense.
I cannot tell you the sense of relief that I felt after I had blocked this vampire and salvaged my life and my working day.
Cuban men are very heavy, demanding and a real burden on your life and your time.
Sep 15, 2010 Rating
Make Sure He Has A Job And Is Not A Leech!. by: Bill
Be Careful Soo. Cuba Is full of lazyloafers with lots of time to play foreigners.
Yesterday Raoul Castro announced he was going to shed lots of the bone idle work shyworkers from the State payroll.Crack down of the lazy workshy who play the State and drain the tourist.
He said he could simply not afford any longer to carry the lazy workshy state workers any longer and there would be lots of lay offs. I applaud Raul Castro for tacklng a problem that was long overdue. We all know workers who feel smug they have a job for life.
Who spend their working days sending personal emails or charging Cubans to send emails and who are a buden on the hard pressed cash strapped country. So well done Raul!! I applaud your actions!
. These lazy fat cat state work shy state workers will be put to work in lower paid agricultural work. Today, by sheer coincidence, a U.K. Union Leader also attacked the State sector Work Shy.
Saying it is time they were tackled and the country could not longer afford to carry them while they sat on their arses collectng a salary for doing nothing more than idling their day away sending personal emails and logging on to Facebook or bunking off as sick.
Riddled with the bone idle': Fire chief's devastating verdict on public sector 'More with less': Fire chief Tony McGuirk said he has been able to slash staff numbers and increase productivity The public services are riddled with 'bone idle people who have damaged the productivity of the state sector, a leading fire chief has claimed.
In a withering attack on the malaise gripping the public sector, Tony McGuirk has warned that unless bosses are prepared to sack lazy workers, they will never make the kind of savings necessary to put the economy back on course.
Mr McGuirk, chief fire officer of Merseyside, sparked outrage at the TUC conference yesterday by saying that he has been able to slash staff numbers by 40 per cent and actually provide a better service.
He advised other public sector bosses to show muscle, sack some people?.
We've got some bone idle people in the public sector. There, I said it bone idle people?
Mr McGuirk said he had slashed the number of firefighters from 1,550 to 850 during the past decade.
There is no need to close a fire station, we haven't touched a single fire station.
is fire engines and fire stations, not firefighters. We provide a far better service with those 850 more with less
He claimed that lazy workers had led to an epidemic of sickness leave? which had damaged productivity.
Lazy Parasites who collect salaries for doing nothing is not a problem confined to Cuba.
It is a worldwide epidemic. Thankfully our polticians are waking up to the fact and tackling the problem and sacking the work shy parasites who are a drain to any economy.
Sep 14, 2010 Rating
Your friend is right by: Grace
Soo friend wrote<<<<< 'why are you keep doubt him before everything is not sure? there are tons of liar in New York too.'>>>>>>
Exactly Soo ( read my comments to the hollow ring thread)
There are liars everywhere, male and female, and we cant go through life doubting everyone, Okay, I know sometimes life throws us a curve ball ( american speak, am so proud) ;-)) but you have to give things a chance, whether it goes tits up, ( british speak) ;-), then such is life.
See it for what it is, so what, we make mistakes, but that is what life is about, mistakes, dont sit there in 30 years thinking, 'if only I did', 'or maybe I should have' do what you think is right, and if it goes wrong, so what!!!,at least you have given it a go, it will be memories, whether they will be good ones or bad ones, it does not matter, just remember, you only have one life, you are here once, enjoy life what has to offer, like I said, if it goes wrong!, what have you lost, nothing, but you have gained experience.:-)
Please let me and jennifer know how things go.:-)
Sep 14, 2010 Rating
thanks for the great advice. by: soo
Thanks for all your comments.
so we are exchanging emails around once and a twice in a week. He's describing his routine life such as school project and his bicycle.
I just don't know!!!!
Reading all the horror story and I tried to block my thoughts about him but it just does not works well. Who can control their emotions?
I think around couple of month's my feeling will
let me know the way to go. Like what Grace said,
if I can't really stand this feeling and want to see him, I go and see him. If he's turned out a scam there, I get hurt,and get life lesson, never go to Cuba again. If not, well.. I really don't know. or if i meet someone here and fall in love,
I might not go there again and never answer on his email.
Ahh.. Keep thinking about this problem makes me really sick. Now I kinda give up finding answer.
I talked with my friend and she said,
'why are you keep doubt him before everything is not sure? there are tons of liar in New York too.'
Sep 14, 2010 Rating
Accept it for what it is by: Grace
Hello Soo, you had a lovely time, fell in love, and now worried that he might be or trying to con you....
I am the first one to pick faults, write remarks, (read my other posts) but I do believe that there are some genuine ones out there.
What you have going for you is that you are young, not middle aged, or even fat and fifty, and desperate, he knows you are a student, and you havent much money, mind you sometimes that does not sink in with them, as you are still rich compared to them.
The majority of them do want you to meet thier family, not all do it because they are all in with the scam, but sometimes the 'friend' really wants to show you off, that you a young 27 year old has looked at him, and lets be honest here, if he is a good looking bloke, and a good dancer, and I daresay fit,lol, he could latch on to an older woman who has a lot more to offer than you have.;-)
But you wont ever know if there is an ulterior motive unless you go over again, and play dumb, I do it all the time, even after nearly 6 years I still have my doubts, as I have read so many horror stories, then I start thinking of things, and my mind runs away with me, but then on the other hand, he doesnt ask me for Ipod, dvd player or clothes, he did ask me for an england baseball cap, I didnt have a problem with that.
I have met his family loads of times, and not once have they hinted or asked me anything, or have I paid out, I did buy his mum a chicken once ( a dead one) and a slab of cheese another time, but his sisters and brothers have never asked me for anything, and I would love to bring the kids something over, but I dont, as there are so many of them, they treat me as family, but still I am on guard all the time, I cant help it, as I have read and seen so much with other people that I am still wary.
IMO, if you really care for him, then you need to go back, it will either go one way or the other, but if you dont, you will always wonder, and if it goes wrong, then think of the valuable lesson you will have learned, as it will never happen again, it will make you stronger :-)
Sep 12, 2010 Rating
Hindsight Is A Great Healer. by: Jennifer
Soo I know how revolting that fake sincerity it. I too was welcomed like one of the family.
His mother treated me like she had known me all my life which immediately sent out alarm bells.
You get the feeling they have their eye on the Yuma and are all prt of conspiracy gang to get him married off asap so he can life an affluent abroad. Anywhere is more affluent to them.
They see us all as rich, even though we may have had to work for years to save for the holiday.
I hate the fact that so many people have access to your private relationship. There's a Doctor who always uses the ref. Msc which makes me sick. I never know if Dr. xxxx is writing the actusal emails or my friend.
The Dr. is making a fortune by sending emails for the whole town via the SLD Cuban Health System server. My friend's mother is a nurse.
Now I receive emails from my friend via a woman called xxxx who is apparently the Doctor's wife.
I can tell she is more of a hustler than both of them. She keeps trying to pin me down to dates and keep recommending great casas.
No doubt on a commission. she sometimes slips up and sends email from another name, then apologises it one of her other customers who has paid her a cuc.
All email are signed in the name of my friend. Now I am beginning to doubt they've been written by him at all. They are all suck liars and fakes.
Make sure you return for a check up in a couple of months. I have read there is a window period.
Always always wear a condom. If they try to convince you otherwise just walk away dump them. Your health is paramount in life. So look after yourself.
God Luck Soo. I hope he turns out to be one of the good guys. They do exist but are in the rare minority x.
Sep 12, 2010 Rating
thanks for advice.. by: soo
Thanks for all of the comments and advices.
Yes, that's right. I am still young and there is no reason I have to re-visit him to spend money for him again. It was a summer love.
But um.. I am just pissing off about the fact that everyone know what he's doing except me. There smiling friends, family who gave me warm hug.. Gosh, I feel like I almost don't like this country at all. Are the people in Cuba does not even have a emotion? How could they pretend so well?
The last email I got from him was 9th and I sent him back 10th and still no answer, maybe he found better girl who has better money.
One thing I am REALLY concerning is I did not wear condom when we spend night together. When I came back to Mexico to transfer plane to New york, I quickly went to pharmacy and had emergency oral contraceptive though. I also went to health center to check my status and there was no virus or anything detected too. I hope the worst thing does not happen to me. Please cross me fingers..
Sep 12, 2010 Rating
Michelle Is Right - Be Wary Of Hustlers And They All Are! by: Stephanie
Michele is so right. You have to be able to read between the lines.
They send so out so many Te Quero Mucho, Te Amo messages via email that very often one wings it's way to your inbox wth a totally different name on it. And you ask yourself..'Who the Hell Is Yana?"/
Then there is always the huge apology that the person who send it for them mixed the names up.
I have been emailng a guy for two years now. I returened earlier this year, and did not hear from him so booked into a small hotel near the beach. Guess what I had the best time ever. A totally relaxing man free holiday no hassle no stress no demands.
I received a ver stroppy email from him when I was there. Perhaps Vic can translate but basically he is saying that he 'Has all the time in the world to join me' Sure he has. That he would need of course to 'borrow the bus fare'. Of course!.
That if I am to "Take our love seriously he has to be beside me'.
Yeah right, don;t we all want a freebie vacation. I do too. No way Jose. I did not reply to him until I had returned home. Told him the internet was down. He said he was "Very preoccupied".
Yeah right!.
Hola mi amor:
estoy muy contento al saber que llega a cuba el 24, pero a la ves procupado una por.ti, de todo corazon voy donde quiera que ud este, pero estoy de vacaciones que tengo todo el tiempo del mundo para estar a tu lado, pero esta situacion me desconciertan ya que tengo que comprar el pasaje o reservar que aqui se reserva para nosatros lo cubano, un mes antes y pagandole de mas para que te resuelva un pasaje y lo otro que tengo que pedir el dinero prestado para poder moverme y pienso que seria mas economico para los dos ya que un viaje para la habana para nosotro es muy costoso, pero yo hago lo que tu desee y quiera. dime si te espro en el aeropuerto o voy al hotel.es mejor para mi que ud decida lo que hago evaluando sus intereses y necesidades de analizar como es mas fructifero para ambos, contestame lo antes posible que estoy muy procupado un beso grande para ti.
Sep 12, 2010 Rating
Be Careful Soo - Don't Get Hurt by: Michelle
Soo what a lovely story. A fairytalr romance. But in real life fairytales are just that - best left as fiction. They rarely work out.
Havana and Santiago really are Jinetero Central. That is why I avoid both towns whenever I travel to Cuba. Single women are bombarded with approaches. You do notn even have to be half way attractive. In their eyes you are a rich Yuma and a walking ATM.
I have met apparently comfortable solvent Athlete, a baseball player from the National Team who was the biggest hustler in Havana, he kept dropping heavy hints about what he wanted, all the latest technology.
He was married male tart, and scribbled out his home phone no. from his business card of the Nacional Federation of Baseball. They all try it on.
I was approached on Facebook by two Havana hustlers. One worked for Telemanus and could chat all day on Gmail and all the Messenger services. He was a sharp operator, big smile and wearing latest shades. He hinted how much he wanted a Blackberry and when would I be returning. I blocked him.
Another aggressive hustler is an 'Electronic Copyright Lawyer' also on Facebook from Havana said he could offer me accommodation but wold 'devise a 'programme '.
Alarm bells rang out. I could see myself being 'Guided' around the souvenier markets, the tacky old bars like Floridita and the hard sell on the band he 'represented'.
His first email was headlined 'CONTACTO' , (not wasting any time eh?) as if I was an agent or promoter.
I sent him the contact details of the Minister for Culture Abel Prieto.
He replied to say sorry. He knew I had busted him. They are all on the make believe me. If you beliveve the 'Te Quiero Mucho' Bullshit then you must believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus.
Soo you have to stay one step ahead. They are all on the hustle. I mean all. We are seen as ATM's. Do not be a mug. Unless you're an ugly fat old Canadian or American why would you want to let any of the Havana Hustlers use and exploit you?.
Besides, you do not know where they're been. Most can't afford a pack of condoms.
