Daily Cuba | 6/30 | Havana Travel Photographer

Taxi

More lucrative than medicine

Meet Ray and his green classic Chevrolet taxi.

I spent the better part of a day with him as he escorted our photo/video team throughout Cienfuegos, Cuba and the surrounding area. He was born and bread in the area and had all the local knowledge our little team was hurting for. He showed us a gloriously quiet seaside side street so we could film interviews, where the most iconic Cuban propaganda billboards/street art/graffiti could be found, and after several hours of exploring and no breakfast, he took us to a secret, tucked away restaurant owned by his friend for lunch that served very generous, and delicious!, mojitos.

Though the most interesting thing he shared with us wasn’t an off the beaten path place, but a stark financial reality. You see, Ray is a trained x-ray technician. This guy went to college/med school for over 8 years. He worked at the Pediatrico, Children’s Hospital. He is a highly educated man.

Driving a taxi.

Because as an X-ray tech, he made 10CUC a month, which is about $8USD. A MONTH. And his wife? A cardiovascular doctor… one of the most educated professions in the country. She would make around 35CUC/$30USD a month. They saved $13k to buy the car from the government and he pays about 40CUC a month for his taxi license and his wife stays home with their child and he drives a taxi.

Because being a taxi driver is more lucrative than being a doctor.