Just ONE Phone Call?

Kevin and Megh have arrived in Cuba. I know this because they called me. They had 1 minute on a satellite phone that the Team Leaders brought with them from church.

Kevin had his cell phone. He could have used it if he had been in just about any other country on the planet. But not Cuba. Before they left, I the ever diligent wife and mother thought I would get them a "Phone Plan" so they would call me occasionally. I looked all over the website but I couldn't find Cuba anywhere...I thought it was a mistake so I called. A "transcript" of the conversation follows ("transcript" here means "what I remember them saying or what I want them to fit my humorous writing style):

Me: Blah, blah, blah...family's going to Cuba...blah, blah...can't find the country on your list...blah, blah...I must be a ditz. Can you tell me how much it will cost per minute for him to call home?

AT&T Dude: Just a minute ma'am. (several minutes pass) Ummm...I can't find it either. It's like it doesn't exist! Let me check with my supervisor dude.

(more minutes pass)

Supervisor Dude: Mrs. Bryan? Yeah. Cell phones don't work in Cuba. You can call a land line if you know the number and if you can speak Spanish, but it's over $3 a minute for that...but to call your husband's cell number or have him call you... It won't happen. His phone is a paperweight the minute he steps off that plane.

Me: Great. Why am I surprised? It IS a communist country, after all. How about internet.

Supervisor Dude: Nothing. He will have nothing. It won't even bother roaming. It would be better used as a weapon than a data device. That's all I can tell you. Have a nice day and thanks for choosing AT&T.

So...I got 1 minute to find out how 36 hours went, including dragging some nice camera and electronic equipment into a Communist country...Kev's been in "democracies" that have gotten very "threateny" and "bribey" with his equipment...He carries lots of $1 and candy to help "grease the path" so to speak. He was totally ready for at least some harassment resulting in the expenditure of some cash and a bag of Jolly Ranchers.

Here's what I know:

From Kev: Thefightsweregreat!Noproblem!CustomsinCubawastheEASIESTI'veEVERhad!
Iloveyou!Gottago!Here'sMegh!

From Megh: Mom?

Me: Howisit,Megh?Beautiful?Scary?Different?

Megh: It's AMAZING! Gottago! Bye! Love you!

Click.

In case you're curious, their flight took them from L'ville to Atlanta to Bahamas (Kevin and I got engaged there 25 years ago THIS MONTH!...I wonder if he remembers that? And that he's coming up on a 25th wedding anniversary...Hmm...I better start dropping hints. Actually I should have started 5 years ago. Durn!)

Once they arrived in Havana they were to settle into their hotel on Santa Maria Beach and then walk around the city and have dinner. I looked up Santa Maria Beach on the internet. I found this:

and this:

I'm beginning to wonder about this whole "mission trip thing"!

~m