Chloe N Jones Illustration

Meet Nancy!

Nancy hates mosquitoes, they feed off her constantly!
I took this photograph in the local village close to our resort in Playa Pesquero, Cuba. Nancy inspires me with her vivacious love of life, her outgoing character and friendly nature. Whenever I passed her corrugated tin hut on my brake-less (eek!) bicycle she would leap up out of her rocking chair, zoom outside and wave her bingo wings off at me with the most genuine grin on her face I have seen in a long time.

To say that these people have nothing would be an understatement but they have everything in terms of their happiness.

In her house she has a small tv and a chair, there is a bed at the back sectioned off with a curtain and she had a tube of toothpaste that a fellow tourist had left her above her sink - she was unsure of how to use it. We brought her some mangoes from the buffect breakfast which she was delighted to receive and on our penultimate day we dropped by with our clothes that we wouldn't be bringing back with us. She was delighted - I am positive I have made a friend for life.

She has changed my outlook on life for the better. These people know no better so they are unaware that they are a lot worse off. But then who am I to judge who is better and worse off? They have a fab quality of life in other aspects, there is no processed food and everything is fresh and organic. There is no competition with designer labels, everybody is an equal. They have fabulous weather year round, even during the rainy season. Children can run around freely with no shoes on and the elders kick back with a bottle of rum sipping in the amazing sunsets. I dream to move there one lucky day.

Her bright dress and wide toothless smile depicts everything Cuba has to offer!