Aymee Valdivia knew that as a young Cuban in-house attorney for a Spain-Cuba joint venture in banking, she enjoyed an above-average standard of living for a Cuban citizen. But she also knew that her life could change at any minute. As a professional doing foreign work, she was well aware that it would be hard to obtain government authorization to travel abroad. She also knew that if she had children, it would be even more difficult for her to leave the country. Finally, she understood that by the time she turned 30, she would be expected to join the Communist Party.
So in 2004 she quit her job.
