Speaking Spanish in Cuba

Spanish is only official language in Cuba and only language spoken in home not like for me back home where there more than 10 local language, that make it easy to learn it fast, like for student it only take few week to learn it, so the class take a year to learn about 8 month learn how speak it clear, almost all university offer preparatory course for Spanish.

of course, its essential speak spanish in cuba because their Mother language is spanish and 100% people speak spanish there.Its difficult to talk to them in other language eg English because most of them dont speak English,only few or we might say some students can but to move in cuba you must know speak spanish.
Unformal classes can be attended with local professors who teach spanish to atleast deal with your daily life.
The cubans are very friendly people, if U dont speak spanish no prob jump in U would face some problems in moving around but U ll be helped with each n every Cuban.

I have been traveling to Cuba every year since the late 90's with the exception of around 5 years.  I have a good relationship with the attorney that wrote the Foreign Investment Act. and others involved with forming partnerships between the government and foreign corps.  Due to my Spanish being great for reading but poor conversationally I have an assistant that acts as my concierge and interpreter while in Havana.
I plan to retire to Havana in the next 5 years and live there 8 months out of the year.  I plan on opening a small paladora to cater to US and Canadian tourists.
The government provides the location and labor while I would provide management and business operations along with the build out, inventory and equipment,.
I plan to have my Spanish completely conversational by then.

Hi Nick,
You sound like you have lots of knowledge on retiring in Cuba. I am a Canadian with the same idea. I would like to support myself while living there permanently. How can I find out what kind of businesses I am allowed to operate there? My preference would be to own a casa particulaire. I also am a qualified English teacher and could do some translation or tutoring. I would even be willing to volunteer in a school. Any ideas?