One year on from US-Cuba thaw When Cuba and the United States announced a year ago that would leave behind five decades of enmity and normalize political relations, perhaps few imagined the double effect it would produce. On the one hand, waves of visitors who wanted to know the island before being "Americanized" and on the other, tides of Cubans trying to leave in search of better income, and fearful of losing migrant benefits that United States is granted. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES