CultureShock! Cuba

Marcus Cramer Mark & Cramer

Description

CultureShock! Cuba offers an insight into a highly contradictory country, where there are more grey areas than black and white. Here is a balanced account of Cuba's current realities, a useful guide for people who wish to visit or do business in Cuba. Learn from the locals how they survive in Cuba with the little they have. Find out how the importance of public good over individual right has helped take care of every single citizen in the country. More than just providing the practical information to help you settle into Cuba, the authors draw from their personal experiences to give a deeper understanding of the life and culture of these friendly, warm and straight-forward people. CultureShock! Cuba is your ultimate survival guide to this colourful country.

Sujets

• Cuba

Informations

• Publié par: Marshall Cavendish International
• Date de parution: 01 août 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789814484268
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 11 Mo

Extrait

This 3rd edition published in 2011 by: Marshall Cavendish Corporation 99 White Plains Road Tarrytown, NY 10591-9001 www.marshallcavendish.us
First published in 1998 by Times Media Pte Ltd, reprinted 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003; 2nd edition published by Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited in 2007.
Copyright 2007, 2011 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: [phone], fax: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]
The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
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Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited. 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196 Marshall Cavendish International. PO Box 65829, London EC1P 1NY, UK Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited
eISBN : 978 981 4484 26 8
Please contact the publisher for the Library of Congress catalog number
Printed in Singapore by Times Printers Pte Ltd
Photo Credits:
All black and white photos by the author except pages ix, 180 (Photolibrary), pages 83, 185 (Siomara Cramer), pages 131, 197, 199 (Olivera Stanisic Pinaud). All colour photos from Photolibrary. Cover photo: Photolibrary
All illustrations by TRIGG
ABOUT THE SERIES
Culture shock is a state of disorientation that can come over anyone who has been thrust into unknown surroundings, away from one s comfort zone. CultureShock! is a series of trusted and reputed guides which has, for decades, been helping expatriates and long-term visitors to cushion the impact of culture shock whenever they move to a new country.
Written by people who have lived in the country and experienced culture shock themselves, the authors share all the information necessary for anyone to cope with these feelings of disorientation more effectively. The guides are written in a style that is easy to read and covers a range of topics that will arm readers with enough advice, hints and tips to make their lives as normal as possible again.
Each book is structured in the same manner. It begins with the first impressions that visitors will have of that city or country. To understand a culture, one must first understand the people-where they came from, who they are, the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette. This is covered in the first half of the book
Then on with the practical aspects-how to settle in with the greatest of ease. Authors walk readers through how to find accommodation, get the utilities and telecommunications up and running, enrol the children in school and keep in the pink of health. But that s not all. Once the essentials are out of the way, venture out and try the food, enjoy more of the culture and travel to other areas. Then be immersed in the language of the country before discovering more about the business side of things.
To round off, snippets of basic information are offered before readers are tested on customs and etiquette of the country. Useful words and phrases, a comprehensive resource guide and list of books for further research are also included for easy reference.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Map of Cuba
Chapter 1
First Impressions
Cuba is a Country...
The Special Period
Getting to Know Cubans
Chapter 2
History, Geography and Politics
Economics: A History of Independence
The Special Period
Slavery
The First War of Independence
Spanish-American War
Independence
Revolution
Turning Towards the Soviets
Social Reforms
Latin American Support
U.S.-Cuba Conflict
Internal Measures
Freedom of Movement
The Special Period in a Time of Peace
Dramatic Times
Foreign Adventures
Human Rights
Cuba in the Future
Culture and Climate
Geography
Regions West to East
Chapter 3
Cubans
The Old Neighbourhood
African Heritage
Frankness
Machismo
Personal Hygiene
Public Good versus Individual Rights
Sense of Humour
Women
Religion
Stereotypes
Values
Chapter 4
Socialising in Cuba
Strangers in Paradise
Conversations
Soledad
Jes s and Michel
William, Eduardo and Sant ria
Giselle
Revisiting Amelia
The Crackdown
Fidel bashing
Renato, Tracking down Elpido Vald z
Jon and Tony
Community
Social Status
Chapter 5
Settling In
Housing
Work
Personal Safety
Important Documents
Photography
Tipping
Emotional Contradictions
Customs (What Can I Bring?)
Documents
Medical Care
Medical Tourism
Study Opportunities
Currency
Clothing
Shopping
Media
Chapter 6
Food and Entertaining
Food
Daily Meals
Snacks
Restaurants
Self-catering and Vegetarians
Mojito and Other Drinks
Chapter 7
Culture and Travel
Literary Border Crossing
Arts
Baseball and Other Sports
Chinatown
Festivals
Don t Worry, Be Happy: Music in Cuba
Transportation
Tours
Tours for People Who Don t Like Tours
Attractions
U.S. Travel Restrictions
Chapter 8
Communicating in Cuba
Language
Formal and Informal Discourse
Diplomatic Discourse
Popular Expressions
Image
Chapter 9
Doing Business
Corruption?
Doing Business
A Collage of Opinions
The Embargo
A Compendium of Views
Sphere of Influence
Transitions
Organic Agriculture
The Informal Economy
Work Norms and Business Etiquette
Chapter 10
Fast Facts
Icons
Famous People
Acronyms

Culture Quiz
Do s and Don ts
Glossary
Resource Guide
Further Reading
About the Authors
Index
FOREWORD
It is the year 3007. Things have changed during the past 1,000 years.
By the year 2100, human beings finally discovered that organic agriculture was possible from a scientific perspective and thus, they eliminated chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers.
During the same period, the human culture also came to the conclusion that fossil fuels were going to destroy the world, that is, if the world did not first destroy itself fighting for the remaining fossil fuels. As a result, the bicycle and newer human-powered vehicles became a primary mode of commuter transport. Gradually, the epidemic of inactivity-related diseases subsided. Architectural preservation became a fundamental value of civilisation, with glass-box skyscrapers and impersonal highrises being relegated to the status emblems of human error. Newer structures were built on a human scale, often acquiring an admirably aesthetic appearance by renewing indigenous, medieval, and colonial designs.
In summary, from perspectives of health, environment and aesthetics, quality of life gradually improved in the years following 2100.
One important headline from this year 3007 has been labelled the Great Archeological Discovery. Evidently, during the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first centuries, one modest culture had already instituted organic agriculture on a national level. During the same period of this island culture, there were no signs of the massive highrise building fad that had plagued the rest of the world in the second half of the twentieth century and beyond. Instead, they found considerable relics of colonial architecture, suggesting that the entire capital city had skipped the beat of modernism. Also unearthed were an enormous number of bicycles and bici-taxis, in a proportion that made this island one of the few civilisations whose streets were unclogged by carbon-burping vehicles.
Archeologists were dumbfounded that they were unable to unearth any statues of the apparently theocratic leader of the period.
This dig was completed on the largest island of the Caribbean Sea, and the culture was labelled Cuban , though another culture, quite different, centred in the south of the Florida peninsula, was also known as Cuban.
During the first decade of the twenty-first century, there had been a great influx of visitors from other cultures, presumably to witness the Cuban lifestyle that was so curious compared to their own gas-guzzling, couch-potato, urban-renewal cultures. Archeolinguists have interpreted some of the documents of these travellers and it appears as if most viewed Cuba as a curiosity piece and an anachronism. Few of these travellers chronicles noted the possibility that so many of the Cuban customs, then considered quirky and anachronistic, would be later adopted by the end of the twenty-first century.
In much of this travel literature, the diggers found a murky political theme, but in fact, it appears that most of the Cuban innovations, except for the admirable development of medicine, culture and education, were a question of mere circumstance rather than political imposition. An economic blockade by the great northern neighbour and the withdrawal of support from a crumbling eastern empire evidently obligated Cuban leaders to adapt certain draconian measures, including the massive conversion to organic agriculture. This transition period was not without considerable deprivations among the local inhabitants.
By the year 20