I thought I would discuss my travel experiences and how it has changed my views of life. I have been to the Caribbean many times, for example, Cuba, Mexico, The Dominican Republic, & St. Maarten to name a few. I have also backpacked through Thailand and would like to discuss what I have learned from a few of these countries and how these experiences have affected my perspective.
Travelling to Cuba for the first time was amazing. Having only travelled to Mexico once before my first trip to Cuba I noticed a contrast in cultures even though my assumption was they would be similar because they are both Spanish speaking. My first trip to Varadero was over 12 years ago. I was informed that the locals valued tips of crayons, toothbrushes, razors, and toiletries, but I was unsure why. I later realized it was because of the embargos, they had no, or very limited access to, these items and many more. I remember going into Havana and while taking in the breathtaking sights, being followed by many locals who were rubbing their arms. I had no idea what was going on and was later informed that they were asking for soap. SOAP! I thought to myself, not money or food, but soap? Something I had taken for granted my whole life. In my many discussions with the locals I learned they were very educated, most of whom were doctors and environmental or corporate lawyers. Education is free in Cuba and homes are also provided for free, therefore, many Cubans go to University for many
In researching the business culture of another foreign country for the use of an informational memo. I want to let my classmates, know what country has been chosen to research and share some of it's interesting facts on the country of Cuba.
Cubans have absolutely no problem sharing their feelings, thoughts, and ideas. They are known for being boisterous and not keeping anything to themselves. For example, when I have gone a long time without seeing a family member the first words out of their mouth are “oh my goodness! You have gained weight.” If anyone wants an honest opinion a Cuban is the right person to ask, they are very blunt and to the point. Although they are open to talk about anything to have a conversation, there are somethings that are considered taboo in discussion. A very touchy subject would be racism. In Cuba, they are still battling some issues with it. It is said that black Cubans do not get the same fair treatment as all the others. They are given the hardest and less remunerated jobs. Many Black Cubans complain that they are given a hard time in their jobs and get hassled the most by police when they are doing their jobs (New attitudes on once-taboo race questions emerge in Cuba, 2017).
Cuba is a very diverse country, but it is very poverty-stricken and is still decades
Generations upon generations of people have been thriving in Spanish speaking countries. Cuba is no different, through traditional clothing and special holidays they always are in tune with the past. With flamboyant traditional attire, that rivals the suns bright color and Spring flowers, coupled with fun to watch free flowing up beat music like Guaguancó or Pachanga, the Cuban culture is very exciting. In order to start to describe my family ties with Cuba, I will use an analogy: With every spin of a vibrant dress it seems as if the hands of time slowly turn back time. As the clock goes back so does my family history. In the early 1920's my great grandmother and her family made the trip from Spain to Cuba. Ever since then my family has had bearings
Cuba has been the source of controversy for decades. Between events such as the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s and the country’s ongoing Communist dictatorship, this island nation has not always been thought of as an appealing place to visit. However, Cuba’s physical and human geography, especially when coupled with the lifting of the US embargo, give it the potential to be a prime tourism destination.
The Cuban culture has many interesting behaviors and ways as any other culture. To other cultures, their way of being and living may seem strange but it is the way that differentiates them from other cultures. There were many aspects within the Cuban culture that were interesting and unique to me being from another culture.
The common cuban-american tradition of diners, lingering for hours followed by nostalgic storytelling of life back in cuba, have always intrigued me. Having never traveled to cuba,
Cuba, officially known as the Republic of Cuba (which it, most assuredly, is not), is a large island nation located in the northern part of the Caribbean Sea, closer to the United States than Latin America. Historically, Cuba was inhabited by indigenous Americans, of which the Taíno comprised the dominant culture on the island (Dacal Moure and Rivero de la Calle, 1996). From the time of Columbus until 1898, Cuba was governed by Spain, and its agricultural economy relied on the importation of African slaves (Suchlicki, 2002). The people of Cuba are, at this time, an intermixture of these three ethnic groups, though people with lighter colored skin are generally in the higher socioeconomic strata, meaning which in Cuba means either professionals
In the early 1900’s, Cuba was a stomping ground for many of the rich and famous from the United States. Many famous movies stars and wealthy business entrepreneurs spend their vacations there along with a substantial amount of money. Trade and commerce between the United States and Cuba flowed freely and abundantly. Even with the Dictatorship-like regime of Batista, the countries benefited from the economic trade between them. This was all about to come crashing down as revolts against Batista occurred and Fidel Castro came to power within Cuba.
Trying to find memories is like looking for treasure. You look at the surface and see something mediocre, but you dig deep and find something cool, pretty, and meaningful. It took a while to think of a fond memory, but once I thought of some, it was hard to choose a favorite. Growing up I have had many great experiences in the form of vacations. Between going to Disney World, owning a vacation home, hanging out with my grandparents in Arizona, traveling to Canada and more. They all make amazing memories that I will forever cherish. The vacation spot we go to the most, though, is Wisconsin Dells. A few times I have been allowed to invite friends to come with. When I am allowed to bring friends, it is always a ginormous amount of fun. We goof off in the hotel room, play in the arcades, and swim in the water parks.
When I was in eighth grade I went on my first trip out of the country to Nassau, Bahamas. Going on this trip was one of the most exciting and unforgettable times of my life. Not only was it a fun experience, it was also the first time I realized that I love traveling. While there I was lucky enough to visit many places, such as Blue Lagoon Island and the beautiful Atlantis Resort, and immerse myself in the Bahamian culture. My time in The Bahamas was not my only great memory from that trip. The journey to get to The Bahamas itself was also quite interesting.
I went to Burger King with three friends. We walked a long way then I
As I stepped off the gargantuan, snow white cruise ship, I gazed at a colorful sea of retro-style cars zipping through the narrow streets littered with potholes. The day I had been anticipating and fearing was finally here. I was in Cuba. The customs office at the end of the ship terminal was institutional looking, with stark white walls and bright lighting. Eventually, my family left customs and officially entered Cuba. Before meeting our tour guide, we located a restroom. Outside, there was a rugged and dirty looking man selling toilet paper to American tourists, who forgot their own roll. However, the cruise line had forewarned us, so we bypassed him.
In life we all have something that has changed the way we perceive things. Most things that change a person’s perception happens to be an experience that they have gone thru and learned from. In my case it wasn’t necessarily an experience, it was a dog that changed my perception on life. My mind and heart was opened in a whole new way. I never thought I could love an animal just as much as I loved the people in my life. I always thought it was strange that pet owners loved and treated their pets the same way they treated their children. My perception on dogs or pets in general definitely changed. Throughout this paper you will see why I am a totally different person because of a dog that entered my life.
I have visited a lot of places around the world. Traveling is fun to me and its very interesting to me. Looking to learn more history about countries with their cultures trying new things around their culture their past because if you wanna look at the future of somthing look at the past.