The Internet Travel Guide "Getting to Know Cuba"

Current issue dated

People

The Cubans have a very positive attitude towards life; they are friendly, optimistic and open. It is easy for a foreigner to get into conversation with them, and it is surprising how much they know about other countries. The Cubans are generous, and often the 'rich' tourists feel ashamed when they see how much the 'poor' Cubans are willing to offer the best they have in their houses to their guests, and how much they are willing to help.

Dominos: A popular Cuban pastime

The Cubans adore children, and not only their own. The little Cubans are treated with endless patience and understanding by the adults, but as responsibility and discipline are taught in school and kindergarden, they are not spoiled.

The Cubans are very fashion-conscious, and even poor Cubans manage to dress well. In contrast, the women like wearing hair-curlers in public. All Cubans are treated equally, regardless of their skin color and origin. Even the rich do not automatically have social advantages.

Children

The Status of Women In Cuban Society

The status of women in Cuban society has changed radically over the past 30 years. Today, about half of Cuban women are employed outside of the home. Men and women are equal before the law, but in reality, the machismo in Latin American countries is an obstacle for real emancipation - a problem that is discussed in many films and plays. However, a third of the members of the Cuban government are women and there are as many female as male students at Cuban universities.

Prostituion

Before the Revolution, Cuba was called the brothel of the Americas. The brothels, as well as their clients the sex-tourists, disappeared after 1959. Socialist Cuba prided itself on the fact that, no woman [or girl] was forced to prostitute herself because of poverty. But, it seems this is no longer the case. Especially in the bigger cities like Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Varadero, the jineteras and their male clients can be seen everywhere.

Western consumer products are attractive, and the possibility to earn the money needed to buy them, lead many women into this profession. They are able to earn in one night what women in other occupations earn in a couple of months. Prostitution still is illegal, so scantily dressed women are monitored closely by the police. They must show that their police record is checked before they are released. Tourists are warned to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and others from diseases. Condoms are not always available on Cuba.