Everyday Cuba for Non-Cubans: Beyond the Resort Cliché

A Perspective on Contemporary Cuban Society, Struggles, and Opportunities for Economic Growth

De: Araz Jahani

Narrado por: Nick Young

Duración: 3 h y 19 m

Resumen del Editor

This audiobook touches on the following topics:

• How life is outside of the Cuban resorts
• Realities of Cuba and the current economic problems related to healthcare, tourism, food supply
• Sanctions, embargo (bloqueo) in Cuba
• Economic recovery opportunities for Cuba through production, export, technology, and artificial intelligence
• Brief history of Cuba

What happens when you venture outside the boundaries of a prepackaged travel experience and truly expose yourself to the history, economics, and culture of a country other than your own? We are all familiar with the Cuban cliché: decaying colonial architecture, soulful salsa dancing, refreshing cocktails by the seaside - paradise, in a nutshell. We also share a superficial understanding of Cuba’s troubled political history and economic struggles over the last decades.

For Araz Jahani, that superficial knowing was not enough. Armed with nothing but vague assumptions and a desire to flee the inclement Canadian weather, Jahani first ventured to Cuba in 2004 and has since been unable to stay away. Each trip to the island has revealed how truly little we understand about the day-to-day struggles of Cuban people, the role tourism plays in perpetuating biased views about it as a destination, and the challenges new generations must face as they reshape their country’s future.

In Everyday Cuba for Non-Cubans, Jahani has captured his first-hand experiences exploring the island and befriending its people. He offers a blueprint to new travelers wishing to have what he had: a life-changing adventure beyond the resort walls, beyond the preconceptions, into the heart and soul of a Cuba that, out of comfort, ignorance, or neglect, very few of us ever see. If you ever catch yourself fantasizing about the real Cuba and hope to turn your fantasy into a real adventure, this book is the place to start.

©2020 Araz Jahaniaval (P)2021 Araz Jahaniaval

Great Book

This short book is really nice book about Cuba. It provides exactly what the title says. I like that it goes in details about all aspects of history and life in Cuba while keeping it short and simple.
Highly recommend it.

Good, except Chapter 6

Mostly insightful and informative on current (with historical context for) life aspects of Cubans as written from a Canadian perspective. The book could completely do without the nearly 1hour-long unsolicited spiel on how Cuban politicians+investors should improve the economy. *Skip Chapter 6* to keep it a relevant book to most readers.