I read this book along with The Future Is Faster Than You Think simultaneously and thought it was the best decision I've made in 2021 thus far. While the latter gave us thoughts about convergence in the future, this book attacked the future with a tint of history. It's written with a cause and effect premise examining the economic and political factors of the past to get us to where we are now with a look at what could be of our future if things do or don't change.
A simple look at the table of contents hints at the direction the book endeavors to take, but a thorough appreciation for the contents will reveal insights about our present in hopes of making the future brighter. The only thing certain is that change is necessary. The questions are, "How?", "When?", "What will it take?", and "Who's in?"
This is the reason why people who, from the outside looking in, have suffered great tragedies and obstacles seem to have the most compassion and understanding of our problems and issues. They have become so in tune with their challenges that they are able to develop empathy for ours. We are able to connect on a different level. And that is more helpful than we could ever have imagined.
In turn, we should change our views on suffering and use it to grow ourselves and support others.
In July of 2019, we traveled to Cuba. During that year, numerous restrictions to travel were implemented for US citizens by the Administration. But we still found a way to get there.
With a couple of close friends, we were travelers under the “Support for the Cuban People” category of limited visitors to the island nation. We checked in at IAH and paid $150 for our “visa” and proceeded to fly first class (upgraded due to status) to Havana.
After a short flight in fantastic tropical weather, we landed at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. After a ridiculously long wait at baggage claim, we found a collectivo or shared taxi for the 4 of us and saved Havana to be our last stop instead of our first. Typical of our style of travel, we were bound for the smaller cities and towns off the beaten path. This time, we'd call Cienfuegos and Trinidad our homes for most of this adventure.
Our 10 days on this island nation were like stepping back in time. We enjoyed the reprieve from the hustle and bustle of 21st century American life. Being disconnected from the internet, using tangible currency to complete transactions, negotiating for better prices for services provided by locals, speaking a foreign language to get by, and navigating the old roads in classic cars were a joy to be had throughout the trip.
Along the way, we met so many great people, but at the same time, we did feel some prying eyes. In the smaller towns this tends to happen. It's not a surprise. But there was never any real animosity felt. It was just the feeling of eyeballs following you in motion.
One of the best connections we made was with our Airbnb / Casa Particular hosts - in Cienfuegos, Magda and her husband, and in Trinidad, Daineris and her son, Fabian.
Although Magda or her husband spoke no English, I used my 6 years of Spanish to get us through (with a little help of Google Translate). And despite Daineris being able to speak fluent English, she challenged me daily to speak Spanish! What a great experience to be immersed in language. Both hosts gave us insights to their locales, from where to eat, where to shop, where to swim, and even where to dance! They helped us organize collectivos to travel between destinations, provided us with ample desayunos or breakfast to start out our days, and in Daineris' case, corrected my Spanish when it wasn't perfect.
This is not to say that we didn't encounter other equally wonderful people. We just didn't spend as much time with them. I have to say that all of our collectivo drivers were so engaging. They were all curious about us, foreigners. On our short rides, they inquired about why were in their country, what did we like to eat, how did we learn to speak Spanish. On the longer rides between towns and cities, in very basic Spanish, we talked about our childhood, our families, the weather, other tourists. I asked about fruits and vegetables well-known in Cuba. They asked if we had ever heard of certain things. I asked how to say certain words by providing descriptions of what I imagined. It was like playing Pictionary verbally! Our conversations were endless.
One of the little things that I really enjoyed was the old school way of communication. Because of the lack of very good internet, people still make house-calls. It's not uncommon to see a man calling from the street up to the 2nd floor balcony until his friend or family member or love interest comes to answer. I also really enjoyed sampling from street carts of food selling anything from fruits and vegetables to pan con jamon to tostones o maduros to churros to chicharrones.
On a different note, I think one of the harder things to grasp was the actual poverty that we sometimes witnessed, but more so learned about. To some extent it's not outwardly visible because the people are usually so positive or laid back or energetic. Like other communist countries in the 3rd world, Cuba rations food. We'd been to other Communist countries but never saw this life first-hand. Our Airbnb hosts shared their rationing booklets with us. They educated us about how much of each staple food they were entitled to. They shared their opinions about their lifestyles.
The strangest part about the whole setup is that having an Airbnb is very much a capitalist idea. Anywhere else in the world, individual owners are the beneficiaries of renting out their extra space to make more money. In Cuba, however, the casa particular owners are undercut by the government; they must pay the government to setup their hosting situation. Maybe it's like a tax, but I don't think it is. I suppose the hosts still make some money and are a little bit better off, but my feeling was that they were still suffering in not reaping the full benefit of being an owner like everyone else in the world.
Despite this, the Cuban people remain so positive. They are so hospitable, looking to help in any way possible. Each person we met was so open and happy to see us, and we were happy to support them.
Most people say that the beaches are the most beautiful part of the island. But I think that the island wouldn't be as beautiful if not for the quality of people that inhabit it. It made the experience that much more wonderful.
Be unassuming when traveling to Cuba, you will appreciate what the country has to offer. I suppose this is the advice I’d give for travel to any country, city, or village but In our recent travels no places has made me think this more than Cuba (and now Saudi Arabia too).
What we know about Cuba through the media is simply the negative. No surprise. When politics dominate the news, and the country opposes another’s actions, you will never see or hear about the beauty of the place or the people. You lose out on the creativity of culture, the splendor of scenery, and the camaraderie of humanity.
Before we left for Cuba the restrictions on travel to the island nation became increasingly difficult to overcome due to the current political administration. But what for really? Because some people want to impose their will on another people not seeing eye to eye with you? I get it, but I don’t. Trying to keep our nation safe at the peril of others through modern day non-violent warfare / bullying is not brave nor honorable.
In the beginning, Support for the Cuban People was our reason for travel. But at the end, supporting the Cuban people became more than just a reason to travel. We learned that it's a way of life on the island - Cubans supporting Cubans, travelers supporting Cubans, travelers supporting travelers, travelers supporting people, people supporting each other. Isn't that the way it should be no matter where in the world we are?
"When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. It's about making the people who work for you smarter, bigger, and bolder. Nothing you do anymore as an individual matters except how you nurture and support your team and help its members increase their self-confidence. Yes, you will get your share of attention from up above - but only inasmuch as your team wins. Put another way: Your success as a leader will come not from what you do but from the reflected glory of your team." - Jack Welch
I spent the day doing something that I haven't done in a long time. I shared my knowledge and helped grow others.
A few weeks ago a great friend of mine contacted me for the possibility of being a guest speaker as a part of a panel to speak with undergraduates from his alma mater. The topic was Life After Graduation. It encompassed the feelings, the struggle, the preparation, resumes, interviews, etc.
Today was our day to make a difference in the world, if not for many, but for the few. Our panel of 6 professionals conducted 3 workshops to provide guidance and insight to undergraduates whose shoes we were in not too long ago. We had a great turnout of attendees who participated, asked questions, and showed enthusiasm for their futures. Each of the speakers brought to the table extensive insight, not just into their chosen career paths, but also to the general concerns of post-undergrad life.
The responses we received were amazing. Our connection was strong. Our discussions were thoughtful and on topic. And our respect for each other was built. These particular undergrads have a great future ahead of them. I commend them on their diligence and forward thinking to put together a series of workshops in this nature.
I hope that I can be a part of something like this again. It was a real honor to be asked to speak and participate in such a valuable topic. It reminded me of the days I devoted to enhancing the lives of students and the reward I felt after every session of guiding them, answering questions, and solving problems.
I look forward to sharing more of my knowledge with whomever inquires. We are one infinitely large team...
What's in a name?
I learned from our trekking guide, Deepak, that Sherpas were named for the day of the week which they were born. For example, our porters Lhakpa and Pemba's names mean Wednesday and Saturday, respectively. We also have a Nepalese friend whose name is Nima (adapted from Niyma), which means Sunday. Naturally, there are a lot of Nepalese with the same name.
(L to R: Deepak, Melissa, Joe, Lhakpa, Pemba, Carolyn, Jesse)
Appearance
A landlocked country, Nepal is bordered by China to the north and east, and India to the south and west. So there is no wonder why the natives of this nation do not have one particular appearance. The Nepalese are unlike the Koreans, Japanese, Indians, or Filipinos all of whom have distinct facial features. The Koreans with the half moon eyes, with fair, clear skin. The Japanese with slightly more slanted eyes with more pointed or defined nasal bridge. The Indians with their cocoa-colored skin and more Middle Eastern facial features and bone structure. And Filipinos with their Asian eyes, Spanish complexion, and flat noses. The Nepalese are chameleon-like in their own country.
Some Nepalese look very Indian.
Others look more Chinese.
Yet others have an interesting blend of the two.
Religion
The people of Nepal are predominantly Hindu, though there are many practicing Buddhists, and surprisingly more who practice both religions together. Apparently, in Nepal, it is difficult to distinguish who is a Hindu or Buddhist. Both celebrate the same holidays and perform similar, if not the same, cultural traditions.
Fact:The Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world and is even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Little-known Fact: Buddha was born in the Lumbini region of Nepal.
Language
Nepali is the official language of the country, but because the Nepalese used to live under the caste system, there were many different dialects developed over time. Those in higher castes were unable to speak or understand the lower castes, but lower caste members were required to learn Nepali. Nepali is used as the common ground to communicate across all castes.
To my surprise, many natives speak English, and they speak it well and fluently. Signs are in English. Menus are in English. Hotels have English names. Why? I think it all boils down to tourism.
Tourism is the money-making industry in Nepal. People from all over the world come to visit the various trekking circuits that the Himalayas has to offer, and of course, visit the world's highest mountain, Mt. Everest. Even just making it to Everest Base Camp is a journey thousands of people experience every year.
It is because of tourism that English language schools are all over Kathmandu. For the same reason, merchants and street vendors all speak enough English to make sales. And it is because of tourism that many, if not all, of the trekking guides can speak and write in English. In fact, the government is involved in the training of the guides. Each Nepalese seeking employment as a tour operator must learn to read, write, and speak. Naturally, this makes it easier to communicate with all foreigners, and in the end game, earn a living.
