GenderLife Forum: The Information Exchange

With revolutions you have to be lucky.

It's always about just changing who's on top, and most of those who were at the bottom remain right there after.

Unless they die during, that is.

Yes, I understand.

You were asking about results and commenting that we have not heard of the surgeons.

The answer was that as far as I know, no-one in North America has been, and that (in effect) only Canadians will be allowed to go until the US policy towards Cuba changes.
Which it might after some Canadians have paved the way for the American girls.

You know it's really funny and hypocritical that the US refuses to diplomticlly recognize Cuba by demanding democratic reforms first, yet we trade freely with who we used to call "Red China."

Oh yeah, money talks....

I could never understand why the USA, didn't work with Castro when he took power.

well i don't need surgery or anything medical - but after reading up it looks like a nice place. esp if i defect and play a bit of a LGBT rights poster girl with a provable lack of medical finance motivation....something to think about.

downside - would have to make an effort to learn spanish

Yes, indeed.

Does anyone have a recommendation for free or cheap online Spanish lessons? Not so much for rank beginners but for those whose high school Spanish has many years of rust and disuse on it?

Oh, and if you want to learn a bit more about Cuba, I suggest reading Leslie Feinberg.

You could enjoy the resorts and the beaches just speaking English. For a tourist, the only language that matters is "green."

But if you want to honestly be part of the culture, yes, you need Spanish (just like you need English here). Fortunately, Romance languages are easy to learn for someone who already speaks some other Euro-Indoeuropean language, plus much of the vocabulary is similar.

ELE Madrid offers some classes online, free of charge, if you give them your email. I have no idea if they are good or bad, but I use their most excellent verb conjugator: you give it a verb in Spanish in the infinitive, and it gives you a very accurate conjugation for the indicative, subjunctive, conditional and imperative.

http://www.elemadrid.com/spanish_verbs.htm

A good tool, that can be used even by native speakers with a good command of the language. And faster than looking it up in the Bescherelle.

Hmm, I note elemadrid offers (paid) residential courses in Spanish, given in Spain. Possibly the email courses are slow enough to generate paid business. Still, at free the price is right, one mustn't complain too much.

Attractive though Spain may be for a native of the New World I believe I would be more interested in courses in Spanish given in Cuba. I wonder if that exists?

The all-inclusive, all-exclusive beach resort would not be my cup of tea, or mojito for that matter!

in truth, i bet gf would veto the plan. but spanish is one of the languages i'd like to learn someday.

And what from Leslie Feinberg would be relevant? as long as it's not 'but they have no freedom' criticism i am interested.