Cuba is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. Because of this, school children in Cuba do not have the same luxuries as children in the West (like America). Few Cubans have television sets – and even fewer have computer and computer games to play. So, the children of Cuba have to find new ways to entertain themselves after school and whilst they are on holiday. Actually, some of the things Cuban school children do aren’t that new at all!
SPORTS
Sports is a very important and favorite pastime of Cubans. Like their Dads, boys in Cuba love to play Baseball. The Cuban baseball team is one of the best in the world. They often win games at big international tournaments – even, sometimes, beating the American boys! However, back home in Cuba street baseball is very popular. Here the children pick side and play a quick game of baseball in the street. Sometimes their Dads watch – and sometimes their Dads play their own game of baseball nearby. Anyway, playing baseball like this is a very cheap way to spend some very enjoyable time.
Another sport that Cuban boys like to play is boxing. Cubans are very good boxers and have won many international prizes – including 27 Gold Medals at the Olympic Games (before Athens 2004)! But, if you want to be a good boxer when you get older, usually you have to start boxing at an early age. In Cuba they usually like to start at the age of 7 – at nearly the same age as they start school. After many years of practice, they may be lucky enough top go and fight for their country at an international event.
As Cuban girls do not usually like to box, they normally like to play another very popular and cheap game in Cuba- volleyball. Because volleyball is so popular in Cuba, many volleyball nets can be seen in places where you might think it is strange to have volleyball. This way, the children can practice their volleyball skills in the street, without having to pay and money for the fun!
Both Cuban boys and girls like to play basketball. Quiet often after school is out you’ll see the children of tomorrow palying basketball with each other near where they go to school or else near the home.
Because they practice a lot of sports, Cuban school children are usually very good at them. However, another pastime that Cuban school children like, which is popular all over Cuba, is to play and listen to music. Many of Cuba’s school children like to play the gutar, because so many people can play and usually it doesn’t cost then very much to learn how to play better.
Besides learning how to play music, Cuban school children also like to listen to music. Cuban’s are very good dancers and singers and may famous music songs, like the Salsa and cha cha cha, come from Cuba.
One thing that Cuban children have to prepare for that children in other parts of the world do not is the military. All Cubans, boy and girls, have to do what is called “military service”. This means that they have to spend some part of their life in the Cuban army. Usually this starts at the age of 15 when they join the Cuban Youth Army. At training camp they have to prepare to how to protect their country in the event of a war. Normally Cubans do not stop being members of the army until they are 49! – even if they have another job (called being a Reservist). Also, if the child hasn’t left school yet, then they have to practice being a solider during their school holiday!!
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