2024 Strath Haven Cuba Cultural Journey

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Blog 6: Vienen y van, they come and go!

We finished our time in Trinidad, the spanish-colonial style town and made our way to Cienfuegos to take a short tour of the central plaza, designed in the 18 century French Colonial style, as well as visit the souvenir vendors. We finally made our way back to Havana for our last full day in Cuba.
We began our day with a thought-provoking, intensive conversation about Cuba’s political and economic reality, especially as they relate to US policy with Daniel, a journalist with the US-based news organization Belly of the Beast. We discussed journalism in Cuba and the challenges and balance journalists not only in Cuba, but around the world face and must strike between reporting the news objectively while also telling stories that are compelling and interesting to readers. And likely to all of your delight, Daniel is a big proponent of disconnecting from Social Media (jury is out on whether this will stick with the participants…:D). Following this intellectual conversation, we had some frivolous fun riding in 1950’s-era convertibles around major sites in Havana including the malecon (ocean-side road), Plaza de la Revolución, Universidad de Havana, finishing off at the Hotel Nacional, once famous for its guests, including infamous mafiosos! We finished the day’s activities with a visit to the humsillo community where we were given a show by elementary school children, while we exchanging goods including clothing, books, hygiene products with this under-resourced yet inspiring community. We finished the evening with a bang with the nightly cannon shot from the ancient garrison that sits across the Havana port from the city.
This morning we were up and before I knew it, I was dropping the group off at the airport! It was a special trip for me, having the opportunity to travel with and befriend the students from Strath Haven and see them as thoughtful and respectful travelers and US ambassadors, kudos to you guardians!!
-Joey, Program Lead

Blog 5: A world beneath the waves 

As we near the end of our Cuban adventure, today was a day to remember! Today we went scuba diving exploring the vibrant waters of the Cuban ocean.

The ocean floor came alive as our personal kaleidoscope with colorful creatures and marine life.

From (describe what you saw) every moment being under water left you speechless seeing all the animals protecting each other as one makes you realize that the world is a collection of separate entities but intricate web of relationships where every action ripples outwards.

Today was a moment of peace and joy for all of us. I think underwater I find a connection with something greater than myself.

-Jayra, Junior

Blog 4: New Amygos

We started our day by packing up and leaving our Casa Particular, which would have been sad if we hadn’t known we were coming back the next day. We started our adventures in Fusterlandia, an area in the outskirts of town that was decorated by an artist named Fuster, who took inspiration from Gaudi’s work when he visited Spain. It was beautiful, and it was covered in mosaics and sculptures that reflected both Fuster’s view of the world and the beauty of Cuban culture. It was a really cool visit. Next, we drove a little while to where we ziplined, which was an adventure to say the least. We finished a course that consisted of three different ziplines across various terrain- including over bodies of water and through a forest. It was fun, even if a few of us got stuck on the second zipline. Last, after we checked into the hotel, to wrap up our day, we visited an artist’s studio near our hotel. We sat in on a jam sesh with a band who grew up locally named Amygo, and listened to music both familiar and unfamiliar in both Spanish and English. Everyone in the band was incredible, and I loved hearing them play and hearing about Cuban music. It was a fun packed day and I loved everything we did!

-Evie, sophomore

Blog 3: Heroes:, past and present

We woke up bright and early for breakfast on the roof terrace of our casa particular before we met down in the lobby to go to our first destination of the day, Ernest Hemingway’s old estate located near Havana. After that we started our 2-hour drive to Varadero beach. Once we arrived we grabbed some lunch at “El Rancho” and tried their renowned lobster dish. After lunch we made our way down to the beach for some sun bathing and swimming in the perfect blue water at the beach. Once we all had enough of the beach (and just in time for the afternoon rains) we headed back to the bus to start our 2 hour drive back to Havana. Upon arrival back in Havana we took some time to take showers and to get ready for an unforgettable dinner at Cha Cha Chas. When we got to the restaurant we were immediately greeted by an incredibly enthusiastic, charismatic host named Tiago. Tiago made us feel at home in Cha Chas and on top of that we had some amazing chicken Alfredo and risotto to eat. After eating we grabbed some photos with Tiago before we headed home for the night.

-George, senior

Blog 2: Salsa & Sunset

After a great breakfast, we began day 2 in Cuba with an amazing salsa class. We learned some basic dance moves, listened to some Cuban music, and overall had lots of fun. After a bit of rest at our hotel we traveled to a restaurant for lunch, where we had some scrumptious Cuban food. We then made our way to the artisanal market, where we got to experience firsthand the amazing Cuban culture in the form of art, jewelry, and clothing. In addition, we had the pleasure of trying some Cuban ice cream, which was delicious. After the market, we headed to an Italian restaurant and enjoyed some pizza. We decided to stay out a little longer than planned to catch the sunset, which turned out to be a good choice as the view from the pier was incredible. We then headed back to our hotel, and used some WiFi to communicate with loved ones back home and tell them about the awesome day that had occurred. We then headed to bed, tired but satisfied after an incredible day in Havana, and ready to rest up for the days ahead.

-Jack, Junior

Blog 1: Llegamos! Cuba Day #1

On the first day, after a long airport journey, our entrance to Havana from the airport was a Taxi Ride. There were many cars and buildings reminiscent of the 1950s, as well as architecture that seemed from a previous era. It was interesting to see the middle twentieth-century. I saw an older woman from her window pane, and the silhouette was akin to a piece of work from Norman Rockwell. It makes me think that maybe Cuba is less of an opposition to American classic values and more of an incarnation of the memories and nostalgia that exists in our own past. Besides cars from the mid 20th century, there were also many horse drawn vehicles. The area was relentlessly vibrant.
When we got to our casa particular, after resting for a bit, we went through an orientation. We ate and drank Cuban soda and pizza. Then, we headed out to the streets of Havana Vieja, touring the different squares. The French and Spanish inspired architecture, African influences, and lively streets reminded me of New Orleans. The old narrow streets and stones, many of which made up of coral rock, reminded me of Philly. The group attracted a lot of attention while walking through the town, reminding me of experiences in cities like Playa Del Carmen. Street dogs and cats were all around the city too, almost everywhere we went. Finally, for dinner, we went to a restaurant that once hosted Barack Obama. During the orientation, our host remarked about how much Cubans love Obama, and this has been proven true. We toured the restaurant and saw photos of all the influential figures. The rooms were decked out in Cuban historical photos top to bottom. At the end, we headed back to our rooms and went to bed, tired after a long day and ready for tomorrow’s adventures, including salsa classes!
-Cali, Sophomore
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