CUBAN TRANSITIONS

Spring Break is generally a time of relaxing; sun, surf, and sand are the three cliches that everyone looks for during the two weeks in March we have off. For almost 50 members of Vassar community, those three components of a successful Spring Break came with two weeks of cross-cultural interaction. I am talking of course about […]

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Even before our arrival in Cuba, there were already several images that I expected to come across during our trip. For the unaware outsider, vintage cars, Cuban cigars, and Che are just a few of the symbols that have come to represent an otherwise mysterious place. However, the one image that I was not prepared […]

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This long parade of architectural wonders, an array of decaying buildings with vivid colors faded with time, hold a certain beauty. Despite their flaws, and despite debatable conservation efforts, the buildings of Havana are sure to impress with some of the most diverse architectural styles in the world. As tired as I was from the […]

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When I first learned that art education is funded by the Cuban Ministry of Culture and students who study dance, music, theater, and visual arts are guaranteed a job as a teacher or professional artist, I thought: wow, the U.S has a lot to learn from Cuba. American states are cutting art classes from school […]

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“¡Hola! ¿Cómo están chicas?” An amiable address from the smiling bookstore owner welcomes us as we slow our stroll through Cienfuegos and peer into his shop. To allow us inside, the owner, Anabel, has to move the front display table back from the doorway. We squeeze into the small anteroom filled with Cuban books, posters […]

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Upon returning to the United States, all of my friends and family members have asked me about my trip to Cuba. Immediately, my mind wanders to the symbols of Cuba. I found myself thinking of the notion of Cuban symbolism while in the country, and I imagine that I will be trying to comprehend this […]

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I’m not quite sure where our fascination with the vintage comes from.  Maybe it’s the sentimentality or the thought that everyone wants it and nobody can have it. Maybe it’s the idea of looking forward through the window of the past. Either way, the vintage cars in Cuba, with their bright colors and beautiful design, […]

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On the way down to Cuba we spent a lot of time sitting around in airports as our flights were delayed over and over. Though it seemed like the universe was conspiring to make it so that we would never get to Havana, the airport (Miami, not LaGuardia) proved to be a place of insightful […]

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As we explore the complexity of the nature of the nation and nationality in the Período Especial, the role of the artist in Cuban society becomes increasingly blurred and dynamic. As Sujatha Fernandes discusses in her article on postwar reconstructions, even the definitions of “commercial” and “underground” have become distorted. Cuban youth struggle to reconcile […]

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Cuba’s waters may be known for their rich biodiversity and healthy coral reefs, but they are now in the news for something different: oil. Geologic surveys suggest there are around five billion barrels of oil off of Cuba’s coast, and exploratory drilling to find those reserves began in late January of this year. A Chinese […]

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