CUBAN TRANSITIONS

Thinking back on our two weeks in Cuba, what is still astounding to me is how often we were presented with, happened to stumble upon, and were generally surrounded by art and cultural expressions. Our program included countless cultural activities such as visits to Fuster’s studio in Jaimanitas and a modern dance studio in Havana, […]

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We first encountered Havana Hotel on March 3rd after numerous flight delays and long airport transit times. As we anxiously familiarized with our first sights of Cuba, Hotel Plaza was our first stop from the airport and evolved to become more than that in the next few days. We had a warm welcome with tasty […]

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“Are you Jewish?,” I asked the hostess of the paladar we entered. She looked up, confused, and handed us menus. I pointed to the silver star of David around her neck. The hostess laughed. “ You know, only tourists ask me that,” she said. “I just really liked the design of it. I don’t even […]

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Most Americans seem to know about the U.S. embargo on trade with Cuba because it prevents them from buying or importing Cuban cigars. However, the embargo (known in Cuba as “el bloqueo” or “the blockade”) affects much more than the sale of tobacco and has a significant impact on daily life in Cuba, restricting Cubans’ […]

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The idyllic version of the United States is one in which all Americans have equal access to opportunity, financial success, and ultimately happiness. However, this is often not the reality. In the United States general lifestyle can often be predicted by just a few key factors that constitute any given person’s lifestyle throughout their life. […]

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A few days before our departure for Cuba, our professors devoted some class time to answering questions from students trying to figure out what to expect once on the ground in Cuba. Pretty quickly, the topic of money came up. I know that I was not the only student attempting to figure out how to […]

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José Fuster has been hailed “the Picasso of the Caribbean.” He studied art at La Escuela Nacional de Instructores de Arte and has won numerous awards including the Distinction of the National Culture, the highest award in Cuba. His work is inspired by Picasso, which is evident in his use of color and shape. His […]

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On our first full day in Havana we visited the house of Jose Fuster, a Cuban artist whose home and neighborhood have evolved into his ever growing palette. Fuster’s projects include colorful mosaics, sculptures and paintings that have put his neighborhood, Jaimanitas, in a spotlight. Fuster’s work has sparked interest at home and abroad, and […]

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From our first few days in Cuba, it became clear that the story of the Cuban 5 was going to be a central tenant of our trip. Everywhere we went we saw billboards, paintings, presentations, and documentaries referencing the five Cuban men who were imprisoned in the United States. According to the Cuban government, the […]

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My friendship with the bus driver, Duniel, began the day I wore my Industriales t-shirt. The Industriales is a Havana-based baseball team that is part of the Cuban National Series, a post-revolutionary amateur Cuban baseball league. He saw my royal blue t-shirt with a large calligraphic “I”, and said a phrase that I would hear […]

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