Studying Abroad In Cuba: A Reflective Journal

University of New Hampshire Fine & Performing Arts “Discover Cuba” J-Term Program 

Saturday, January 6th, 2024

• Travel day
• Manchester, NH to Washington D.C. to Havana, Cuba
  • A poem I wrote at the MHT airport at 5 a.m.:

Clumps in a crowd of nameless faces.

Destinations unknown with stories untold,

Optimistic glances flying to undiscovered places,

For the world is calling and you must go.

With each step and each suitcase,

Walks a new person never seen before,

Obliviously sprinting to the end of the race,

When will you realize you’re the one at war?

• Landing at the Jose Marti Airport was exhilarating — new place with so many new things to see and new people to meet. I was greeted by Abroadia and met two of my classmates, Fiona and Jason. Tom called a taxi for Fiona and me to get to Calle 17. 
• Once I arrived at Calle 17, I met my host dad, Javier, who we later called Javi for short, and my roommate, Sabby. Javier was super friendly and hospitable and made sure I had everything I needed. Sabby was super kind and was just as excited to explore as I was. We helped our host family cook dinner until Holly and Emma, our roommates next door, arrived. At dinner time, we quickly realized as they walked in that Finn, Chris, Jason and Tom (sometimes) would be spending meals with us! I loved having such a large group at the table with constant conversation and laughter. Not a phone in sight. 
• After dinner, we brainstormed on how to get ahold of our classmates because we did not have cell service or a way to contact those without a Cuban SIM card. We ended up reaching out to the host family landlines to get everyone to go out to get to know one another better- our first night and certainly not our last at the ever-so-memorable Cafe XXX. 

Sunday, January 7th, 2024

• When we met for the bus in the morning, we met our bus driver and tour guide for the week. Our bus driver, Billy, always wore a smile and never failed to put on the jams. Norkis, our tour guide, could answer any question we had without fail. She even helped with our COVID scare towards the end of the week. Norkis and Billy chatted with us about some ground rules, what the week entailed and gave us a basic orientation of what to expect. 
• Our first visit was at Casa de Africa. The speaker was passionate and translated by Norkis. He put a strong emphasis on his work to tell history truthfully through his displays and lectures. We had about an hour-long museum tour where he thanked us for coming because he understood how hard it is for American students to come to explore Cuba and of course Casa de Africa. After the tour, we were pleasantly surprised to enjoy a traditional African dance by a group of dancers of all ages outside the back of the museum. Each dancer had their own traditional dress for their style of dance and they took turns engaging with members of the audience with props and pulling people up to dance. At one point we were all dancing in a circle. It was a lot of fun and the dancers were full of energy and stage presence. 
• After Casa de Africa, we visited the Museum of Fine Arts. My favorite section of the museum was by R. Martinez. I loved getting lost in the art. My favorite piece was the cathedral piece with splatters of paint dried onto the canvas in a thick layer. In Cuba, there is an entire university dedicated to art restoration. 
• We then went on a walk in Old Havana. We heard lots of historical information from Norkis, including information about the historical block and Revolution Square, and we actually passed the pink apartment building Ernest Hemingway used to stay in on the fifth floor. 
• We went to a smaller community place for lunch that served us a whopping four courses with coconut water and rum for a welcome cocktail! They were super grateful to have American students visiting and we cherished the traditional Cuban dishes they prepared for us. 
• We had dinner at home with our host family and all seven of us at the dinner table. Javi cooked us chicken with rice and beans and of course lots of plantains. 
• We decided to go out even though it was a Sunday night and ended up having the bar to ourselves at the Yellow Submarine Bar. The bar closed a bit early because it was Sunday, so we headed to a Disco Teca club that played American rock and metal music with live bands. Instead of finding the tourist-heavy bars, we stumbled upon this gem with genuine Cuban people looking to have a good time. We all stayed there practicing our Spanish and chatting with locals until the early morning. 

Monday, January 8th, 2024

• This morning we got a presentation from a music historian, Alberto, who played multiple instruments and gave a lecture about Cuban Music and the history of traditional Cuban beats. My favorite was the clave, which is used X X , X X X to create the basic tune of most traditional Cuban songs. The hotel this demonstration was at is the only hotel Americans can stay at in Cuba if visiting. There were many beautiful views throughout and lots of breathtaking photos of the ocean on the wall where we enjoyed coffee after the lecture. 
• We then traveled to Cafe Laurent for lunch and indulged in pumpkin soup, fish croquettes, chicken and ice cream. 
• Our next stop, Murealandia, was one of my favorites. They turned a three-story building once filled with trash into a beautiful castle filled with art, mosaics and personality. The significance of eggs was imperative to their mission. There was even a hollow egg made out of ball bearings with a plant inside. This art center not only uses the space to turn trash into treasure, but it also offers a multitude of classes for kids to attend such as painting, dancing and music classes. The speaker at Murealandia said, “Love is the only thing that can overpower intelligence.” This non-profit also provided us with an immersive music and dance experience after the tour. As the band began, a small fireball of a custodian came out dancing. Before we knew it she got us all on our feet to salsa together. Some needed a few more drinks than others. After the performance, which included an encore, we got to take an art class, gluing colored paper to make mosaics. I ended up making an old-fashioned car as I really enjoyed seeing those at every corner in Cuba. After I finished that I waited for my classmates to wrap up and did some exploring. I was able to go to the top and wave to Professor Lee from the bus! 
• We then enjoyed homemade sushi from our host dad at what we liked to call, “Javi’s Palace” — in reference to Calle 17. 
• After dinner, we attended the Cannon Firing Ceremony. The fort was massive and in great condition for how old it is. From the top, you can see the whole city of Havana. It was breathtaking. The ceremony itself dragged on a bit, but the firing itself was super cool and intense. It’s the first thing I show others when they ask about Cuba just so I can talk about Cuba’s history a little bit since we also learned about the Period of Silence. We learned about the history behind the cannon firing to alert everyone that they were closing the drawbridge/gates for the evening during the Period of Silence. The small nooks and crannies in the fort were also super interesting to check out. Henry and I chatted about envisioning soldiers defending this beautiful little island and had a moment of cultural shock once more as we watched over the beautiful city of Havana. 
• At night, we ventured out to Kings Bar, where we met up with some local friends from the University of Havana, Fabio and Carlos. We met them at the Disco Teca on Monday night and didn’t spend a night apart until our departure! 

Tuesday, January 9th, 2024

• Beach day! Everyone was eager to get to soak up some sun after living in the New England conditions for the past few months. We had a ball tanning on the chairs beachside, swimming in the warm water and drinking beers looking for cool seashells and interesting finds. 
• Tom shared some stories with us over lunch at the beach about some hardships in previous programs over the years and reminded us to be safe when going out and to never walk somewhere alone. All of us followed these recommendations religiously during our study abroad experience. There were many times on our trip when we looked out for one another because we noticed a suspicious person or a weird situation. This made me appreciate the group I was traveling with and I realized how close we all have become in such a few short days. 
• After a moment to refresh ourselves after the beach, we traveled to Habana Compas Dance to enjoy many different styles of music, dance and a combination of the two. After the performance, I chatted with the pianist/violinist, who said he had playing since he was just 7-years-old. 
• Dinner at the homestay was extra special tonight. We asked him how old his daughter was and we gave him some colored pencils and crayons for her and he was ecstatic because they were Crayola (a name brand). As he quickly went home to get his daughter, all of us gathered our gifts on the dinner table and Javi came back with his wife and daughter. It was a precious moment. Lots of tears were shed during the few minutes we had before he returned from a third-world country culture shock realization. 
• At night, we went out to Cafe XXX once again and Kevin and I chatted with the local bartenders and waitresses. By the end of the week, we gave hello and goodbye hugs to the bartenders and security guard, Audi. We stayed out talking until the early morning on Wednesday. We never wanted to leave. 

Wednesday, January 10th, 2024

• Our first stop of the day was Acosta Danza, a contemporary dance school where we observed a ballet practice. Although the ballet was beautiful, I was captivated by the hip-hop dancer practicing in the corner to his own music. I chatted with him after the performance and got his Instagram. Brandy Sudden, ladies and gentlemen, knows how to hip-hop! As a Zumba instructor, I loved watching him move and his energy felt electric. Acosta Danza was owned by a famous ballet dancer from Cuba who opened up his own dance school in Cuba for the next generation of dancers. 
• Afterward we visited another collective art place called Fusterlandia, which, unlike the last community project, incorporated more mosaics into its work than sculptures. Surrounding the fortress of ceramic mosaics were many vendors from which we were able to buy things and even a churro stand which was a great treat! Lunch there was also fantastic, but they only offered fish as the protein option, so I stuck to my salad, rice, plantains and beans!
• After lunch we had an optional private Salsa class. When I heard the word optional I almost chuckled. This was one of the most exciting parts of the trip and it did not disappoint! The class was taught by a smaller dance company with local dancers who teach the youth at an affordable rate. We all learned to salsa individually and then we paired up with one another to partner dance. The hour flew by and it was one of the most immersive and memorable activities I embarked on during my time in Havana. 
• After salsa class we ate dinner at our homestays. We caught up with Javi and he left us ice cream, plantains, rice and beans for a “midnight snack” in the fridge before he went home for the evening. 
• After dinner, we originally planned to attend rooftop jazz, but it got canceled due to the weather so we all went to Cafe XXX — our spot. Friends had Central Perk, The Breakfast Club had detention and we had Tres X. I talked a lot with Fiona, Brynn and Kevin. I didn’t know anyone before coming on this trip besides Mac, so never did I ever think I would walk away with some of my best friends. 

Thursday, January 11th, 2024 

• Vinales Day! We left at about 6 a.m. and Billy was already dancing and cranking the tunes. During our three-hour drive to Vinales, we took a rest stop where everyone used the restroom and, of course, we couldn’t leave without getting the pina coladas in freshly picked coconuts. We walked along the water and said hello to some stray perritos before heading back on the bus. 
• We arrived at a cavern — kind of like the polar caves in New Hampshire but on steroids. We explored the caves by foot and came to the end of the winding path to a breathtaking opening which we traveled through by boat. We continued to ride the boat to the edge of the waterfall, where he pulled over for us to get out — he kind of scared us for a minute… once we got off, there were a variety of vendors and lots of animals and beautiful sights to see. 
• Next stop… ziplining! We stopped at a place off of a long dirt road and waited for the previous group to come back with their helmets and harnesses. There was a fresh fruit stand and lots of farm animals so we had no issue occupying our time. How could we in such a beautiful place? We got our equipment on and took a short ten-minute walk up to the set of five lines we would be zipping. The sights were amazing and as an adrenaline junky, this was right up my alley. This was definitely a surprise activity but it turned out to be one of my favorites, even though Kevin stayed behind and watched from afar… it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced. 
• On our way to lunch we stopped by Mural de Prehistoria, which was created on a cliff in the 1960s which is now a world heritage site owned by UNESCO. 
• We had no idea lunch would be at such an astonishing overlook. It was something you’d see in a stock photo. The landscape and animals were just magnificent and having lunch over such a beautiful scene with some of the best people was surreal. 
• After lunch, we headed to the ever-anticipated tobacco farm tour. We drove down a small dirt road to a family-operated tobacco farm where we learned about the planting process, how the leaves are dried and how they are rolled into cigars. The speaker even rolled a cigar right in front of us. The closer the part of the leaf is to the soil, the less dry the leaf is, which can be important information in determining which part of the leaf to roll the cigar with as well as how strong you want the cigar to be. We learned about the most common flavors and we also learned that the Cuban government takes 90% of their profits to sell on their own, leaving the remaining 10% for the family to sell in Vinales. “Hint hint… we keep the best 10%,” our tour guide said with a grin. After he gave us the rolling demonstration he let us smoke one. After a puff or two, we all got in line to buy some for family and friends. 
• I escaped the tour early in search of water (it was super hot) and came across the coffee farm before the rest of the group arrived. I chatted with the owners and played with their perritos. Once the rest of the group arrived we learned about the different beans of coffee that can be ground differently to taste. Cuban coffee is much richer than any coffee I have ever had… Columbia is up next. We also got to enjoy rum with our freshly grounded coffee farmside as well. 

Friday, January 12th, 2024

• We started off the day with our last big meal with host dad Javi. My favorite part to everyday was all four of us picking out our outfits and planning the vibes for the day. We all left together for the bus every morning and today was bittersweet since it was our last full day in Havana. 
• We visited the home of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway was a famous English writer who visited Cuba frequently. Norkis told us that Hemingway actually fell in love with someone named “Cuba” and he had multiple wives. His house had many extravagant paintings and an entire room for his cats. Outside the home there was a gift shop and a lively bar. Norkis and I grabbed Cuba Libres and watched the live music. Sooner or later I grabbed my Salsa partner, Connor, and we danced it up in front of the band. Showing off his salsa skills, Connor jokingly counted one, two, three, four and one, two, three, four, while our classmates laughed. 
• We then traveled to the artisan fair where over 400 vendors seemingly shared many of the same touristic items to sell to the general public. There, I purchased cow bone keychains and bracelets for my friends back home and watched them hand engrave them all. I then visited a more unique vendor upstairs where I purchased a wooden car and a wooden motorcycle for my family members, which were also hand-engraved in front of me by local Cubanos. 
• Half the group was then dropped off at La Marca, the tattoo shop Professor Lee recommended to us, where four of us got tattoos. Emma (Hummingbird), Holly (Hibiscus Flower), Alex (“Bonita”), and Fiona (Spider & Web) all got beautiful tattoos created by Cuban artists right before our eyes. I was originally going to get one, until we had a bit of a COVID scare. Emma, Holly, Jason and Tom Millington headed back to the homestays to get everything figured out while Fiona and I lived our best life at the tattoo parlor. We ended up taking a CocoTaxi to the hospital (in style) to find our classmates standing outside in masks. When we were all testing negative we decided to walk the hour back to Hotel Presidente for some WiFi and a drink or two after that. We met up with the rest of the group shortly after at Cafe XXX, where some of the guys then walked me home to change quickly before dinner. 
• Although not everyone was able to make it, the farewell dinner was astonishing. The food was delightful and the restaurant was absolutely beautiful. We shared many laughs and after the day we had it was nice to reminisce on the life-changing trip we had all just experienced together while sharing a few tears over Finn’s toast about Professor Lee’s retirement as well as Tom Millington’s farewell toast. 
• After dinner, we ventured out to the rooftop jazz concert we originally couldn’t go to due to the weather. The bassist for the live jazz band at the bar was the son of Alberto, the music history of Cuba lecturer from the beginning of the week. This experience was rich and I got a chance to talk to Connor and Tom Millington about visiting Cuba again in the future and we shared many laughs about our favorite memories of the trip. The group split a bottle of champagne and they even let Emma take home a Johnnie Walker Black Label since she finished off their bottle! It was a great end to a great week.
• After the jazz bar, we ended the night at Cafe XXX. Kevin and I spent our last night with Audi and said our goodbyes to the other bartenders, waitresses and security. Cafe XXX became home base and it was bittersweet to say goodbye. Despite us all having a very early morning of travel, we all stayed very late to soak up every last minute we had on this beautiful little island. Audi walked us all home together and we said our final farewell. Sabby, Emma, Kevin and I stayed up at Javi’s Palace for hours chatting, laughing and packing up our things. 

Saturday, January 13th, 2024

• As I woke up beside my roommate, Sabby, I felt both peace and sorrow. This trip was the most favorite one I have taken and by far one of the most influential journeys I have embarked on. As we all woke up and shared our last breakfast and had coffee on Javi’s Palace’s porch, I remember breathing in the fresh air and feeling how full my heart felt. This place truly brings people together and there is an indescribable sense of community that America is in desperate need of. Tom Millington, Abroadia founder and CEO, superhero of our “Discover Cuba” program, said in his farewell toast, “I have fallen in love with a woman this week, one who has been bullied her whole existence, one who despite her hardships is still beautiful and always smiling; her name is Cuba.”
• Connor, Kevin, Brynn, Fiona and I all had the same flight from Havana to Miami so we were all together in the airport. Once we landed in Miami, we met up with Sabby, Darien and Austin and got a bite to eat during our layovers. As we all started to peel off one by one, Darien and I noticed our flight to Charlotte had been delayed and that we wouldn’t be able to make our layover to Manchester anymore. We quickly rushed to the gate and they told us to run 20 gates across the Miami airport to make the flight to Boston leaving in five minutes so we did. Darien and I ran and we both made it on time with literal seconds to spare. As we approached the gate the flight attendant said, “Boston? You have five seconds!” We both laughed after all was said and done and said we have never run faster.  
• Returning to Boston was bittersweet. I know I will return to Cuba one day — preferably sooner rather than later. I will continue to advocate for this island and its hardworking, genuine people. Its reputation must continue to shine through and I will do everything I can to help the U.S. love Cuba back.

• Cuba
• study abroad