A professor I once knew said that when he was in high school he had a model of car that they only made for a couple of years. He said that to this day he can pick one of those cars out in a second because they jump out…his eyes are drawn to it. He was using the analogy to demonstrate that once someone travels somewhere, any news of that place will grab their attention. This is definitely true for me. When I saw the article by Karin Fischer about the Study Abroad restrictions being lifted in regard to Cuba programs, I could not look away.
I am one of the lucky ones who happened to be on one of the last, if not THE last study abroad program to enter Cuba before the Bush Administration in 2004 restricted study abroad programs shorter than 10 weeks. I was a professional staff member for Semester at Sea which had an educational license to enter Cuba in the Spring of 2004.
Since I had such a moving and educational experience in Cuba, I have been watching these developments since Obama took office, waiting to hear when students will be able to return.
My time in Cuba was spent seeing some amazing things. I saw the typewriter Hemingway allegedly used to write For Whom the Bell Tolls at a place called the Hotel Ambos Mundos. I rode in a horse drawn carriage through Old Havana, I met a group of University of Havana students who took a group of us salsa dancing. I had a mojito where Hemingway always drank and I smoked a cohiba, because I could. I bought a painting by a Cuban hippie who kept talking about healing the wounds between our two countries. I heard Fidel Castro speak at the University of Havana. For four and a half hours….
What moved me most while I was there was that every last usable item was used. The beautiful architecture in Havana was decaying, but it was spotlessly clean. Almost every vehicle in Havana was from the early 50s, and the traffic was always light. Walking along a sea wall a short distance from where the ship was docked, I thought about the cab driver I had met and talked to. He had a PhD but only made about $30 a week driving a cab to feed his family. When I gave him a $20 tip for the ride across the city, he cried.
While I cannot speak with any depth of the nuance of U.S. Foreign Policy when it comes to Cuba, I saw the devastation that Castro’s regime has had on the average citizen in Havana. It made me understand the motivation behind the U.S. embargo, but I think it punishes my friends the painter and cab driver most acutely. I think that while the U.S. government wants to punish Castro, he doesn’t feel it. All of the countries resources go through him, so he is fine. The victims of the embargo are the average citizens of Havana, and the U.S. citizens who are denied the beautiful experience of seeing what was once the wealthiest city in the Western Hemisphere. Opening up the country to educational programs will expose more students to the reality of the situation and help us make some meaningful change in the future.
My visit to Cuba, while a small part of a life changing circumnavigation of the globe with Semester at Sea, changed forever how I see this island 90 miles from Miami. The stamp I chose to get in my passport has caused a few issues when I have traveled abroad and re-entered the U.S. since then, but it was worth it. I was there legally and I chose to get the stamp. I hope that many more students and educators will have the chance to get that stamp.
When I did my master's program, one of my good friends hailed from Vancouver B.C. We spent a lot of time talking about cultural nuance in the Pacific Northwest (PNW)--her hometown and my hometown (Seattle) being just 150 miles (or 250 km, however you want to shake that out) yet being worlds apart in terms of lived experiences.
ReplyDeleteShe talked at length about visiting Cuba and what a gift it was to be able to visit this location in the Caribbean without worrying about "annoying Americans." I was offended at this sweeping generalization, but moreso I felt inhibited by the fact that our government has left a policy in place for 40 years that really hasn't impacted large-scale policy but has impacted regular citizens in both countries.
I wonder who is losing more by this embargo remaining in place?
Meloni - I loved reading this post. I actually felt myself drifting off a little and imagining vividly what you described. (I'm also sitting in Starbucks and having coffee listening to the latest singer/songwriter play throughout the store.) Two thoughts come to mind - first is that I recently heard an NPR news storty reporting that Cubans would soon be able to purchase cars from abroad and what an impact it would have on our vision of a 1950's Cuba (thats probably more of a side note - but seems noteworthy given your description of the streets of Havana). Second, are my thoughts on study abroad - I never had the opportunity to go and always wished I had. While working for the Daniels Fund our scholars were all given the opportunity to get additional scholarship funding (up to $12,000) to study abroad while in school. I worked very hard to encourage my students to take advantage of such a generous gift - and I really think the opportunity to study abroad is a gift. Daniels Scholars are all considered "low-income" and the majority were the first in their families to go to school. We sent students all over the world - Japan, Israel, Egypt. Spain (never Cuba) and would get postcards and emails from them about all the wonderful experiences they were having. I know that it must feel scary and exciting all at the same time for our students but also eye-opening and enriching. Thanks for sharing your experience- it is my hope that we see these opportunities expanded to more students and to more places throughout the world.
ReplyDeleteMeloni - what a well written blog! Like Libby, I was also imagining the scenery and circumstances you described and I'm not even in Starbucks listening to an upcoming star (I'm actually listening to Sunday night football in the background). Not the point...
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate enough to study abroad and anyone who knows me knows it was one of the most important things I've ever done in my life. I truly believe it was the beginning of a lot of changes for me in regards to growth, development, understanding, acceptance and a more global view. Needless to say I think that study abroad is a wonderful opportunity and it would be great if more students understood how easy studying abroad is.
I have an amazing perception of study abroad and I didn't go to a culture THAT different than ours. I studied in Australia and while there are cultural differences, I didn't have to speak a new language nor did I have the opportunity to experience a culture vastly different than my own. The reason I say those things is I think that opening the doors for American students to study in Cuba is very important. Think of the history that now exists between the U.S. and Cuba and the experience that could bring to a student's time spent in Cuba. The amount of cultural introspection and learning that could happen now is beyond my comprehension. I think this would be a fantastic experience and I hope it's not long before the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba moves forward.