The semester program in Cuba has been full of activity per usual. The recent death of Hugo Chavez provided a very unique context for learning and students were able to visit Revolution Park to observe the official mourning of his death.
The program has also made official visits to the University of Havana and the Latin American Medical School to learn firsthand about higher education in Cuba. Students have also enjoyed coordinated exchanges with Cuban students (those studying English) at the Pedagogical Institute in Havana.
Students are traveling this week in Cienfuegos and Santa Clara for spring break.
^^At a traditional Cuban "peso" market - learning about currencies, buying power, and other everyday economic realities.
As a mid-week treat last week, we got to attend the Annual International Book Fair here in Havana. I think we all went into the experience without knowing what to expect and were wonderfully overwhelmed by the gorgeous setting, myriad of book vendors, musical acts, food stand, and generally beautiful (albeit it hot and sunny) place to spend the afternoon.
This trip came in the middle of an extremely full week of programming including a visit to the Literacy Museum, a tour of the University here in Havana, a night out dancing, all of our regular classes, our weekly evening of Cuban cinema and a weekend trip to the beaches of Varadero. Needless to say, we all slept soundly last night!
--Rebekah Menning, International Resident Advisor, CGE in Cuba
The Center for Global Education's newest semester program - History, Culture, and Politics of Cuba - is up and running! Students arrive in Havana last week. Rebekah Menning, former staff with CGE-Central America, is serving as the resident advisor for this program. She'll be passing along blog posts as she is able (for those of you who have been to Cuba, you know the internet is not exactly reliable).
Here are Rebekah's first thoughts...
Greetings from Cuba!
The group is in the midst of orientation week and getting settled into
class routines and our neighborhood of Marianao.
On Monday we all met at the Miami airport and, after taking a quick
charter flight to Havana, our group was greeted at the Martin Luther
King Memorial Center by their staff and our homestay families! Student
and staff alike have been overwhelmed with the generosity of our
reception by host families and the entire staff at the MLK Center.
Yesterday students received a history lecture from the first guest
speaker of the semester and we headed to ‘Habana Vieja’ for a walking
tour of the oldest part of the city. Today is another full day with
students’ first full Spanish class and a visit to a Transformation
Workshop in a nearby neighborhood.
Apart from programming, it’s clear that students are soaking up the
sun, enjoying the cuisine and looking forward to free time on the
weekends to explore and have more time with their host families.
In general we’re excited for all the next three months will bring!
We’ll write here as often as we can to send brief updates about
what we’re up to and hope you’ll check back in occasionally.
For friends of CGE who are in the Twin Cities ares, this may be of interest to you...
VocalEssense Presents: An Evening in Havana with Schola Cantorum Coralina, Alina Orraca, conductor
They’ve traveled the world with annual tours to Canada,
South America and Europe, but have never come to the United States — until now.
Be the first to welcome these extraordinary musicians from Havana, Cuba!
Like no choir you’ve ever seen or heard before, Schola
Cantorum Coralina conveys its intensity and excitement in sizzling performances
of both classical and Latin-infused choral music. Described as “awe inspiring,”
“phenomenally entertaining” and “deeply authentic,” this ensemble will leave
you breathless with their dynamic range and direct connection to the audience.
A rare opportunity to be submersed in the sensual sound of Cuba!
For more information, check: http://www.vocalessence.org/havana
Lynsey Sharp is a Butler University student who participated in the May 15-25
travel seminar to Cuba entitled, "Sustainability and the Cuban Revolution." She shared the below poem with us upon her return to the U.S.
¡Hasta La Victoria
Siempre!
In Havana Santeria priests dance on rooftops,
While farmers wait to exchange vegetables for coins in el
Mercado.
Santa Clara boasts “El Mejunje,”
A place to dance, drink, converse,
Or engage in other forms of bonding –
Which may or may not result
In a bruised lip in the morning.
A difficult reality lies in “La Marina,” barrio of Matanzas,
But once understood, unaccustomed eyes will not soon forget
As the choir songs still ring in certain ears
And altars to spirits are the only lavish entities of one’s
home,
A spiritual experience unfolds, that is undoubtedly human.
Meanwhile in the lazy waters of Varadero
One could float away
Watching the fish swim beneath one’s feet
And ornaments of starfish decorate the sea floor.
But Cuba, you are much more than this
You are the people of past, present, and tomorrow
You are our dearest friends we’ve met:
Chino – “El Rey” of the road
Who guides us to our destinations safe and sound
And enriches our experience with his knowledge and joy.
This travel seminar
took place March 10-17 in Cuba.The
theme was Education and Social Justice.
J. Crew.Mango.Filibuster.Roadie.Sassy. Girl
with a magnet tattoo.
What do these things have to do with Cuba?Everything.They are nicknames a CGE group from American University bestowed upon themselves
while spending a week in Havana. I share these seemingly inconsequential monikers
to demonstrate not only the uniqueness of the individuals, but also to
communicate the special group dynamics that make an international seminar like
this an exceedingly significant experience.
Those group dynamics do not just happen.A group becomes dynamic when people step up
to the plate, eager to engage.A group
becomes dynamic when they exhibit confidence blended with sensitivity.A group becomes dynamic when the questions do
not cease and answers from inside are not withheld.A group becomes dynamic when they grab hold
of each moment as one where learning can be had.And if not learning, then a little bit of
fun.A group becomes dynamic when they
offer one another companionship deep enough that it results in terms of
endearment. Dynamic, this group was.
And without these group dynamics, which provided support and
encouragement for each individual, Cuba wouldn’t have been Cuba for these
students.During a visit to a school, I
watched one student (at the invitation of the Cuban teacher) step to the front
of the classroom and engage each child in the room – without a second of
hesitation.At another school, I
listened to an American University student eloquently and sensitively explain U.S.
attention to the Cuban Five when a Cuban student asked her opinion.Yet another group member, who plans to teach
science in the future, utilized an early morning chat with our translator (the
fabulous Edelso Moret, professor at the University of Havana) to get his advice
on the development of a classroom activity.They seized moments to interact with Cubans in a truly Cuban way –
through conversation, dance, and song.I
will never forget their joint rendition of “We Are the World” with Cuban
high-schoolers.It was off-key, most of
the words were missing, and I would never listen to it again by choice.But it is a beautiful memory for me.
Ultimately, as their CGE leader, when I asked them to jump,
they said, “how high?”Not really.But when I asked them to push, they said “how
hard?”And I said “hard enough to make
our bus start up again!”We had a few
bus issues, obviously.Even in those
moments, frustrated by being stuck, they showed flexibility, compassion,
understanding, and solidarity with our Cuban hosts.
On behalf of the American University group, I thank Edelso
Moret and Rita Maria Ojeda – our Cuban friends and guides – for their
invaluable contributions.Dynamic, you
are.
