Riding in antique cars, speaking broken Spanish and going without social media was how I spent my spring break. I never would have imagined that I would only get about four hours of sleep a night, because I was so interested in experiencing Cuban culture.
Long before President Barack Obama’s statement on Cuban policy changes, I decided that I was going to spend my last spring break as an undergraduate in Cuba.
The idea came to me last summer when I studied abroad in Ghana. The lead professor of the trip, Dennis Laumann, told me about his other study abroad program, Afro-Cuban History and Cultures.
I was interested, because I wanted to learn more about Cuba’s role in the African Diaspora, since over one million Africans were brought to Cuba during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. I also saw this as a great opportunity to visit a place that most Americans were not allowed to enter.
On Dec. 17, 2014, when Obama made his announcement on American relations with Cuba, I was overwhelmed with excitement. Not only would I be able to bring back rum, cigars and souvenirs without question, but I would be one of the first Americans to experience Cuba after the significant change in our policy.
What I didn’t realize was that many people did not share my excitement. I talked to friends and family who were afraid of relations with Cuba. They could only think of the Cuban Revolution and what they were taught about it.
I learned from a book that I had to read for class, A History of the Cuban Revolution, that Cubans achieved so much with their uprising. They were able to provide education for everyone, universal healthcare and basic necessities such as food and clothing.
Another book, Reyita: The Life of a Black Cuban Woman in the Twentieth Century, discussed similar race issues that we have had in the U.S. Many Black Americans could relate to the problems such as colorism, low economic backgrounds and poverty.
We have so much in common with these people, and it is important for Americans to learn about Cuba and interact with Cubans. We could benefit from each other.
Cuba has a form of government that provides for its citizens without the capitalistic views of the U.S. which causes so many of Americans to live in poverty and go without education. If education was free in the U.S. as it is in Cuba, we might have a lot more college educated citizens.
Due to the old policy, Cubans have not had access to the modern technology that we have. I talked to some Cubans who felt that our technology would change their society. While I can agree with their concerns, I do think that updated technology will make things easier for Cuba.
Not being able to use my phone or internet for a week gave me time to think and take in the people and places of Cuba. I was able to enjoy my surroundings and notice things I’ve never been able to before. I went on this trip with open minded students and professionals who helped me gain a better perspective and appreciation for Cuban history and culture.
With the new change in policy, Americans should learn more about Cuba, so there won’t be this stigma that Communism and the Cuban Revolution are dangerous. I want my fellow citizens to realize that we are not so different. We could learn some things from Cubans and vice versa.
