Visit Cuba
Take the rare opportunity to visit the “Key to the New World”!
Welcome to Cuba, the USA’s enigmatic, revolutionary neighbor just offshore in the Caribbean. Our programs, based in either Santiago de Cuba or Havana, provide students with a perspective on Cuba’s history, their struggles in the face of the US embargo and the fall of the Soviet Union. We also learn about modern-day changes to the Cuban economic system, race and race relations in Cuba, the present realities faced by the Cuban people and their methods for overcoming obstacles, and the diverse influences on contemporary Cuban culture.
Both of our Cuba program locations will touch on similar themes, but the primary focus of each program may vary. Our programs in Santiago de Cuba will primarily focus on Cuban culture and the diverse influences that helped to create it, as well as looking at the history and seeds of revolution and divergent identity in Santiago and eastern Cuba. In Havana, our programs focus more on geopolitics and the Cold War era in US-Cuba relations. There are many overlapping themes between the two programs, but the unique locations, cultures, and local connections allow us to really dig a bit deeper into differing themes in each respective location.
The objective of this unique, intensive program is to give participants a comprehensive look into the past, present, and future of Cuba by touching on a variety of perspectives. Students will see how various factors including geography, culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, politics and other factors converge to add to both the beauty and complexity of one of the most mysterious and difficult to categorize countries on the planet, Cuba.
We will have the opportunity to visit a number of Cuban cities on our respective programs, possibly including Bayamo, Baracoa, Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs), Viñales, Pinar del Rio, Holguin, or Cienfuegos. Check the program itinerary upon program acceptance for confirmation of which excursions we will be taking on your specific trip.
Legal Travel to Cuba
The U.S. Embargo on Cuba makes it especially difficult for American citizens to travel to Cuba without a special license. However, if accepted into the program, we will facilitate licensed, legal travel as well as your flight, directly from the US. We are committed to building connections between the American and Cuban people while adhering by all applicable US and Cuban regulations.
Customization
We intentionally keep the size of our programs at manageable levels so that we can work individually with our students to provide the best experience, as much in line with each student’s goals and interests as possible. We also work with students in crafting their curriculum so that their respective schools will grant the maximum credit possible for their experiences both in and out of the classroom environment.
Havana Nights
Havana (and Santiago de Cuba) have historically had a thriving nightlife and live music scene, and because of Cuba’s political situation, it has retained much of the same feel that it had in the 1950’s. Whether you like the idea of live jazz in Santiago de Cuba or the electrifying rumba in the Callejón de Hamel in Central Havana, our participants have the opportunity to enjoy an experience found nowhere else.
Authenticity
Our programs were crafted to provide our students with the most authentic experience possible. Unlike some other programs, we facilitate our students’ ability to explore the country, get to know the locals, and truly immerse themselves in the local culture. With this in mind, as well as the different comfort levels that our students may have, we provide options to our students regarding the level of immersion they’re looking for.
