Story Location: Cuba
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Putting the “Casa” in Casa Particular
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I opened the heavy wooden door of Mama Emma and Papa Vega’s house in Havana’s tree-lined Vedado district with two suitcases in my hands and no idea what to expect. Mama Emma smiled when she saw my oversized suitcases stuffed to the brim and said “No tefalta nada” (You’re not missing anything)! After being greeted with a hug…
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Revolution Meets Machismo: Gender in Cuba
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On March 8, I woke up and had breakfast before going to my 9:45 a.m. class just like any other Friday in the past month, but this was no ordinary Friday; it was international women’s day and while it may have slipped my mind, Cuba did not forget. At the entrance of the facultad de artes…
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Hasta Siempre Internet 2: Analog Boogaloo
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The limitations of being able to connect in Cuba (to read more, see Hasta Siempre Internet) may be striking for someone coming from the U.S. yet these challenges have had immense effect on how culture and society has developed in Cuba in recent years. As soon as you step out of the airport, one of the…
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Hasta Siempre Internet
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So you’ve decided you want to come down to Cuba… Tropical sun, mojitos and revolution, also no internet. Yeah, you might as well throw your fancy smart phone away now ’cause you won’t be using it here. THE END! Just kidding, it isn’t that bad. But spending a few days offline before you go might…
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Urban and Rural: Seeing the Whole Cuba
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Traveling through urban and rural landscapes is an important part of the Cuban experience. As a student at the University of Havana you spend more time immersed in urban life, but as an IFSA student, you have many opportunities to catch a glimpse of the world that exists en provincia, outside Havana. To learn about life outside…
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Engaging with Cuba Beyond the Walls of the Classroom
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As is such with many study abroad experiences, many of the highlights of my semester in Cuba were captured outside the classroom. While enrolling in interesting and major-related courses at the University of Havana was a major goal of mine, participating in extra-curricular activities made my four month stay in Cuba much more profound and…
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How to Deal with Weight Changes While Studying Abroad
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You’re Not Alone. Issues surrounding body image, health, and beauty can be pretty difficult to grapple with in general. But what happens when you’re suddenly placed in a new cultural context? While studying abroad, you may realize that the new people around you hold different standards and values when it comes to these subjects, which…
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An American in Cuba – Cultural Immersion
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The Privileges of an American Student in Cuba “American,” or what it means to “be an American” is not an idea I had ever truly stopped to consider. Prior to my semester abroad in Cuba, I had barely traveled outside the United States–a trip to Paris when I was six-months-old (which I continue to debate…
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Cuban Diplomacy: Model United Nations in Havana
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Preventing an arms race in outer space was our task, and we only had three days to do it. The gavel hit the podium and the University of Havana Model United Nations (HAVMUN) conference began. The Committee on Disarmament met in a hot room at the law school of the University of Havana, the alma…
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Why I Decided to Study Abroad in Cuba Despite the Travel Warning
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When I first considered my options for study abroad programs, the idea of living in Havana, Cuba for a semester was exciting but slightly nerve-racking. Would the already stressful process of studying abroad be harder with less access to communication back home? How would the tense and constantly-shifting relationship between the United States and Cuba…
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