Minutes after introducing himself, our tour guide, Abel, said “Do not try to understand Cuba.” While his claim first startled me, over the next nine days in Cuba I gradually began to see his rationale. Havana, Cuba, where we spent the majority of our time, is a city remarkable to the eye. With architecture of colonial style, Old Havana is an enchanting place with centuries of history to share with visitors. Tom Millington, Executive Director of Abroadia, organized an abundance of meetings with Cuban intellectuals, professors, diplomats, and journalists to help give our group a dynamic view into Cuba. Through these conversations, our group gained a vital amount of information about the country we were visiting. Beyond presentations delving into the Cuban economy, political situation, race and gender relations, and much more, our group was treated to numerous opportunities to learn about Cuban culture.
