Fourteen Exonians Visit Cuba

For the first time in the Academy’s history, Exonians had the opportunity to visit Cuba this past spring break. PEA partnered with Envoys, an educational travel organization that established a “program for students to delve into the past and present of the island.” Fourteen students traveled with history instructors Margaret Foley and William Jordan for the nine-day trip and experienced a disparately different and new culture, all while learning about the country’s educational, economic and governmental systems.

Foley and Jordan, who coordinated the trip, said that it aimed to provide a firsthand look into the effects of the Cuban revolution. Foley’s and Jordan’s inspiration came from a previous trip to the island, during which they noted a conflicted between the island’s accessible geographical setting and the emotional and political distance that remains.

“They gave me the ability to be vulnerable to myself and it was ultimately beneficial.”

However, during the initial planning stages of the trip, the Obama administration was currently working on softening its relations with Cuba, which as Foley said, “added an interesting layer to the conversations we had with the Cubans.” Many participants thought the chance to experience and interact with the culture of a communist country for the first time made the trip especially eye-opening. Students and faculty had the opportunity to speak with Cuban citizens and learn about their opinions on the current government, as well as to attend historical seminars throughout the week.

Many of the group members arrived in Cuba already set on investigating a particular interest or, as senior Maegan Moriarty described it, “looking at Cuba through a particular lens.” However, for Moriarty, her interest shifted from Cuban medical care and services to the lives of Cuban women over the course of the trip as she discovered the intriguing gender roles of the culture.

Some Exonians, like senior Holly MacAlpine, went into the trip with more open expectations. MacAlpine looked to pursue an interest once she had experienced at least part of the culture. She found the stark difference that she witnessed between the economies of the U.S. and Cuba to be captivating. “The idea that everyone is ‘equal’ under the communist system is a fallacy,” she said. “While most people survive on the government-determined salary, living in tiny, crumbling homes with many generations of their families, those who work in tourism seem to bypass the system with tips.”

Other participants such as upper Chris Agard noticed a similar situation and said that the trip offered them more insight into these undocumented quirks of Cuban culture. “It’s all more personal when you’re right there,” he said.

Students and faculty were able to experience everyday Cuban life, and often times spent their time roaming the cities of Havana, Cienfuegos and Trinidad. The group also went on day trips to places such as the University of Havana, where they spoke to professors.

At the end of the trip, the group gathered their thoughts and had an opportunity to reflect on the trip. “When we talk about communism in America, we assume that the people are oppressed by their government,” Agard said. According to Foley, by recognizing this discrepancy, the group all “came to respect that Cubans are just living their lives, looking for joy and fulfillment like the rest of us.”

When students were asked if they would be interested in visiting again, the answer was a resoundingly positive one. Many wanted to revisit in a few years to see how the culture has evolved with the recent introduction of more outside investment. The students also praised the faculty of the recent trip. “They made me truly able to think and reflect in a way that I never had before. They gave me the ability to be vulnerable to myself and it was ultimately beneficial,” Agard said.

While parts of the trip were certainly academic, Foley explained that they also placed great emphasis on having inspiring, yet simple, personal enjoyment over break. “I won’t forget salsa dancing, singing on the bus, eating lingering lunches and dinners in open air restaurants--— breaking down more formal teacher-student boundaries and all of us reaching beyond our comfort zones to speak more Spanish,” she said.