4 things to know before studying abroad in Cuba

4 things to know before studying abroad in Cuba
By: Caleb Diehl, Lewis & Clark College January 5, 2015 3:52 pm

In mid-February, Elliott Young, professor of history at Lewis & Clark
College, will carry tens of thousands of dollars in cash and travelers'
checks through Cuban customs. He leads a study abroad program where, in
addition to surviving without the luxuries of capitalist economies (like
banking), students take classes in Spanish and contemporary Cuban art,
literature and politics.

"Traveling to Cuba is unlike traveling to almost any other country,"
says Young. "You don't see any advertisements other than for [the]
government. You don't have a lot of stores selling basic goods, like
clothing."

For many students, that's all the more reason to go.

"The difficulty in some ways is the attraction," Young says. "It's taboo
for Americans." It doesn't hurt that with loosened travel
restrictions, U.S. citizens can now bring home up to $100 of famed Cuban
rum and cigars.

If those sound like good reasons, Lewis & Clark, Harvard, Princeton,
Tulane, Hampshire College and a number of other schools offer
long-standing abroad programs to Cuba. Other schools are showing renewed
interest in Cuban affairs with their abroad offerings this year. The
second group ever from the University of Delaware is touring the country
on a winter 2015 session. This spring, Princeton launches its second
program, focusing on Latin American culture, politics and history.

As colleges bolster their study abroad offerings, they must prepare
students for a country bereft of the resources Americans take for
granted. Living for months in Cuba is exhilarating, but not carefree.
Before you pack you bags, there are a few things you should know.

MONEY

You have three options for accessing money. Wire it through Western
Union at fees ranging from 7% to 20%, depending on the amount. Obtain a
TransCard, which allows ATM withdrawals, but charges fees of up to 20%.
Bringing a stock of cash or travelers checks, on the other hand, gives
you accessible funds at no extra charge. The Lewis & Clark program
recommends that their students carry $2,000 – $3,000 each.

Cuba runs on two economies: the convertible Peso (for restaurants and
imported goods) and the Cuban Peso (for bus rides and some stores). One
convertible peso is roughly equal to one U.S. dollar, or about four
Cuban pesos. Some Cubans con tourists by pretending Cuban Pesos are
convertibles. Study the colors and images on each type before you go.

In any case, it helps to be a shrewd negotiator. You can negotiate
prices for almost any good or service, and to stay on budget, you have
to. Some restaurants, for example, hand Americans a special menu with
exaggerated prices. It takes a bit of haggling to uncover the real options.

SOCIAL LIFE

In Cuba, it's hard to tell if someone wants you or your money. Jineteros
(jockeys) charm tourists and offer to show them around town in exchange
for meals, clothes and gifts of cash. Some tourists develop long-term
relationships with their jineteros, to the detriment of their wallets.

Young recommends making friends with Cuban students to experience local
life and avoid Havana's plentiful tourist traps.

"Stay away from anything that says Buena Vista Social Club," Young says,
"or anything expensive." Cuban students might drink rum and play music
on the streets, or attend a government-sponsored concert, while tourists
lavish their funds on gimmicks and inflated prices.

FOOD

Sometimes Cuba runs out of key foods. When Young visited in 2010, he saw
shortages of eggs, milk and rice.

"At restaurants you'd start asking for things and they'd say, 'there
isn't any of this, there isn't any of that,'" he says. "Eventually you
just got tired."

For times when there is food, Young recommends Stardien, an emerging
restaurant in Havana run by the son of the interior minister. Students
on a budget can buy peso pizzas or chaitas (boxes with chicken and rice)
on the street. For cooking your own food, agricultural markets offer
fresh produce.

CLASSES

Most programs Cuba, including Harvard's, sends students to classes at
the Universidad de la Habana (University of Havana), the nation's
largest and oldest university. It offers 25 majors to about 6,000 students.

Harvard students take three classes in humanities, biological or social
sciences, and one advanced Spanish language course.

Lewis & Clark opts for the Instituto Superior de Arte, what Young calls,
"the equivalent of Julliard in the United States." Run by the ministry
of culture, the school is less subject to government control. Students
take classes in Spanish language, Cuban pop culture and contemporary
Cuban voices, where artists, intellectuals and writers discuss politics
and sexuality. For a final research project, they conduct ethnographic
research and oral interviews with locals.

A full courseload is a small price to pay for passage to Cuba. Despite
President Obama's recent announcement of intentions to renew diplomatic
relations and open an embassy in Havana, tourists are still limited to
traveling illegally through Mexico or Canada, or obtaining a special
license. Until Congress permits tourism, study abroad will remain one of
the easiest and legal ways to visit.

Caleb Diehl is a junior at Lewis & Clark College.

Source: 4 things to know before studying abroad in Cuba | USA TODAY
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