Te Quiero Cuba
Date
July 8, 2019
Currently Studying at: University of Havana Summer, Cuba
Homeschool: Temple University
I have been back in the United States for about a week, and I’m now getting used to being home. The first couple of days, people would ask me how I felt about being home and what it’s like to be in Cuba. At first, I felt ambivalent about being home, back into the monotony of suburbia. And I didn’t (still don’t) know how to describe Cuba without saying it’s beautiful. It’s been hard to summarize my experience because it’s not without American norms like many probably expect. I often feel like any explanation I give of the island is insufficient because it really is a place one has to experience for themselves. That’s the thing about studying abroad, there are many small experiences inside of one large experience that cannot be explained — they need to be felt.
A lot of people ask me what I miss about Cuba, and my default statement is the fruit since it doesn’t have preservatives and is much richer than our fruit here. But there’s so much more that I miss. I miss the ocean and its clarity. I miss walking around Havana after the sunsets and the ice cream flavors. I miss prices not being expensive due to capitalism. I miss the endless amount of trees and the graffiti on the walls. I miss the stray cats and dogs that roam the streets. I even kinda miss taking classes because it was more about learning than the grades. And I especially miss the residence and everyone that worked there.
There are things that I did in Cuba that I can never do in the States, but that happens in any foreign country. I would say that going to Cuba has shown me everything that I want to do more in my everyday life in the States. I want to go out more, to clubs and concerts but also just outside in parks and museums. I want to give back more to the local community. I want to pay more attention to foreign affairs and have some understanding of what’s going on. I want to continue improving my Spanish, so I feel more comfortable speaking it.
It’s bittersweet to no longer be in the most beautiful city in the world, but I am happy to be back and share the things I’ve learned.
These pieces were created by student contributors. The views and opinions expressed are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Arcadia Abroad.