It turns out that Cuba was a fantastic place to spend Spring Break.
A group of University of Lynchburg students traveled to the Caribbean nation last week a study abroad program. They were able to experience the country’s arts, culture, social, and political environment firsthand.
“Most nights we were free to go out around Havana, so we were able to spend time with the locals and experience everyday life,” said Tess Frelick. “I enjoyed being able to experience the culture and the people of Cuba.”
This was the second time that professors Dr. David Richards and Dr. Nichole Sanders took students to Cuba since the United States eased travel restrictions for educational purposes. Several students saw this trip as an opportunity to experience Cuba while it is still an uncommon destination for people from the U.S.
“Cuba has always fascinated me,” said Christina Garcia Roldan. “Also, it is a very rare opportunity.”
The students visited farming towns and urban organizations to learn about social and economic systems in Cuba. This included the Federación de Mujeres Cubanas, or Cuban Women’s Federation. “The students were very impressed with not only the attention paid to women’s issues by the Cuban government, but with how well integrated the FMC is with other global women’s organizations,” said Dr. Sanders.
In many cases the students were surprised by the progress Cuba has made in recent years, defying many stereotypes of communist countries. “I think that thing that stood out to me the most was how far along the country has come,” said Alexis Jenson.
See more photos from the Cuba trip on the University of Lynchburg Facebook page.