Monday, January 5th, was the third day of our adventures in Cuba. We began the day with some breakfast in Casa Vera; however, we didn’t get much time to relax as the day was starting early and we had to be prepared and at SIPS by 9 for an introductory lecture and a Jose Marti lecture.

Honestly I didn’t really know what to expect of the classes and the lectures while in Cuba, however I did expect their to be more work and emphasis on the classes. Thankfully this wasn’t the case we just got short informational lectures while at SIPS. When we arrived we got a small tour of the facility, showing us some classrooms and offices. Overall, SIPS looked very nice; it was well-maintained and clean both inside and outside. After our short tour, we were guided into the classroom where we had our lectures. Here we met some SIPS professors and did some short introductions and got some overview on SIPS. After introductions concluded, the lectures began shortly after. During the first lecture, it was mainly focused on 3 parts with 3 different professors each speaking about SIPS, the services they provide, and what students usually partake in or learn while a part of the program. This lecture didn’t interest me very much and it did feel a little drawn out lasting a little over an hour, however others may have a different opinion.

Once the overview was completed, we got a 15-minute coffee break with some cookies outside of the classroom. This was a great time to decompress and speak to classmates, API staff, and professors about the lecture and how we felt about it. Also just a great time to build more connections with classmates on the trip. After the 15-minute break, we got back into the classroom, preparing for a Jose Marti lecture. Personally, I really enjoyed this lecture; the professor was very passionate about the topic and seemed very knowledgeable about Jose Marti as well. He spoke about his life and how he fought valiantly for the Cuban people and their independence from Spain. Also trying to keep in mind that Jose Marti was like an idol to the Cuban people, having done so much for them, so there may have been some bias, however he didn’t try idolizing him during his lecture.

After all the lectures were concluded, we rounded up and took some photos outside the classroom, then headed to lunch shortly after. The restaurant where we had lunch had great views. When we were walking to the entrance , we passed through a small dirt path and saw a lot of wild chickens and chicks. When we arrived, we were guided to our tables and sat by a small lake. The ambiance was great, and there was a cool breeze since we were sitting outside.  

The food at the restaurant was also great; they had various options, like pork, chicken, fish, and “Ropa Vieja,” a very good Cuban dish. The dessert options were either flan or ice cream; the flan was very good. Overall, the experience here was great; there was a lot to see and experience, along with being a great spot to hang back and chat.

After our group lunch, we ran kind of late, so we had to hurry and make our way to the Hemingway Museum. Personally, I really enjoyed this tour as it showed us the personal belongings, manuscripts, photographs, and memorabilia that offer insight into Ernest Hemingway’s life and literary career. The tour guide was also very passionate about Hemingway and loved to clear up misconceptions and rumors that people made up about him. Giving us a full life story and picture of Hemingway and who he really was as a person. The tour guide also shared a lot of personal facts about Hemingway, like how he loved hunting and swimming keeping us really immersed in her story telling. She also went into the story of a plane crash he got into later on in his life, which badly affected him and his mental health. We also got to see some beautiful views of Cuba as the Hemingway Museum was pretty high up a mountain.