As the sun rose on the final morning in Cuba, I walked upstairs to eat breakfast prepared by the house staff. Afterwards, Alex and I took a stroll through Vedado, while looking for a shop. We couldn’t find any (because I forgot the location of some), so we walked back to Casa Vera, where we had a few hours to relax/pack our bags if not already. I took this time to exchange pesos with a student from NYU. Once we got back to Boston, I didn’t think there’d be vendors that would accept pesos, so now was the right time to exchange. Although, I also thought it would be a good opportunity to take back one denomination of each Cuban bill back, just as souvenirs. After exchanging, I had a 10 peso bill, a 20 peso bill, a 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000. I didn’t need to pack while I was back at the residence, because Achilles had helped me pack my bags and suitcase the night prior, so I was ready to go. The biggest obstacle I ran into while packing was trying to fit all of the goods I bought at the artisan market into a bag. I bought this banger of art piece that was painted onto a newspaper for 50 dollars, or ~20,000 pesos.

I feel I could have haggled down to ~12,000 pesos, but I spent most of my time window shopping that I ran out of time to haggle. Anyways, the painting was huge, so it stuck out of the bag.

Departure

Before boarding the bus, I spent the last hour wandering around the house while trying to process the entire experience. Despite all the new things I tried this week, it still felt as if I had closed my eyes and the trip was over. We all met outside, and said our goodbyes to the API team, who helped make the whole experience as smooth and fun as possible. The last thing API Director Melisa said to us was to tell people back at home about our experiences in Cuba. We then boarded the bus, and looked back at the house one final time. I began to think about what she said. What would I tell them about? I would tell them about the architecture, especially in Old Havana as well as Vedado. This whole trip, I had been encapsulated by the buildings around me. I had researched many of the common architecture styles and famous buildings prior to the trip, so to see them in person was a treat. I would tell them about the incredible food that Cuba has to offer, too. The food and drinks I’ve had on the trip were nothing short of exceptional–fresh, too. Tropical fruit in the Caribbean is truly unmatched. I would tell them about how hospitable the locals were, and last but not least I would lecture them about the U.S. Embargo, which many of the locals refer to as a blockade. This entire trip, whether subtly or directly in one’s face, has been greatly influenced by politics. The reason Cuban cars get so much traction is because they date back to the 1960s, which is when the blockade started, giving them a “vintage” look. In terms of benefits of the blockade, that’s where the list both starts and ends. Much of their public infrastructure is outdated, including their electricity grid as well as their water systems. This was apparent as the house lost power multiple days, and the showers and sinks had really low water pressure. Cuba is such a beautiful country, so to see the problems they face today, in spite of their advanced healthcare or impressive architecture, is shocking. I did my research beforehand so I could feel more prepared. My parents warned me about possible power outages in Cuba ahead of time, as to avoid being surprised if power went out.

Back in Boston

When I arrived in Boston, I received a call from my aunt. She asked me how my trip was, and I told her about all the excursions throughout the week. She made a remark about Cuba’s poor public infrastructure, so I explained that the infrastructure is outdated for the aforementioned reason being the U.S. Embargo restricts trade, which greatly hurt Cuba’s economy. She was eager to learn, however, and this made her want to look into the issue herself. To study abroad is one experience, but being back home is another. Despite the comfort of being home, I miss the warm weather, the fresh fruits, and the amazing architecture. Maybe I’ll go back on my own some day.