Go to Cuba--it won't come to you! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Like most study abroad programs, the academic rigor at the host institution is not what you'll be used to at an American university, nor will the amount of room for discussion or intimate classroom experiences. But in my experience this is just as much students' fault as it is the Cuban educational system. It's not designed to cater itself to you in the way that American education is, but you can get quite a lot out of it if you decide to apply yourself. The same is true of the signature research element of the program

On-site administration of your program

If you needed help with something, there was someone there for you. That said, the program tended to be hands-on in areas that it shouldn't have been and hands-off in areas that desperately needed attention. Lots of opportunities created (e.g. great talks organized) but just as many missed (e.g. helping students to process their time abroad).

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

SLC in Cuba has in the past stayed with the ANAP (National Association of Small Farmers) guest house, which I think is the best part of the program. The staff there are not only helpful but some of the closest friends that many students make on the island. It also has much less of a privileged-enclave feel than do many of the other American programs' residences.

The food that we were served was not great, and variety is not the speciality of Cuban cuisine. But it was hearty and always abundant; we were never hungry, and there are all kinds of restaurants to supplement your diet if you get tired of the rice-beans-pork routine.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I would attribute this more to the tight-knit nature of Cuban social networks, which make the process of really getting to know someone more difficult than it might be in other countries. The program's decided lack of emphasis on speaking the language also made it more difficult to integrate.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Sarah Lawrence provided us with health insurance that covered us should anything happen. Cuban healthcare is quite good on the whole, particularly relative to the rest of the Caribbean and Latin America, and there is a good clinic for foreigners that, while not the fastest place in the world, bore good results for several program participants.

Havana is a very safe city for international students--actually one of the safest in the world. Like in any city, use your common sense (girls shouldn't walk around alone past midnight, for instance), but there are a lot of protections in place in Cuba to protect foreigners because the island is so dependent on tourists' dollars.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Havana in general is a very affordable city for most Americans, and the fact that two of your three daily meals are taken care of also defrays your costs significantly. You don't need to spend more than $2USD on lunch. Your temporary resident card will also drastically reduce the cost of many cultural and social activities by allowing you to pay in Cuban pesos rather than convertible pesos ("the tourist currency").

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The lack of emphasis from the program on actually using the language was probably the most disappointing part of the semester; English was the dominant mode of communication for most students, with Spanish being utilized when necessary. I would think it should be the other way around.

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• Other

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Havana itself
• the subtle shifts in perspective
• the music!

• use of Spanish language
• space for reflection/discussion
• focus on academic engagement