Cuba at a Crossroads is our introductory trip to Cuba, exposing our participants to a variety of issues and individuals involved in areas such as women's issues, art & architecture, economic trends, grassroots community development, labor issues, religion and culture. These trips vary in number of days from 7-16 days. The shorter trips include only Havana Province, while the longer trips include visits to one or more provinces outside Havana.
Day One
-Arrive Havana. -Orientation Meeting
Day Two: City Visit
-Orientation to Havana which includes a brief history and visit to important sites throughout Havana. Visit to the Revolution Square, Old Havana, a farmer's market and the Havana cemetery. -Maqueta de la Ciudad (the scale model of the city). -visit various art studios, galleries and markets where participants will meet with Cuban artists and find out first hand how artist negotiate between the tourist market, a socialist economy and new opportunities for individual entrepreneurship. -The Cuban Economy Presentation -Walk through the Malecon
Day Three
-visit Hospital and a Neighborhood Clinic to learn about public health -Small Group Discussions at Hotel
Day Four
-Botanical Gardens Visit -Visit to the Literacy Museum -Cultural Exchange at Dulce Maria: a night of Cuban music and dance with Dulce María, a local neighborhood Salsa Band, at a rooftop terrace in Old Havana.
Day Five
-Círculo de Abuelos: morning physical exercises -visit province #1: Life in Cuba: Leave for one of Cuba's rural provinces (Santa Clara, Pinar del Rio, Santiago, among others). -Local Community Visit -Visit to a local Jazz Center
Day Six
-Visit to a Rural Clinic -Panel discussion by Cuban women
Day Seven
-Visit an Elementary School -Visit an Environmental Reserve
Day Eight
-Visit to an Agriculture Cooperative: learn about Cuba's advances in solar technology, sustainable development and the new challenges faced by farmers as they deal with the new markets for their products. -Cigar Factory Visit
Day Nine
-Technical College Visit -Visit to Hermanos Sais, a youth organization where participants will learn about mental health issues, problems faced by Cuban youth today and the contradictions they face as they see an increasing focus on tourism and the tourist economy.
Day Ten: Travel Back to Havana
-Travel Discussion and Opportunity for Open Dialogue: Life in Cuba -University of Havana Visit -Hip-Hop Concert or youth exchange
Day Eleven
-Natural Medicine in Cuba -Metropolitan Park Visit: participants will meet with residents to discuss the community lead preservation issues. -Visit to a School for the physically disabled -Visit to Casa de Africa: a cultural institution devoted to the African presence in Cuba that includes a museum and a live performance by an Afro-Cuban dance group.
Day Twelve
-Humanitarian Cuban Organization: meetings with humanitarian organizations such as Caritas, Martin Luther King Center and visit urban neighborhood projects. -Visit a Partnering Neighborhood -Cañonazo ceremony: nightly at 9:00 sharp a cannon is fired on the harbor side of La Cabaña Fortress by a squad attired in 19th Century uniforms. Hundreds of Cubans from all walks of life gather at the Fortress nightly to experience this event. A holdover from Spanish times when such a shot signaled that the city gates were about to close.
Days Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen: Visit to province #2
During days 12, 13, 14 and 15 participants will visit two more provinces. All visits to the provinces are the same (see days 6, 7, 8 and 9) with the exception of the change of location. Pinar del Rio, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Matanzas, Holgin, and Santi Spiritu are the provinces that visits are arranged at.
Day Sixteen and Last Day
-Return to Havana. -Afternoon Depart for U.S.
IN ADDITION -- WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL VISITS BASED ON PARTICIPANTS REQUESTS -- THESE CAN BE BOTH FULL GROUP VISITS OR VISITS BY SMALL GROUP 5+.
-Visit the Natural and Traditional Health Clinic
-Visit to Pediatric Hospital and/or Psychiatric Hospital
-ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE:
-Terrazas/Rosario: Day trip in Rosario Mountains bio-reserve, Las Terrazas ecological community and environmental education center.
-Visit to the Zapata Swap
-Visit to an Organic Agriculture Farm and market
-Habitat Conservation for Native Cuban Flora and Fauna
-Renewable Energy in Rural Cuba
-Natural Wastewater Treatment in Rural Areas
-Visit to a Paladar: a privately owned restaurant, to learn about private enterprise ventures in Cuba.
-Visit a Supermarket
-Visit an independent think-tank
-Visit to the US Interest Office
-Visit to the Museum of Guanabacoa on Afro-Cuban culture
-Visit a Synagogue
-Cocuye Folkloric performance
-Visit to La Basilica del Cobre
-Contemporary Art in Cuba
-Visit to the Fine Arts Restoration centers
-Historical Monuments and Havana's Architecture
-Visit to the School of Arts.
-Lunch meeting with local artist and his family.
