Cuba completely changed my life and I will never look at anything the same again.
As we boarded the plane to Cuba on April 13th, each and every one of us was beyond excited to get the opportunity to be immersed in the Cuban culture and become closer as a Global family. Most of us were aware that this was going to be the best two weeks of our lives, but not everyone was prepared for just how much it was going to change us. On April 28th, we were different people boarding the plane to return to Canada. This simple two week trip to Cuba brought us closer as a class, allowed us to recognize the hardships experienced by citizens in a developing nation and opened our eyes to just how fortunate we are to be living in a free country.
From the day we arrived, we were warmly welcomed into the country. The two-star resort we stayed in, Club Karey, was surprisingly very nice and clean. The food was so much better than we had all expected and the staff took excellent care of us. There were some minor problems that gave us a touch of realization that we were still in a developing country that did not have the same resources to fix the problems as quickly and efficiently as we are used to in Canada. Although the toilets did not always flush and the water in the showers would turn off while you were in the middle of shaving your legs, none of us would change a thing. The biggest change for everyone was having no access to the Internet or Wi-Fi. At first, most of us thought that this was going to be very difficult, but as the days progressed we all realized how much we did not miss being on social media. |
|
We spent the first few days of the trip socializing with the Cuban students from the University of Matanzas and getting to know them. On the fourth day of our trip, the teachers matched two Canadians with one Cuban based on their interests and similarities. Throughout the course of our stay, our Cuban partners would accompany us on our day trips. They happily showed us around and brought us to some of their favourite places in each city. It did not feel like we were tourists while we were in Cuba, as we were constantly in the company of our classmates and actual citizens of the country. Instead, we were travellers who got to experience their culture and interact with their unique people.
Each city was unique in its experiences, but unforgettable nonetheless. On our trip to Matanzas, some of us had the opportunity to visit the home of our exchange student. For those who had the chance to do this, they truly recognized what is important in life and how little and insignificant some of our problems are. It is incredible to see how happy and fulfilled the Cubans are, despite their home life and economic state. The contentment of these people radiated throughout the entire country and wrapped everyone in its warm embrace. Their constant happiness and liveliness was infectious. It was evident that singing, dancing, and joking around is what truly fills their hearts. If everyone in the world were to be more like the Cubans and found happiness in the little things in life rather than materialistic objects, the world would be a much better place
So many bittersweet and heartbreaking moments made our trip to Cuba an unforgettable experience. It was extremely strange for us to come back into a society so immersed in social media and addicted to materialistic things. While sitting in the airport, we watched people pass with their hair braided, speaking about their swim with dolphins, and we couldn’t help but be saddened by the fact that they have yet to realize that there is so much more to Cuba than that. We had all become so much closer as a class and so much more aware of how fortunate we are. The things we had experienced truly changed our perspective on life. We are different people, changed for the better.
Each city was unique in its experiences, but unforgettable nonetheless. On our trip to Matanzas, some of us had the opportunity to visit the home of our exchange student. For those who had the chance to do this, they truly recognized what is important in life and how little and insignificant some of our problems are. It is incredible to see how happy and fulfilled the Cubans are, despite their home life and economic state. The contentment of these people radiated throughout the entire country and wrapped everyone in its warm embrace. Their constant happiness and liveliness was infectious. It was evident that singing, dancing, and joking around is what truly fills their hearts. If everyone in the world were to be more like the Cubans and found happiness in the little things in life rather than materialistic objects, the world would be a much better place
So many bittersweet and heartbreaking moments made our trip to Cuba an unforgettable experience. It was extremely strange for us to come back into a society so immersed in social media and addicted to materialistic things. While sitting in the airport, we watched people pass with their hair braided, speaking about their swim with dolphins, and we couldn’t help but be saddened by the fact that they have yet to realize that there is so much more to Cuba than that. We had all become so much closer as a class and so much more aware of how fortunate we are. The things we had experienced truly changed our perspective on life. We are different people, changed for the better.