Trips Canceled Due to COVID-19

Dear MBA families:

Over the past week we have discussed our spring break trips, both domestic and international.  Unfortunately, we feel the best course of action would be to postpone or cancel the trips to London, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.  We regret these decisions, but we believe it is the best and appropriate course of action for the welfare of our students, staff, and families.

Our trip leaders will be communicating with students and families about these trips as soon as possible.

At this point our four trips domestically for the chorus and baseball, soccer, and lacrosse teams will go as planned unless the CDC or other state or national organizations suggest otherwise.

Sincerely - Brad Gioia, Headmaster

 P.S.  We hope to offer some service opportunities during spring break in Nashville, particularly related to the damage of this week’s tornadoes. We will pass on more details about this in the coming days.    

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Thomas McRae Reflects on Life in Castro's Cuba

“Cuba and the Cameraman” is a film about a journalist, Jon Alpert, who goes to Cuba periodically for 45 years. The film shows the evolution of the Cuban revolution through a peasant family, two normal Cuban citizen families, and several interviews with Fidel Castro himself. This film makes the good, bad, and grey aspects of the Cuban revolution personal for any viewer because of the relationships formed by Alpert and the Cuban people. 

Before watching this film, I had always heard various vague conjectures about the politics surrounding Cuba, but I had never grasped a real understanding of what was happening. I chose this film because I thought a documentary would be the best way to get an unbiased assessment and understanding of the history of the country I am visiting. The film did just that. Not only did it show me the various stages of the Cuban revolution, but it also gave me a sense of personal connection to the people he interviewed for over 45 years. 

Most especially, I felt very close to the three farming brothers. It was hard to see the brothers struggle after the Soviet Union collapsed and people looted their home and killed their animals. The film gave me an opinion about Cuba, rather than some generic facts that I could use in conversation. 

I'm now extremely excited to go see Cuba. I'm curious as to how the public services, like hospitals and schools, are doing. I am also curious to see how the death of Fidel Castro has affected the nation. In all I cannot wait to visit Cuba and see what the Cameraman saw!

Cuba Blog Entries Start TODAY

In preparation for our Spring Break trip to Cuba, each student traveler will read or watch a work related to Cuba.  They have been asked then to offer a brief summary of what they read/watched and to reflect on how that work has influenced their views on Cuba, on the trip, on what they hope to see or experience on our trip or something else along these lines.

Below you will find the first entry, a reflection on Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea from Breckinridge Curnutte.

While The Old Man and the Sea is not directly based on Cuba or its history, it is centered around the deep culture that Cuba possesses and the passionate people that reside there. It is a story about resilience, honor, and pride. These themes run deep in Cuban blood. I think that while the culture that resides in movie stars and musicians from Cuba is prominent and interesting, the personal stories and emotions that reside in the working class are much more powerful and meaningful. From what I’ve read, I’ve derived that Cuban culture is intensely based on honor, perseverance, and determination. Viewing first hand the rich culture built by these character traits is what I most look forward to. 

Santiago’s battle with the great marlin can be thought of as parallel to the numerous hardships the Cuban peoples have undergone in the last hundred years. Cuba is now left with deep scars in its economy, government, and culture. I think stepping away from the bubble we live in is important; furthermore, to step away from the bubble that follows us as students is even more important. I think it’s easy to go on a trip to a foreign place or country and not take in the parts of that place that make it unique. I’d like to meet and experience everything Cuba has to offer and meet the Santiagos and the Manolins. 

Ernest Hemingway, the author of The Old Man and the Sea, spent a lot of his time in his home in Cuba. It was a place full of inspiration for him. He found that it was easy to write with the intrinsic creativity and culture of Cuba. I cannot wait to deepen my understanding of the world, take advantage of the creative atmosphere that is omnipresent there, and interact with the people of Cuba. The process of reading and researching this book, Cuba, and Hemingway has made me even more curious about Cuba and I cannot wait to go.