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.