The Choate community is currently preparing to launch a new global studies program in Cuba that will take place over the upcoming 2018 spring break. The trip, which is eight days long and open to all students, was initiated and developed by Choate faculty Mr. Yaser Robles and Ms. Jessica Cuni. The trip will focus on the historical and cultural aspects of Cuba and introduce students to a deeper understanding of Cuban life. Ms. Cuni, who teaches art at Choate, explained, “It is designed to not be a tourist trip of seeing sights, but rather to expose students’ eyes to the actual lives of Cuban people and the things that they would encounter, such as their education, healthcare, and connection to the arts, which of course are intertwined with its unique history.”
Mr. Robles also cited Choate alumnus John F. Kennedy ’35 as an inspiration for the trip. “The connection to Cuba goes many years back with our alum John F. Kennedy and the history of the Cold War,” he said. “This trip will also give Choate students access to those sites in Cuba that played such an important role and learn from that.”
As to the origins of the Cuba study abroad trip, Global Programs Director Ms. Sara Boisvert explained, “In the summer of 2016, we sent three faculty members — Mr. [Tom] White, Dr. [Lauren] Martini, and Ms. Cuni — on an educator program to Cuba. Similarly, I had conversations with Mr. Robles about his desire to run a program to Cuba for his Latin American History class.” Mr. Robles added, “I put together a proposal that broke down the goal, the mission, the outcome, and how students would benefit from the program.”
These conversations eventually developed into the outline of a possible trip to Cuba last year, but did not come to fruition. However, Mr. Robles and Ms. Cuni continued to advance the program plans in the spring of 2016. “This past spring we identified two potential companies that we wanted to work with, and Ms. Cuni and Dr. Robles visited both programs in Cuba this past June,” said Ms. Boisvert. She continued, “We have selected API Abroad as the company we are working with. Mr. Robles and Ms. Cuni worked with API Abroad to create a tentative itinerary, and we all are participating in the fine-tuning of the program.”
Mr. Robles commented, “Running any program in Cuba is extremely difficult because things don’t work the work that they normally do here.” Mr. Robles and Ms. Cuni looked extensively into various programs that run academic programs in Cuba before partnering with API Abroad. “One of the reasons why we chose to partner with API is because they have people on the ground living there. In Cuba, everything might change at the last minute. We felt like having people on the ground would make that easier to manage,” Ms. Cuni said. “We toured the housing institutions for the students that API provides, and we liked it. We wanted a place to meet in a seminar style, and they had a really great place for that.”
The Cuba trip, as many of Choate’s study abroad programs are, was closely examined for any potential risks that could affect the program. “There are risks involved with any travel. We do our best to analyze what those risks are and to mitigate them by doing research, working with respected and capable third-party providers, continuing to monitor world events, and making sure that all trip participants understand the risks and their responsibility in helping to mitigate those risks,” explained Ms. Boisvert. She added, “With regards to concerns, I am always a little worried that the state of the world will shift and that we will need to cancel a program. This, of course, is out of my control but is always a concern.”
Ms. Cuni expressed confidence in the safety of the program. “Cuba is a very safe place to visit. They have a very low crime rate and very good healthcare, so I am not afraid at all for our students’ safety any more so than I would be anywhere else.” Mr. Robles added, “I am excited about putting into practice the things that we preach here at Choate, like promoting the idea of more students being global citizens and being able to immerse themselves in cultures. My hope is that this is a trip that can be taken every year for many years to come and also open the doors to faculty and alumni.”
If the Cuba trip this coming spring is successful, it is likely that the program will occur again. “When we create a new program, the idea is that it will be an opportunity that will be repeated, most likely on an every-other year basis,” explained Ms. Boisvert.
She continued, “My hope for the participants is that they have the opportunity to experience the unique and evolving culture of Cuba and to have the opportunity to genuinely connect and interact with the local Cuban people.” Ms. Cuni expressed a similar thought, explaining her hopes of the program as developing “a wider understanding of what Cuba is, but more so a greater idea of what open-mindedness is in general.” Ms. Cuni continued, “Cuba is the type of place that has a lot of misperception, so for people to go and visit, that sets your brain to be open to other things. I hope that it will open our students’ eyes wider than just to the country of Cuba.”
