"Cuba may be 90 miles from Florida but it is a world apart from life here in the United States.  When I first decided to study abroad in Havana, Cuba, I received mixed reactions from my family and friends.  While few of them were excited for me, many of them expressed concern about my safety.  However, whether they were concerned or excited for me, they all wanted to know why. So why go study in Cuba?

Due to its unique relationship with the United States I knew that studying in Cuba would provide me with a unique experience.  I found Cuba appealing for its historical importance, its politics and its culture. 

I also wanted to study in a place that was fundamentally different from the United States and the island didn’t disappoint in this aspect either.  As a Chicano/Latino Studies Major, taking classes at Casa de las Americas, a cultural center establish to celebrate and showcase Latin American art, literature, and its people, was surreal. Whether you’re attending a play at the Mella Theater, enjoying a live musical performance in the Callejón de Hamel,or conversing with the Cuban people along the Malecón, the island extends a never ending invitation to expose yourself to its culture, gaining a knew awareness and appreciation for the Cuban culture and Latin America alike. Studying in Cuba has been one of the best, if not the greatest, experiences I’ve had as an undergraduate student here at UCI."

Adilene Guerrero
Chicano/Latino Studies and International Studies
UC Davis EAP Cuba, Spring 2010

    
“Studying abroad, and particularly in the Mexico-U.S. Comparative Perspectives Program in Mexico City, offers CLS students the opportunity to study and experience the roots of the migration experience which is central to understanding the contemporary Chicano/Latino experience.”

Louis Desipio, Professor
Chicano/Latino Studies

 

• UCI Study Abroad Center