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Havana, or Cuba for that matter, was not a place I ever expected to visit during my lifetime due to the United States’ difficulties with the nation I had learned about while growing up. However, thanks to the opportunity to travel there with the Tickle College of Engineering, I was able to achieve that visit, and I was surprised with what I found there.

Habana Vieja (the old city of Havana) is a beautiful division of Havana with charming and charismatic people. Despite being one of the larger cities in Cuba, it did not feel like a tourist trap as one could expect in Rome or Paris.  As our group explored the city, I truly felt as if I was in another country, and not just an international hub. The economic history of Cuba was evident as we explored the city blocks. Some were freshly painted, and some were on the verge of falling apart with aging buildings; however despite any rundown looks, or the time of day, I always felt safe there. Children would play and run in the streets, and one child even showed us his marksmanship skills with a toy dart gun.  Neighbors would sit outside their buildings to chat with one another to pass the time. While their average living conditions were arguably worse than the average American’s, the people seemed warmer and happier than many of the people I know in the United States. Seeing the Cuban people yield so much from so little gave me a greater appreciation for the luxuries and opportunities available in the US.

The Havana market was an experience unlike any other I had had before. Vendors were lined up, one after another, vying for the attention of potential customers. What I enjoyed the most from this stop was the opportunity to haggle prices with the vendors. It was a unique opportunity and a fun experience where customer and seller could joke with one another and argue over pricing. Being a more reserved person by nature, I did not expect to fully involve myself in haggling, however as time went on, I began to grow more and more confident until I had spent nearly an hour and a half haggling and speaking in broken Spanish with the vendors. By the end of the visit, I was tired, and my wallet was nearly empty, but I knew it would be a fond memory I would hold onto.

My favorite, and the most rewarding, part of the trip was the Cristo Project in the Casa Blanca subdivision of Havana. There we worked together with the locals to install electrical outlets, switches, and wirings in the thatch roof kiosks that were used to sell food, drinks, and art to people visiting the Christ statue. It was an interesting experience to see that despite language barriers, we were able to work together to achieve something beneficial. Afterwards, we all sat down and enjoyed delicious food prepared at the kiosk while we chatted about the experience. I will always remember climbing a rickety ladder to do some last-minute wiring while the departure time for the only ferry neared closer and closer, and then running down the steps built into the hill to make the ferry after spending time to get photos with some of the people we worked with.

Overall, I would say that the trip was a great success. Havana is colorful and vibrant city. There is an abundance of music, art, and excellent cooking within the city, and this is not even mentioning the charming people living there. I hope that in the future U.T. students will be able to revisit Havana; the experience was unique