Matanzas 2019

By Kyra Raine Guerrero

            The care-free expression on each of our faces may do the best job at inviting any curious soul to step foot on the land we called home for two weeks. Two weeks that left me as soon as I arrived. Perhaps we were all much too eager on the plane ride to appreciate the opportunity that was about to consume us. Before Matanzas, my mind was muddied by the unknown, now, I only crave another cycle of breakfast and besitos from our hostel tias, chatty walks with the neighbors and front-row speeches by the impassioned poets that the city inspires. Maybe it’s because I am accustomed to the large city Americana lifestyle or maybe it’s because I am still tip-toeing into Hispanic culture; every gift Matanzas gave me was exactly what I needed.

            The rain came as a surprise, by the way I speak of the city you may think that the sky was full of rainbows every day (In fact, I wrote a poem about such a phenomenon named La Piel del Mango at the end of the trip). The scattered storms only added to the warmth that every hand-picked guide gave to us. Listening to Mabel interact with her community was a bonus experience for those who paid attention. Each poet, lecturer and guide was a familiar member of the community that added their own personal touch to each excursion. Speaking of excursions, you can expect: cave exploring, beach-side piña coladas, swimming in a poet’s natural spring, museum tours and walk-throughs of some of the many tallers that line the river-side streets. The rivers and bridges in Matanzas were the focal points of many pieces of writing that were able to translate as visiting students. The piece that my partner and I translated was about the Biannual art celebration that happened the month prior of our arrival. It was a beautiful experience to translate a piece of literature based on the very setting we were inhabiting. In this way, it was a multidimensional immersion. We walked on the streets that our writer spoke of and visited the museums and galleries that were featured in the chronicle. Every place we visited had a story to tell.

            My personal favorite day-trip was the visit to an ecological agriculture project lead by a matancero. The very first thing we did was eat farm-fresh food in a hand-made pavilion over-looking the valley. Everything we ate in Matanzas tasted absolutely fresh but that lunch in particular was exceptional. After the meal, the director began to explain the philosophy of the organization. The principle of the practice of ecological agriculture is for the cultivator to feel the entire process of how our food is grown. From soil to table, the farmer will be able to see, smell, touch and taste the fruit of their labor. There was an emphasis on the internal growth that occurs all the while. This was one of the first stories I shared upon my arrival back to the states and now I only crave a similar experience in my hometown. Being in the hometown of my professor is what separates this program from any other travel experience I have had. All fifteen of us were treated as family morning and night. After the translation workshops, our Cuban friends would introduce us to their local spots and involve us all in yet another immersive experience. Family of Mabel and her wife even joined us on our trip to Varadero and Havana. We ate, sang and danced together! And at the beach, we relaxed together.

            So, thank you, Cuba, Matanzas and Mabel for introducing me to a lifestyle that I had never tasted before. The stress left between the laughter and sweat and tears of joy at the final talent show and plane ride home. The transition home was more difficult than I imagined it would be. I still can hear my professor’s voice telling me that I can come back one day… I am so grateful to be able to share the stories and sensations that Cuba gifted me with my community here in Houston. What a terrific path I chose to end my time in University- with warmth and affection and a splash of rum!