Growth - Joycelyn Wilson

Look me up in the dictionary and one of the many definitions you will find is experienced traveler. By plane, train, car, boat, it doesn’t matter, I have been traveling since I was in diapers so my mom and dad were not at all worried to see me go for two weeks. This was my third trip out of the country in three years and second time studying abroad so imagine the heart attack Dr. Cuesta and I shared when I found out I brought my childhood passport to the airport. Thankfully I had time to go home and retrieve the right one. After meeting the group at the gate, I was greeted by a huge hug and relief that the trip would be off on the right foot. 

Arriving at the airport we were immediately greeted by a light rain but the temperature was quite inviting. We loaded onto our bus full of excitement and wonder. We arrived at our B&Bs and got to know our roommates before we went to a jazz club. This night would set the tone for the rest of the trip, great music, food, and people. During our time in Havana we saw a lot of history both old and new in the architecture and the people around us. Visiting the Fabrica de Arte Cubano was like literally becoming art, inside an unconventional art gallery with a night club vibe I watched tourists and locals interacting like old friends. This vibe extended to the group as well. I normally take forever to warm up to people but I felt so at ease with everyone. It never felt like a conversation was forced or awkward. Even though we met and mostly interacted in class my roommate, Dafne, and I got along amazingly. We took naps at the same time, snoozed our alarms, shared living quarters, and went out at night without any problems. She has set the bar very high for my future roommates. 

Our journey to Matanzas took a short pause as we stopped just outside of the province to take pictures and you could feel the electricity buzzing from Dr. Cuesta as we were so close to her home. Shortly after entering the city we heard “That pink building is where I live!” In that moment, it all became real. Dr. Cuesta often speaks of her family and home in Cuba so to see it in person was magical. Soon after we settled into our “home away from home.” We had a grand lunch prepared with love by people that had not even met us yet. Dr. Cuesta arranged for us to become Cubanos. There were so many tours and cultural immersion that my mind felt like a cup overflowing. We had the pleasure of riding in a Soviet-era school bus, listening to Cuban jazz, taking many walking tours, indulging in art, exploring caves, and even taking a vacation to the beach.  

A cute doggo led us to his friends on the beach to watch the sun rise :)
The hospitality extended beyond humans to their animal counterparts as well

At first I felt a little awkward around people on the street because I didn’t want to look American. People would ask if I am American and I would awkwardly say yes hoping they didn’t freak out on me because of politics but everyone would try to speak in English or ask more about where we were from and if we were enjoying our time in Cuba. It was very reassuring because back home some people are opinionated about foreigners from certain regions. My second biggest fear headed into this journey was having a terrible time because I did not get along with the rest of the group. Having grown up as an only child I enjoy being “a lone ranger” but when collaborating it is important that the group at least tolerates each other. I was paired with Tanya, a graduate student, and was terrified. My nervous thoughts raced to “What if I got paired with her because I have terrible Spanish skills?” “This is going to be like working with the teacher.” It turns out Dr. Cuesta is a genius (Duh!) at pairing us together. Tanya is Spanish-dominant and perfectly balances out my being English-dominant. While working with our poet, most of my suggestions in English perfectly captured the image she was trying to portray and I could not have done that without Tanya helping me to understand some of the cultural differences and idioms I had not yet experienced. I finally felt confident in my Spanish abilities. Celebrating a birthday does not always equate to growing up or changing physically. On this trip, I got to make my 25^th birthday special for obvious reasons but the best gift of all is the growth not visible to the naked eye. I grew professionally, academically, and personally.

Dr. Cuesta and her wife Neysi not only opened their hearts to all of us but their hard work in both the background and forefront paid off. I enjoyed spending time with them professionally as well as a tourist. We learned so much, met incredible people, and got to live as locals. I can without any doubt in my mind say that this is the best trip I have been on. The best part was bringing Shasta along to share in the fun! 

Shasta enjoying a poetry reading by Georgina Herrera

Shasta taking in the spiritual experience

Sure, Disney World is full of glitz, glamour, and magic but Cuba is even better. We got to hang out with Mantanceros who matched us in age, interests, attitudes and maturity. They showed us how to have fun without being over the top. Back home I never go out as much as I did while in Cuba. There was no pressure to be over the top and always plugged in to social media to show what we are doing and how much fun we are having. This trip matched my personality perfectly. I could be plugged in to Wi-Fi only when I felt like being bothered to head to the park. I admit there were moments when I wished for a little more access to tell things to my best friends in real time but being able to share those moments and make new best friends was worth it. 

The slower pace of life was a little frustrating when I was hangry waiting for food yet the personal interaction made it worth it. One night I had a sore throat, barely touched my food and felt dead inside, but the waitress checked on me to see if I needed anything or if something was wrong with my food. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find a server in the states that cares that much. While escaping the heat at Bistro Kuba, a cozy little bar that blasted the air conditioning, our server, Claudia, genuinely asked about our day, where we had visited, where we were going, if we were enjoying our time, all the things that made me feel even more at home. Some nights were “date nights” for Dafne and I as we ate alone enjoying a quiet evening before going out or a group outing full of laughter and sharing memes appropriate to the situation found on our phone. One of my favorite moments is when Josh noticed that his lunch consisted of "a half of a goddamn chicken!"

   

As we were leaving everyone’s eyes were tearing up and their hearts swollen with emotion but I didn’t feel anything, not sadness, excitement to go home, I did however feel thirsty at the airport. I don’t normally like Pepsi but it was the best one I have had yet. Coming home to the airport was like coming home from a day trip. I felt so comfortable during my tip that it never felt like I even left home. It felt like I was visiting a relative and quoting The Terminator in saying “I’ll be back.” Next time I will bring my American family to meet our new extended family. My heart and stomach were full thanks to everyone - Mabel, Neysi the lovely hosts in Havana, in Matanzas at Hostel Azul, Hostel, Río, Ediciones Matanzas, Jean-Marco, Adrian, Hector, Elizabeth, the random locals striking up conversations, our tour guides, and of course my fellow Coogs!