4.9k shares SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL In mid-February, Elliott Young, professor of history at Lewis & Clark College, will carry tens of thousands of dollars in cash and travelers’ checks through Cuban customs. He leads a study abroad program where, in addition to surviving without the luxuries of capitalist economies (like banking), students take classes in Spanish and contemporary Cuban art, literature and politics. “Traveling to Cuba is unlike traveling to almost any other country,” says Young. “You don’t see any advertisements other than for [the] government. You don’t have a lot of stores selling basic goods, like clothing.” For many students, that’s all the more reason to go. “The difficulty in some ways is the attraction,” Young says. “It’s taboo for Americans.” It doesn’t hurt that with loosened travel restrictions, to $100 of famed Cuban rum and cigars. Cubans march through Havana in the 2010 May Day Parade (Photo: Elliott Young) If those sound like good reasons, Lewis &Clark, Harvard, Princeton, Tulane, Hampshire College and a number of other schools offer long-standing abroad programs to Cuba. Other schools are showing renewed interest in Cuban affairs with their abroad offerings this year. The second group ever from the University of Delaware on a winter 2015 session. This spring, , focusing on Latin American culture, politics and history. As colleges bolster their study abroad offerings, they must prepare students for a country bereft of the resources Americans take for granted. Living for months in Cuba is exhilarating, but not carefree. Before you pack you bags, there are a few things you should know. Money You have three options for accessing money. Wire it through Western Union , depending on the amount. Obtain a TransCard, which allows ATM withdrawals, but charges fees of up to 20%. Bringing a stock of cash or travelers checks, on the other hand, gives you accessible funds at no extra charge. The Lewis & Clark program recommends that theirstudents carry $2,000 – $3,000 each. Cuba runs on two economies: the convertible Peso (for restaurants and imported goods) and the Cuban Peso (for bus rides and some stores). One convertible peso , or about four Cuban pesos. Some Cubans con tourists by pretending Cuban Pesos are convertibles. Study the colors and images on each type before you go. In any case, it helps to be a shrewd negotiator. You can negotiate prices for almost any good or service, and to stay on budget, you have to. Some restaurants, for example, hand Americans a special menu with exaggerated prices. It takes a bit of haggling to uncover the real options. Social life In Cuba, it’s hard to tell if someone wants you or your money. Jineteros (jockeys) charm tourists and offer to show them around town in exchange for meals, clothes and gifts of cash. Some tourists develop long-term relationships with their jineteros, to the detriment of their wallets. Young recommends making friends with Cuban students to experiencelocal life and avoid Havana’s plentiful tourist traps. “Stay away from anything that says Buena Vista Social Club,” Young says, “or anything expensive.” Cuban students might drink rum and play music on the streets, or attend a government-sponsored concert, while tourists lavish their funds on gimmicks and inflated prices. Food Sometimes Cuba runs out of key foods. When Young visited in 2010, he saw shortages of eggs, milk and rice. “At restaurants you’d start asking for things and they’d say, ‘there isn’t any of this, there isn’t any of that,’” he says. “Eventually you just got tired.” For times when there is food, Young recommends Stardien, an emerging restaurant in Havana run by the son of the interior minister. Students on a budget can buy peso pizzas or chaitas (boxes with chicken and rice) on the street. For cooking your own food, agricultural markets offer fresh produce. Graffiti in Havana seen in 2010 (Photo: Elliott Young) Classes Most programs Cuba, , sends students to classesat the Universidad de la Habana (University of Havana), the nation’s largest and oldest university. It offers 25 majors to about 6,000 students. Harvard students take three classes in humanities, biological or social sciences, and one advanced Spanish language course. Lewis & Clark opts for the Instituto Superior de Arte, what Young calls, “the equivalent of Julliard in the United States.” Run by the ministry of culture, the school is less subject to government control. Students take classes in Spanish language, Cuban pop culture and contemporary Cuban voices, where artists, intellectuals and writers discuss politics and sexuality. For a final research project, they conduct ethnographic research and oral interviews with locals. A full courseload is a small price to pay for passage to Cuba. Despite of intentions to renew diplomatic relations and open an embassy in Havana, tourists are still limited to traveling illegally through Mexico or Canada, or obtaining a . Until Congress permitstourism, study abroad will remain one of the easiest and legal ways to visit. is a junior at Lewis & Clark College. , , , , , , , 4.9k shares SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL Related Stories Comments