Cuba Personal Statement

As an International and Global Studies major, I understand that study abroad is a crucial component of developing my awareness and understanding of foreign affairs, societies and cultures. By studying abroad in Cuba, I will pursue my academic and intellectual goals to expand my knowledge of Cuban history, politics and sociology. The Sarah Lawrence-Cuba program will allow me to increase my understanding, through coursework and everyday experience, of how the Cuban government and people live as globalization and capitalism encroach upon Communist traditions. Preparing to meet my study abroad goals while at Brandeis, I have studied colonialism, developing economies, Spanish, Latin American History, Economic Globalization, and International Relations,

Cuba's current sociopolitical trajectory is uncertain. Will the existing Castro legacy crumble due to old age? Will there be another Revolution, restoring democracy to the island? What will a Cuban democracy look like after decades of dictatorship? After reviewing my study abroad options, I believe that the Sarah Lawrence College in Havana program's practical and theoretical emphases on humanities and social sciences will relate to and build upon my overall academic plan at Brandeis. Therefore, I will build upon my current studies as I take part in this program's curriculum that is centered on developing my knowledge and understanding of Cuban life and society through the humanities and social sciences. In light of everything that I have learned about Cuba from my studies, I believe that Sarah Lawrence College in Havana balances real-world experience with scholarly learning to best match my academic goals for study

Because Internet usage is heavily restricted, computers are hard to access and it will be difficult to get a phone card that gets me adequate coverage to call home, I might not be able to talk to my parents on a regular basis, email or text my Brandeis friends regularly and keep up to date with reliable news about the U.S. Even with messaging applications on my phone such as WhatsApp, widely considered the easiest medium of communication between Cuba and the outside world, whatever phone service exists throughout Cuba is not likely to be as comprehensive and stable as American phone data and service. Hence, my communication with the outside world will be compromised. I may need to plan on walking around Havana because the public bus system is somewhat inefficient and buses may not come on time or at all when I need to get to class or go somewhere else in the city. Finally, anyone exchanging US dollars for Cuban convertible pesos faces a loss of more than ten percent of the dollar amount exchanged for CUCs. Also, it is widely reported that the lines for exchanging currency in Cuba are long and official forex offices are few and far between. Therefore, I will make my necessary financial arrangements prior to my arrival in Cuba in order to save the