Wherein our heroine discovers the wonders of Uhavana…

It’s official. Classes have begun. In most schools, one would buy school supplies, register for classes, attend classes that had been carefully selected from a course book, visit the classes, receive bibliographies, and buy some books / read them. But, as I have come to find out, the University of Havana is not “most schools.” In fact, school supplies don’t always exist (all notebooks are miniature), classes are often cancelled or un-cancelled at random during the day, and all of the locations of classes change constantly. One has to ask around (all the students) just to figure out where and when (or if) classes will be taking place, and often they are just as confused as you (especially when you can’t speak Spanish that well, let alone CUBAN Spanish).

Then, there is the actual problem of sitting through class (after you have found the correct class in the correct room at the correct time). Rooms are not air conditioned, nor are there fans, so students bring small plastic fans to keep cool during the 1.5 hours classes, in addition to water bottles (or juice bottles, which are actually more like smoothies) wrapped in towels and plastic bags. Cold drinks last maybe 20 minutes in the heat before becoming more than room temperature, which is often pretty high. Although windows are open in the classroom, there is no breeze, and the weather is a balmy 90 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny, and humid EVERY DAY. Not to be too gross, but by the end of the day, you are drenched in sweat and thoroughly dehydrated. No wonder Cuban women often wear things that some people would blush at in the states.

It is such a strange and new sensation to be a part of such a conspicuous foreign minority while walking through the quad which comprises the campus. There are hoards of people just sitting down and talking on the steps of all the buildings on campus, literally like a scene out of any high school dramatic television show. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me as I walk by, because I’m so obviously different from everyone else, and it feels so strange to be so singled out. I’m very used to fitting in, and this sensation is going to take a little getting used to. I’m starting to feel more a part of campus as I get more into classes, but it’s so obvious how everyone has their own cliques, and campus feels like a giant battleground where various camps have staked out their positions, and I’m a part of the landless mercenary crew.

I have made a few new friends at school. I have met some other American students from programs through SUNY Oswego and Brown, and some other foreign students from France and Spain. I have also met one Cuban student, who was a “dueno de la aula,” or boss of the class, that I was in. Basically, these “bosses of the class” are like class monitors, and take care of circulating readings, talking to people in the class to let them know when class is cancelled, etc. The system here is one comprised not of organization, but of word-of-mouth and asking around. The students seem to know more than the administration most of the time.

It really is absolutely crazy and totally different from Harvard. Also, when books are assigned, they are often given as a complementary part of the course (or copies are handed out directly to students at the beginning of class), but can also be prefaced as “not necessary, but helpful.” Articles are passed around on flash drives, books are said to “maybe” be in libraries, books that are supposedly available for purchase are actually not available anywhere, let alone in the bookstores suggested where they might be available.

But, apart from the craziness, I have picked out my classes, and they are: social anthropology, sociology of work, and history of Cuban culture (in addition to Spanish, of course). I have already been through some pretty intense discussions of whether or not students should be allowed to work for money while studying at university, and all of it smacked of a side-stepping of anti-socialist thought. I feel so strange being in a class where capitalism is considered the “other,” lesser system, but it’s so interesting to get that point of view – definitely not something I could find at Harvard!! I really feel like this semester is going to be such an eye-opening experience, and my classes are going to be a huge part of my growth as a human being this semester.

In other news, I also attended church on Sunday at the Church of the Virgen Caridad del Cobre, the patron saint of Cuba, and met a great Catholic youth group to talk with on Sundays after 6pm Mass. This group also happens to include two of the people who work at ANAP, my residence, so it was really cool to see some familiar places. I love the people at ANAP, who are all hilarious and wonderful people. We all joke around all the time, which makes me miss home a little bit less.

Although I’m thousands of miles away from home, I think about my family and friends all the time. I went up to a window during a break in class today, looked over the falling-apart skyline of Havana up to the clouds, and realized where I was and what I was doing, and how far away I was from the people I love and care about. But I hope that I can allow all of you to live vicariously through me this semester through my blog!

Watch over the Boston area for me while I’m gone!!!