By Heather Fabritze
Student Life Editor
Every year in January, several Washington College students fly south to Cuba to traverse the island, meet locals, study an interdisciplinary curriculum, and experience a vastly different cultural landscape from their own – this year’s visit lasted from Jan. 5 to 14.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Dean of Student Achievement and Success Dr. Aaron Lampman and Associate Professor of Music, Ethnomusicology, Percussion, Electroacoustic Music and Production/Recording Dr. Kenneth Schweitzer have been leading the program since 2015. Since then, dozens of WC students have traveled to Cuba for 10 days of intensive and hands-on cultural exposure.
The trip acted as a four-credit blended course which began after the fall semester. A majority of the course, though, relied on the out-of-classroom learning that occurred throughout their stay.
One of the central educational locations on the trip was the country’s capital, Havana. According to Dr. Lampman, the first year of the program focused primarily on Havana; however, students wanted to see behind the booming tourism industry in the city. They expanded their curriculum in more recent years to include a wide variety of rural sites.
One portion of the trip allowed students to tour homes of local artists, prioritizing extensive interactions with Cuban residents.
“You’re living with Cuban hosts in their homes,” Dr. Lampman said. “They’re cooking your meals for you twice a day, breakfast and dinner. You are working with working class Cuban citizens who are teaching you about some aspect of Cuban history, or music, or dance.”
Lessons with dance instructors were a core piece of the trip’s curriculum, as well as a visit to a cabaret and a private performance from a national dance troupe. Dr. Lampman said that they aimed for students to engage in dances, ceremonies, and cultural rituals as much as possible.
Junior Sarah Poirier, who was researching burnout among local musicians in the tourism industry, felt that the students on the trip were able to have a “real Cuban experience.” She also said that she never expected to build the relationship with the community that she did.
“Cuba is a hidden treasure and many Americans don’t realize that,” Poirier said. “The American idea of Cuba is very misguided and skewed to think very anti-communist and very, ‘Oh, Cuba is a bad place. Don’t ever go there.’”
According to Dr. Schweitzer, reversing incorrect media portrayals of Cuba through firsthand accounts was always one of the primary learning goals of the trip.
“What I hope is that they don’t just understand that that’s the case for Cuba, but that through experiential learning anywhere in the world they can take what they’re seeing in the media and [have a critical perspective on it],” Dr. Schweitzer said.
Senior Jack Goembel, who attended the trip to research Cuban perceptions of extraterrestrial life, described his time on the island as “life changing.” He similarly found that American perceptions of Cuba did not match the nature of the conversations he shared with locals.
“Just so much joy. I mean, everyone was smiling all the time,” Goembel said. “People were talking, kids were out playing in the street. At night, there would be families walking all over the place, not in a hurry to go get somewhere to do some busy thing. It was like, ‘Let’s go for a walk.’ People just leave their doors open all night.”
While shifting student perspectives were certainly a benefit of the program, other educational opportunities also arose in the form of visits to Las Terrazas, a UNESCO ecovillage and Trinidad. Impromptu snorkeling on coral reefs, horseback riding into shade grown coffee ranches, and swimming in natural waterfalls were equally memorable experiences.
Exploring the landscape of Cuba through a historical, cultural, and musical lens formed the basis for the program. At its core, though, Dr. Lampman and Dr. Schweitzer viewed it as a form of cultural immersion.
“We’re raised in the United States [to believe] that somehow Cubans are enemies,” Dr. Lampman said. “But that’s not true. And Cuban people are very warm, and friendly, and welcoming. And they still have a very rich culture that’s quite different than American culture.”
The 2024 Cuba trip is currently planned for January 4 to 13. Interested students may reach out to Dr. Lampman or Dr. Schweitzer.
Photo courtesy of Heather Fabritze
Photo Caption: The annual trip to Cuba sponsored by Washington College enables students to engage with local and natural landscapes.