IS TRINIDAD CUBA A GOOD PLACE TO LEARN SPANISH?

MY VISIT TO CUBA

Hola Rena, Misleidys y Gustavo

I can’t thank you enough for arranging my visit to Cuba and making my stay there an absolute joy.

Misleidys and Gustavo are spectacular hosts. The whole family welcomed me into their lives and made me feel at home right away. Misleidys is a marvelous cook and Gustavo is the master fixer of all things – including my bicycle. Our many conversations about life in Cuba offered a priceless glimpse into this beautiful and complex country – “es complicado”. 

My three weeks of Spanish classes with Juani were wonderful. She is a great, patient teacher, and is very happy to share her wealth of experience with her students. 

Trinidad is a great place to kick back and spend some time. The town is big enough to keep you entertained with all the arts and cultural activities, but small enough to be very safe and welcoming. The setting is spectacular – close to both the beach and the mountains.

I can’t recommend this experience any more highly. You will fall in love with this family and with Cuba. I can’t wait to go back.

¡Te extraño mucho!

Thanks very much to Barbara from Canada for her wonderful review and pictures of the Casa in Trinidad.

Casa in Trinidad, Cuba

EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA – SUPPORTING CUBAN BUSINESSES

Experience the Real Cuba offers Casas Particulares in Cuba as well as cultural activities and programs in Cuba supporting local Cuban private businesses.

To find out more about Casas in Cuba and our courses and programs (Spanish lessons, Dance lessons, Music lessons, Photography Experiences, Art & Pottery workshops) check out our website:

www.experiencetherealcuba.com

HOW TO GET A RICH EXPERIENCE AND WONDERFUL INSIGHT INTO CUBAN LIFE

MISSING CUBA

Snow here in Wales and I am missing Cuba - the sun, the dancing, friendly people everywhere, and especially everyone at Experience the Real Cuba. Gustavo, Misleydis and all the family were so welcoming and helpful, wonderful food, joking and very interesting conversations and insights - wish I could have understood and communicated better! The en suite room was comfortable and the roof terrace lovely to relax in the shade of huge avocado trees. 

I spent a month there with Spanish and salsa classes and both were excellent. Juani and Yordani were great teachers and really friendly and fun as well. I learnt so much! In Spanish I went from near beginner to discussing politics and writing my own fairy tale. In salsa I mastered lots of really nice sequences and turns and Yordani also made sure I got out dancing in the evenings, when I was there on my own and feeling a bit shy. All the family and people involved in Experience the Real Cuba went that extra mile to make sure the experience was really good - it is more than just 'a business' and a fascinating way of seeing Cuban life. I thoroughly recommend it.

And Rena, you were so helpful and thorough in all the planning stages for my trip - thank you so much. It was your personal touch and good organisation that made me choose Experience the Real Cuba and I am so glad I did. It was a really rich experience and wonderful insight into Cuban life. I miss you all!

Barbara

Thank you very much Barbara for your amazing review.


EXPERIENCE THE REAL CUBA – SUPPORTING CUBAN BUSINESSES

Experience the Real Cuba offers Casas Particulares in Cuba as well as cultural activities and programs in Cuba supporting local Cuban private businesses.

To find out more about Casas in Cuba and our courses and programs (Spanish lessons, Dance lessons, Music lessons, Photography Experiences, Art & Pottery workshops) check out our website:

www.experiencetherealcuba.com

RAINING IN CUBA

It is raining outside, I can hear music close by, I'm not sure whether its making me feel sad or if it's the weather.

It' s coming from my neighbours, they await the arrival of their son after four months in Australia.

He got married to an older lady, but he didn't like life in that continent.

Will this always be the only way Cubans can get to travel, to know other regions?

To sacrifice so much for a dream!

This visceral love we feel for this land, it brings us back time and again, even though the sadness of seeing it in it's decline hurts us to our bones.

Cuba, beautiful island with sad eyes, torn in anguish for the missing children and the present whom have a love hate relationship, with the established uncertainty of an uncertain future.

Anonymous 

Esta lloviendo afuera.

Cerca escucho una música, que no se si me pone triste o es solo el tiempo,

Son mis vecinos, que esperan a su hijo que regresa, después de cuatro meses de Australia,

Se casó con una señora mayor que el, pero no le gustó mucho la vida en ese continente,

¿Será esta siempre la única posibilidad para los cubanos de viajar, de conocer otras latitudes?

¡Sacrificar tanto por un sueño!

Este amor visceral que sentimos por esta tierra, nos hace volver una y otra ves a ella, aunque la tristeza de verla en su decadencia nos duele hasta los huesos.

CUBA, hermosa isla de ojos tristes que se desgarra de angustia por los hijos ausentes y los presentes con esos encontrados sentimiento de amor y odio, y  con  la ya establecida incertidumbre de un futuro incierto.

Anonimo

CUBAN VOICES

I like my town it´s quiet and smells good. In my yard I can listen to the birds singing and the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees, and if I try a little, I can hear the waves of the ocean in the distance.  Here I have peace and my children are happy, they are not aware of the economic situation that we have faced for a long time and, like throughout the world,that which has got worse in recent years.  I do not know what to think,I had high hopes, but now I am certain that nothing will change for Cubans who want to see the prosperity of our people.

From my point of view, the only thing the the new changes have achieved is the so called law of elasticity, where with some effort you can make some progress, stretching a a little, but then the execissive taxes only end up making you step backwards two-fold.  Leave this country??? No way!! Those who leave, are neither from there, nor here, a few forget their roots and others can´t stop thinking about them. In the end they will always be immigrants.  It would be perfect to have the freedom to travel, enter the Internet, make plans for the future, it's a shame that "paradise" for foreigners, is the cage for Cubans which I fear, one day will break.

Anonymous

Me gusta mi pueblo, es tranquilo y huele muy bien. En mi patio puedo escuchar el canto de los pájaros y el sonido que hacen los árboles con el viento y si me esfuerzo un poco, podría escuchar el mar. Aquí tengo paz y mis hijos son felices, los pequeños no tienen conciencia de la situación económica que afrontamos hace ya mucho tiempo y que se agravó en estos últimos años, como en todo el mundo. No se que pensar, tuve muchas esperanzas, pero ahora tengo la certeza que nada cambiará para los cubanos que deseamos ver la prosperidad de nuestra gente.

Desde mi punto de vista, con los nuevos cambios, solo logramos la (ley del elástico), puedes avanzar con esfuerzo, estirando un poco, pero luego retrocedes el doble, con los impuestos tan excesivos. ¿Dejar este país??? ¡Ni pensarlo!!!! Los que se van, no son ni de allá, ni de aquí, unos cuantos olvidan sus raíces y otros no dejan de pensar en ellas. Al final serán siempre emigrantes. Sería perfecto tener la libertad de viajar, de entrar al Internet, de poder hacer planes para el futuro, es una pena que “el paraíso” para extranjeros, sea la jaula de los cubanos. Que TEMO, un día se romperá.

Anonimo