Cuba: Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez (A New Experience)
A New Experience in Puerto Escondido
Spring break is over, and as I return to the classroom I look back fondly at the parts of Cuba I got to explore throughout the week. Last weekend student body at the University of Havana organized a class outing to Puerto Escondido, a gorgeous campsite about 90km east of La Habana. From Saturday to Monday morning my peers and I got to unwind among a backdrop of dominating hills, endless foliage and crystal clear ocean waves.
The adventure to Puerto began on a Saturday around 11am where we took a collective taxi down to Havana Vieja, a central part of the city. There we waited for the guagua, the bus taking my fellow abroad students and about 30 other university students to our destination. The guagua was definitely an unforgettable experience as we rode for over an hour cramped together. The bus ride felt like a study of the island watching the sites pass by as we left the city and approached rural areas. All the while, I listened as people shuffled in and out and the sounds of conversation, music and children filled the air of the bus.
Arriving to the campsite, I was met with rocky shores, palm trees and small thatch shelters — coming handy as a thunderstorm struck not even an hour after arrival. As the rain settled just as soon as it had arrived, the group got to work putting up tents, choosing the teams leading the cooking our collective dinner and picking out where we would sleep for the night. After dropping our bags off and getting settled in we began exploring the area.
One of my favorite spots was just outside of the camp where the river met the sea and into the valley. There was a small dock where we were free to jump into the water and its shallow sandbanks and across the water was a small beach just a short swim away. The water here was calm and perfect for lounging around and talking to other students. On our second day we visited another small beach a short walk up the trail where we were staying. Here the waves were a lot more active which made for a fun afternoon in the water. Overall, this was a great experience for being in nature and getting to know our peers outside of a classroom setting.
Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez
Major: Journalism, Chican@ & Latin@ Studies
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin