Visiting Cuba is still a fairly new concept for most Americans. Relations with the country were only restored in December 2014, with commercial flights between the two countries starting in February 2016.
One Sarasota native and Riverview High School grad not only visited Cuba, but was able to live and study there for a month. Elliott Michalson, a 19-year-old attending Tulane University, traveled to Havana this past May.
Tulane has done a study abroad trip to Cuba for the past five years, Michalson said. Students who had previously gone on the trip gave him advice about going to the country.
Michalson was told to bring very little money, as there were hardly any restaurants or places to shop, and that there wasn’t much to do.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
“The private sector opened up so much in the last year,” Michalson said.
The boom in tourism has helped Cuba grow. There was tons for Michalson to do. There were plenty of restaurants and shops. WiFi hot spots are popping up all over Havana. Michalson said all of the hotels could be compared to the likes of a Ritz Carlton.
Even getting there was better than he expected. Michalson was told it can sometimes take hours to clear customs and get your luggage at the Havana airport. But, it didn’t take any longer than a typical international airport, said Michalson, who has flown to China, Spain and France before.
As for Michalson’s living arrangements, he stayed in a mansion-turned-hostel. Similar to a college dorm, Michalson shared a room with two other students. Most other students had a roommate as well.
“It was much better than I envisioned,” Michalson said.
The locals did not appear to have much distrust towards Americans. The entire group was welcomed with open arms, said Michalson.
“Everyone was super excited when we said we were from the United States,” said Michalson.
Michalson bonded with some locals over music and pop culture. Apparently, they love Game of Thrones there, too.
In Havana, the group was able to experience the nightlife. Michalson described the party scene as “very live,” and comparable to other American metropolitan cities.
It wasn’t expensive for a tourist to go out there. However, the average working Cuban might not be able to afford it. Michalson said the bars and clubs were typically filled with tourists and wealthier locals.
The lack of restrictions on alcohol was surprising for Michalson. There is no legal drinking age, and you can buy alcohol at age 16. There were no apparent open container laws either, Michalson said. In Havana, people would buy beer or wine and just hangout on the streets.
“The country as a whole was just so relaxed when it came to alcohol,” said Michalson.
Outside of Havana, Michalson was able to explore Cuba. The students took day trips to different sites in the country, like Bay of Pigs.
Bay of Pigs was one of the strangest experiences Michalson had in Cuba. The tour guide was Cuban, and shared the story of the Cuban Missile Crisis from their country’s perspective. It was awkward, Michalson said, as the tour guide knew they were from America.
“There was still some tension,” he said.
However, Michalson thought it was interesting to hear the historical event from a different perspective.
In the last few days of his trip, Michalson had a brush with Cuban medicine. He sliced his finger open while he was there, prompting him to get stitches at a hospital. The hospitals were very state-of-the-art, he said.
Upon returning to the United States, he got his stitches checked to make sure all was well. An American doctor said they were done perfectly.
One thing that was lackluster was the infrastructure. The country will need to repair and expand roads to keep up with the influx of travelers, Michalson said.
Overall, Michalson had an awesome time and would love to go back.
“It was definitely a worthwhile experience,” Michalson said.