cuba global service program

July 8, 2010

Cariña familia y amigos,

In case you´re wondering, we are still having the time of our lives.  Saturday, we spent a long day of working to make cement pillars for the church here in Holguin and we also loaded rubble onto a dump truck.   For the first time our many hands were able to contribute to one job at the same time.  That night, we went to another church further out in the country for a pig roast.  We met some very interesting people, including a young musician who talked to us about Cuba and his life.

So, each of us is going to talk about our favorite day…

Sunday started off with a church service centered around family.  Since our blood-related families were all many miles away, the group gathered up to talk about how we have bonded and acted as a family for the past two weeks.  Later in the day, we went to a local pool with about twenty of our Cuban friends.  The pool was packed, and we had a good time hanging out in the water, but the best part of the trip was playing soccer and volleyball with a couple of the kids from our community.  Later that night, some of our group headed to a local outdoor music venue and saw an awesome display of Afro-Cuban music and dance which was an incredible surprise.  We really enjoyed seeing and listening to another, perhaps less well known aspect of Cuban culture.

Monday was perhaps our most touristy day.  We took a three hour bus ride to the southern coast, to Santiago de Cuba, perhaps the island´s equivalent to NYC.  The province has a rich history and we were lucky enough to visit the Cathedral of the Virgin of Charity – located in a small town on the way to Santiago.  When we entered Santiago, we went to a cemetery where many national heroes are buried – including Jose Marti (a leader in Cuba´s war for independence from Spain & the country´s national poet).  We had lunch overlooking the Caribbean Sea and had time to visit an old Spanish fort before we explored the bustling city.  We were grateful to be in town during the preparation for a large scale parade and also for our Cuban tour guide´s knowledge of Cuban history, which was invaluable.

                On Tuesday we started the day with yet another wonderful breakfast and then we broke into work groups for the day.  We had some people preparing a walkway to lay flagstones, others weeding and another group taking nails out of lumber so that they could be reused.  Later that day the majority of our group went shopping in town, and some of the boys stayed behind waiting for Ruben to arrive to give them haircuts. A prominent, fun member of the church, Ruben is also a talented singer, dancer, and barber. So don´t worry, parents, your guys all look great and are loving their new, shorter hairdos.

                After the haircuts, we all met up in town where we are increasingly more familiar with the various plazas and shops. When we returned to the church, we played dominoes and cards before splitting into smaller groups for dining in the homes of different families. We are really enjoying spending time with Cuban families in small groups and are grateful that so many people are willing to open their homes to us. See you in a few days!!

Shak, Shannon and Myra 

July 2, 2010

Salutations,

                The days since our last report have been filled with hard work, excitement, and cross-cultural enlightenment. On Tuesday, we ventured to the coastal town of Gibara about an hour north of the city of Holguin. We arrived that morning at the Quaker church where we would stay that night. La Iglesia de los Amigos en Gibara serves as a retreat for Quakers and other religious groups from around the world, with accommodations for over 100 guests. We spent the first morning sanding and painting chairs for the Meeting. In the afternoon, we walked to the beach and stayed until dinner time, frolicking in the ocean and sand. Upon our return, we feasted and participated in a youth group meeting in the courtyard. At the meeting, we sang songs, shared games, and enjoyed a fashion show presented by the local kids.

The next day, we painted bunk bed frames for the dormitories, the dining room and the entrance gates, all of which were in need of a fresh coat of paint. After several sticky, fun-filled hours of work, we returned to the beach, this time with a group of children from the church in tow. Following an afternoon filled with sea glass collecting, volleyball playing, and water games, dinner was just what we needed before heading back home to Holguin. On the way back, we stopped at a missionary branch of the Quaker church in Floro Perez where we joined church members in a culto or church service. We returned to the church in Holguin that night,  where we were warmly welcomed with ice cream and cookies. It felt good to be back.

We started Thursday morning by cleaning the church and making a poster advertising Mi verano con Jesus, the church´s summer school for all ages. Then, we loaded onto a bus and set out for the resort town of Guardalavaca, where we indulged in the pristine beaches and cool, clear water. A flea market had been set up next to the beach where we could peruse various crafts and barter with the vendors for lower prices. As the day came to an end, we were able to watch a beautiful sunset on the beach before boarding the bus and making the trek back to Holguin.

Today we piled into the back of a truck and rode to the outskirts of Holguin to plant trees and flowers along the roadway. Tonight we plan to split up into three groups for host family dinners. We are glad to have shared these experiences with you and can´t wait to tell you about our adventures to come.
 
Cordially,

Sara Harmon, Cameron Ray, and Brian White, on behalf of the 2010 GSP Cuba Trip Contingency 

 June 28, 2010

 Dear Friends and Family,

     We would like to begin this message by letting you know that everyone is doing very well. As for the students on this trip, we know that our parents are constantly worrying about us and wondering what we´re up to in Holguin, but all should rest assured that we´re having the time of our lives. We´re all in good health and spirits, and our bellies are always full of delicious Cuban grub.

     The last couple of days have definitely been the highlight of the trip. Sunday was our day off, as many attended Sunday School in the morning with some young locals. Later that morning, the entire group attended the church service, where many familiar faces were in attendance. Several church members have been helping out with the construction, and the five guys on the trip have already established close bonds with these men of varying ages. Music continued to fill the church even after the service, as the students in our group joined several younger church members in singing some local favorites.

     After a feast of ham, rice, beans and a mixture of local fruit, we enjoyed some refreshing vanilla and strawberry ice cream.

     Soon, we left for a resort on the outskirts of Holguin. Not only did we enjoy breathtaking views, thousands of mangos in the surrounding trees, and the cool pool water, but we were also accompanied by a group of elderly Cubans who made the journey all the more fun and meaningful. After departing the resort, we briefly stopped at the church and soon made our way to a pizzeria a few blocks away. we then made our way to an art gallery-cultural center where several of us embarrassed ourselves on the dance floor, but all had a great time.

    So far, our time in Cuba has been wonderful. It has been a great mix of hard work, cultural and language immersion, and self-exploration. We have very successfully upheld the no whining contract,  as everyone is having a wonderful time and is enjoying everything that Holguin and the church have to offer. The food has been spectacular. Some of us come on this trip hoping/expecting to lose weight, but it´s quite possible that the opposite may occur.

   To our parents: Yes, we´re frequently applying sunscreen and bug spray. Yes, we´re washing our clothes often. As Molly noted, we essentially have a pharmacy with 18 different sets of medicine and such, so we´re bound to stay perfectly healthy. We miss our family, friends, and pets (Vinny especially), but we´re most certainly enjoying our time here.

Love,
William, Maddie & Rex

June 26, 2010

Hola amigos,

This is only day three in Cuba and we´ve already experienced so much!  Our Cuban hosts couldn´t be more generous and hospitable.  They have been feeding us delicious meals which have included roast chicken, rice and beans, fried plantains and fresh fruit salad with pineapple, papaya and mangoes.  All of us adults on the trip have been super impressed with the students.  They are considerate, cooperative, hardworking, fun and adaptable.  It is such a pleasure to work and travel with them.  We started our service yesterday, Friday, June 25.  While some of us weeded the church lot, others hauled cement, stones and sand for the concrete we poured today.  We worked together like a well oiled machine.  While our Cuban friends operated the cement mixer, we took turns supplying them with the buckets of stones, sand and cement that they needed.  Two people would carry the mixed cement in the wheelbarrows to the next station where our team of able bodied young men shoveled the heavy mixture into buckets to lift up to the next person on the scaffolding.  The final destination was the roof under construction where men poured the concrete on a prepared platform. 

But don´t worry, we have leisure time too!  The first day, several students had a chance to play soccer with some local children and yesterday we all hiked up a mountain for a panoramic view of the city.  After our hike, the group separated to dine with two separate families.   After dinner we reunited and ended the evening dancing together – young and old, American and Cuban.  We are all appreciative of this wonderful opportunity to be here.  By the way, as we compose this brief note, many of our crew are watching the USA vs. Ghana soccer match! 

Hasta luego,
Molly & Karen

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