January 8:

• Arrival in Havana, met at airport by Abroadia team; transfer to homestays and have dinner with your host family.

January 9: 

• Breakfast
• Orientation session
• Visit to Casa de África, a cultural community center that focuses on Afro-Cuban religions.
• Visit to Project Palomas, an organization that engages programming to empower women, children, and marginalized people. 
• Group lunch and then a walking tour of Old Havana.
• Presentation on race and tourism in Cuba.
• Dinner at casas 

January 10: 

• Breakfast
• Presentation on Cuban economy
• Visit the Museum of the Revolution and learn about the people, events and history of the founding of Cuba. The Museum was the Presidential palace for all the Cuban presidents up until after the Cuban Revolution when it then became a museum. 
• Group lunch and then a visit to BioCubafarma Center, a bio-technology organization, heavily focused on medicial research. 
• Learn traditional dance with the local community.
• Dinner at casas

January 11: 

• Breakfast
• Early morning departure to Viñales, a charming town surrounded by beautiful landscapes. Mountains surround the valley, which is dotted with rocky outcrops and tobacco farms, where traditional agricultural methods are still in use.
• Stop at a local community center.
• Group lunch and then participate in a Cuban dance workshop.
• Group dinner and an overnight in a hotel in Viñales

January 12: 

• Breakfast,
• Morning activity (ziplining or horseback riding-students pay out-of-pocket);
• Group lunch. Visit a tobacco farm and learn why Cuba's microclimate, fertile soil and rocky terrain produce the best tobacco and cigars in the world. 
• Rest of afternoon is free to explore the area.
• Group dinner and an overnight in a hotel in Viñales.

January 13: 

• Breakfast
• Visit a provincial psychological and pedagogical medical center for youth.
• Return to Havana.
• Group lunch. Visit to a heath care institution and community medical office.
• Free time and dinner at casas

January 14: 

• Breakfast,
• Visit to a School of Medicine.
• Presentation by a former Cuban diplomat.
• Following your group lunch. you will have a chance to ride in classic convertibles around Havana!
• Dinner at casas.
• Experience Firing of the 9 O'clock Canyon, a nightly cannon firing ceremony dating back to the 17th century. A cannon would be fired each evening to alert the residents that the gates of the city would be closing to protect themselves from pirates. 

January 15: 

• Breakfast
• Visit to a Health Institute.
• Group lunch Presentation with Marc Frank, a US- born journalist who has lived in Cuba for 25 years. He has been a witness to Cuba's story over this timeframe, documenting the changes that have taken place.  
• Reflection session with Nazareth University professors.
• Free time, dinner at casas.
• Optional: jazz concert (participants pay out of pocket-$5 entrance fee)

January 16: 

• Breakfast
• Visit to beach. Lunch is on your own.
• Visit to an artisan’s fair.
• Enjoy a Habana Compás Dance performance. Habana Compas Dance is a blend of of native Cuban dance (salsa and rumba), flamenco, combined with creative and lively percussion.
• Farewell dinner

January 17:

• FREE DAY
• Reflection session with professors.
• Lunch on own. Final dinner with host family at casas.

January 18: 

• Transfer to airport; flight to US. 

This program will run during Winter Break from January 8- January 18, 2025. 

This program included a mix of homestays and hotels. All homestays had at least two students per family.

The total cost for this trip is $3,800

Program Fee Includes:

• Round trip airfare
• All hotels and accommodation
• All meals part of the itinerary
• All in-country transportation
• Projects, activities, workshops, etc.
• Travel Insurance
• Cuban visa fee
• Bilingual Guide

Not Included:

• Passport (must be valid at least 6 months past the return date of the program). Contact Josh Fess as soon as possible for assistance with applying for or renewing your passport.
• Additional meals (meals not in the itinerary)
• Miscellaneous expenses (such as souvenirs, personal care items, etc.)
• Ziplining or horseback riding option
• Jazz concert fee ($5 per person)

Funding Sources:

For SPARK eligible students, you will receive the $1,500 SPARK Grant from the Center for Life's Work. 

For non-SPARK eligible students, you will be eligible for funding from the Center for International Education.