The AUSM program in Cuba pushed me out of a box I didn’t even know I was in. It brought me face to face with issues that were very hard and very real. I wrestled everyday alongside some of the most beautiful people I have ever met to dissect these and figure out how I can play a role in shedding light onto these issues back in the U.S. It was the most challenging and eye-opening few months I have ever had.

If I had to design my ideal study abroad program, the end result couldn’t be better than AUSM’s program in Cuba. This program brings together diverse, passionate students from around the nation and gives them an unparalleled opportunity to immerse themselves in Cuban culture. Every day you will be challenged by your courses, home stay families, Cuban friends, and US peers to rewire your brain and think differently about Cuba’s unique societal structure, democracy, and US-Cuba relations. You will leave this program better understanding your place, personally and politically, as a global citizen. And- you’ll do all of this while having the most fun time of your life! From dancing salsa and listening to Cuban jazz to spending lazy days on the beach, you will get a taste of what makes Cuban culture and people so vibrant.

The best part of the AUSM program for me where the unexpected moments where I could talk and get to know other people. As simple as it sounds, there is no better feeling for me than connecting with the people of the country I am visiting, and this program does a great job exposing you to many Cubans (students, activists, professors, cooks, parents etc.)

Cuba changed my life. I was fully immersed in a culture not just physically and intellectually present but spiritually and emotionally as well. It’s a beautiful change and I hope Cuba affects every participant in the program on some sort of level.

This program radically challenged every perception of Cuban culture, politics, and education I had previously learned. It allowed me to experience the generosity and love of my host family, and the independence of taking salsa classes to gain a more multidimensional view of Cuban culture. My decision to go to Cuba continues to be one marked by the beauty of not knowing and the surprise of genuine understanding through collective learning and self-exploration.