Hello From Cuba - Part 4 - Bureaucracy Galore - The University Of Havana
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Travel Leisure -> subcategory Vacations.
Hello From Cuba - Part 4: Bureaucracy Galore at the University of Havana
Hotel Havana Libre, Tuesday, April 5, 2005, 7:20 pm
Yesterday was a bustling day as I signed up for my Spanish course at the University of Havana. The campus is a stunning collection of classical buildings, with an iconic Cuban tank marking the entrance to the library.
At 9 am, around 40 foreign students, including myself, gathered at Edificio Varona. We were guided into an old lecture hall by various professors. Unfortunately, of the few washroom stalls available in the women's bathroom, only a couple were functional, with no toilet seats or running water?"clear signs of aging infrastructure.
The orientation was conducted entirely in Spanish, which worked for me, but left about half the group lost. We then took a quick written placement test to assess our Spanish skills, after which the bureaucracy kicked in.
To register, we needed several documents:
- A copy of our passports
- An official hotel guest card or the license of a private Casa Particular
- 200 CUC (Convertible Cuban Pesos) in cash for a 2-week course, with more for longer courses
- 40 CUC for converting our tourist visa to an academic one, payable in fiscal stamps obtainable 5 km away
- 2 passport photos
- An additional 25 CUC if we wanted to expedite our academic visa, applicable to those in town for just two weeks
I teamed up with a few other students to tackle this bureaucratic quest. First, we withdrew cash at the Hotel Havana Libre and then had passport photos taken, which would be ready in three hours. Our search for a bank on Calle 23 to get the 40 CUC stamps took another 2-3 hours due to long queues.
Hungry, we were approached by a "Jinetero" (a local tout) who offered a meal for 6-7 CUC. However, upon arrival, we discovered a 45-minute wait just to be seated. We moved on to Calle 21, where another restaurant owner invited us in. This place, set in a beautiful colonial villa, was cozy but windowless. Despite this, we enjoyed a delicious meal?"roasted chicken with rice and beans, salad, and a lemon soft drink?"for 8 CUC (approximately 8 USD). My dining companions were two German students and another Canadian originally from Poland. Our conversation was lively and engaging.
After a brief hotel rest, my friend Pedro picked me up in the evening. I recounted an amusing run-in with a Cocotaxi driver who had made advances despite my disinterest. Pedro explained that quick romantic encounters are common in Cuba, attributing it to the passionate nature of its people?"a notion that's evident in the prevalence of sex tourism on the island.
Pedro and I strolled through Old Havana, along the Malecon, and admired the beautiful Plaza Vieja and Plaza de la Catedral, where a mass was held in memory of Pope John Paul II. Despite its communist roots, Cuba announced a three-day national mourning period for the Pope, highlighting a unique blend of Catholicism and Santeria that persists on the island.
We then enjoyed a meal in Havana's Chinatown, spending less than 6 USD for two vegetarian meals and drinks. After dinner, Pedro arranged a ride back to my hotel for just 1 CUC.
Unfortunately, I awoke at 4 am with severe intestinal issues, likely due to the meal the previous night. I relied on my medical kit for some Immodium and skipped breakfast in favor of attending my first class at 9 am.
Surprisingly, I was placed in the "Perfeccionamiento" level?"the highest?"where the Spanish was very advanced. My classmates included individuals from England, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Our discussions often veered into spirited debates about Cuban life and politics, challenging our professor with tough questions about social issues.
The professor was initially defensive, particularly about topics like racism and internet access, which she claimed were due to economic reasons. However, she gradually opened up, sharing a more honest view of Cuban life.
After class, still feeling under the weather, I returned to the hotel to rest, later spending a couple of hours online documenting my journey at a cost of about 20 USD.
Tonight will be quiet as I focus on recovering, but I'm sure the adventures will continue soon.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Hello From Cuba - Part 4 - Bureaucracy Galore - The University Of Havana.
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