Journalism at Boston University Dreaming of Cuba By Gina Kim People loiter about waiting for buses and socializing with friends. Smog emanates from the vintage cars throttling the streets.
Friendly chatter joins the rhythms of salsa, permeating the warm Caribbean days.
It is difficult for Americans to comprehend what life in Cuba is truly like, and although my recent trip was a short 12 days, I feel like some of the mysteries of life under Fidel Castro came unraveled. Peeling away the preconceptions and generalizations about a socialist country under a dictator, there is a thriving and ever-changing Cuban culture. Almost everyone I met not only welcomed me into their lives and their histories, but into their hearts as well. To get out of my small studio apartment, I went to a yoga class. As I was stretching and, I hoped, strengthening, the instructor leaned over and pushed on my lower back to encourage my flexibility.