Taylor Petersen
Today was our final full day in Havana! Wrapping up with our presentations of our Independent Learning Projects, a fantastic group farewell dinner at El Cocinero, and topped off with some free time to explore the Fábrica de Arte Cubano, it was indeed the cherry on top to the end of our Cuba journey!
During our time in Havana, we were all tasked with the assignment of deciding a topic to discuss with the big group as our Independent Learning Project. With the variety of professional career tracks and interests, there were no shortages of interesting topics presented. Topics included everything from sewage and water systems to the National Cuban Ballet. Everyone did a great job presenting, connecting their topics to leadership, and we all learned a lot about Havana and Cuba in the process!
After our final class time together, we headed to our farewell dinner at El Cocinero (The Chef). Barack and Michelle Obama ate at this restaurant during their visit to Cuba. The food was absolutely incredible, and the service was impeccable. At dinner, we presented our group leader and tour guide, Lili, and our driver, Oscar, with a few gifts from Minnesota and St. Kate’s to remember us by. A few tears were shed as we said our farewell wishes.
Next door to El Cocinero is a place called the Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC). It is an art gallery and museum. Many different modes of art and artistic expression were represented at FAC: graffiti, painting, collages made from recycled materials, photography, jewelry, a string quartet, even a dancing area with a live disk jockey mixing some beats, along with so much more. There truly was something for everyone to enjoy. It was the perfect send-off from Cuba and Havana!