IFSA - Universidad de La Habana Partnership

The IFSA staff was amazing! No matter what, the resident director was always available to help; whether it was a restaurant recommendation for lunch to accompanying me to the clinic when I got sick to organizing excursions to the rest of the island, Rose Ana always knew what to do. It made me feel much more comfortable, especially at the beginning of the semester, knowing that someone was there for me. Also, I spent my birthday there, and the IFSA staff and my homestay family organized a birthday party for me with a cake, croquetas, and ensalada fria. My birthday fell on one of the first days we got there and I couldn’t believe how much they did for me even though I was a virtual stranger.
Something else I liked about the IFSA program was the academics. We were the only program in Cuba for US students that let us take only classes at the University of Havana with Cuban students. Other programs made their students take courses that were specifically for their group and thus didn’t get to meet and befriend Cuban students to the extent that we did. Speaking of which, make sure you go to the FEU parties that the student government runs! They are really fun and the entrance fee is only 10 pesos cubanos (which is like 40 cents).
I agree with one of the other reviews below saying that they wish they could do it all over again. I'm getting nostalgic just thinking about it! Also, random side tip: make sure to check out the cafeterias that line the University of Havana for a quick lunch. One of our personal favorites was La Colina.

I spent the Fall 2018 semester in Havana, Cuba and had a fun a transformative experience. I was expecting my semester to mostly improve my Spanish abilities, which it did, but I also gained new skills in general. Havana is a very safe city and because of that, I felt really comfortable being a solo female traveler and exploring the city on my own and with other young women, Cuban and American alike. My Spanish improved a lot, both because of my immersive university experience and because of the vibrant culture of chatting with nearly everyone you meet. I left my experience feeling rejuvenated and excited about returning to my University studies at home. Since returning, I've been focusing on Cuba more in my studies, which has been really great as I feel have a unique connection to this work. I would highly recommend this program for students who are looking for something special and different from the average study abroad experience.

I loved my experience in Cuba! From the start, IFSA is incredible. They process all the visa paperwork, etc. And, they prepare you with weekly newsletters with great reading materials etc. Once you are there, you live with a host-family (all incredible people!). I loved my host-mom, with her constant music and delicious congrí. IFSA will also put at least one other US student with you in the home-stay. For me, it was really nice to meet someone else from a different school in the US who was interested in the same things I was and who was always there to process what we were seeing and learning on the ground in Cuba! Then, there are the classes at the University. While they are definitely not the most academically rigorous, it is an interesting peek into another university system. There is one core-course that the study-abroad students that semester are required to take. It is a little bit disorganized, and not very academically rigorous either. It is the only major draw-back of the program. But, IFSA supplements the classes with an very cool series of lectures based on what you and the other students that semester are interested in. There are also some really fun excursions to Viñales, Santiago, and the countryside. And, you are really free to explore the city and the country on your own. Overally, traveling to Cuba is a really unique experience and IFSA is an amazing support system! I definitely would recommend this program

I had an incredible experience studying abroad in Cuba through IFSA-Butler. I met new people every day and had the chance to explore new academic, artistic, athletic and personal interests. I really enjoyed my homestay experience because I lived with interesting and unique people from 3 different universities in the US and felt fully immersed while living with a Cuban family. Outside of the classroom at the University of Havana, I participated in salsa classes, a flag football league, a ceramics course at an arts institute in Havana, travel throughout the country, and much more. I cherish my entire experience and am hoping to go back to Cuba soon! To anyone who is thinking about going to Cuba, I would not hesitate to take this opportunity and run with it.