Hostelling International USA Minnesota Council

exploring cuba

by Alexandra Smith

August 21 , 7—8:30pm @ HI-MN Headquarters, St. Paul, MN

Alexandra Smith's passport is nearly maxed out, thanks to a decade of travel to places near (Costa Rica, Belize), far (Czech Republic, Turkey) and really far (India, Australia, New Zealand). Her travel mantra? It's more about what you learn than what you see. Alex has always been drawn to cultures and societies that are dynamic, evolving and unique. Her fascination with destinations 'on the brink' is what motivated Alex to visit Cuba this winter. Armed with a degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and several years working in the field of consumer insights/generational analysis, Alex hopes to parlay her experience and her travels (past and future) into a career in documentary filmmaking.

Alex will be presenting on the nine days she spent in Cuba this February. She will discuss her observations and impressions of this often-misunderstood country and share photos taken in Havana, Cienfuegos and the home of salsa, Trinidad. She also hopes to build a conversation around the importance of a carpe diem attitude when it comes to travel: the realization that places change and that opportunities can slip away became quite evident to her when Fidel Castro stepped down after fifty years of leadership just two days after she returned from Cuba! She hopes that this presentation will inspire people fascinated by the 'forbidden island' to visit the country before it no longer exists as it is today.

Resources:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/castro/peopleevents/p_castro.html