Day 1

 

Depart from home and arrive at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba. Check into your hotel and get your first taste of Havana by participating in a sunset tour of Old Havana with an experienced English-speaking guide from the Jose Marti Center. Enjoy dinner with your colleagues at a restaurant in Old Havana and evening of leisure.

 

Day 2

 

Day of cultural immersion in Havana. Meet with the Cuban people one on one while visiting museums, Plaza de Revolucion, El Morro fort, engage in discussions at the Malecon sea wall, or explore vibrant Havana neighborhoods or spend your day in Old Havana.

 

(B) included

 

Day 3

 

Arrive by shuttle to the Jose Marti Center, a beautiful historic colonial mansion where you will be taking your courses on Cuban social welfare. After a tour of the facility, and a welcome reception, attend a lecture focusing on the life of Jose Marti, known as the father of Cuba. After lunch, arrive at the Jose Marti Center and attend lectures given by faculty from the University of Havana on specific social work and social welfare topics. Evening at leisure after returning to your hotel.

 

(B) (L) included

 

Day 4

 

Participate in a field visit to a vibrant Havana neighborhood where a social worker has his/her post . Social work in Cuba is a community focused, prevention oriented, risk assessment based endeavor and many social workers are assigned to small local neighborhoods rather than agencies and work on diverse and generalized issues affecting a particular community. Tour the neighborhood and engage in lively discussions with the social worker and community residents on problems affecting individuals and the community as a whole. After lunch, arrive at the Jose Marti Center and attend lectures given by faculty from the University of Havana on a specific focus area of Cuban social work education. Evening at leisure after returning to your hotel.

 

(B) (L) included

 

Day 5

 

Visit the historic University of Havana. The University founded in 1728 is the oldest in Cuba and one of the oldest university in the Americas. Tour the beautiful campus in the center of the Vedado district of Havana and engage with social work faculty and students training for careers in social work and social welfare issues. Meet leaders of student organization groups committed to social welfare. After lunch, arrive at the Jose Marti Center and attend lectures given by faculty from the University of Havana on a specific focus area of Cuban social welfare. Evening at leisure after returning to your hotel.

 

(B) (L) included

 

Day 6

 

Visit the Cuban Society of Social Workers in Health Care in Havana. Tour the agency with a staff member and engage in a dialogue with other employees on issues and areas of concern that are worked on by the agency. Compare and contrast how such

issues are addressed and attended to in the United States. After lunch, arrive at the

Jose Marti Center and attend lectures given by faculty from the University of Havana

on a specific area of Cuban social welfare. Evening at leisure after returning to your

hotel.

 

(B) (L) included

 

Day 7

 

Visit a children’s and adult’s special education school in a bucolic setting in a working class Havana suburb. Tour the school campus with a staff member and doctor and engage with teachers and students-children and adults. View a performance given by students at the facility. After lunch, attend a closing reception at the Jose Marti Center.

 

(B) (L) included

 

Day 8

 

Bid farewell to Havana and leave for an early morning departure to Jose Marti International Airport and catch flight home.

 

(B) included