Sofia Ferrandez ‘27

The following post was adapted from a conversation between Sofia Ferrandez ‘27 and Jessica Qin ‘28, an intern with the Global Engagement Office (GEO).

Sofia Ferrandez ‘27 is an Honors Sociology and Anthropology major with minors in Latin American and Latino Studies and Spanish who spent Spring 2026 abroad with the CASA Consortium program in Havana, Cuba. In this post, Sofia shares why she chose CASA Cuba, what her experience looked like, and what she learned from living through daily power outages.

How did you end up choosing Havana for study abroad? Was Cuba on your radar before you found the program?

My reasons for choosing to study abroad in Cuba were very personal. I’m Peruvian and Cuban American. My father’s side of my family is Peruvian, and I grew up predominantly with that side of my family, immersed in Peruvian culture. I’ve also been able to spend time in Peru and hope to return in the near future. My mom is half Cuban, but unfortunately neither of us has met our Cuban relatives, nor have I had the opportunity to learn about Cuban culture, let alone visit the country. 

I’ve always known that someday I wanted to go to Cuba. However, given the history between the two governments, I wasn’t sure if this would really be possible. It’s been hard for U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba for a long time, not just right now.

When I started thinking about studying abroad, I went to the GEO portal and filtered for programs in Latin America. It’s my academic focus, and it matters to me personally. I also wanted a very immersive program with a lot of support built in: advisors, group excursions, a real backbone in a new country. Moving yourself into a whole new world is hard. I filtered for those two things, and CASA Cuba was one of the programs that popped up. I didn’t even know a program sending U.S. students to Cuba existed. At that moment, something just came over me, and I thought: This is where I have to go.

How close was the program to what it advertised?

It was spot on. If anything, it exceeded my expectations. Everything they said they would do, they did. 

We had advisors to support our experience. We had at least one program excursion every week. There were only 12 U.S. students my semester, and we all became a family. We even spent time at one of the Director’s homes. I didn’t expect to form bonds that were personal, professional, and academic all at once. My experience abroad would not have been the same without the support of CASA Cuba. 

What were your classes on this program like?

In a typical semester, students take a total of four classes: one or two at the CASA Cuba headquarters and two or three at the University of Havana alongside Cuban students. However, this spring, because of Cuba’s severe energy crisis, the University was forced to shift to online instruction. When this announcement was made our first week there at the end of January, my classmates and I were very nervous because University-based coursework is such a core part of the expected program experience.  

We were incredibly fortunate that my program and the University of Havana were able to make special arrangements to offer a selection of five courses in-person taught by University faculty. Professors made a dedicated trip to the University to teach exclusively to visiting U.S. students. I ended up taking three classes at the CASA Cuba headquarters – Cuban Image, Society and Health, and U.S.-Cuba Relations – and one class at the University of Havana – Cuban Literature. 

My classes ran Monday through Thursday, with structured program excursions on Fridays. The courses that I took at CASA Cuba’s headquarters were twice a week for an hour and a half each Monday through Thursday, and on Thursday mornings, I had my class at the University of Havana for three hours. All my classes were taught in Spanish and full of lively discussion. All my professors were Cuban experts in their fields, and I learned so much in every class. My Spanish-language capabilities and my worldview expanded immensely.  

What were the excursions like?

Fridays were normally reserved for program excursions, which the CASA directors built around student interest. The directors always wanted our feedback and would shape our excursions around our interests. Often our excursions would complement or extend topics that had been discussed in class(es).

For example, we visited a private farm just outside the City of Havana that’s pioneering sustainable agriculture. We also went to the art museum and toured theaters. We also visited a private arts, culture, and tobacco company that taught us the history and process of rolling cigars, which is an important part of Cuban agricultural history and present culture. One week we did an e-bike tour throughout the City that lasted four or five hours, with a break halfway through for ice-cold drinks. I was tired by the end, but smiling, as we saw so much of the City from a unique perspective. 

What was living with a host family like?

The directors placed each student or group of students with a Cuban host family. I was placed with an amazing host family who took me in as one of their own, and whom I now consider my family. My host family consisted of my host mother who is a psychologist; my host father, who owns a small business; my host sister, who is the same age as me and in college as well, and my host cousin who was a professor and is my host mother’s nephew. 

I spent a lot of time speaking with them about life, Cuban culture, and watching the sunset. We lived in an apartment right next to the sea in the neighborhood of Vedado. Over the four months I was there, I got to know my neighbors in my apartment and on my walk to the CASA Cuba headquarters. In Cuba, neighbors are also treated as family. For example, one of my neighbors on the floor below us would come up to chat after dinner almost every night, and we always shared food. 

My host family’s extended family lives in their hometown, which is in a different part of the country. Although I unfortunately was unable to visit them as we’d hoped, I spoke to them over the phone a bit and got to know them through talking with my host family. I am forever grateful for the kindness, hospitality, love, and support my host family showed me. 

What did your days look like outside of class? (What was the food like? How did you get around? Did you feel safe? How did you get to know people?)

My host mother made me breakfast every morning. My favorite was her tortilla, which is a cooked, flat egg that incorporated the spices and vegetables she had available each day. For lunch, we were on our own, and most of us students did the same thing: Cuban fast food, which is personal pizzas! You fold them in half and eat them while you walk. They were fast, cheap, and close by. I ate dinner at home every night except Sunday with my host family. I would usually go out to dinner at a restaurant on Sunday nights.

Most mornings, I would walk about 15 minutes to the CASA Cuba headquarters for class or homework. After the day was over, in the evenings I usually walked home along el Malecón, a seaside highway that runs right along Havana’s coastline. I lived one street from el Malecón, so before I went home every day, I would look out at the ocean and reflect on the day. 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, CASA Cuba ran evening English classes for Cuban students where we served as the TAs. Afterward, we all went out to the courtyard for an hour of salsa class. (The Cuban style of salsa dancing is called casino.) The English and dancing classes in the courtyard are some of my favorite memories, because that’s how I really got to know Cuban people my age. I became good friends with a few of the people I met through those classes, and spent time with them outside the program as well.

I felt very safe walking around and exploring the City. I’m a 5’2″ woman, and I walked around Havana alone during the day and sometimes at night. People look out for you. You get to know your neighbors and the waitress at the restaurants you pass every day. I grew up right outside Philly, and my family would frequently visit the City. And although I love Philly for many reasons, I generally felt safer walking around alone in Havana as compared to Philly.

What’s something about Cuba you couldn’t have REALLY understood before this experience?

In the U.S., there isn’t much accurate or up-to-date information about daily life in Cuba, and what does exist often shows only part of the reality.

If there’s one key word for understanding Cuba, it’s complex. Many things are true at the same time. I can talk about the sea, the museums, and the rich culture and history. But you also have to talk about the day-to-day struggles.

One thing you might not understand until you’re there is living with uncertainty. You never know if and when the power will go out, when it will come back, or how long the power outage will last. It makes you think about everything else too: the water, the gas, whether the food will go bad.

The biggest lesson I learned was resilience. People keep living, dancing, laughing, singing, and playing dominoes in the middle of a crisis. Cuba isn’t a wasteland. There is so much life, art, culture, conversation, and joy, alongside a very real, material darkness.

What was it like living with frequent power outages?

Almost every day I was there, there were power outages. When I first arrived, I would say they lasted two to three hours at a time. By the time I left, they lasted eighteen to twenty hours at a time. I still keep in touch with my host family, and I know the situation is worse now.

Darkness was a very real part of daily life. Most nights after dinner, my downstairs neighbor would come up the stairs, knock on our door, and say, “Prima, ¿cómo estás?” (“Cousin, how are you?”). A lot of people have rechargeable battery lights, and she brought a different one every night. We’d put our lights together and sit and talk. Talking, dancing, and listening don’t require electricity.

When the power came back on, you could hear it. Our windows were usually open for airflow, and across the apartment buildings you’d hear chairs moving and people cheering as everyone ran to plug things in, start the laundry, and fill the water containers. Sometimes we’d be in the middle of a prayer when the lights came on, and everyone would jump up. We all immediately turned off our rechargeable lights, and ran to plug in all our rechargeable technology, start the washing machine, and start the beans for tomorrow!

I want to be clear that I was well taken care of by my host family. I always had food and clean water. But life looked different. For example, water needs electricity to move through the pipes, so after a long power outage, there isn’t enough pressure for water to come out of faucets. So, we kept tanks of water in reserve and bathed with buckets and cups when necessary. 

It makes you realize how much human beings can adapt, and how things you thought were important suddenly aren’t.  

What would you tell someone considering this program?

Go! Living in Cuba changed my life. 

The program shows you a completely different world, society, and system. There is so much rich, beautiful culture, art, and scenery. Cubans are extremely friendly and welcome conversation and community. My professors were some of the best in their fields and taught us to think holistically about how everything connects. The program then helps you live what you’re learning. 

And this may be a bold statement, but I think that to understand the U.S., you should study Cuba, at least for a while. The history between the two countries is fascinating.

To be realistic, you will need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. You’ll spend much less time on your phone, which is great for some people and terrifying for others. Sometimes you’ll bathe with a bucket instead of a faucet. You’ll need to be adaptable and open to not knowing things and letting others guide you. 

The program is completely in Spanish, so you’ll be speaking Spanish all day, every day. You also have to be okay with getting it wrong or not being understood at times, even when you’re fluent, because the vocabulary and accent is different from place to place.

But go! It will change your life for the better, and if you’re a U.S. citizen and/or student, learning about and experiencing this program in Cuba will help you better understand your own society.