» Program Description » Research » Course Offerings » Staff » Accomodations » Living in Modern Cuba » Program Costs » Application » Links		Living in Modern Cuba Safety The City of Cienfuegos The Cuban People Health Concerns Communications Money Those selected for the program will receive a detailed guidebook containing written information and advice on Living in Modern Cuba. They will also receive a verbal orientation covering practical aspects of life and study in Cuba. The guidebook will contain information on legal issues, safety issues, money, contact information, and a checklist of recommended items to bring. Here we will touch more briefly on some basic concerns. Safety Foreign travel in Cuba is generally safer than travel in most Latin American countries. Moreover, there is less crime in provincial Cienfuegos than in the crowded capital city of Havana. The Cuban government has a strong interest in tourism and is protective of official visitors. Major crime is virtually unheard of. As long as participants act conservatively and respectfully, there is little cause for concern. Participants are expected to use common sense and to observe the ordinary safety precautions taken by world travelers anywhere. top The City of Cienfuegos Our host city is Cienfuegos, the "Pearl of the South," a charming provincial capital founded by French settlers in the nineteenth century on Cienfuegos Bay. The architecture of its downtown area is more reminiscent of New Orleans than of other colonial Cuban cities, reflecting the background of its founders. It currently has a population of about 150,000 people. This port city is home to several major industries, and has an active and growing arts, music, and theater community. Several web sites in English and Spanish feature the city and the province: Azurina, AcrossCuba, Cuba-Junky. http://www.azurina.cult.cu/ http://www.acrosscuba.com/index.php?L=6&B=66 http://www.cuba-junky.com/cienfuegos/cienfuegos-city-home.htm top The Cuban People Travelers immediately discover that most Cubans are genuinely friendly and hospitable to foreigners. Although beset by difficult times economically, they have a vibrant expressive culture and a resilient love of music, dance, and good conversation. By working on the archaeological project as equal partners with Cuban participants, the U.S. students will interact on many levels with ordinary Cuban citizens on an everyday basis. Lasting friendships will be formed. top Health Concerns Cuba has good medical care, but suffers from a shortage of drugs and pharmaceuticals. Participants will be instructed to bring sufficient quantities of ordinary pharmaceuticals for personal use. The project hotel has a doctor on call, and there is an international clinic in the city of Cienfuegos that caters specifically to foreign visitors. As part of the program, students will be insured for emergency medical evacuation should that become necessary. Purified, bottled water is available at reasonable prices. Despite the availability of purified water, U. S. visitors comonly experience a mild case of diarrhea within a week or two of arrival, as their systems tend to be unaccustomed to the diet. This common condition is effectively treated by ordinary anti-diarrheal medicines such as Imodium, and it will pass in a matter of hours. There is no cause for excessive avoidance behavior with respect to water, ice, or rinsed foods. top Communications Participants will have access to long-distance telephone service at the project hotel. A mobile telephone will be on-site at all times for communications with our project headquarters, and will be available should any emergency arise. Access to an internet terminal for e-mail communication is available in the city of Cienfuegos for a fee. Mail service between Cuba and the United States is, however, unreliable at best. Project staff will be in at least weekly contact with the University of Alabama, and periodic updates on the project will be posted to this web site for access by interested individuals in the United States. top Money The official Cuban currency is the Peso, but there is also a parallel economy focusing on tourism and consumer goods which operates almost exclusively in U.S. dollars. Most needed purchases, outside of those that the project will provide, can be made in dollars. Unfortunately, credit cards issued on U.S. banks cannot be used in Cuba, and only certain kinds of travelers checks are accepted. In short, cash is the most convenient, and sometimes only, method for purchases. The project will make arrangements for secure deposit of currency by project participants. There is a web site explaining the various Cuban currencies. http://www.webhavana.com/main.php?lang=en&page=cuba_currency.php U.S. travelers in Cuba are subject to a maximum per diem rate set by the U.S. government. As of this writing the applicable per diem limit for the Cienfuegos area is $125 per day. Project staff will carefully audit all spending in Cuba by participants to insure that they remain safely within per diem limits.
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