LAHS sophomore Tevita Funaki during his trip to Cuba. Photo Courtesy LAPS

LAHS sophomore Tevita Funaki and LAHS teacher Tacarra Lake during their trip to Cuba. Photo Courtesy LAPS

BY TEVITA FUNAKI AND
TACARRA LAKE

Los Alamos High School sophomore Tevita Funaki and LAHS teacher Tacarra Lake were selected to travel on a trip to Cuba over spring break. Here is their story.

“You’re going where?!”
“Yes mom, I’m going to Cuba.”

My trip to Cuba was a life-altering experience. Thanks to Global Santa Fe, a nonprofit in Santa e dedicated to educating the next generation of New Mexico leaders, I was selected as one of 10 students and three local teachers to travel over spring break to Cuba. Over 10 days, I was able to immerse myself in a rich culture that we as Americans know little about. And that needs to change.

This was my first time abroad. I know, I know, definitely not the most typical experience for those traveling abroad (or the typical first trip for a parent sending their son abroad). Traveling to a place so different and unfamiliar, was actually more similar than different.

This is what I’ve learned: in the end, no matter our nationality, ethnicity, political affiliation, we are all just people in this world. I’ve always been interested in learning about the world. This year, I am taking AP Human Geography with Ms. Tacarra Lake (who also was one of the teachers who came with me to Cuba). Usually, learning about anything agricultural has bored me. Economy, farming, blah blah blah… it was never actually relevant to me and my life in Los Alamos. But when I was in Cuba, we visited a cocoa farm and I learned how chocolate is made! It was actually incredibly exciting and fun to learn about. While under the direction of our very own Cuban Willy Wonka, I was able to cut my own cacao pod, grind the roasted beans, and even drink “The Drink of the Gods,” a recipe that is, unfortunately, highly classified. But in my fun at the chocolate factory, I realized that this isn’t just a tourist spot where we get to make chocolate for fun. It is a livelihood and economy that contributes to Cuba’s economy and culture. When you see it in real life, it matters.

Other content also came alive when we met students who only spoke Spanish and we had to communicate through dance and music. Or when our fearless driver, Juanca, managed to navigate a large bus through narrow, winding streets filled with buildings that looked very different from those in the United States. In addition to the many handmade wooden souvenirs I brought home, and the content that became less boring, more importantly, I brought home with me the generosity and kindness of the Cuban people. It was a life changing experience,but no gatekeeping allowed—I have a duty to educate. So here we go, welcome to Cuba 101.

Myth #1: There is no exchange between the United States and Cuba.
Wrong. When I was extended an invitation to Global Santa Fe’s Youth Diplomacy Program, I was confused to say the least. I had been taught that Cuba was a place to be avoided and feared no American should ever want to go there! However, on the flight to Cuba, I saw many families boarding as well, with some pretty interesting baggage. Though Americans are able to travel to Cuba, U.S. goods are not. The U.S. embargo has left Cubans without basic necessities. The lightly packed, shrink wrapped, bulging suitcases turned out to be U.S. goods that were prepared for their friends and family in Cuba. Before traveling to Cuba, I didn’t realize many Cubans couldn’t access food, hygiene products, and medicine. Things I used every day, easily at my disposal, things I took for granted, were wrapped like presents to give to their Cuban friends and family. Yeah… I didn’t complain about my middle seat in the airplane.

Myth #2: Cuba is not safe.
Wrong. Two nights before I left, I scrolled through social media and saw news reports of protests in the city we would be traveling to: there had been no electricity for days. In the videos, chaos was unfolding, cars were honking, people were yelling, and I was shaking. Deep down, I was hoping for a reason not to go. After taking some sleeping medication, I woke up and knew my mom needed to drag me to the airport if I was going to get on that plane. Mom reassured and reminded me of the importance of such a trip. And I realized no matter what emotion I felt on my way to Cuba, it would never matter as much as the experience I would gain from going. When we landed, instead of missiles flying and smoke rising, we saw a green landscape and sunny bright sky. On that first day, we visited a book fair in the middle of the street. There were performances. People dancing. I thought Cubans, who get rations for food and struggle day by day without electricity, would be angry and bitter. Instead, Cubans greeted us with a smile. It was safe. I learned there was a safe Cuba beyond the violence shown on social media, and beyond the perception in my mind.

Myth #3: Cubans hate Americans. Did I think I was going to be unwelcomed? Maybe. The political relationship between our governments has been incredibly rocky, to say the least. What did I know about Cuba before traveling to Cuba? Cuban Missile Crisis. Soviet Union. Communism. What I did know is that our governments don’t get along. I thought that would reflect on the relationships I made with Cubans. That perception changed when I met Cuban teenagers my age. I attempted to play the drums at a musical high school. I tried to keep up with their Cuban dancing and Spanish songs, but became the star of the performance when we realized there was a similar song on our playlists: Adele. There we were, American and Cuban teenagers, singing and dancing to music by a British pop star. In that room, we didn’t see each other as political representatives of the United States and Cuba, but as friends. During our trip, Cubans opened their arms, their homes, and their cities to a group of American teenagers who didn’t know much about Cuba beyond the headlines. I realized that even though our governments may disagree with one another, Cubans and Americans are just people at the end of the day. Governments shouldn’t decide how we should view people, we do. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and others about cultures we may know so little about. In the end, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity.

This trip was the deciding factor: I want to be a global citizen. Cuba is not a country that needs to be feared. Rather, Americans should make a conscientious effort to educate themselves on a beautiful country that we, sadly, are not familiar with. Because of this trip, I am hungry to continue traveling, educating, and immersing myself in the world.

Tevita Funaki learns a dance from a local woman during his visit to Cuba. Photo Courtesy LAPS