spanish course in cuba-advice?

[nancie]

I am booking a 12 week spanish course with a company and it will be based in Havana, Cuba. I will be there for 12 weeks. Does anyone think that this is ok? Im not sure what to expect. Will i be treated like a normal cuban where i cant go past the lobby's of hotels etc? What about food situation? Can anyone give me some advice?

[chimpydoodle]

Wow, 12 wks in Havana, you will have a fab time! I've been three times and love Cuba.

What nationality are you? As a tourist expect to be treated well, you are the cubans living and they are not as intruiged by tourists as they used to be. If you are staying in Old Havana you will find plenty of restaurants and cafes. The quality and choice of food has improved in the past few years, but you won't find any fast food joints! if you are veggie expect a limited choice.

You will find you have to present your passport at hotels on check in as you would in any country, but other than that i doubt you'll be asked for it on many occasions. We walked freely into the bigger hotels that we were not staying at just to use their internet (yes they have got it!) and didn't get questioned.

It has relatively low crime compared to most capital cities and I've walked the main streets at night and not felt threatened. You may find some locals will want to stop you and chat, mostly this is just their curiousity, remember you are a novelty to them, they will believe you are of millionaire status, and compared to them you are!! We were offered drugs once or twice but out of 3 trips thats not bad and a firm no and to keep walking normally sufficed.

dont expect loads of shops, cigars and rum are all you'll find, and of course the obligatory Che merchadise!

hope that has helped!? any other queries, shout up!

[nancie]

cheers chimpydoodle..i am cypriot origin, and i happen to look cuban, when i went over there the tourists were coming up to me saying 'look! a cuban girl!!' even the cubans thought i was cuban.

I am not staying in a hotel, i am staying in university halls of residence..is this a good idea do you think? Your answer was great, really helped me in thinking that i have defintaely got to go!

In a pickle..the reason i chose cuba to stay at is because i feel it has a richer culture than parts of spain, and i just wanted to get away from Europe, and go somewhere else. Cuba is amazing, nothing like costa del sol or benidorm..lol. The price was the same, believe it or not. go to www.travellerswordwide.com and you'll see spanish and volunteering courses in latin america.

Thankyou x

[nancie]

http://www.travellersworldwide.com/programmes.htm

sorry, the correct address is above