Five University of Alabama students are spending their spring semester in Havana, Cuba, as part of the Alabama in Cuba study abroad program.

Michael Schnepf, a professor in the department of modern languages and classics, has led groups in the semester-long program since the spring of 2009. Schnepf not only organizes the program but also teaches a special topics Spanish class, SP 390, while the group is in Cuba. The class features a series of guest speakers and a semester-long research project.

“After about two weeks on the island, all students are obliged to select a topic which they will research during the remaining months,” Schnepf said. “Topics such as Santeria, urban gardens, race, the role of lawyers and the trajectory of Cuban music are just a few of the fascinating subjects that University of Alabama students have investigated here in Cuba.”

In addition to SP 390, students also study Cuban history, culture and U.S. relations at la Universidad de la Habana and Ciudadano Universitario Jose Antonio Echavarra. These courses present a special opportunity to visit the places studied in class.

Kourtney Davis, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering and currently studying in Cuba, said visiting the Bay of Pigs after discussing it in class made it more memorable.

“It really put into perspective how the Cubans felt about United States citizens at the time,” Davis said. “I remember seeing a caption of a photo that said ‘imperialist aggressions,’ and it took me a second to realize that it was directed to the U.S.”

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For the duration of their stay, students reside in the Montehabana Aparthotel in Miramar, a historically upscale neighborhood in western Havana.

Savannah Senicz, a sophomore majoring in secondary Spanish education, is currently participating in the program and said she appreciates the benefits of hotel housing.

“The kitchen is great because we are able to cook most meals at home,” she said. “The hotel has several restaurants, a pool, gym and a store. It’s great that we have so much available to us.”

Havana’s nightlife also provides students with entertainment and opportunities to explore. Jamila Flowers, a freshman majoring in finance currently studying in Havana, said the unpredictability of the nighttime scene makes Havana especially interesting.

“Every night there is something new going on,” she said. “People playing music, dancing, singing and a lot more. You never really know what you are going to see or hear, you just go there knowing you are going to be surprised at what you’ll see.”

Students participating in the program also have the chance to take part in practices unique to Cuban culture. Flowers described using the “maquinas,” which is a collective taxi system in Cuba.

“You just stand on the side of the road and hope someone stops for you, and then after they take you where you are supposed to go. You just pay them between 10 and 20 Cuban pesos, which is equivalent to 50 cents to a dollar,” Flowers said. “I know I will never get to experience this in the U.S. so it’s kind of cool to get to do this.”

In addition to enjoying what the city lifestyle has to offer, students must also adjust to the numerous differences between life in the United States and Cuba. Seemingly stuck in the past, Cuba is a country caught in the 1950s and 1960s, Schnepf said. Because Skype is blocked and phone calls home are expensive, Flowers said the lack of communication available in Cuba has been frustrating.

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“In the U.S., communication is so feasible through Internet and cell phones, but here Internet is limited and cell phone use is rare,” Flowers said. “Even using landlines is difficult. The WiFi connection is very weak, and it also costs between $4.50 and $8 an hour to use.”

On the other hand, a lack of communication can be seen as a blessing in disguise. Michael Lasonczyk, a senior majoring in political science and Spanish, said he appreciated not having access to instant communication while participating in the program last spring.

“Living in Cuba in general was pretty liberating as ironic as that may sound to many,” he said. “Cubans live their lives without so many things that keep Americans stressed out or tied down. I actually enjoyed not having my cell phone and only having limited Internet access. It made me focus more on the moment.”

Another adjustment students must make is the transition from living on Tuscaloosa’s campus to living in a city. Davis said navigating the city’s transportation systems has been a new challenge for her.

“I’m from Knoxville, Tennessee, and then I moved to Tuscaloosa,” Davis said. “Neither of these places are very public transportation-friendly, so the bus and taxi system took a while to get used to.”

Senicz said she faced similar struggles in adjusting to Havana’s city lifestyle.

“One of the biggest things to adjust to was living in the city,” she said. “I grew up in a rural town, and Tuscaloosa definitely doesn’t have a downtown feel. Taking the bus, taxis, getting food on the street – that was all really new for me.”

Lasonczyk’s semester-long research project analyzed changes in U.S.-Cuban relations in recent times, specifically under the Obama administration. He said he wants people to understand that Cubans are not necessarily hateful toward American citizens.

“If there was one thing that I wanted people to know about Cuba, it’s that they don’t hate the United States or Americans,” he said. “They see the U.S.-Cuban relation as a product of the actions of both governments, not of the people of both nations.”

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