By Miroslava Cerda

Staff Writer

One of the most life-changing experiences came to me in the form of a trip.

     My Cuban friend Raydel was planning a trip to this once-closed county, so two girlfriends and I  decided to tag along.

     Little did I know this journey would forever change my perspective.

     When we arrived, it was as though we had stepped back into the 1950s. Everything, from the cars and the buildings, were built in the past. I was shocked at how that could be possible.

     We first stayed in Varadero, which is two hours away from Havana. The beach was the most beautiful I had ever visited. The water was crystal clear.

     The nightlife there was also amazing. Cubans are celebratory and like good music and the majority of the people know how to dance.

     After our stay in Varadero, we visited Havana for five days. While there, we engaged more with the Cuban locals. We attended El Festival de la Salsa, which was the main reason Raydel went to Cuba.

     We toured the city up and down, getting a chance to learn more about the Cuban culture. We also tried the amazing food. My favorite was “arroz morro,” which is black beans mixed in with rice.

     I talked with people who helped me understand why the country operated the way it did. I learned how everyone, by law, has to attend school and how men are required to attend the military for a minimum of two years after they graduate high school.

     It was pretty shocking to see how laws like these still exist.

     The trip made me appreciate everything I have in my life and made me want to explore the rest of the world. It’s crazy how in our everyday life we do not generally think of what else is out there and how there is a big world yet to be discovered.