First Impressions

It is my second full day in Havana and am already falling in love with this place. From the moment I stepped off the airplane onto the pavement and into the warm tropical air, I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. The transition from -10 degree weather to 75 and sunny was jolting but welcomed. After only a 45 minute plane ride, I was in another world. A world with colorful buildings, old American cars, and a thousand new smells. The airport was about the size of a Logan baggage claim and outside onlooking cubanos awaited family members, greeting them with tears and smiles as they passed through the sliding doors. Beyond the parking lot of the terminal for American arrivals, billboards expressed political statements against the American government. These were the background of our first sights of Havana; the people strolling along the streets, sitting on crumbled walls, stopped on the side of the road fixing a broken-down car. My very first impression of this country was humbling and impressive at the same time.
Our apartment is the penthouse of a skyrise that looks out upon the Malecon (a 7 km boardwalk along the edge of the city where people are always sitting, fishing, talking or getting some lovin'). We watch the magnificent sunsets from our balconies and every minute of the day is perfect weather to take in the views. The food that is served to us and the hospitality of our little family here is amazing as well. We have three people who take care of us: Maria, la abuela, who cleans and cooks, Mileydis, her granddaughter who cooks mouthwatering meals, and Chino, the man of the house who helps a little with everything. They are all great people and help us get adjusted to the ins and outs of the city.
The school is very different to what I expected, and is nothing like I have seen before, although I guess nothing really is. Casa de las Americas functions more as a cultural institute than a school and was founded in the same year as the Revolution. This year therefore is the 50th anniversary and there is a lot going on at Casas. On our tour of the school the first day we got to see some of the creative and interesting events, galleries, and features that are going on. The professors so far seem nice and very knowledgable and our classes are good as well despite my low comprehension rate. The cuban style of speaking is muddled and fast, which makes it difficult to understand most of the time...but I'll get there.
When we haven't been in class, we have gotten to see parts of the city. Yesterday we had a tour of Old Havana which was better than I expected, with the old buildings that are sometimes crumbling but still maintain their magic, the smells of delicious food, and the cubanos that add the flavor. Every block and almost every person has character and charm in one way or another.
I'm excited to see, hear, smell, and taste more of the city.
By the way the people are beautiful, almost all of them, the food is so much better than I expected, and the beer is the best I've ever had-¡Bucanero fuerte para mi!