An embargo placed on travel in the 1960s essentially has cut off one of the most fascinating countries in the world.
Few U.S. travelers have been able to experience the spicy mix of garlic, cumin and oregano in authentic meat turnovers called empanadas or enjoy a café cubano espresso sweetened with locally grown sugar.
But this winter, Greenwood native Jordyn Perry was able to experience Cuban culture firsthand.
Perry, 21, toured Cuba as part of a school-sponsored research trip through Illinois College. She worked with botanists, educators and doctors to examine the benefits and disadvantages of the public health care system in preparation for her own career in occupational therapy, the Daily Journal reported.
The trip helped dispel the misconception of the Cuban people’s hatred of the U.S. and exposed her to a land that has been hidden from travelers for so long.
“I didn’t think the Cuban people would be willing or wanting to talk to us. But they were ecstatic,” she said. “I think it gave much of the people a sense of hope that things were changing there.”
