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Educators from the University of Arizona are planning a one-month learning program for students in Cuba this summer, which is especially timely due to recent discussions between the United States and the Caribbean nation about improving diplomatic relations between both countries.
The program to Cuba focuses on improving Spanish language skills and learning about the region's history, geography, culture and other topics.
Dereka Rushbrook, PhD, is a lecturer with the School of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona.
She has worked with Marcela Vásquez-León, PhD, who is an associate professor in the School of Anthropology.
The session in Cuba was inaugurated in 2013. Since then, dozens of students have participated in the educational and personal exchanges. Students stay with local families and interact with Cubans of different backgrounds.
“The day the students enjoyed the most was the day they painted a school,” Rushbrook said, referring to the exchange in 2014.
The trip to Cuba is just one of many that is offered by the university's Office of Global Initiatives.
Other learning opportunities include Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Egypt, France and Germany.
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