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A far cry from Cancun Princetonians in Cuba, with hired car (Photo by Christina Frank) It may have been the Caribbean, but for 18 students who spent their spring break in Cuba, it was a far cry from soaking up rays in Cancun. The trip was designated an educational mission. Though no academic credit was involved, everyone who wanted to go had to write a research proposal. Among the activities in Cuba were a series of four lectures arranged by the University of Havana--but the education went on every waking moment, noted Christina Frank '02.The impetus for the trip was the fall semester course in Latin American Politics led by politics professor Paul Sigmund. Especially encouraged by preceptor William Potter '68, coorganizers Frank and classmate Jill Otto "called the travel agency, talked to the State Department, and made quite a few trips to Washington and New York" to make arrangements, Frank said. Graves Tompkins '02 (l), Nicole White '01, Neil Shah '01, T.J. Dammrich '01 and Sam Spector '03 at the Museum of the Revolution (Photo by Christina Frank)     In addition to Potter, Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs Kent Eaton traveled with the students, as did Patricia Fernandez-Kelly, a lecturer in sociology and faculty associate in the Office of Population Research, whose field is international development with a focus on gender, migration and ethnicity. As the 74-year-old Castro moves closer to what some call the "biological solution" to his dictatorship, "This is an especially timely moment to visit the island," Fernandez-Kelly noted. "The Revolution," she said, "has had real successes--in literacy and education, in health care, in ecology and artistic preservation. But it has also had real limitations; people with skills and education find few avenues for fulfilling their aspirations. "By going to the island," she said, "the students have gained a better appreciation of the paradoxes of the Revolution. And this is very important, because in the transition to come, we will need people with balanced views, so that Cuba after Castro will become neither another Phnom Penh nor another Las Vegas."

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