Horizons Student Support Services Study Abroad - Havana, Cuba: Makenna Morgan

Today is the day we left for Veradero. We left about an hour later than expected, but our group is so good with rolling with the punches so we were all still in good spirits. We just sat outside at our normal spot that we wait for the bus at and listened to music and joked around with each other. I think that everyone was just super excited that we get to go to this amazing all-inclusive resort. We set off for the weekend with the attitude of “do not have high expectations, so when then you can be pleasantly surprised.” When we got there, our rooms were not ready for another three and a half hours, so we some of us went and hung out on the beach and some played card games on the patio. Nobody complained, we just found a way to pass the time, which was easy at a place like this. Once we got our rooms, everyone put their stuff up and came out to the beach. It was the perfect day to spend at the beach. There was not a cloud in the sky and there was an amazing breeze. You could find people playing spike ball, swimming in the ocean, laying in the sun, or by the pool. The pool had an inflatable climbing mountain that a lot of us messed around on. It was even just entertaining watching people try to climb up the hardest side.

The hotel is so beautiful and is located just off the beach, with pathways leading through an area that is filled with plants and palm trees. It has a very open concept and has a ton of natural light. No matter where you are in the hotel, you have an amazing view. After dinner, we walked back out to the beach and watched the sunset. It was the first one we have been able to watch and it was a good one. A lot of us hung out in the lobby at night because there was a nice breeze and it was a beautiful night. There was a concert near the beach that people went to and enjoyed.

As I reflect on this day, I feel so thankful to go on a study abroad experience with the group of students that I am with because everyone is so positive. If things do not go as planned, we are able to just shake it off and go with the flow.