Community Partner since 2007.

New Opportunities for Americans in Cuba!

In December, President Obama announced a series of actions aimed at easing travel and trade restrictions between the United States and Cuba. With these changes, Global Volunteers is prepared to begin a new relationship with our community partners in Ciego de Ávila. Highlights of the changes being made in U.S.-Cuba relations include: Once relations are re-established, […]

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“I Can’t Wait to Return”

In December, when President Obama discussed ending an outdated foreign policy with Cuba,  all my family and friends had an opinion.  But not one of them had actually spoken to anyone living in Cuba under Castro’s regime.   I spent a week in Cuba with Global Volunteers’ People-to-People program.  The group and I had spent hours talking to students […]

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54 Minute Flight From Home

As I live in Florida, I feel as if I my 2013 journey to Cuba with Global Volunteers was an homage to my Cuban American friends and colleagues. Cuba is beautiful, deteriorating, and complex. The people are warm and welcoming. Everyone dances, sings, and/or plays instruments. The old are survivors and resourceful. The young are […]

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Feel at Home in Cuba

Cuba has a magnetic pull for me….I just returned from my 6th (or maybe 7th) trip to Cuba.  Our Cuban friends say: “We’ve never met a stranger, “ and that is exactly how you feel the moment you arrive in the country.  They greet us with hugs and smiles and immediately make us feel “at home.”   The […]

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American Classic Cars as Taxi Cabs in Cuba

In Cuba restored American classic cars – Chevy convertibles from the 50s and 60s – are taxi cabs. Most are relics of the U.S. businesses on the island in the 1950s under the Fulgencio Batista regime before Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. Now in the capital city of Havana friendly men put these […]

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Christmas in Cuba With Global Volunteers

Christmas in Cuba

Christmas in Cuba is very much a family-oriented holiday and gifts are not as important as spending time together. Roasted suckling pig is the traditional dish served for Christmas lunch. Parrandas – parties in the street with fireworks, floats, and dancing – are a common part of Christmas celebrations in Cuba. Christmas in Cuba – and everything […]

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Article: Google Makes Internet Freedom Visit to Cuba

Google Makes Internet Freedom Visit to Cuba By Tom Risen June 30, 2014 | 10:52 a.m. EDT Only 2.6 million of 11.2 million living in Cuba have Internet access, with many of the access points run by the government or hotels for wealthy foreigners. Google wants to change that, so top executive Eric Schmidt is […]

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What ‘Life In The New Cuba’ Is Really Like

Cuban car

Broadcast on NPR April 13, 2014 Summary: Since Fidel Castro ceded authority to his brother Raul in 2006, life in Cuba has slowly been changing. Young Cubans are more comfortable talking about their government, and cellphones have begun to open up the island more, connecting it in a small way to the outside world. Julia […]

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Our last day in Ciego de Avila

Our last day in Ciego de Avila – Thursday – was spent in the heart of the city. We met Eduardo at his church where we gave all the donations we carried with us – toys, fabric, toothpaste and brushes. Zoe led us on a short walking tour of the shopping area of Ciego. When […]

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A Full Day of Activities in Havana

Our morning began with a stop at the US Interest Section. It operates under the Swiss Embassy, with the purpose of protecting US citizens while they are in Cuba. They also issue visas (both immigration and visitor). The line for visa appointments was very long this morning. We had a nice visit with our Cuban […]

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Global Volunteers
375 East Little Canada Road
St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA
(800) 487-1074 | toll-free
(651) 482-0915 | fax
globalvolunteers.org
email@globalvolunteers.org
Federal EIN: 36-3352680

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