Fall Break in Cuba: Michigan Softball's First International Trip
11/8/2019 2:40:00 PM | Softball, Features
The University of Michigan softball program's first international trip occurred during the school's 2019 fall break (Oct. 11-15) when the Wolverines traveled to Cuba.
An Eye-Opening Educational Experience
By Carol Hutchins
It was through conversations with my fellow Michigan coaches that I recently realized the incredible benefits that other teams and student-athletes here at Michigan were earning from these educational experiences of traveling abroad. I learned how it was broadening their scope of the world, and they were coming back to Ann Arbor with a greater appreciation for their circumstances here and a better understanding of the rest of the world functions in their space.
Cuba worked well from a distance standpoint -- we could take them over our fall break -- and we knew that it would be an eye opener.
In meeting and interacting with a softball team that had just a fraction of the resources we have in terms of coaching, equipment and facilities, our student-athletes saw that there were people eager to get better at their craft, just as we are. We have so many more similarities than dissimilarities.
It doesn't matter if people have different socioeconomic backgrounds or educational levels. At the core, people just want to be happy and share, love and be connected.
What we do on the ballfield is such a small part of our life experience. We use the ballfield to teach the lessons of adversity and create powerful and lasting experiences. That's also what we hoped to teach them through this trip experience. We wanted to give them a perspective that they don't consider in their day-to-day lives, and we want them to become empowered through the sum of their experiences.
Friday, Oct. 11 | DTW > MIA > HAV
By Madison Uden
Team 43 was excited at wake up -- 6 a.m. came early -- but we had to get to the clubhouse at 6:30 to load the bus. We prefaced our trip by listening to Cuban music all week at practice and dusting off our high school Spanish. By 10 a.m., we were pulling out our passports to get through security, and by 10:45 we were wheels up to Miami. Three hours later we landed in Miami International Airport, where we enjoyed our last American cuisines. Before we knew it, our visas were stamped and we filled up three-quarters of the plane to Havana.
From there, the plane ride went quick and was filled with beautiful views and clear skies. We soon marveled at Key West's beauty from 30,000 feet up, and 30 minutes later, we could see where the Caribbean Sea crashed into the walls of Cuba. By the time we arrived, our taste buds were ready for some authentic Cuban food. We got off the plane, counted our bag tags and made it through customs where we met our tour guides -- Nate, Daniel and Ivan (a Cuba native). Phones were flashing left and right at this point and our skin felt warm again -- a temperature we haven't felt in Ann Arbor for a few weeks now.
Stomachs grumbling, we loaded the two buses and went to dinner at La Finca, where we enjoyed fresh croquettes, fried plantains, beef and vegetables. YUM! Not going to lie, we used a lot of "gracias" and "por favor" to slide our way by the first night. Thankfully, Thais (Gonzalez) and Natalia (Rodriguez) were willing to be our teachers for the week. We finished off our meals with torta con helado for dessert and made it back to our hotel with eyes half open. It was a long day of travel, and our beds were calling our names.
Goodnight, Havana.
Saturday, Oct. 12 | An Atypical Game Day in Havana
By Alex Storako
First full day in Havana, and it is gorgeous. Breakfast had a variety of different meats like chorizo, bacon, ham as well as an egg station. As we departed the hotel, we had another guide, Polo, join the buses. He took us through four separate squares throughout Old Havana or "Habana Viejo." In the streets of Havana, you're greeted with smiles and welcomes and the occasional question if we were Americans. No matter where we went, we heard music and sounds of old cars honking away. We met many people and community pets -- more often than not, dogs -- and saw all the different embassies and architecture throughout the city. My personal favorite building was the Havana Cathedral.
Every meal we have had has been filling and full of flavor! I have surprised myself with the new things I have tried and how my taste buds have expanded. We eventually got back to our hotel and changed into our uniforms for our first game. There was a little league game being played right before us. Our game began soon after, and you could feel the excitement in the air. We learned that their starting pitcher was 26 years old, and many of her teammates were around the same age. The fans were excited to see and interact with us. They snuck pictures and asked for selfies. The little boys loved being next to the dugout and asking questions.
After the game, the teams took a big group photo at home plate. But it was right after the picture was taken that we had the most amazing interaction. The teams stood at home plate, spoke to each other and translated for one another to learn as much as we could about each other. The laughs and giggles at our poor Spanish made us laugh and giggle ourselves. It was a lot to take in, but we all tried our best to communicate over our love for softball.
Hutch had been told, before the trip, that the people in Cuba appreciate everything, so we should bring as much stuff as possible to leave for the people we met. We took it upon ourselves to assign each class something to bring to give to the players and fans -- from simple toiletries to softball and Michigan gear. All the things that we take for granted in America meant so much to the Cubans, and for many of them, it brought tears to their eyes. The simple gift of sharing can go so far with others.
Sunday, Oct. 13 | Down in the (Viñales) Valley
By Haley Hoogenraad
We got up early and loaded up the bus for a three-hour ride west to Viñales. There we went to visit Los Cuevos del Indio, which were some caves within the mountain where we got to hike as a group for a while before taking a short boat ride to look at the inside of the caverns. It was absolutely beautiful!
Later we drove to another part of Viñales, where we visited a tobacco farm to see how the famous Cuban cigars are grown and then rolled. Upon arrival we had an entirely home-cooked meal made from all things on the farm, as well as some Cuban coffee that was fantastic. The plantation was in an absolutely gorgeous valley within the mountains, and we had to take a horse and carriage taxi to get there. Afterward, we made the drive home, and along the way we stopped for another great meal together.
My favorite part of that day definitely had to be taking in the amazing scenery at the tobacco plantation. It was stunning. Even in Havana, the city feels like a journey back in time. The countryside where we visited is even more so, and the nature of it was beautiful.
Monday, Oct. 14 | Language of Softball
By Lou Allan
Monday was another great day. We started off with a morning game against Cuba, and afterward we got to host a clinic with the team and the younger girls in their community. Most of the clinic was taken over by talking and getting to know these incredible people. We got to understand their community firsthand and had so much fun doing it. We ended with a dance party between our two teams and got to communicate through music, which made everyone happy.
Even with the language barrier we could still all enjoy our sport together and realize that this trip was much more than just going there to play some softball. We ended the night with a fancy farewell dinner that gave us time to reflect on the trip. I am so thankful I got to visit this country, because it gave me a new perspective through how grateful we are as Michigan student-athletes to have the opportunity to play the sport that we do.
It has been the experience of a lifetime. I didn't know what to expect going into it, but as I was immersed in this culture, I realized what beauty there is in the world. The biggest takeaway I have from the trip is how incredible the people are. They continuously work hard and care for each other no matter what. They are gritty and strong-willed people. It amazes me because they are not focusing on themselves; they are worried more about their families and the people around them. I am going to strive to be that person that genuinely cares for others.
Tuesday, Oct. 15 | Reflections
By Julia Jimenez
Our last day in Cuba started with one final team workout in the morning and some time to hang out by the pool before leaving the hotel around noon. As we all headed to our last lunch in Cuba, we took in the beautiful last bits of the city. Cuba is a beautiful country, and we all enjoyed sightseeing across the cities of Havana and Viñales. It was an amazing experience that I will forever remember, and there were many memories I will take back with me. I will forever appreciate the country I live in because when you visit countries that are less fortunate, it opens your eyes and allows you to appreciate everything that you have.
I can't pick out one specific thing about this trip that was my favorite because there were just so many. I wouldn't take back anything we did and saw. Everywhere we went was a new experience and a beautiful place to be. This country has so much to explore, and I am forever grateful I was able to do it with my team. Throughout the trip, we played the teams of Havana and Cuba. We visited the four squares of Havana, went to caves, and ate at the prettiest restaurants that had amazing food. I hope to go again so I could explore more of the cities we did not get to and go back to help the people that are less fortunate.
Champions Fund: International travel is one of the seven areas supported by the Michigan Athletics Champions Fund, an investment in the most meaningful areas for student-athletes at the University of Michigan. Those areas are: counseling, career and leadership development, nutrition, athletic medicine, strength and conditioning, international travel, and recruiting. For more information or to support the Champions Fund, visit Support.MGoBlue.com.
