Day 0 (posted late)
Starting today I’ll be spending 89 days in Havana, Cuba. I don’t have anything big planned for this blog during that time. I don’t mean it to be anything too meaningful, just a record of things that happen and a way of efficiently staying in touch. I’ll update it when I can. Here are some things:
It’s 7:45am on Friday 1/28/11. I’m at Boston Logan airport using their free wifi. Within an hour or two I’ll be Nassau-bound to meet up with the Hampshire group.
In going abroad I wanted to be sure I wasn’t going somewhere arbitrarily. For me, studying abroad somewhere should be something you do intentionally. Something you do for more than the weather, the partying, the beaches (those are all good, too, though), or the novelty. So, I’m headed to Cuba because: Hampshire has a longstanding program there that reassures me that the people involved with the program care about the students; the program is very Hampshire-esque in that each student spends the majority of their time conducting an independent project; there’s a homestay; even though I can’t speak for anyone else in the country, I know I’m welcome by people involved with the program; I feel comfortable with the language; tourism is a very interesting topic in a country that, at one time, looked to it (and not much else) to survive; tourism has had a varied and long relationship to the country; it’s apparent that students who have gone previously have built sincere relationships with people; some interesting graphic design has come out of the country.
What I’ve been telling people my project is: doing an ethnography, interviewing tourists asking them what image or experience of Cuba they were hoping to fulfill in visiting the country, then comparing that with what locals have to say. Then taking those findings and designing a poster series or installation. Perhaps in some sort of participatory way that involves locals and tourists.
I think this idea of a touristic image of a country is important and interesting because it is at once dictated by tourists and locals. People flock to certain places because they want to experience something (even if the something is the unknown). Locals often capitalize on this quest by fulfilling those desires. At the same time this defining of a culture by locals shapes what tourists seek. In the grand scheme of things, I think the touristic image is important because it shapes how people perceive other people. Looking at this is a good way through design is a good way of examining both what tourists look for and what locals put forth.
Internet is slow and expensive in Cuba, so I’m not sure how this blogging thing will work out. We’ll see. Maybe once every one or two weeks.
I have one large backpack that goes on my back. One smaller bag that has backpack straps that goes on the front. A regular sized backpack that goes in the left hand. A camera bag that goes in the right hand. The camera bag and backpack have dinky straps that make for tingly hands.
Among other things I’m carrying: mat board scraps from The Guild in Northampton; x-acto knife; cutting mat; ruler; voice recorder; a portfolio box; double-stick archival tape; a Swatch; Div IIIs; letters; chocolate; three high heels; batteries; BBQ sauce; markers; gouache; Wacom tablet; books and photos of books for inspiration; a packet of readings; Hollywood trinkets; letter from the Department of Treasury a proof of Hampshire’s license.
Last night I had a caeser and steak at the hotel last night. Just now I tried to get a cheeseburger from Johnny Rocket’s, but they were only serving breakfast. Over easy, bacon, toast, and potatoes, it is. I hear that food can get a little vegetable-less and monotonous.
I was really lucky to have Courtney and Becca in my mod this January to answer questions. Specifically homestay questions since they have stayed with Maria before.
I’m hoping that the pressure of a three-month stay will force me into starting my project right away. This not only involves talking to tourists, but also figuring out how to. If possible, I’d like to see and use their pictures in my design work since they’re a very literal way of seeing what they see. I think a good icebreaker would be to approach tourists who are posing for pictures (in front of things?) and ask them to take the same picture of me. Doing this would implicate me in this whole thing (which I think is very important, since I’m also a tourist of sorts), but it would also be involving them as they would be the ones creating the image. We’ll see.
10 minutes till boarding and I’m still in Johnny Rocket’s and I still need to send an email out telling everyone about this blog. Until next time.
