A director of a Kentucky study abroad program is interested in seizing on the educational aspects of Cuba as potential changes develop following the death Fidel Castro on Friday and the first regularly-scheduled commercial flight from Miami to Havana this week.
University of Kentucky professor Doreen Maloney is with the Kentucky Institute for International Studies,’or Kiis program. She said the program offers an opportunity for American students to talk to Cubans.
“There will be such an opportunity to dialogue, talking to Cubans and asking ‘what does this mean?’ ‘what’s goin on?’ You know, how they anticipate their future to change. I mean Cuba without Fidel…we can’t even conceptualize that.”
Castro's death has also shone a light on some political matters, including a tweet from President-Elect President Elect Donald Trump, who wrote Monday: “If Cuba is unwilling to cut a better deal for the Cuban and American people, I will terminate the deal.”
Maloney said she doesn’t think their trip will change if the U.S. reverses agreements with the island nation.
“There were already flights going to and from Havana to Miami two or three times a day, probably for 15 to 20 years. People don’t think that’s true, but it is true.”
Maloney said there isn’t usually a lot of interest in the Kiis Cuba trips. She says price might be a factor, since the Cuban government sets the rate for student travelers. But she says she hopes with recent events that there will be more interest.
West Kentucky Community and Technical College and University of Tennessee at Martin are also offering study abroad trips to Cuba.
And a Lexington based trade consulting group is planning a business trip there for spring 2017.
