Meet EEAbroad Cuba Country Director & Virtual Learning producer: Alejandro Murillo
Meet Alejandro! Alejandro is our Cuba Country Director and Virtual Learning Producer. In this blog, we interview Alejandro about life in Cuba and how his role has changed since COVID-19, with a new focus on creating engaging virtual learning modules aimed to substitute canceled study abroad programs and internationalize course curriculums. Ultimately, our goal, and new matra, is to inspire students to
Learn Now, Travel Later!
Along with the interview, don't miss the video of behind the scenes footage of Alejandro and EEAbroad virtual learning in the making. Alejandro and the rest of the production team have been working hard to pave the way for virtual learning. As a result, EEAbroad students can continue to become mindful travelers and have meaningful international experiences despite the current circumstances.
We hope you enjoy learning more about Alejandro, his experiences in Cuba, his love of leading student groups, and how virtual travel is a new reality. Alejandro is an invaluable part of the team at EEAbroad, and we greatly appreciate his dedication and care in all that he does. Alejandro’s love for Cuba, student travel, and learning from new experiences truly shines through in his interview.
How long have you worked for EEAbroad?
I have worked for EEAbroad as the Cuba Country Director for over two and a half years — it will be three years in May.
What does your role as Cuba Country Director entail?
I’m the boots on the ground involved in Cuba operations. I receive student groups upon arrival, and I’m basically with them until they leave. I take them to all activities and lectures. I do my best to orient them to Cuban society and culture. If a student has a special interest or desire, like perhaps they studied baseball or want to pursue a marketing career in sports, I’ll organize coffee with an editor of a sports magazine here in Cuba. Or if a student likes working out, I’ll find a gym for them so they can learn about Cuba through that lens, meet Cubans there, see what machines they have, and what improvisations they may do.
For me, travel has been mind-blowing and important in my life. I think facilitating that for students is really important, too.
How has your role as Cuba Country Director changed since COVID-19?
Unfortunately, most groups have canceled due to COVID, so my role has been more work based at home on my computer, which is very different for me. Normally, I’m busy running around, greeting groups at the airport, going to restaurants, scouting new contacts and partnerships with artists, restaurants, housing, basically any new happenings in Cuba. For example, if there’s a new fashion store, I’ll check it out. A lot of times, the barometer I use is if I like it or think it's interesting, I think, “Let's try incorporating it into our programming.” So program design is also something I used to do a lot. If a university or professor says they want to come to Cuba, gives us their syllabus, and tells us what the professor wants to accomplish, we find specific things in Havana and around Cuba to address the themes and questions they want to explore and answer in their syllabus or course.
So my role has changed from being out and about in the field to more office work. At first, it was a lot of social media, revamping Instagram (@EEAbroad), and now it’s all about producing virtual learning. It's been fun and is something new in the study abroad industry — we're helping blaze the trail with this new medium in study abroad. For virtual learning, we're collaborating with the same contacts as we always do for lectures, cultural experiences, and case studies. Basically, we’re producing the same content we teach students on our programs, but the difference is getting up at 6 a.m. to film, which is totally dependent on the weather and lighting. I’ve always secretly loved film, especially action movies, so it's been a fun new challenge.
What do you love about Cuba?
I love the music. My friends make fun of me because I know more about Cuban music than music in the U.S. Salsa music and associated genres get my heart pumping and make me feel alive. Of course, I also love other genres such as blues, R&B, jazz, and classical. Music is what brought me to Cuba — I came here to study music and was already singing in salsa music student ensembles in the Bay Area (where I grew up). While I was studying in Cuba, I fell in love with Cuba and literally fell in love with a young lady who was studying dance at the art school I attended.
I also love living in a foreign country because it's an adventure. Every day you learn something new — someone may laugh at you or yell at you because you do something wrong, but it’s because you’re learning about the culture every day. In some ways, I feel at home here. I think it has something to do with that here in Cuba, I'm the Latino majority, and in the U.S., I'm the Latino minority. And that is sort of comforting. It’s something I haven't really thought too much about it, but maybe it’s that there are more people who look like me here than in the U.S.
Alejandro visiting and helping EEAbroad partners at an organic farm outside of Havana.
What's it like to live in Cuba?
Like I said, living in Cuba is sort of like an adventure. Because of the political relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, there's a lot of policies that come out of the U.S. that affect daily life here. For example, the Trump administration cutting out crew ships and stopping remittances because of the alleged U.S. sonic attacks, which also prompted the closing of the U.S. embassy. And this was all after the Obama administration had normalized the U.S. - Cuba relationship. Also, Cuba just unified the two national monetary currencies. So there's a lot of constant change, and no one can really predict anything. You have to wake up every morning with your eyes wide open to see what’s happening.
Another thing is there are chronic shortages in Cuba — it's a reality of daily life here. Also, the rolling blackouts, which at any given time, the electricity could go out for 15 minutes, an hour, or 4 hours. You don’t know; maybe it’s because they're doing some work somewhere, but it is normal.
Shopping in Cuba is very different — it takes up a lot of time. You have to go to several stores to find everything you need because you won’t find it all at the same store. One store may only have five products in stock, but a lot of those five things. For example, mayonnaise may be on the shelf of an entire wall of a store. Sometimes what you make for dinner is based on what’s available, rather than what you want or what is called for in a recipe you just found.
Finally, I like the social aspect of Cuba — in general, I think it’s a warmer society than the U.S. If you ask someone for directions, they're going to talk to you. Random people talk to you all the time, such as asking what time it is if they see you’re wearing a watch. I enjoy the social aspect of Cuba.
Tell us about virtual learning. What is the goal of EEAbroad virtual learning?
On the business side of things, we’re trying to keep Cuba on the minds of students, hoping to teach them about the country and inspire future travel. We also want to support our local contacts here in Cuba by continuing to collaborate with them, such as our expert lecturers who teach students on our programs. These partners of ours are also taking a cut in income, so virtual learning helps them, too. Overall, I think virtual learning is presently geared towards students to learn about Cuba, at a time when study abroad programs must be canceled. However, it’s no substitute for travel but watching a 50-minute video about environmental history led by a local expert on a farm in Cuba is an interesting way to learn about another country. Even though we can’t leave our classrooms or homes, it’s a way to virtually travel and it hopefully ignites interest to study abroad in Cuba one day.
What are your goals when directing a virtual learning shoot?
Oftentimes lecturers are not used to being filmed, so my goal is to help them conceptualize how to deliver their message in an engaging manner for video because it’s different. I have to help them envision what the end product is going to be, which is why we divide lectures into two film sessions — a session in the studio and a session in the streets in front of places or landmarks that have to do with their material. In the video, it’s edited together, so the lecturer has to organize their content accordingly, so they're not repeating themselves. I just try to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible in front of the camera. Some folks are shy; some have no problem in front of the camera. I want them to be as personable as possible and not too serious or stiff. In the end, the human imperfections and idiosyncrasies make the video interesting.
Alejandro with a group of students from New York University.
What makes an EEAbroad virtual learning module interesting?
I try to change up shooting locations, so there’s a diversity of images, textures, and shots, so it’s not all in the studio. We encourage our lecturers to interact with everyday Cubans. For example, we want interaction with the street peanut vendor or our taxi driver. There’s magic in those unscripted moments, and students can get a feel for what every day Cuba is like and how Cubans may interact. Maybe it’s a totally normal conversation between a lecturer and taxi driver, but that's powerful in itself. A student may think, “Oh wow, I see that in Cuba, people talk the same to a taxi driver as I would in the U.S., or maybe it's different.” That’s enlightening in its own way. Those moments have magic.
What does “Learn Now, Travel Later” mean to you?
Due to COVID-19, we can’t travel, but why not still learn about Cuba and get inspired to travel here later? That’s what that saying, our new mantra, is all about.
What are the benefits of virtual learning?
You can get a taste of being in Cuba without leaving your home. This can be beneficial for students who don't have the budget to study abroad, can’t manage visa deadlines, or the requirements seem too complicated to go somewhere. Virtual learning is a pretty easy way, with minimal investment, to get many students a taste of Cuba.
Behind the scenes filming EEAbroad virtual learning modules.
What makes EEAbroad special and stand out from other providers?
I would say that because we are a small, budding company, we all wear a lot of hats and are motivated to stand out and build a great reputation. When we have a program, we go the extra mile. We're a small company and don't have a million programs, so we're able to give a lot of attention and TLC. We have Claire, the Founder and Director, who is intimate and passionate about Cuba and has traveled here many times. Plus, there's me, the Cuba Country Director. When you have people closely connected to the culture and country, that adds a lot of invisible knock-on effects, which can allow us to go much deeper. We’re going to know about the latest artist that recently popped up, whereas large providers might be distracted with other tasks and are unaware of these things.
Why choose Cuba?
I think that a lot of people say that Cuba is unique and unlike anywhere in the world. I don’t know if I totally buy into that. Of course, each place is unique and special in its own way. I think Cuba has a lot in common with other developing countries. Perhaps the chronic shortages, not the strongest economy, and people’s desire to immigrate to the U.S. or Europe. At least for folks from the U.S., Cuba is fascinating, as there's so much misinformation about Cuba — what the country stands for, the history between the U.S. and Cuba, and because it’s so charged between our two countries, it can be so enlightening to come here. Having a conversation with a Cuban while playing dominoes, you're going to realize they're a human being, just like you. Even though it sounds simple, it's pretty profound.
Cuba is not simply a communist country where everything is painted red, and there are long lines at stores, everywhere. Parts of this country are very dynamic — for example, the young population has a lot of ideas. Cubans are very connected to technology despite websites being blocked, slow connections, and not a lot of disposable income to buy new technology. Young Cubans are up-to-date on the latest trends — they have Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts, there are Influencers here, they stream live, and they get traction. Yes, there are classic cars, but there's also so much more.
What do you look forward to once in-country travel resumes?
I miss the students. It’s fun getting to know a group of students and going through the same challenging experience together. You form inside jokes, group cohesion, and identity. For some students, it’s their first time out of the country. I enjoy being a part of their experience, and I know how powerful it is. I know it sounds cliché, but it's inspiring. These students are the future; this is the new generation — they're bright, they've got ideas, and they're spunky.
Alejandro exploring the lush countryside near Baracoa.
Who's your ideal student/traveler?
I most enjoy working and traveling with folks who come to Cuba with an open mind. Students and travelers who are curious, open to learning, and are willing to have their preconceived notions changed or informed. We all travel with preconceived notions — I think it’s a matter of being open to learning. I enjoy traveling with people who are open to trying new experiences. Perhaps, they have never tried roasted peanuts wrapped in a paper cone off of the street, and they're willing to give it a try and enjoy the thrill. Or maybe they're more timid and don't try the peanuts, but they’ll try another dish, and that's their benchmark. That's totally ok, too, and part of the individual experience.
What's an Alejandro fun fact?
I have run a mile in under 4.5 minutes! One of my current favorite songs is Bemba Colorá by Alain Pérez. Check it out.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like New York Times Cooking — it's my Bible. I like to exercise, and I just joined a new CrossFit gym, and I'm loving it! I also like to hang out with friends. As corny as it sounds, I love sitting on the Malecón with friends, drinking a beer, and watching the sunset — it’s spectacular to see the pinks and the oranges. You can see the Malecón wall wrapping around the edge of Havana with beautiful buildings in the background. All around, it's pretty awesome.