My Trip to Cuba

It was during a trip to Cuba in 2004 that I discovered the need to learn Spanish. I was there on a photography course with a small, dedicated group of fellow photographers documenting the people and places we came across in and around Havana. Not talking to people there is near impossible considering how open and friendly they are. The problem for me was I could only say a few words in Spanish.

Needless to say conversations in Cuba were short with lots of smiles, nods and attempts to break the awkwardness by showing people my camera. However, despite the limited vocabulary the trip was an unforgettable experience and the people I met and photographed were inspiring. But it made me think about what a different experience it would have been if I'd been able to speak to them.

I've been taking lessons at Spanish for Business & Life with Juan Carlos for about a year, nothing crazy, just one night a week. The difference now is that I could hold a conversation in Spanish for more than 10 seconds thanks to the fun, informal lessons. Each class puts a strong emphasis on conversation, there's no painful grammar and vocabulary drills to memorize so learning to speak comes more naturally.

I'm now looking forward to another trip to Cuba in the not so distant future when I'll be able to string more than a few words together. Thanks to Juan I'll be speaking more confidently, getting to really know the people there...and snap some killer photos at the same time!

You can see more pictures of my trip in the Cuba section of my website: http://www.garrywaller.com/

by Garry Waller.