Happy 2018, everyone!  This year has been a doozy.  2017 was the year of Trump, but also #metoo.  This was the year that made my generation scared and angry and politically polarized in a way I’d never seen before.  Personally, this was a tough year.  I moved out of a terrible living situation with a vindictive landlord.  I pinched pennies and spent a lot of time worrying about how to pay the bills.  My SO and I navigated hard times and said, “If we can make it through this, we can make it through anything.”

This was also the year that I was accepted to NYU graduate school (and did really well! I just got my grades back and I can definitely hang), met with great friends in Montreal, traveled with my family to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, moved into a MUCH better living situation, and started this blog.

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So, 2018, show me what you’ve got!  I may have closed out 2017 with a really gross stomach flu, but I’m kicking off 2018 with travels to Cuba!  24 hours from now, I will be on a flight to warmer climates, bringing my total countries visited to 18.  I’m traveling with a grad school class, so I’ll be trying to learn as much as possible.

In the meantime, here are some things I’ve been using to prepare:
1. Cuba Libre Story: This Netflix documentary series is a great walkthrough of Cuban history.  It’s incredibly well done and moves fluidly.
2. Cuba and the Cameraman: This one is also a Netflix documentary by Jon Alpert.  This was recommended by the professor, but while I found the footage interesting, it seemed to be more about the documentarian than about Cuba.
3. Lonely Planet: I dug through most of these articles and there are some really helpful tips in here!
4. The Culture Trip: This is a great list of don’ts for Cuba.  A key one that I didn’t know was “Don’t take photos of police or soldiers” – this is a crime and you could be charged with espionage.
5. GloboTreks: The most useful article I’ve found is GloboTreks’ 40+ Things You Must Know Before Traveling to Cuba (Especially If You’re American).  This had the most practical advice and quick tips about getting there and getting around.

I’ll have limited access to internet, so I won’t be able to post until I get back.  Happy New Year, see you soon!