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Hello all:

Last year at the IABS meetings in Costa Rica I mentioned to a number of folks that I was planning a Virginia Tech study abroad program to Costa Rica and Cuba.  A good many of colleagues I told this to responded by asking "Can I come?"  I actually did not know the answer at the time but it proved to be a moot question because the existing travel restrictions made the planned program to both countries too expensive and it was cancelled.

This coming academic year a VT  colleague (Devi Gnyawali) and I are planning a program just to Cuba (March 4-12, 2017), and after much back and forth with the university administration we recently learned that we CAN take faculty (as well as their spouses or partners) from Virginia Tech and other universities.   Below is an announcement that contains details of the program.  If you are considering starting a study abroad program to Cuba at your own school this would be a good way to get some first-hand exposure to the country before you go there and are responsible for a group of students.  There might even be money available at your school for a "study abroad planning trip".   You could even bring some of your own students on this program and their program fee would be lower because they would have more roommates but they would have to pay Virginia Tech tuition for the three credit course associated with this program. 

If you have never led a study abroad program I strongly recommend going on one as a participant before you are solely responsible for a group of undergraduate students in a foreign country, particularly one like Cuba where the drinking age is 18 and I am told the alcohol flows freely at most meals.  (I would be glad to regale you with stories of troubles my students have gotten in over the years.)

If you are an experienced at study abroad however and want to develop a program to Cuba on your own I can recommend the educational travel company (EF-Education First in Boston) that we have been working with.  They have lots of experience packaging educational programs to Cuba and you can find their website at: www.efcollegestudytours.com   (By the way if you see a message on their website that our program is full, you can ignore that--it is a mistake they are taking down).

If you are planning to participate in the program you should register before the end of the month after which the travel agency's prices will be going up due to rising costs in Cuba.  In order for you to enroll you should call EF's Traveler Support: 877-485-4184 and give them the group trip number: 1823736VY.   

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  I will be attending both the AoM and SBE meetings in Anaheim if you want to speak with me in person.

Cuba Study Abroad Program

Spring Break, March 4-12, 2017

Devi Gnyawali and I (Rich Wokutch) from the Department of Management, Pamplin College of Business are very pleased to announce an exciting new study abroad program to Cuba scheduled for Spring Break 2017.  This had previously been approved as a regular study abroad program for students but we also received approval faculty and spouses or partners to participate as well.  Given the swiftly changing relations between the US and Cuba and the rapid changes in Cuba itself we think this is a particularly exciting time to visit the country.  Between us Devi and I have led over 20 study abroad programs to Asia, Europe and New Zealand. 

The focus of the program will be quite broad, looking at various aspects of social, economic, political, and cultural activities in this rapidly changing society.  The program highlights include:

·       Day 1: Fly to Miami (from a DC airport) and do a tour of Little Havana

·       Day 2-4: Fly to Cuba and spend next 2 days in Havana

·       Day 4: Havana +  Mayabeque

·       Day 5: Havana + Cienfuegos

·       Day 6: Cienfuegos + Trinidad

·       Day 7-8: Cienfuegos + Santa Clara

·       Day 9: Return to USA

Program Fee:  The program fee is $4235 for faculty. The fee includes roundtrip airfare from Washington D.C., all lodging (double rooms), meals, ground travel, and entrance fees. All participants will have to purchase travel insurance through CISI but we will coordinate this.   Cuba is very expensive and the prices keep rising as more Americans travel there, but we have been able to negotiate a good rate from an educational travel company (EF: Education First located in Boston), which is experienced in Cuban travel.   The $4235 rate is guaranteed until the end of July.  The balance of program fees will be due November 1. The program fee for students is $3995 but they would have to pay Virginia Tech tuition for the three credit course associated with this program.  (Faculty and spouses/partners, of course, would not pay this.)

Some examples of the types of activities on the program include the following:  walking tour of Little Havana (in Miami), visits to University of Havana, a community day center, several national parks, Ernest Hemingway Museum/former residence, several small scale enterprises, an art school, and the Bay of Pigs Museum.  We will also attend an orchestra performance and interact with a local sports team. A fuller description of program activities is available at:http://www.efcollegestudytours.com/eLiterature/DBD/2016/CUAA.pdf

In order to register for the program and lock in the current program price you will need to call Education First at 1-877-485-4184 and make a $500 deposit (they accept credit cards).  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 540 231-5084 or 540 915-2025 or wokutch@vt.edu .  Devi can be reached via email at devi@vt.edu

Best wishes, Rich Wokutch

Richard E. Wokutch, PhD
Pamplin Professor of Management

Department of Management (0233)
2017 Pamplin Hall
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061 

wokutch@vt.edu

ph: (540) 231-5084

cell 540 915-2025