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Semester Project – Ellen Coogan

In my first week in Cuba, I was stopped by a Cuban asking me if I was from the U.K. After a little conversation, I learned he had studied there for five years and wished desperately to return and become a citizen there. This summer I worked with immigrants in a legal nonprofit, so his story struck me. I started to wonder more about the rules dictating emigration from Cuba, and the regulations for extended visits to foreign countries, like studying or working abroad. For my project, I will investigate migration, specifically, from Cuba to other countries, and from province to province within Cuba. I’m interested in what pulls Cubans from one area to another. I have also noticed how many Cubans have family members living in the U.S. and other foreign nations. I wonder how distance affects their relationships. How often can they see each other? Are they allowed to visit each other as often as they can afford? By the end of the project, I hope to better understand migration out of and within Cuba.