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Expect color
Color abounds in Cuba, from the pastel colors of the houses, to the art that hangs on the walls and that is sold in the streets. Below, a wall at the Habana Compas Dance Company.
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Expect history
Havana is a very old city, in fact, it just celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2019. From centuries of Spanish occupation, to Hemingway, to the more recent Revolution, history lives beneath the surface of Havana. Below, a view of the Ambos Mundos hotel, where Hemingway kept an apartment.
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Expect surprises
From dancing outside in the first rain in May, to the infamous agua mala, to the cats at Don Alexis’s restaurant, there were many moments on our trip that defied expectation, the ones that can only be classified as adventures that await on the road.
The infamous agua mala.
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[Note: Though the following piece is a dispatch from December, it's a great reminder that Salve's campus has many opportunities for community and learning—from events sponsored by the Mercy Spiritual Center, to sports, arts, invited speakers etc. As full-time students, you are invited to all campus activities. The following piece is a beautiful look at one. For more Salve events visit https://today.salve.edu/]
Festival of Light
By Sara Dunham
As a graduate student in the low-residency Newport MFA program, I enjoy on-campus classes and the camaraderie of my fellow students twice a year. However, I craved more connection to the University and its rich heritage between these residencies. So when I discovered the Mercy Center for Spiritual Life was hosting a Festival of Lights program on December 4, my curiosity was piqued. The event was described as a multi-faith gathering to celebrate peace and justice in the world.
Peace and justice seem to be in short supply these days, so on one of the darkest days of the year, I hopped into my car and traveled to the Great Hall of Ochre Court, curious to know more about the Mercy Center. I wanted to make new connections within the Salve community and was eager to see more of Salve’s student life. As I walked up the drive to Ochre Court, thousands of tiny lights shimmered against the icy night sky. In the Great Hall, undergrads, faculty and local residents mingled. I took a seat next to the grand piano. A member of the Mercy Center introduced the event while bringing attention to the plight of refugees and struggling immigrants.
Expecting a Christian ceremony, I was thrilled to find an inter-denominational platform, which included the lighting of the Peace Candle, Hindu Diwali Diyas, Jewish Hanukiah, Christian Advent Wreath, and Muslim Fanoos. I was struck by the exquisiteness of the Fanoos, which means lantern in Greek, as it is considered the light of the world. The Hanukkah menorah, also chanukiah or hanukkiah has nine cups, eight representing the holidays and the ninth to light the others. The Hindu Diya is an oil lamp and represents enlightenment. How lovely to be surrounded by so many cultures and their religions in one space.
Much of the program focused on the refugee crisis, especially in Syria. Student groups performed, and a soloist sang choral music while a dancer performed alongside. We participated in a breathing exercise to breathe in peace and breathe out love – a perfect antidote for holiday stress.
The evening ended with a chocolate reception. Dangerous but delicious! I discovered that the Mercy Center, located in the garden level of Our Lady of Mercy Chapel, promotes spiritual life on the campus while offering a chance to participate in universal justice. Mercy in Motion is a student-led group that highlights community, and grad students are welcome to use the Mercy Center as well. It was great to see so many young people involved in social justice and made me feel thrilled to be part of such a community. I am glad I ventured out to connect with Salve’s community, and I look forward to doing so in the future – if study time allows of course!
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Because you can never have enough books. Recommendations provided by our esteemed faculty members.
Nonfiction
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
The Wave in the Mind by Ursula K LeGuin
Wormholes by John Fowles
Fiction
Portrait of a Lady or Roderick Hudson, Henry James
The Lover, Marguerite Duras
Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel García Márquez
The House of Mirth & The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton
Poetry
Blessing the Boats, Lucille Clifton
Faithful and Virtuous Night, Louise Glück
Craft Books
Triggering Town, Richard Hugo
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King
Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
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Editors: Marissa Gallerani & Rachael Souza
We are grateful to these editors for all their hard work. Thank you both! We look forward to seeing the work of our next editors.
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