More than 2,000
foreign students graduated this year in Cuba
• 30,000 youth from around the
world studying in Cuban universities
BY NAVIL GARCIA
ALFONSO – Granma International staff
writer—
JULIO Marcelo Arias Castañeda is a fresh
electrical engineer graduate from the José Antonio
Echevarría Higher Polytechnic Institute of Havana.
The young Ecuadorian was elected best all round
foreign university student. Along with him, 2,000
new professionals that have finished their studies
in Cuba are ready to return to their countries of
origin.
After five years on the island, he briefly
described his experience and how Cuba influenced the
building of his future.
"As happens with all foreigners, the first year
was hard. To leave our land, our home, our families,
and abandon everything in order to start from zero
was a difficult decision. On more than one nostalgic
occasion I felt down and the day I would return
seemed very far away. Because five years, in truth,
passes quickly, but at first one doesn’t think so
and time seems interminable."
However, you came with the certainty that the
effort would not be in vain.
"From the beginning I realized that Cuban people
really respect our effort to come here. This was
something that worried me, because the bilateral
agreements require Cuba to guarantee us housing and
food, as well as a high level of education; but they
can’t oblige their people to like us, to protect us
like they have all these years, and to be our
friends freely and spontaneously, to open the doors
of their homes
¼ There
were many difficult moments, of high tension, but
the support of our school mates, professors, and
even some officials kept us from giving up."
Do you think that you received a solid
professional training?
"Without any doubt. I think that for Cuba, the
objective was not only to give us a scholarship, but
also to guarantee our success by integrating us into
university life. Our participation in sporting,
scientific and cultural activities fostered positive
academic results. In addition, it must be understood
that Cuba trains decent professionals who are
devoted to the development of their countries. In
contrast the developed powers offer grants with the
goal of stealing the talent of poor nations and in
order to assure their intellectual dominance. Here
we have been able to tap into all our potential
because we had the best professors. To this I should
add that the Cuban government has dedicated a lot of
resources to upgrade our study materials; we had
completely modern text books covering advanced
technology and, most importantly, we had the highest
level professors, many of them internationally
recognized."
Now you will establish yourself professionally in
an economic system completely different than what
you have experienced for several years. How do you
expect to handle it?
"My experience here has made me more human and
sensitive; more generous. In terms of the search for
solutions to public problems, I am more prepared now.
In honor of the truth, I have to say that all this
time there has not been the slightest insinuation
with respect to our beliefs or our ideological
concepts. There was never pressure regarding our
political definition or our opinion about socialism
or the government of this nation. If we leave here
dedicated to the proletarian struggle it is because
we have seen with our own eyes how the Revolution
that advocated social justice has been able to
assure the integral progress of the people. This
country emphasizes collective development and its
achievements in sports and social issues are
undeniable. Despite the lack of resources and the
economic needs, Cuba is an example of
internationalism and has given hope to the
marginalized of the earth with its voluntary
assistance and its missions of solidarity."
