Future spring break trips: South Africa 2019, Brazil 2020, Cuba 2021

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on December 6th, 2018 at 6:03 PM

Haven't heard this yet.

South Africa in 2019

Brazil in 2020

CUBA in 2021! 

Crazy. 

 

#Michigan is heading to South Africa in 2019, Brazil in 2020, and Cuba in 2021. It's a big part of why the parents of 4-star Florida State LB commit @KalenDeloach are telling him Jim Harbaugh's plan is the best one for him (VIP) https://t.co/5n2roSBUHD pic.twitter.com/a5Wd0FCPkA

— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) December 6, 2018
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4godkingandwol…

December 6th, 2018 at 9:04 PM ^

I hope you realize the irony of your ignorance. The world bank categorizes Cuba as upper middle income because they take a world view. Your view is highly tainted by your US expectations and therefore you categorize Cuba as a shithole because it’s probably one of the shittiest places you’ve been. News flash, more than 50% of the worlds population would kill to be as rich as the average Cuban. When it comes to categorizing countries by income level I’ll take the world banks view vs yours. As an aside, I highly recommend the book Factfulness. It talks a lot about these issues and how the west views the world in such dire terms even though the growth and improvement across most quality of life indicators shows phenomenal progress. It also notes that our western view helps prevent us from becoming saitisfied with the status quo and part of what drives progress. So in a way we are both right. Cuba is and is not a shit hole. Let’s keep thinking of ways of improving it, including less central control. 

Joined: 08/06/2008

MGoPoints: 31376

budg man

December 7th, 2018 at 12:03 AM ^

Jack,

have you been there?  If not, you don’t know what you are talking about and have no basis for your position

from my recent trip-

1) two cubans said they would get in more trouble for killing a cow than for killing a human.  The government owns all the cows and the # of cows in the country dropped dramatically after Castro took over and confiscated land from the major farmers (and the army ate a lot of cows)

2) if you as an american visitor eat fish, it is bought on the black market.  Again, the government owns all the fish.  We had a couple of beautiful tunas for dinner one night at a house we rented.  The next day we saw two cuban officers walking the beach looking for peope fishing illegally 

3) they use oxen teams to plow the fields and there seem to be more horse drawn buggies than cars (outside of Havana).  I’m going to believe what I saw with my own two eyes not what I read in the popular press

4) the people are afraid to speak up and end up in jail

5) internet access / wifi - HAH!

6) stores - what are these stores you speak of?!  I’ve got pictures

we’ve been fortunate travel the world and I have never seem anything like cuba

I do think a trip to Cuba would be a great thing for the team and a real learning experience 

the Cuban people were amazing, it is too bad they have to live under a dictatorship 

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 558

bacon1431

December 7th, 2018 at 7:54 AM ^

The US has deposed democratically elected officials that have nationalized their country’s resources. And then put US friendly dictators in place. Let’s not act like US foreign policy has been about anything other than imperialism. 

Joined: 07/26/2008

MGoPoints: 25294

UMForLife

December 6th, 2018 at 7:33 PM ^

You know this is about learning. If they are looking for fancy place to go they should stick to America. This is not a competition about the best place to live. They are students and who knows what they would do in life. Learning about other countries, including shitholes (I don't agree by the way), would not be a bad idea.

Joined: 11/04/2013

MGoPoints: 63393

UMForLife

December 6th, 2018 at 10:18 PM ^

I feel like it may be the posters making this to be a cute destination but I am not seeing much of that either. This is about learning good and bad. Some people may disagree with you about not being a cute destination including myself. It has its charm. Just because of the government you cannot discount the beauty and the local traditions. It is up to each person to decide that. I just have a problem with generalization. 

Joined: 11/04/2013

MGoPoints: 63393

DrMantisToboggan

December 6th, 2018 at 8:42 PM ^

I didn’t say there weren’t starving people in those countries, and I know there are issues everywhere in the world. You’re going after something I didn’t say.

Everything I said about Cuba comes from experience. I commented on Cuba because I’ve been there and experienced it and talked to Cuban people. I haven’t been to Brazil or SA so I can’t comment on their problems.

Joined: 11/26/2014

MGoPoints: 74183

MGlobules

December 6th, 2018 at 9:59 PM ^

I rented a car and drove all over the country for a week (was there on an ag fact-finding mission with reps from a major university). Lots of poverty there, but saw none as great as I can point you to in trailer parks outside my own city. Also heard lots of complaints about the government, but they were different than I had heard or read in the US press--many people complained that there was too much change. Some complained about a (then) new program that was de-collectivizing many of the big Soviet-style ag cooperatives and giving land to young couples. No rich people, but we did go to a resort briefly, where we met a bunch of Israelis (Israel and Canada were at the time Cuba's two biggest trading partners). I am not a fan of the resort system because Cubans can't afford it. Funny, though, we never complain about similar conditions here--or in Jamaica, for that matter (place I travel to regularly). People we met at the U of Havana were, quietly, eager for Fidel to pass on. They thought that he had failed to hand the revolution over to the people. Interestingly, we met no one who wanted the US to invade or take over; many people feared an onslaught of commercialism when inevitable changes came. No one wanted to give up their universal healthcare or education system which--ignorant or not--they were very proud of. 

Cuba's a much more interesting and mixed bag than the ideologues, either side, tend to let on. 

P.s. I like the idea that they're going to look at places that have problems, maybe think about them a little. All three countries have tons of beautiful spots to visit as well, none of them quite so picked over by mass tourist eyeballs. These will be much more unique experiences. 

Joined: 11/17/2008

MGoPoints: 47794

outsidethebox

December 6th, 2018 at 10:25 PM ^

Thanks for your attempt to bring some sanity to this outbreak. I have not been to Cuba but I know many people who have been there many times. The bottom line is that it is good for people to see how other people and cultures operate.

My vote is for Vietnam. Saigon and Hanoi are most fascinating cities. 

 

Joined: 01/23/2017

MGoPoints: 18816

303john

December 6th, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^

I am all for the culture and quest for knowledge. I would like a trip in the late fall to the Big 10 championship game. 

Joined: 10/01/2014

MGoPoints: 1307

SBayBlue

December 6th, 2018 at 6:20 PM ^

I've been to both Cuba and Brazil. Surprised about the latter as it's super dangerous now according to many Brazilian friends. (They just broke their own murder rate record and their new Prez Bolsonaro got stabbed. People are leaving the country.)

Cuba though is stunning.

Joined: 06/29/2015

MGoPoints: 3589

Solecismic

December 6th, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^

These aren't countries where American football is even on the map. I'm surprised, if they want to experience a place most of us don't get a chance to see where there are increasing opportunities for football players (mostly those whose parents emigrate here before high school), that they don't choose Nigeria.

Or when our neat little supply of kickers runs out, maybe Australia or New Zealand. Rather remarkable how many punters in the NFL grew up playing Aussie football.

Joined: 11/27/2016

MGoPoints: 7239