I have lived in Miami since the day I was born, now 20 years and counting. Growing up I spent most of my time in the neighborhoods of Coral Gables, Westchester and Key Biscayne. I am quite a stranger in most other parts of South Florida. I have always admired the Latino culture which is so prevalent and strong here in South Florida, as well as the Cuban and Bahamian influences on food, music, dance and entertainment. I am very proudly the son of Cuban immigrants and I am grateful to grow up in such an accepting and inviting cultural crock pot which is Miami. I am in this class to look past the superficial layers of Miami and experience the original and vintage areas of Miami which laid the groundwork to build the booming city we have now. When selecting this class I was fascinated by the weekly adventures we had planned and I now look forward to each class excited and eager like a kid going on a field trip. I am extremely curious about the creation of the town which I have always called home and would appreciate understanding the history and people whom came before us.
The image Miami conjures in my mind is one of Spring Break students partying on South Beach and a lavish city lifestyle with rooftop bars and futuristic service. I picture business moguls and models and nice sports cars and modern skyscrapers. I am in this class to see and experience pockets of Miami which remained genuine and true to the vision of those whom pioneered our beautiful South Florida. I am most looking forward to visiting Chicken Key and venturing throughout an uninhabited island. I am greatly looking forward to the canoe trip and all the potential ocean critters we may encounter. I have always loved being out on the water so out of all the incredible destinations we have planned I am truly most excited for Chicken Key and learning about the marine life. I highly anticipate a calm picnic overlooking the water with a cool breeze hitting our tropical island. Additionally, the potential animals we may encounter within the island and on our canoe trip intrigues me as well. I would be fascinated to see some manatees, sharks, crocodiles, sea turtles, tortoises or snakes.
Furthermore, I am tremendously excited to voyage through the historic downtown Miami. I look forward to learning about the beautiful and tragic history of the Magic City as I have limited knowledge on the subject. I am most excited to visit the HistoryMiami museum as I have never been before and I love admiring artifacts and ancient works. I am excited to experience each week of this course and analyze how my opinions of a particular area may change from prior to our visit to after our in depth experience.
Miami in Miami 