Cuba 2011

In 2011 I was lucky enough to be asked to teach in Cuba. The course was a short (3 week) wildlife documentary course at the International Film School (EICTV) and a totally new experience for me.

My role was to teach basic lighting and camera to the students, who came from all over the Spanish speaking world.

My first experience of the journey was at Manchester airport, at the Air France check-in desk. “Sorry sir but we can’t accept a copy of your visa”. But this is what the school sent me and said it would be OK. Sorry sir but we can’t accept a copy of your visa; you might be able to get one at the Thompson desk or the Thomas Cook desk. It was Sunday and I was in terminal 3, the two tour operators where in terminal 2, for those of you who don’t know Manchester airport, they are about a mile apart. So two bags and a large holdall in tow, I had an hour to trace the tour operators and beg for a visa to Cuba. Thanks to both Thompson's and Thomas Cook for their help and understanding, I got a visa!

The next challenge was at Charles De Goal airport in Paris, a place were you need a lot of help to navigate the vast metropolis of terminals, and as a further challenge, the French staff keep giving you misleading directions!

As I disembarked off the plane after a long flight, I was greeted by an official holding a card with my name on it. She gave me my visa and whisked me off through customs and immigration as a VIP, ending up in the VIP lounge with a welcoming cold bear, yes this is the way to do it.

Then my driver picked up my baggage for me and escorted me to his minibus, an old Toyota that had seen better days. I noticed that the steering wheel had padding on it and I was about to find out why!!!  With seat belts on and foot to the floor, he drove like a bat out of hell. “Esta lejos” I asked (is it far), no, 45 minutes, he replied in broken English, and at the speed he was going that came as no surprise, even if it should have taken more like an hour!

When I arrived at the school I was shown my accommodation by the lady who holds the keys. It was a two bedroom apartment with a kitchen and bathroom, I have pictures! Nobody told me that I would have to share my accommodation with………the wildlife! Geckos and lizards freely patrolled the walls hovering up any nasty mosquitoes and other biting bugs. The floor had a constant parade of beetles, ants and millipedes patrolling, I didn’t realise this would get worse at night…. Life was good.