From Cuba to Venice, a trip between two islands

I leave the Caribbean Sea, cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach the Adriatic Sea. A journey of 14 hours and 8540 kilometers to get from Cuba to Venice. From one island to another. However, the concept of “island” has mutated in the transition. Whereas in Cuba “island” is culturally conceived as isolation, confinement, solitude, in Venice it is seen as beauty, uniqueness and wellbe-ing. In this article, I observe the profound differences between the two territories regarding the cultural vision of concepts such as island, sea, water or border, based on my own experience as a Cuban exchange student in “the city of water”.