While Cubans have few material possessions, small living quarters, and minimal air conditioning, life and living takes place on the streets; something disappearing in the developed world and a photographers’ dream.

While leading a team of volunteers and working directly alongside local people, via www.globalvolunteers.org I experienced the culture of Ciego de Avila, a city separated geographically by only a 489 mile flight from my Orlando, Florida, home.

While walking between volunteer sites, I encountered life, joy, and warmth. If fear or hesitation arose, I quickly placed a red clown nose on my face, and inevitably, a smile surfaced and a positive connection was made; across borders, across cultures, across politics, across history, and across perceived differences.