Meet Our Lucky Contest Winner, Susan Pierce!
It’s not everyday that your average American is awarded a free trip to the once forbidden island known as Cuba. But Susan Pierce, the winner of our Win a Free Trip to Cuba for Two Sweepstakes is more than just your average Joe. I got a chance to speak with the charismatic winner who shared her thoughts and expectations for Cuba as well as her refreshingly animated personality.
For Susan, her interest in Cuba doesn’t stem from the commercial appeal of mojitos and cigars-although they’re definitely a nice bonus. Her curiosity is deep-rooted from her desire to travel and experience the world. As a self-proclaimed habitual volunteer Susan has rescued racing greyhounds for seven years, help start local associations and is a board member of several community organizations. “I want to do some volunteer work there [in Cuba],” she tells me. It could be her recent visits to Guatemala and Mexico that has her scratching the travel bug itch. While there, she helped build a bottle school as well as assist organizations that support families in need. “After going to Guatemala and Puerto Vallarta, which was a resort. I wanted cultural exchanges… this is one of the most awesome things that happened. I’m looking forward to experiencing that [people-to-people activities]. I’m gonna spend hours working on my Spanish!”
“Its tropical, interesting and unknown. It’s just like going back in time, I just want to go,” she says of Cuba. A visit to Ybor City in Tampa really sparked the flame to her curiosity in the tropical nation. Enamored by the Cuban community there, she started looking for legal ways to visit the island herself. “I did some research about it [legal travel to Cuba] and found insightCuba. I requested a brochure and visited the Facebook page, that’s how I found the contest.” With more than 4,000 entries to this sweepstakes many asked who Susan plans on taking to Cuba with her. “My nephew wants to go with me,” she says, but soon confesses that deciding on who to take isn’t an easy feat. One thing is for sure; Susan is ecstatic about her trip! “I can’t stop thinking about being there around those different colored buildings!”
