HAVANA - It might be difficult to get around in Cuba without being able to speak Spanish, but someday it might not be that hard to be understood in Havana if you speak Putonghua.

That is thanks to the interest in free Chinese language and culture classes offeredby the Confucius Institute at the University of Havana.

Situated just across the street from the law school where Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro studied about 60 years ago, the 18-month-old Confucius Institute is one of the youngest additions to the 283-year-old university.