This man did not study teaching, but he seems to have this profession in the bottom of his heart. Many of his students pay attention to him and they have become good professionals in his workshop. And as if he had escaped from Silvio Rodriguez ‘s song , anyone could think that Rafael is a "repairman of dreams."

From the entrance, the flag, a small bust of Jose Martí(Cuba’s National Hero ), the shield, the blackboard , a picture of Abel Santamaría (the martyr that gives name to this place that became an attached classroom) and also there is a table, and three banks as part of the environment..

But above all, what really calls the attention is the organization of the workshop located at José Ramón López Peña people’s council in San Cristóbal Township .Each area or element is identified by a name. It seems Rafael González does not miss the slightest detail, that is why he is considered a fussy person".

Rafael shares this task with teacher Anelys Ortiz who has a great responsibility in the functioning of the sheet metal work’s adjoining classroom, the only of its kind in the municipality. His wife Maricela Martinez supports him a lot and has become a mother for 19 sophomores of that specialty, who study at Batalla de Rubi Polytechnic Institute , and have been linked to the workshop since last school year.

According to Lidia Caridad Bazar, the director of the school, "when the specialty was opened, we talked to Rafael who did not refuse to train the students."

"I accepted the proposal because I had been an instructor in the Reconstructing Workshop before. I like teaching, and share my knowledge. I started in 2010 when I began teaching three students who were doing professional practice. At that time I worked at the Center for Artificial Insemination and I was granted a special permission to teach.

In the following school year I took another group of over 15 students, "adds Rafael, who since March of the last year has been self-employed as a welder . Monday and Tuesday students attend to school, from Wednesday to Friday they attend to the workshop.

They work by a rotation plan, which allows them to work in different areas, such as cutting and stroke, cutting guillotine, the bending, welding, electric welding, and hammering and brushing.

Students are also guided by a letter of instruction. "The practice lessons have four stages (organizational, introduction, practice and final exercise). We take into account organization, discipline, independence and quality of work, "says Anelys, the guide teacher of the group.

"Rafael shows the activity in a slow, normal and fast way ; the same work is done repeatedly. When students begin the practical implementation, we both look at what they do. If several students do something wrong we stop the practice as many times as needed, until they learn.

"There can not be perfection without practice.It is essential that students are able to use the sheet metal tools available here, and develop skills. Things done in practice are not forgotten, at the same time they learn theoretical knowledge "the teacher says.

There are students who go to the workshop in their free time ; even the ones who live so far away stay in the teacher’s house and Rafael’s.

"Sharing my knowledge to new generations is rewarding. The effort I have to make to teach students , takes a lot of time, but I feel very satisfied, "says the instructor teacher.

The workshop has been visited by several people, who come here to know the experience. In addition, any work in the community, requiring Rafael’s service , can count on these for free. The teacher instructor has a folder containing several certificates of recognition, among these, the one granted by Basilio Caraballo day care center , and the Basic Unit of Food from San Cristóbal (due to the transformation of the bakery’s sobadora ), and many others.

On the other hand , Rafael is the only self-employed in the municipality who has contracts with 12 companies . Several students want to stay in the workshop to do the practice stage , but only three or four are allowed because freshmen will begin very soon. There will always be students in training. However, they will follow them wherever they are located.

Adriel is from Fierro people’s council , and he almost lives in the workshop, that's his other house. Iroel says that he has learned a lot, "What I had ever seen, I've seen it here. I learned electric weld , autogenous, folding plates , cut, make parts, distinguishing the tools ... "

Likewise, Yoanky, and Dany Daniel express their satisfaction. Yusiel says that when he graduate he expects to open a workshop " I have some tools and some of my classmates will be my helpers. My knowledge will help me to extend the exploitation time of vehicles, among other activities. This is a way to help the country’s economy."

At this point of the course, students have reached a great number of professional skills , thanks to the guidance and willingness of their teachers and the tenacity with which they have faced each task. And even when years pass by , they will not hardly forget the place where they their dreams come true.

Translated by LMMS