A Cuban resident in Italy has sparked a buzz on social media with a video in which she humorously reflects on the differences between life in Cuba and abroad. On TikTok, @bebesitaconcora brings to life situations that many Cubans who have emigrated experienced on the island but seem to have forgotten.
“Why is it that we feel so stressed abroad while in Cuba we could solve problems out of nowhere?” asks Ofelia at the beginning of the video. From there, she shares anecdotes that elicited laughter and nostalgia, but also criticisms among viewers.
Regarding shoes, he remarked, “In Cuba, if a shoe broke, you would go to the cobbler 10,000 times; that pair would last you another 20 years, even if they were falling apart. Here, though, if a little piece breaks, you just throw it away.” He then compared the use of soap: “In Cuba, we used the same soap for everything: face, body, intimate parts. If there was no beauty soap, we used laundry soap. Here, there’s a different one for every purpose.”
He also spoke about toilet paper: "In my time, if there wasn't any, you'd take the Granma magazine, moisten it a bit so it would be softer, and wipe yourself. Here, if you don't have toilet paper, you run back to the supermarket."
Ofelia did not overlook the Cuban solutions for clothing and food. “Here, if a piece of clothing gets a small tear, they just throw it away. In Cuba, let’s not pretend otherwise, people would sew their clothes a million times over. And if there was leftover food, you made it last for four days. Here, if an egg or a carton of milk goes bad, they toss it; in Cuba, you would crack the egg, remove the bad part, and eat it as if it were caviar.”
The video sparked a wave of reactions, ranging from laughter and nostalgia to more serious critiques. Among the comments, users noted: “You spoke such pure truth, blessings”; “I’m still in the same situation, saving on clothes and food”; “Literally, the Cuban escaped from the devil”; “What she says reflects extreme misery, but don’t take it too seriously, it’s part of the humor”; “The problem is that she still has the same mentality of remaining miserable”; “Let’s talk about the little bit of toothpaste left in the tube”; “And don’t you remember when food would expire and we just kept eating it?”; “Cuban people used to solve everything, but here it’s better to adapt to the new reality.”
In response to the criticism, Ofelia clarified that she did not intend to create controversy. “Of course, we don’t do many things here, but there are customs we automatically apply even when we’re far away. Don’t take it too seriously,” she replied to a follower.
With humor and a touch of sarcasm, Ofelia concluded the video by stating, "The Cuban is a born inventor; the true Cuban escaped from the devil."
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