Cuban shares his experience in the U.S.: "The first years are for learning."

Magdiel, a Cuban who is in the United States under the I-220A immigration status, has shared his experience regarding the challenges of adapting to a developed country, highlighting the economic and social difficulties faced by immigrants.

"People in Cuba think that arriving in the United States means having money, a house, and a car, but they don't know that one arrives without any idea of how the economy of a developed country works," Magdiel stated on his TikTok profile (@mag_el_cubano).

He explained that adapting to the economic reality of the United States is a process that begins by understanding the significant differences with the island's economy and learning a new way of managing personal finances.

"When you arrive, you don't know how credit cards or the market work, you don't know how anything works. Simply put, when you first arrive, you do everything wrong, and if you don't have someone to guide you, it's even worse. The first three or four years are for learning. If you do it right, starting from the fifth year, you begin to be someone," he said.

The I-220A status allows individuals to remain in the country under supervision while immigration authorities determine their situation. However, those under this status face legal processes that complicate their situation further, leading to stress and uncertainty.

Magdiel also spoke about the economic reality that many immigrants live in the United States, debunking the misconceptions that some Cubans on the island have about life in the neighboring country.

"What no one says is that it's hard to save money in the United States. You have everything, but you live paycheck to paycheck. You work, get your paycheck, and pay all your debts, your rent, and your bills. People in Cuba think that living in the U.S. is easy because you drive a car, have a refrigerator full of food, and they believe you have money in the bank, but that's not always the case. The reality is that it almost never works that way," he explained.

Despite the difficulties, he emphasizes that it is possible to lead a good life with effort and austerity in the early years: "One can have a dignified life, but it requires a lot of sacrifice," he warned.