Spanish woman who went to Cuba without a return ticket explains why she left for the island

A TikTok influencer, born in Cuba but residing in Bilbao, returns to the island to reconnect with her roots, facing diverse opinions about her decision and the current situation in Cuba.

Cuban in SpainPhoto © @vivirdeliciosamente / TikTok

The content creator known on TikTok as @vivirdeliciosamente explained to her followers the reasons that led her to temporarily move to Cuba, the country where she was born but left at a young age.

"Well, look, I'm going to explain to you, little one, the reason behind this decision and why Cuba. Everyone has been claiming that I'm Spanish, that I'm basically everything that's been said in a billion comments... I was born in Cuba, I have dual citizenship, and I've lived my entire life in the Basque Country, in Bilbao," the young woman remarked in a video posted on her TikTok account.

As she explained, although she considers Bilbao her home and her entire life, she has recently gone through a "rough patch" that made her reconsider her future. "I have felt the need to reconnect with a part of myself that I have never felt before, which is the Cuban part," she confessed.

"In Bilbao, I was going through a tough time and decided it was a good moment to change my surroundings and reconnect with a part of myself that I don't know, and that's why I'm here," the influencer added.

The video, which has already garnered thousands of views and comments, has sparked divided opinions among Cuban and Spanish users. Some congratulate her on her decision to trace her roots and learn about the realities of Cuba firsthand, while others caution her about the economic and social challenges that the country faces.

In recent months, several young individuals of Cuban descent or children of emigrants have shared their experiences on social media upon returning to Cuba, driven by the desire to reconnect with their families or the island's culture. However, many end up surprised by the economic crisis, the food shortages, and the daily blackouts that the population endures.

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Yare Grau

Originally from Cuba, but living in Spain. I studied Social Communication at the University of Havana and later graduated in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Valencia. I am currently part of the CiberCuba team as an editor in the Entertainment section.