Just over a year after arriving in Spain, the young Cuban Rolan González has achieved what many migrants only dream of, finding job stability, earning a decent salary, and starting a new life away from the island.
From La Coruña, Galicia, he describes how he learned the butcher's trade in a three-week course and today earns between 1,100 and 1,200 euros per month in a job he considers "very in demand."
"When I finished my contract at the supermarket, I started going through all the job websites. I saw a job offer for a butcher with no experience required and sent in my resume. They called me two days later," he recalls.
He went through three interviews, one group and two individual, before being selected. “I took a three-week course in Madrid and there I learned the main basics, but you never learn as much as you do from daily practice,” he shared on his YouTube channel, RolanVlogger.
At first, everything seemed overwhelming to him: “The display case was full of chicken, pork, beef, turkey, rabbit... it was driving me crazy. I had to memorize each piece and each cut.”
Amid laughter, he recalls when a customer asked him where the lamb came from, and he, feeling nervous, replied, “From the sheep.” “I wanted to die of embarrassment,” he admits, but he assures that the experience helped him overcome his fear and gain confidence.
From carrying scaffolding to cutting meat
Before becoming a butcher, Rolan had gone through tough and poorly paid jobs. “My first job was in construction, assembling scaffolding. It was physically demanding work, but I managed to endure it. I earned about 1,150 euros a month and sometimes I had to wear a brace because my back couldn't take it,” he recalled.
He then worked at the port, filleting tuna and enduring temperatures of up to -26 degrees in cold storage. “It destroys your hands. Sometimes you worked for just two or three hours, with no fixed schedule, and I earned 660 euros the first month,” he explained.
He says those experiences shaped him. "The important thing is not to stay stuck in a place where you don't feel comfortable. If you want to progress, you have to move. He who seeks, finds," he repeats like a mantra.
When he got a job at the supermarket, he started as a cashier and stock clerk. “It was a seasonal contract for four months. I worked overtime, and one month I even earned 1,320 euros. It was one of my best months,” he recalls.
Now, from the meat department, he feels that he has found his place: “I’ve already passed the rookie stage. I feel comfortable, I learn every day, and I have amazing colleagues.”
Living on 1,200 euros in Spain: a test of endurance
Although Rolan feels fortunate, he acknowledges that living on 1,200 euros in Spain is not easy. Between rent, food, and basic expenses, the money barely stretches. "What I earn may be nothing for many and a lot for few," he says realistically. And he’s not wrong: the minimum wage in Spain hovers around 1,000 euros per month, so his salary barely places him above the threshold of fairness.
In cities like La Coruña, a room in a shared apartment can cost between 300 and 400 euros, in addition to transportation, food, and services. That's why, from Monday to Saturday, with split shifts and little rest, each day becomes a silent marathon to support oneself away from home.
But for him, more than just a matter of money, it's a personal achievement. “This has given me stability and experience. I haven't even been here for two years, and I already have a profession,” he proudly states.
"Those who seek shall find."
His story, which was also featured in the newspaper El Español, has captured attention for being both inspiring and genuine. However, beyond the headlines, Rolan represents many young Cubans who, upon emigrating, face the challenge of starting over from scratch.
From the scaffolding to the butcher shop, his testimony encompasses something deeper than just laborious effort; it also reflects the ability to adapt and the desire to live with dignity.
“I'm always saying that you have to seek, because those who seek, find,” he repeats while looking at the camera.
And perhaps, in that simple phrase, lies the summary of his story: that of a Cuban who exchanged fears for tools, fatigue for pride, and a fair salary for a life that, little by little, is starting to be called home.
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