Cuban content creator @maryfra.21 shared on TikTok her joy at fulfilling a childhood dream: buying a lava lamp, something that had seemed unattainable for years while living in Cuba.
“I want to tell you that since I was a child, I have always wanted to have a lava lamp. My obsession with lava lamps began with the movie Shark Tale; that’s where I saw them for the first time,” the young woman recounted in her video.
Maryfra explained that upon discovering that lava lamps existed in real life, she decided that someday she would have one, even though that seemed impossible in Cuba. “I said to myself: no, no, no, I have to have a lava lamp. Can you imagine where I would find a lava lamp in Cuba?” she remarked with laughter.
Now living in Mexico, she took advantage of a trip to the capital to find one. “In Cancún, they sell them, but they are very expensive there, around 700 pesos. So, taking advantage of the fact that I'm in Mexico City, where everything is more affordable, I found exactly what I wanted, in pink, for 369 pesos,” she detailed, visibly happy. “I am very happy and eager to get home and set up my little lamp,” she concluded.
The Cuban video, published just a few days ago, has garnered thousands of views and over 6,000 "likes", sparking a wave of reactions on social media. Some users joked about the situation, posting messages like “In Cuba, it was a lamp without light,” while others celebrated her enthusiasm with comments such as “Congratulations on your happiness. We all should be like you.”
There were also messages of admiration and support, such as "I’m glad you’re fulfilling your dreams" or "Enjoy your preferences, you deserve it." However, there were critical opinions about the cost or trend of lava lamps: "They are out of style now, that was like 15 years ago," wrote another user.
Beyond the humor, many internet users highlighted the underlying theme of the video: the satisfaction of fulfilling small desires that are unattainable in Cuba due to scarcity and low wages. The story of Maryfra contributes to a growing trend of Cubans abroad who share on social media the everyday achievements that were previously denied to them on the island.
In recent months, several Cubans living in Mexico have posted similar videos showing how they are rebuilding their lives outside the island and enjoying basic freedoms that are unthinkable in Cuba. In all cases, nostalgia blends with gratitude for being able to access simple things, like buying an appliance or decorating their homes without restrictions.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, power outages, inflation, and shortages continue to affect daily life, making stories like Maryfra's a symbolic reflection of the contrast between reality inside and outside the country. It is yet another example of how scarcity in Cuba transforms even the simplest dreams into impossibilities.
Filed under:
