A Cuban who decided to leave the United States of her own accord and return to Ecuador with her family shared how much she spent to take all her belongings, an amount that surprised many on social media.
The creator, known as Familia Bolagay (@losbolagay) on TikTok, explained that she paid $10,600 to send a full container with her belongings after deciding to leave the country and start a new chapter outside of the U.S. "I am Cuban, I left the United States voluntarily and I returned to Ecuador. I paid $10,600 to bring a container with all my things, but I didn’t bring a car," she shared in her video.
In response to her followers' questions, the Cuban clarified that she could not include her car because it did not meet the requirements of the 'Return to Home' program, which allows goods to enter without paying taxes. “My car was from 2017 and did not qualify because of the vehicle's year. That's why I didn't bring it,” she explained. She also stated that buying a new car just to take it would have been a poor investment: “It was much more expensive than buying a new one in Ecuador.”
The video sparked intense debate in the comments. Many users questioned the high shipping cost, stating that with that amount of money "one could furnish an entire house in Ecuador." Others, on the other hand, defended the decision.
“Everyone knows what they do with their life and their money. I needed peace and a change”, the Cuban had said in a previous post. Her story continues to spark conversation among migrants who, like her, are reevaluating the meaning of success and the cost of stability away from home.
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