The young Cuban Kevin KL shared a reflection on TikTok (@kevin.kl13) that has gone viral among migrants from various countries. In his video titled "This is what no one tells you about emigrating to another country", the creator speaks from his experience about the emotional challenges faced by those who leave their homeland.
" emigrating doesn’t make you strong, it makes you aware," Kevin begins his message. He then candidly describes the transformations that come with uprooting: "No one tells you that emigrating also means learning to stay silent, learning to swallow your own opinions, learning to listen more than you speak. One day you realize that you don’t belong anywhere; in Cuba, you are one person, and here you are another, not because you want to change, but because you have to adapt."
The video has accumulated thousands of views and reactions. In his message, the Cuban delves into the emotional cost of the migration process: “Emigrating is working while you miss home, it's growing without witnesses, it's achieving things that your people will never be able to see, and that hurts a lot; it's not sadness, it's not weakness, it's maturity.”
To conclude, Kevin KL encourages appreciating the everyday: “That’s why I tell you, kids, to value what you have and enjoy even the smallest things, because there are times when we are in places and we are not completely happy, we feel like something is missing, and that is the price we all emigrants have to pay.”
The post sparked a wave of empathy among users from Mexico, the United States, and other countries. Many expressed feeling identified with its words, especially those who have also experienced the migration process.
Another message said: “I have been living in the United States for 26 years, I am Mexican and I haven’t gone back because I already have my family, my children, and well, I have adapted, but it hurts in silence.”
There were also messages of support and recognition: “Well said, and you are absolutely right; this applies to all immigrants, not just Cubans. But you represent your people very well. Congratulations, and I hope many will develop that kind of awareness.”
Among the comments, expressions of affection stood out from Mexico, where Kevin currently resides. "Here, Mexicans and Cubans shake hands," wrote a user, to which the creator responded: "And it will continue to be so."
Others took the opportunity to share messages of hope: "Soon a free Cuba," wrote one person, while another reflected: "Socialism is a cancer that we hope will soon be destroyed all over the world."
Kevin KL's video has become a meeting point for migrants who, from various countries, recognize in his words the blend of pride, nostalgia, and learning that accompanies those who leave their homeland.
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