Emigrating is not easy, especially when you leave behind your family and an entire life. Katy, the creator of the YouTube channel Aprendedora and originally from Holguín, emigrated to the Dominican Republic and published a video in which she recounts her last hours in Cuba and her arrival in Santo Domingo, which has garnered over 178,000 views and 15,000 likes in just a few days.
The story begins on the night before their departure, with her room in disarray as she packed luggage at 10:30 PM. At 4 AM on the 13th, Katy and her partner Manuel left Holguín heading to Antonio Maceo International Airport in Santiago de Cuba, as their flight did not operate from their city. For that journey, they had to buy 30 liters of fuel for over 50,000 Cuban pesos, a figure that starkly illustrates the economic collapse the island is experiencing.
At the airport, Katy's bags were checked because they contained books, which created tension before she could board. She also traveled with her dog Santi, who needed a veterinary check to be allowed in the cabin.
While waiting for the flight, she heard in the background the appearance of Díaz-Canel before the press, in which the leader confirmed negotiations with the United States. "Oh, we didn't know. Oh, we're just finding out now. What a first news," Katy reacted at that moment.
The YouTuber clearly explained the reasons that led her to leave after more than six failed attempts to emigrate. "I'm leaving Cuba because I don't want to live in fear of expressing myself, because I want to help my family live without the rush of cooking before the power goes out. I'm leaving Cuba because I felt like a prisoner, and no one should live like that in their own country," she stated.
Upon arriving in Santo Domingo, Katy had neither rent nor a secured job. "I don't have rent, I'm looking for rent, I'm looking for a job, I'm looking for everything," she acknowledged to her followers. She was welcomed by an acquaintance who has been living in the country for two years. One of her first tasks was to purchase two phone lines.
Despite the uncertainty, he appreciates the opportunities offered by this destination: "This country opened its doors for me like many others never did," he said about the Dominican Republic and its Cuban residents, a country that has granted residency to more than 14,664 Cubans since 2018, where citizens from the island topped the list of naturalizations in 2025.
Katy's testimony reflects an experience shared by hundreds of thousands of Cubans who have left the island in recent years amid the energy crisis, food and fuel shortages, and ever-increasing inflation.
"Leaving my room was, in a way, both a defeat and a victory at the same time. I was forced to leave, but at the same time, I have the privilege of leaving," Katy summarized. She concluded with a reflection that encapsulates the experience of an entire generation: "Leaving is not the end, but the beginning of a story that you still don’t know how to tell. And now my story as a Cuban emigrant begins."
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