In Spain, euros don't fall from the sky! This has been clearly stated by Marian Vázquez, a Cuban who has been living in the European country for eight years and who decided to humorously and convincingly dismantle the idea that emigrating means making money easily and living without worries.
In a video shared on TikTok, where she identifies herself as @unacubanaen.spain, the young woman spoke candidly about the expectations some people in Cuba have regarding life abroad and how different reality can be.
"There are people in Cuba who think that here in Spain money falls from the sky," he started by saying, before joking that he has been "searching for the tree that bears euros" for eight years and still hasn't found it.
The Cuban explained that, although salaries are paid in euros, expenses are also incurred in that currency. She mentioned that between rent, electricity, water, food, and transportation, money can practically disappear as soon as it arrives in the bank account.
"Here, they also spend in euros," he recalled, leaving one of the funniest phrases from his reflection: "Before you know it, the salary lasts shorter than a meringue at a school gate."
Marian also addressed the image that is often projected from abroad through social media, where there are many photographs of travel, restaurants, new clothes, and happy moments, but the long working hours and necessary sacrifices to maintain that lifestyle are not always shown.
"The photos, the trips, the new clothes, going out to eat," he listed while talking about what is often seen from Cuba, in contrast to the effort that goes into those posts.
Certainly, the young woman does not doubt that emigrating can offer better opportunities. Her message is directed primarily at those who believe that living in Europe means having plenty of money. "Here, no one gives you anything for free; you have to work, organize yourself, and make sacrifices," she stated.
And she added another reflection: “One thing is living better and another is being a millionaire.”
His testimony resonates with the experiences of other Cubans who have publicly shared how much it costs to live in Spain. A Cuban family of four explained that, out of the 2,000 euros they earned monthly, around 1,600 were spent on basic expenses, leaving only 400 euros for other expenditures.
Another case was that of a Cuban bricklayer who revealed how much he earned and how much money he had left at the end of the month. According to his testimony, after paying 610 euros in rent and covering his other expenses, he ended up with approximately 200 euros available.
Economic expectations can also lead to tensions with family and friends who remain in Cuba. On another occasion, a Cuban resident in Spain criticized that some acquaintances asked her for transfers of 50, 100, or 150 euros, as if obtaining that money didn’t require effort.
Similarly, another emigrant shared the story of a friend who had sent 4,000 euros to her family in just six months, and her sacrifices had not received the recognition she had hoped for.
On her part, Marian decided to conclude her reflection with the same sense of humor with which she began, making a request to those who also live abroad: “If any of you have found the plant that grows euros, let me know, because I’m looking for it and I still haven’t found it.”
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