A Cuban expatriate known on TikTok as Iris (@amymodovivo) shared a candid video on Monday, lasting nearly four minutes, in which she openly discusses the alienation and identity loss she feels every time she returns to Cuba after spending years abroad.
"After living abroad for many years, you start adapting to your new home, and when you visit your country of origin, you feel like a stranger," Iris explains in the video, encapsulating a shared experience faced by countless Cubans in the diaspora.
Living in Limbo: Between Two Worlds
Iris refers to this state as a "limbo": "The place that was once your life, your world, your everything, no longer feels like home. Meanwhile, you don't fully belong to the country you emigrated to either, because, no matter where you go, you remain a foreigner."
She illustrates this feeling with relatable examples, such as the unannounced visits common in Cuba—where someone might arrive at 7 a.m. for coffee without prior notice—which used to seem normal but now feel uncomfortable to her.
"Life outside Cuba is so structured that when you return and encounter a different reality, you feel like an alien," she remarks.
Family Dynamics and Cultural Disconnect
Even within her own family, Iris notices changes: when her father speaks loudly, she finds herself asking him to lower his voice, a reaction that surprises her. "You don't do it on purpose; without realizing it, you've changed internally, and you're not the same person," she admits.
An especially moving aspect of her testimony is her concern over cultural heritage. Iris shares that her eldest son, born and raised outside Cuba, doesn't engage with Cuban music or feel a connection to the island, despite her efforts to instill this cultural legacy from his birth.
"He has no real ties to Cuba; his identity is rooted in the country he lives in, and while I understand that, it hurts," she laments.
The Broader Context of Cuban Migration
This type of account is not isolated. In April 2025, another Cuban sparked a conversation after returning to the island and expressing that one "feels like a stranger in your own land." Similarly, in December of that year, a Cuban in Spain shared surprising local customs with emigrants, such as dining close to midnight.
Earlier this year, a Cuban in Italy touched hearts on TikTok by defending her identity after receiving criticism for her "too loud" laughter, challenging the societal norms of her host country.
This phenomenon underscores a broader reality: Since 2021, Cuba has experienced one of the most significant migration waves in its recent history, driven by economic hardship, power outages, and political repression, leaving many emigrants torn between two worlds, feeling at home in neither.
Iris concludes her video with a poignant statement: "You're no longer the same, you're no longer the same. Something inside has changed, and it's so sad."
Understanding the Cuban Expat Experience
What challenges do Cuban expatriates face upon returning to Cuba?
Cuban expatriates often experience feelings of alienation and identity loss, as the cultural norms and daily life in Cuba can feel foreign after adapting to life abroad.
How do cultural differences impact family relationships for Cuban emigrants?
Cultural differences can strain family dynamics, as emigrants may find themselves adjusting to different communication styles and social norms that differ from those in Cuba.
Why do Cuban emigrants feel disconnected from their cultural heritage?
Cuban emigrants may feel disconnected from their cultural heritage because their children grow up in different cultural environments, and they themselves adapt to new ways of life, making it challenging to maintain ties to Cuban traditions.