A Cuban woman named Linet recently shared her story on TikTok, detailing the emotional challenges she faces after spending over three years in Spain. Her candid account highlights a feeling shared by many Cuban emigrants: possessing all the material comforts yet feeling an overwhelming sense of emptiness.
"I'm a Cuban living in Spain, and today I want to share a feeling I have. I've been here in Spain for three years and a few months, and I still don't feel right. I feel like my body is here, but my life is in Cuba," Linet expressed in her video.
She was forthright in explaining that her move to Spain was not a choice of her own: "I'm here because I have to be. If it wasn't Spain, it would have been China, Hong Kong, Jamaica—somewhere else, but I don't feel okay."
What stands out in her story is the paradox she describes: "Even if you pay rent and the house is yours, you feel like a stranger. It's such a strange feeling that you have everything yet lack everything."
Linet concluded with a reflection aimed at the hopes with which Cubans leave their homeland: "When Cubans leave Cuba, they do so with a dream and an expectation, but the reality in these countries is different."
The Struggle of Cuban Emigrants
Linet's experience is not unique. On April 29, Cuban actress Odelmys Torres publicly broke down, speaking about the hardships of emigration and the distance from her father. That same month, another Cuban, Patry B, shared her ordeal of losing her husband, father, home, and pet over four years in Spain, stating, "I've gone from having it all to having nothing... these have been four very tough years."
Another emigrant, known as Iris, described the identity "limbo" every Cuban faces when they emigrate: "The place that was once your life no longer belongs to you, and as a result, you don't belong to the country you emigrated to either."
Understanding Migratory Grief
This emotional turmoil is recognized in psychology as migratory grief. Cuban psychologist Hedels González has initiated a project titled "Emigrar Hacia Dentro," offering free group workshops for Cubans in Spain, emphasizing that "we are not educated to seek help unless it stems from disorder."
This phenomenon unfolds amid an unprecedented mass exodus. According to Spain's National Statistics Institute, approximately 287,490 Cubans are registered in the country, with over 35,200 arriving just in 2025. Between 2021 and 2024, nearly 1.79 million Cubans left the island, accounting for about 20% of the population in the last five years.
Family separation emerges as the most critical emotional factor in these accounts. Linet's video suggests that her distress is not merely due to having her daughter far away; the wound, she asserts, runs deeper.
A Cuban emigrant in Spain summarized this generational struggle on November 20, 2025, with a phrase that encapsulates the sentiment of many: "Being Cuban is the cross I love the most and the one that weighs on me the most because you don't leave Cuba; you're torn away."
Insights on Cuban Migratory Grief
What is migratory grief?
Migratory grief is the emotional distress experienced by individuals after relocating to a new country, often characterized by feelings of loss and disconnection from their homeland.
How many Cubans have emigrated in recent years?
Between 2021 and 2024, approximately 1.79 million Cubans emigrated, representing about 20% of the island's population during that period.
What support exists for Cuban emigrants in Spain?
Psychologist Hedels González has developed the "Emigrar Hacia Dentro" project, offering free group workshops to help Cuban emigrants cope with their emotional challenges.