Bia Martínez, a Cuban native who ventured to Italy at the age of 24, shared a heartfelt video on TikTok. In it, she contemplates spending half her life outside Cuba, navigating the duality of two cultures, and the sorrow of losing her parents while living abroad.
"I'm Cuban living in Italy, and today I have a truth to share: I'm so accustomed to Italy that I often wonder how much of me remains Cuban and how much is Italian," she begins in her testimony. The video has garnered 18,000 views, over 1,100 likes, and 202 comments.
Now 49, Bia has spent exactly 25 years in Italy, mirroring the time she lived in Cuba before emigrating.
In her video, she highlights how profoundly she has adapted, confessing, "I've become so used to having a cappuccino and brioche for breakfast that I now even take it with me to Cuba because I can't stand eating savory breakfasts anymore."
Nostalgia and Cultural Roots
Yet, the longing for Cuba persists.
"I miss cleaning barefoot, splashing water around, and the neighbor inviting you for coffee," she admits, using an Italian expression to describe her perpetual state: "Sometimes I feel like neither fish nor fowl, because Cuba is my homeland, my roots, and my greatest love."
Loss and Family Ties
One of the most poignant moments of her testimony is when she speaks about her parents.
Her father passed away in 2019, followed by her mother in 2022, both while she was in Italy. Her mother did live with her in Europe and received a liver transplant through the Italian healthcare system—a story Bia reserves for another video, as she didn't want to cry that day.
"I lost so much time here while losing loved ones back home, trying to give them a better life, only to realize they were gone and I wasn't there," she reflects with a mix of guilt and resignation.
Bia owns a house in Cuba, near her parents’ former home, holding onto the hope of returning one day if, as she puts it, "her homeland changes."
The Future in Italy
Her children, on the other hand, grew up in Italy, where her current family life is centered: "Italy is my present, my future, my children, my home, and the family I've built."
Bia Martínez's story echoes the experiences of thousands of Cuban women in Europe. According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics, the Cuban community in Italy reached 26,476 people at the beginning of 2025, marking a 6.9% increase from the previous year. This community is predominantly female, with 18,175 women compared to 8,301 men. Lombardy hosts the largest portion, followed by Emilia-Romagna and Lazio.
Such personal narratives have become a genre of their own within Cuban diaspora content on social media, where migration grief—the simultaneous loss of culture, family, and belonging—emerges as a common thread. Stories of Cuban women in Italy resonate deeply with those who share this journey, far from their island home.
Other Cuban women have shared similar experiences: one compatriot from a village of 50 inhabitants detailed the nuances of integrating into rural Italy, while another recounted the pain of parting from her grandmother before boarding a plane, not knowing she would never see her again.
"I just hope one day I can feel happy in one place without missing the other," Bia Martínez concludes, "though I believe it will be very challenging."
Exploring the Cuban Diaspora in Italy
How has living in Italy affected Bia Martínez's cultural identity?
Living in Italy has caused Bia Martínez to question the balance between her Cuban and Italian identities, as she has adapted to Italian customs like breakfast preferences while still feeling a deep connection to her Cuban roots.
What challenges does Bia face as part of the Cuban diaspora in Italy?
Bia faces the challenge of migration grief, experiencing the loss of cultural, familial, and emotional ties to Cuba while building a new life in Italy. This is compounded by the guilt of not being with her parents during their final moments.