A Cuban Singer's Journey: From Havana to a New Life in Kazakhstan

When Isaac, a young Cuban singer, first heard the name Kazakhstan, he had to look it up on a map. It was beyond imagination that this distant country, with a culture vastly different from his island home, would become the place where he would plant roots, build a family, and spend over a decade of his life.

Isaac's journey began in 2012, as he explains on his YouTube channel, when he got the chance to travel as part of a music group. The path was fraught with challenges, as Cuba still enforced the notorious exit permit, a government authorization that was mandatory for citizens wishing to travel abroad. Despite having a visa and contract, bureaucracy kept him grounded for weeks, watching as his bandmates left before him. Eventually, he managed to depart, joining the project armed only with Latin songs and the determination to make his way, without knowing a word of Russian or Kazakh.

The initial contract was for six months, but Isaac's story was just beginning. He participated in a local singing competition, "The Voice of Kazakhstan," where he began to make a name for himself in the music scene. This experience introduced him to producers, artists, and friendships that helped him settle down. Over time, he learned enough of the language, understood cultural differences, and realized he could adapt. "Kazakhstan is not for everyone," he acknowledges, aware that many fellow Cubans find the language barrier and the quiet life challenging compared to Cuba's bustling atmosphere.

For Isaac, love played a significant role in his decision to stay, as he met Victoria, who would become his wife and partner over the years. Today, more than ten years later, Isaac holds permanent residency in Kazakhstan. He has not applied for citizenship since the country doesn't allow dual nationality, and Cuba doesn't permit formal renunciation. Additionally, he believes retaining his Cuban passport offers benefits, like a quicker path to Spanish residency, another of his future aspirations.

His life is a study in contrasts; on stage, he sings and dances to Latin rhythms, but at home, he prefers the calm, away from bars and nightclubs. He enjoys cinema, dining out, and the mountains more. "That's my balance: music at work, tranquility in personal life," he states.

Throughout his time in Kazakhstan, he has brought his mother and brother to visit and is grateful for the opportunities the country has provided for his growth as an artist and individual. He admits that not every Cuban could adapt to a place where even parties often occur without music, just tables filled with food and long conversations. Yet for him, who was never much into dominoes or showbiz, this different pace became home.

"This country opened its doors to me, and here I found my wife, the love of my life. Kazakhstan has given me so much," Isaac reflects. Despite his Cuban accent, he feels at home in the land that welcomed him by chance and is now an integral part of his identity.