A Cuban native from Camagüey has taken to TikTok to showcase his life in the United States, drawing parallels to the life he would have had on the island. His video reveals a lifestyle filled with chickens, doves, fruit trees, plants on the porch, and children playing in the rain.
“When I tell people I live in the U.S. as if I were in Cuba, I mean it—I literally shower in the rain with my kids,” says the man, known on the platform as @elnegro.com87. Since its publication on June 2, the video has garnered over 53,000 views and nearly 200 comments.
Embracing a Cuban Lifestyle in Florida
The Camagüey native takes viewers on a tour of his property, highlighting two avocado trees, a coconut tree, and plants like ají cachucha, lemon, pumpkin, tomato, peppers, red plums, Cuban cherries, and oregano. “Just like in Cuba, oregano for cooking and remedies,” he notes, with a rainbow in the background.
His wife’s porch is brimming with plants, a habit he directly associates with Cuba. His children delight in the rain, and his daughter washes her hair with rainwater, scenes that mirror life back on the island.
Florida's Climate: A Haven for Cuban Traditions
“The climate, the trees, the vegetation, the customs—everything, folks, that’s how it is,” he asserts. The tropical and subtropical climate of South Florida allows many Cuban emigrants to cultivate the plants that are emblematic of the island and maintain traditions that would be challenging in other states.
He acknowledges that not all Cuban emigrants have the same experience. “I know some people live in apartments in states with cold weather, where the climate is different,” he concedes. Yet, he emphasizes that his situation is unique: he achieved in the U.S. what he could never have in Cuba.
“The happiness, the joy I live with is indescribable because I have everything I ever wanted in Cuba: a house with space, land, animals, trees,” he concludes.
Preserving Cultural Identity in Exile
This type of content is part of a growing trend among Cuban emigrants documenting how they retain their cultural identity in the U.S. From domestic habits born of scarcity in Cuba—like saving bags, reusing containers, and hand-washing clothes—to more rural practices, such as backyard gardening and raising animals.
Camagüey, a province in central-eastern Cuba known for its ranching and rural traditions, strengthens the emotional tie the author feels with the rural life he recreates in the U.S. This narrative starkly contrasts with the everyday realities on the island, plagued by power outages, food shortages, and decaying infrastructure.
The Cuban attachment to plants has sparked viral moments before. In October 2024, a Cuban woman went viral for her concern over Hurricane Milton and the fate of her avocado tree. In September 2025, another incident documented the theft of mango and avocado plants from a Cuban in Lehigh Acres, Florida, underscoring how these plants symbolize more than just food for the emigrant community.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cuban Lifestyle in the U.S.
How do Cuban emigrants maintain their cultural traditions in the U.S.?
Cuban emigrants maintain their cultural traditions by cultivating plants native to Cuba, engaging in practices like backyard gardening and raising animals, and preserving domestic habits from the island.
Why is Florida a popular destination for Cuban emigrants?
Florida's tropical and subtropical climate allows Cuban emigrants to grow plants native to their homeland, making it easier to retain cultural practices and traditions.
What significance do plants hold for Cuban emigrants?
For Cuban emigrants, plants often represent a deep connection to their heritage and homeland, symbolizing more than just sustenance but also cultural identity and nostalgia.