Cuban influencer Anita Mateu recently shared an Instagram reel listing four experiences she never had the chance to enjoy, simply because she was born in Cuba. These include joining a college sorority, having a locker in high school, getting a driver's license at 18, and becoming a cheerleader.
Originally from Matanzas and now living in Spain, the content creator drew inspiration from American films to create her video, although she acknowledged that real life might not mirror these cinematic portrayals.
Missing Out on a Sorority Experience
One of the most striking contrasts in her video is between the dream of joining a college sorority and her actual experience at a Cuban university. "I spent a year living in a dorm with clogged toilets, broken showers, and iron bunk beds—that was my version of a sorority," she reflected.
The Allure of High School Lockers
School lockers, a staple in teen dramas, were something Anita found "super cool." The idea of having a personal space for photos of friends between classes was appealing to her, but it was an experience absent from her Cuban education.
Driving Independence Delayed
Learning to drive in Spain at 30, Anita lamented missing the opportunity to gain that independence in her youth, an opportunity denied by her Cuban upbringing.
An Artist in the Wrong Place
The most emotionally charged point was her thwarted artistic ambitions. "I needed to dance, sing, act, and maybe be discovered by Broadway. I was very artistic, but I was born in the wrong country," she declared.
The video sparked a lively debate in the comments section. Many Latin American followers from countries like Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Chile noted that sororities, lockers, and cheerleading are unique to the United States and not common in Latin America.
However, other Cubans resonated deeply with her sentiment. "I feel like Cuba stole parts of my adolescence. I'm still trying to catch up, even as I approach 30," one follower confessed. Another was more direct: "Cuba held us back in everything; that's why they say when a Cuban leaves Cuba, it's like being reborn."
A comment from Boston offered a different perspective: "You were born in the right country; the problem was being born into the wrong economic, political, and social system."
Adding their own experiences, some followers mentioned, "In Cuba, the closest we got to cheerleaders were gymnastics tables."
Anita, who gained Spanish citizenship in April 2026, purchased her first home in Galicia at the end of 2025 and has nearly 500,000 subscribers on YouTube.
In March this year, after returning to Cuba and documenting the decay of Havana, the influencer stated that the island's main issue is its government, which she labeled as a dictatorship and inefficient.
Understanding Life in Cuba: What Holds People Back?
Why did Anita Mateu feel she missed out on certain experiences?
Anita Mateu felt she missed out on experiences like joining a sorority, having a school locker, getting a driver's license at 18, and being a cheerleader due to being born and raised in Cuba.
How did Anita's experience in Cuban universities differ from her expectations?
Anita compared her real experience of living in a poorly maintained dormitory with the idealized image of a sorority, highlighting the stark differences between her reality and expectations shaped by American films.
What were the reactions to Anita's video?
The video prompted a mix of reactions, with some Latin Americans noting the uniqueness of American experiences, while many Cubans resonated with her feelings of missed opportunities due to the country's circumstances.