A young Cuban woman residing in Madrid has sparked an engaging debate on her TikTok account (@una_day) by sharing a video titled "Things to Do in Cuba and Spain," where she discusses various differences between the two countries, particularly in household habits and traditions.
Mopping the house, gossiping with neighbors, or freezing bottles of water are some of the common practices in Cuba that this young woman, known as Day C, has found impossible to continue in her new home in Spain.
Household Customs
"It's very typical for Cuban women to throw water around to mop the house; we clean by dumping buckets and buckets of water, and we love sweeping every corner this way. Here in Spain, it's impossible because most furniture can get damaged by constant contact with water," she began her list of 'unthinkables.'
In the video, she also mentioned the minimal interaction with neighbors: "Everyone lives in their own house, everyone is wrapped up in their own stuff," she said about her current environment.
"Back in Cuba, on the contrary, it's very normal to find neighbors in each other's homes, helping out, having coffee in the afternoons, sitting outside on the porch gossiping," she recounted about life on the island.
Community and Transportation Differences
Day C also spoke about the practice of hitchhiking in Cuba due to the poor public transportation: "Here, luckily, there's no need for that because the public transport works perfectly in Madrid."
User comments poured in, with some agreeing with her and others offering differing perspectives and opinions.
"It's because there are no mops"; "The question is... is it worth living in Spain? Because if you're not going to be happy over a few things, consider other options"; "And how are the furniture in Cuba so they don't rot with water?"; "I had two cleaning ladies who thought it was a good idea to dump buckets of water on a parquet floor... apparently, they didn't think it through"; "Hitchhiking is totally forbidden in Spain"; "It depends on where you live, I have neighbors who are like family"; "Water is very precious in Spain, and you don't just throw it around. If you cause leaks to the neighbor below, you have to pay for repairs and painters"; "Not just the furniture, if you live in an apartment building and dump buckets of water, you can damage the neighbor's house below with all the consequences," read some of the reactions to her video, which adds to a long list of social media posts by people sharing their perceptions, changes, celebrations, and longings after emigrating to another country.
Key Differences Between Life in Cuba and Spain
Below are some frequently asked questions that delve deeper into the key differences between living in Cuba and Spain, based on the experiences shared by Day C and other users.
Why can't Day C mop the house in Spain like she did in Cuba?
In Spain, most furniture can get damaged by constant contact with water, making it impractical to mop the house by dumping buckets of water as is common in Cuba.
How do neighborly interactions differ between Cuba and Spain?
In Cuba, it's common for neighbors to visit each other's homes, help out, and socialize. In Spain, people tend to be more private, with minimal interaction with their neighbors.
Why is hitchhiking more common in Cuba than in Spain?
Hitchhiking is more common in Cuba due to the poor public transportation system. In contrast, Madrid has an efficient public transport network, eliminating the need for hitchhiking.