The TikTok user @thaly47216 captured widespread attention within the Cuban community with a video highlighting her husband's struggles to connect with his family in Cuba, battling the notorious connectivity issues. In the clip, he attempts to make a phone call but is consistently frustrated by poor audio quality, exclaiming phrases like, “the damn thing drops every 5 minutes” and “look, it’s freezing again.” The frustration mounts when the call disconnects, and he begins giving instructions: “step out onto the terrace and stick your hand out the balcony to see if you can catch even a bar of signal.” His wife bursts into laughter, acknowledging the stress of trying to communicate with the island amidst her chuckles.
The post sparked a wave of reactions from Cubans who relate to the scenario. Many shared personal stories about their own efforts to stay in touch with loved ones. One user recounted, “My mom says ‘don’t hang up!’ and I just say oh no, bye, I can’t see you.” Another mentioned how she tries to remain calm when speaking to her mother but ends up agitated: “That’s how I get with my mom, and she tells me ‘you’re going to raise your blood pressure,’ and I say bye-bye, I can’t handle this.”
Tips and Humor Amidst Frustration
Numerous people agreed on the exasperation and shared tips to improve communication. One suggested using regular calls instead of video calls, while another recommended the Boss Revolution app for calls to Cuba. Some approached the topic humorously, joking about resorting to “carrier pigeons” or, as someone else mentioned, “sending smoke signals” soon.
The comments reflect both frustration and the typical Cuban humor, where laughter becomes a coping mechanism. One follower summarized the experience by saying, “We laugh because Cubans are like a dance, but deep down everyone with family there suffers daily watching them go without.” Another added, “That’s exactly how I am; I get stressed and start talking nonsense.”
The Ongoing Challenge of Staying Connected
Thaly's video underscores the complex communication challenges between Cuba and the outside world, exacerbated by energy crises and natural disasters. Although the video is humorous, it highlights the daily struggle to stay connected with loved ones on the island—a reality that resonates deeply with Cubans both at home and abroad.