A Cuban woman was overwhelmed with emotion when she encountered the vast array of choices and abundance in a supermarket outside her homeland for the very first time. In a video that has resonated with thousands, she expressed a whirlwind of feelings—joy, sadness, and disbelief—as she juxtaposed this scene with the scarcity she left behind in Cuba.
The video begins with the person filming asking her, "What's on your mind?" Her response, filled with emotion, was, "I feel like crying." When pressed further about her feelings, she explained, "Because there's so much food... Too much food, dear. In Cuba, people are very hungry, oh God." When asked if she was feeling emotional, she simply replied, "Too much."
Shared widely on social media, this moment has sparked a flood of reactions from others who have experienced similar situations. Comments like, "We all feel that way the first time we leave"; "The same happened to me, I cried seeing so much food and thinking of those I left behind"; and "Every time I enter a store, I think of my family in Cuba and can't help but feel sad," highlight the deep emotional impact.
Others shared their own stories. One person recounted, "My mother had the same reaction the first time she came to Italy, she broke down in tears in the store"; another recalled, "28 years ago, I went through the same thing, eating my first grapes with tears in my eyes."
Emotional Reactions Highlight Stark Realities
This surge of emotion, a mix of shock, nostalgia, and joy, is something many Cubans identify with when they emigrate and face a reality so different from the one they knew on the island. Yet, it also serves as a stark reminder of the harsh conditions those in Cuba continue to endure, where scarcity remains a daily struggle.