Personal Narrative: My Life As A Cuban Family

Improved Essays
Being born in a Cuban family is a privilege for me. A common phrase in Cuba is “el que no tiene de congo tiene de carabali” and that phrase comes from the fact that every Cuban is a derivation of different cultures. Back in time, Cuba was only populated by native Indians, but later on, Europeans took over the country. After make the natives slaves and take them to almost extermination, they brought slaves from Africa. As a result, we became a mix of different cultures. I grew up in a poor Cuban family and it influenced my life in so many ways. When I was a child, I saw my parents work hard to put food on the table and to provide for the family the basic things to live. There were many unique things such as rum Havana Club, cigar Cohiba, and coffee La Llave that identify us all over the world and never were missed in my family.
Rum is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the process of fermentation of sugar cane. It is a very popular beverage in Cuba, especially the Havana Club which is produced and manufactured there. Most people in my country always have at least one bottle at home and every day in the afternoon, after have a long day of work, they take to sit in the backyard or on the balcony and
…show more content…
Over the years, Cubans have worked hard to make their life better, but unfortunately they have this government that does not allow them to progress. This combination of unique products makes my country very special. Cuban rum, cigars, and coffee are the perfect combination for many people. Personally, I do not smoke. In fact, I hate when people do it near to me because it always leaves a very bad smell, even when the people who smoke are not doing it, they still have that particular smell that I cannot resist. When it comes to coffee, the first thing I do in the morning is go to make some to start the day and I may not drink every day like my father, but I always have my Havana club bottle hidden in my bedroom for especial

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In the past several decades, thousands of people have immigrated to America in search of a better life or a fresh start. They came from all corners of the Earth: different cultures, languages, and life experiences. Eighteen years ago, my family immigrated to America from Ukraine to escape religious persecution and economic instability. My parents wanted their children to have the opportunity to get a good education and succeed in life because they never had that chance. Back in the Ukraine they were looked down upon for their Christian faith; therefore, they weren’t able to attend college.…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Growing up in Jamaica was not what some may think as ideal, it has been described as a Third World Country, but to me, it was just home. Third world indeed, poor, violent at times; a contradiction, with its sandy beaches, clear blue skies, delectable food, feel good music, and some of the hardest working people one can ever have the pleasure of meeting, who refused to stay where life may have placed them, but strived to climb above those circumstances and attempt to carve out a life for themselves and their children. Let me introduce you to the Jamaica that I grew up in and remembered; I remember the endless summer holidays growing up off the Sligoville Road, in a small district called Mt. Moreland, where the playground…

    • 252 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I AM DOMINICAN! WAIT NO I AM AMERICAN! Wait no I’m neither. How can it be that I’m neither. I was born in Dominican Republic however I have lived in America since I was two years old.…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Where I was waving “Adios” to my mother, the others were waving “Goodbye” to their parents. Torn between two worlds is what I thought I would always be. As a Mexican-American I believed that I would never be fully Mexican or American. I believed that I would never really fit into one specific group and would be target of exclusion all my life.…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    My great grandfather came to America from the Dominican Republic on a boat to provide a better life for the many generations of his family to come. My great-grandfather’s perseverance and courage always inspires me to always work hard. Although my first language was English, I am learning Spanish now so I can become more connected with my heritage. I never had much of a chance to learn about the Dominican Republic from my grandparents because of the language barrier between us. My Dominican background is important to me because of the rich culture.…

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    “Prohibition had the effect of driving many distillers, hoteliers, restauranteurs, nightclub owners, saloon keepers, and others involved in the liquor business to Cuba, where they stimulated the growth of an industry that allowed US tourists to indulge in pleasures banned at home. ”(Goddard 572) Taking a vacation to many of the Latin American countries is of interest to people around the world. However, the act that started the major tourist area of Latin America was the 18th amendment that banned alcohol. In the quote above, Goddard explains how many of these businesses, that were deemed illegal at the time, moved to Cuba.…

    • 1216 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The world I come from is filled with great people, and is set up with opportunities for success, and achievement. I come from a strong, large, multiracial family. A family of courage, pride and one that has fought to prosper for generations. I know because of them I became the woman I am today. I grew up very fortunate due to the fact that my parents fought so hard to give my three sister, brother and I the life they couldn't receive.…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Unlike my parents, my siblings and I were born and raised in America. Both my parents were born in Mexico; however my grandparents came from Mexican decedent, fled the Mexican American Civil War, and were born in America in the 1920’s. Having their strong family ties and connection to Mexico they choose to return to Mexico and identify with the Mexican culture to raise their family. My parents settled in a geographical area in Houston East End, where most families were descendants of Mexican American families. The East End is now historically known one of Houston’s oldest Hispanic neighborhoods.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I grew up on the open country of Alabama, in a small town called Cuba that was just the perfect size for my family and me. There was never a dull moment or lack of creativity when I was a kid. Cuba, Alabama is the perfect place for a kid because of the large fields, wildlife, and thick forests. The abundance of land at your disposal is endless in Cuba.…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    My Cultural Identity What comes to mind when you hear that I am Hispanic? That I am Mexican; that I eat spicy food; that I play soccer; that my parents came into this country illegally? Many times that is what I feel when people say that about me. Hispanic is a term that is used to identify many cultures that come from Latin countries. Do you know how many Latin countries are in North, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean?…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I am half white and half Hispanic; light skinned with brown eyes and dark hair. This disparity is exacerbated by my very Hispanic name, Reyes Lucero, and my very “white” upbringing. My family didn’t make beans and enchiladas for dinner; they made tofu stir-fry. As a result, it was difficult to connect with people, I was too different. People assume from my name that I come from a very traditional New Mexican family, but my parents are anything but traditional.…

    • 499 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Government Reforms In Cuba

    • 1053 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean that is home to over eleven million citizens. It is one of only enduring socialist states with a Communist government left in the world. The leadership regimes that dictate the island are a reflection of continuing efforts to strengthen its weak democratic system. Daily life is dependent on what the government allows, and what the government does not allow for its people. Throughout history, the dictating Cuban government shaped the principles and cultures of the densely populated area.…

    • 1053 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Discrimination by race is officially illegal in Cuba. Cuban citizens are categorized into three ethnic groups; Black, Mixed, or White (which usually means Hispanic, of Spanish descent). Blacks are the most who have felt oppressed, some say they’re invisible in Cuba, they’re seen, but not necessarily heard. With the Gender issue in Cuba there is actually equality; ranked third in the world, while the United States is ranked seventy…

    • 70 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    This month is for the Hispanic heritage and I thinking, a lot about what country I can describe better and after much thinking I decided to write about Cuba. Cuba is a magic country and has a lot of culture and traditions that connecting us in many ways as part of the word. For example, the food, the music, and the people are amazing. First of all, the food is incredible you can learn about how to make Ajiaco a traditional kind of soup with some influences from Africa.…

    • 243 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It was an early Monday morning, I was pretty happy at the time because this trip was going to get me out of a full week of school. So, it all began at the airport, looking out of the window I could see our plane, It was a bit intimidating and I was really nervous because this was going to be my first time on a plane. Nevertheless, I had nothing to worry about though because soon enough I would come to realize that, the time I would be spending in Puerto Rico would teach me to truly enjoy the great experiences in life. So we were off, I could not wait to begin my adventure in Puerto Rico and meet all the amazing new people. When my grandmother and I landed in Puerto Rico I had no idea what I was in for, we planned the trip last minute and had no plans when we got there, or so that's what I anticipated.…

    • 891 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays