Cuba Immigration History

Tears of joy streaming down my aunt's face, being squeezed by relatives for group pictures, tropical heat causing sweat to form in the small of my back; Regardless of how uncomfortable it is to step out of my comfort zone, my family's annual trips to Cuba are something I've always looked forward to. In the year of 1999, I was born in Cabaiguán, Cuba. If it had been up to my mother, I would have been born in the United States. Immigration laws required us to stay for at least six months after my birth before coming to America. Despite us moving to the United States, my parents always made sure I didn't forget where I came from. I was raised listening to artists such as Willy Chirino and dancing to Bachata. Some of my earliest memories consist …show more content…
At the tender age of thirteen, my brother found himself having to be the one to care for me while my parents worked. As my parents built buildings, my brother and I spent our afternoons and nights watching horror movies. When his friends would come over, he would wrap me up in my mom's comforter and tie it with a jump rope so I couldn't join them. At the time, it was irritating and even a little hurtful, but his childish antics along with being left alone only taught me to be independent. Both of my parents had to work two jobs, and even then, our family was barely getting by. Now that I am older and have a better understanding of how things work, I'm grateful for the sacrifices my parents made for my brother and I. They left their families, along with everything they had ever known so my brother and I could have a chance to make something of ourselves. Despite all the hardships they faced, there was always a silver lining. For example, because my parents couldn't afford to buy McDonald's for the entire family, my brother and I always got to order large meals instead of small ones. It might not seem like much but to my five year old self, it was like winning the lottery every time we ate