• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

You are here: Home / Life / What It’s Like to be a Cuban-American in an American University

What It’s Like to be a Cuban-American in an American University

January 21, 2015 //  by Alyssa Aguero

Shares184FacebookTweet

“I’m Cuban.”

“Oh, cool. When did you come to America?”

In Miami whenever you’d say where you were from, it was assumed your parents were the immigrants. When I went off to college, for the first time in my life, I had to explain how even though I wasn’t born in Cuba, that didn’t mean I wasn’t Cuban.

I was born and raised in Miami, Fla.—home to one of the largest Cuban communities in America. Cortaditos, pastelitos and Celia Cruz raised me— along with my Cuban family, of course.

My family left Cuba in the early 1960s after their homeland fell into the hands of a dictatorship. During this first wave of Cuban immigrants, the American government did little to help these refugees. From an early age, I knew of the hardships my grandparents and my parents had faced in their search for a better life for their children.

Growing up, I never questioned what my heritage was. I was Cuban but born in America. I never had to explain that to anyone in Miami because we were all on the same boat. I had not fully acknowledged the fusion of these two very different cultures in me until a few years ago.

My first class at the University of Florida was the first time I was surrounded by so many Americans (I’m talking great-grandparents-were born-here Americans).

Their lingo was different, the way they dressed was different—even the way they greeted each other was different. In Miami, we greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. The first (and last) time I tried to do that in Gainesville I had to explain to that person that I was not trying to make-out with them.

My Spanglish didn’t roll very well here either. It would not be a stretch to say that Spanglish is basically the non-official second language of South Florida and brings with it a lifestyle. Saying ‘iregardless’ and ‘like’ after every word and eating croquetas on the daily is a little taste of what our lifestyle is like. Some of my new college friends had no clue what I was trying to say at times since there isn’t always a direct translation from Spanish to English (apparently, ‘eating s***’ is not what Americans refer to as ‘not paying attention’).

The more I thought about it though, despite growing up in a predominantly Cuban environment, attending the University of Florida and living in Gainesville unveiled to me just how much of American culture was engrained in me as well. While Noche Buena (Christmas Eve for Cubans) wasn’t Noche Buena without a massive roasted pig, fourth of July wasn’t complete without the sky igniting in red, white and blue fireworks.

I have a huge interest in American politics and make sure my voice is heard by voting, but Cuban politics are just as important to me. I cry along with the rest of America when tragedy strikes, and I also shed tears for the country my family used to call home.

There are bits of both cultures mixed into my life, and that leaves me in a gray area along with other first-generation Americans who don’t know exactly what bubble to fill on a scantron when asked about their background.

Luckily, I’m not the only one.

I have met students here at UF that experience the same confusion I’ve experienced. It’s also refreshing to hear my other Miami-born friends talk about their struggle to adapt to hand-shaking over kissing.

I’m not sure if we’ll ever fully identity to one particular culture over the other, but this college town has shown me that that’s OK. Living in Gainesville has taught me so much about American culture, and at the same time it’s taught me to embrace my own.

I am Cuban-American.

Shares184FacebookTweet

Filed Under: Life University of Florida

About Alyssa Aguero

Alyssa is a public relations senior at the University of Florida. She likes to incorporate her passions into her career and is eternally curious. NYC is calling her name.

You May Also Like

songs to belt out

21 Songs to Belt Out in the Shower

Top 10 Weird Scholarships You Can’t Miss

cultural identity and language

Language Abilities Don’t Define Your Cultural Identity, Unless?

How I Turned My Personal Journals into a Published Book

15 Alcohol-Free Activities for a Friday Night In

Reflecting on Fall 2020: How to Recover from One of the Hardest Semesters

How to Make Money From Home Without Taking Off Your PJs

15 COVID-19 Safe Ways to Celebrate the Holidays in 2020

Top 10 COVID-19 Safe Activities to Do Near Fresno, California

Breaking the Binary: My Journey into Identifying as Non-Binary

The Döner Project: My Berlin Budget as a College Student

CM’s Guide to the Print and Digital Journalism Major

Away from Home and Feeling Gross: Being Sick My Freshman Year

A Tale of Two Twin Flames

movies to binge over winter break

Battling Boredom: 10 Movies to Binge Over Winter Break

Being an Asian-American: Learning to Accept Both Halves of Myself

How to Become a Published Poet

ADHD or the Enemy? At Least My College Helped Me

berkeley outdoors

10 COVID-19 Friendly Things to Do in Berkeley, California

Top 10 DIY Gifts for Your BFF

Christmas

10 Gifts For Parents That They Want But Haven’t Asked For

friend group dressed up as Big Hero Six characters

Animation Nerds Unite: 10 Gifts for Animation Lovers

gifts for your girl squad

10 Gifts Your Girl Squad Can’t Live Without

10 Virtual Gifts for Your BFF that Will Make Them Love You Forever

Previous Post: « CM’s Best Reads of 2014
Next Post: CM’s Guide to the International Relations Major »

Primary Sidebar



Trending Posts

94

10 St. John’s University Finals Activities to Help You De-Stress

mental health
78

Pandemic and Academic Blues: Being Aware of Your Mental Health

60

24 Ways My 2020 Survival Guide Turned into 2021 Lifestyle Habits

55

The Ultimate Auburn University Bucket List: 21 Things to Do Before Graduating

best classes
24

10 Best Classes You Need to Take at Drake University

Featured Chapter: St. John’s University

Footer

logo

College Magazine is the national daily guide to campus life. Our articles for college students feature university rankings of U.S. colleges, college guides, academic advice, college prep, career advice, student health and collegiate dating tips.

Written by students for students, by a team of journalists from universities nationwide, we’re on the pulse of the college experience.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

Majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

Intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

Money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

Travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

Shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

Copyright © 2021 College Magazine · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.