How My Cuban Culture Influences My Life

Culture is an important part of many peoples’ lives. Though I was born here in the Greater Toronto Area, my parents immigrated to Canada from Cuba over 15 years ago. Throughout my life, my culture has always been a staple of my identity. But the question is—how exactly does my Cuban culture influence my life? 

The first, and most prominent, effect of my Cuban culture can be seen through the language I speak. When I am with my friends and at school, I only speak English. However, whenever I am at home I always take the opportunity to speak in Spanish. Though I have never taken formal Spanish classes, my Spanish is fluent enough that I am able to communicate with family members who solely speak Spanish.

Learning Spanish without taking classes was a setback when it came to my ability to learn the language, but my parents were my biggest influences at home to help me. I attribute my ability to speak Spanish fluently to the emphasis my parents placed on making sure I spoke it at home. When relatives and family friends came over, they would make a point to remind me to speak Spanish. Fast forward several years, I am now confident and capable in my Spanish speaking abilities.

Speaking Spanish has positively affected my life in a myriad of ways. Whenever I meet someone else who speaks Spanish, there is an instant bond.

Whether it’s at the store, on vacation, or just walking around, hearing others speak Spanish always fills me with a breath of joy. In fact, I originally connected with one of my closest friends because of it. We met at camp and bonded when we realized we both spoke Spanish. We are still friends to this very day! 

Additionally, knowing more than one language changes the way you look at language as a whole. Instead of seeing words as individual things, I tend to see them as concepts which can be shaped in any way. Instead of sentences feeling like these mysterious creatures, I can see the building blocks set in place to make communication possible.

Another impact of my Cuban culture can be seen in my music taste. As a child, I was exposed to a wide variety of music, from Pink Floyd to Sting. However, apart from more anglophone songs, I was also introduced to many Cuban artists, like Los Van Van and Las Orishas.

As an avid music lover, getting to hear these Cuban bands from a young age was a very special experience for me growing up. Hearing the captivating rhythms in songs like “El Baile Del Buey Cansao” and the stunning vocals in songs like “El Manisero” really inspired me and showed me some of the beautiful things music, and people, can do.

Apart from language and music, the largest cultural difference I have experienced due to my Cuban culture is the foods I eat. I, like most, enjoy a variety of foods from a variety of cultures. However, I also take the opportunity to eat a ton of traditional Cuban food.

Normally I will eat Cuban food when my extended family gathers for big holidays, like New Years, Christmas, and for birthdays. We eat foods like yuca and tamales, and desserts like arroz con leche (a type of rice pudding) and pastelitos de guayaba. Personally, my favourite traditional dessert is something called flan. Flan is a baked custard desert that originated from Spain, but is now eaten in many Latin American countries, like Cuba. It is relatively sweet, which is a big reason why I enjoy it so much.

Though it may not seem like a huge deal to others, I firmly believe having had the opportunity to try out different kinds of food throughout my childhood has made me a more open-minded person today.

Acclimating to the new flavours in food is much like acclimating to new situations and ideas. When it becomes a habit to try something new or to keep an open mind, this habit shows up in all different kinds of situations.

Lastly, a significant cultural influence on my life is the emphasis on family and connections. As the majority of my family does not live in Canada, it is often hard to meet up constantly, but we always work on finding a way to connect. Whether it’s through phone calls or visits, spending time with family is always a priority.

One way my family loves to spend time with each other is through frequent dinners with the whole family. These dinners consist of delicious food, games, music, and even dancing. No matter the occasion, dinner with the family is always a fun time!

My Cuban culture has greatly affected, and continues to affect, my life. From language, music, food, and family the presence of my culture is scattered throughout my life. Without my culture, I doubt I would be the same person I am today.