A Colombian resident in Miami, identified on TikTok as @valentinabuof, shared her experience adapting to different nationalities she has interacted with in the City of the Sun, highlighting that Cubans are the ones she found most difficult to adapt to.
In the video, Valentina mentions that whenever she talks to people of certain nationalities, she feels that the conversations can end in a fight, based on her personal experience.
In particular, he highlights the difficulty of adapting to Cubans, stating that they have a very particular way of speaking, characterized by a strong tone of voice. “It’s hard for me to listen to them speak, I feel like they scold me when they speak, not for the words, but for the tone.”Valentina explains. However, she clarifies that it is not because they are treating her badly, but that it is simply the way they speak. She adds that, by working with Cuban women, she has managed to get used to this style of communication.
Valentina also mentions her experience with Dominicans, who also speak in a loud tone and which she found difficult to understand at first. “After 5 minutes of talking to them you realize that they are cheerful and that is the way they speak,” she says, indicating that after a short period of interaction, the friendly nature of Dominicans can be appreciated.
Finally, the Colombian mentions the Spanish as another nationality with which she has had difficulty adapting.
The video has generated hundreds of reactions from many people who have identified with these words, including Cubans themselves who admit that they have been asked many times if they are angry about his tone.
The video has received a mix of reactions, from support for its sincerity to criticism for stereotyping certain groups. Valentina, however, has defended her statements as an honest description of her personal experiences and not as a negative judgment towards any nationality.
“I love interacting with Cubans and Dominicans. These people give everything a different touch”, “I’m Cuban and I speak really harshly. They always think I’m fighting. Even Cubans themselves hahahahahaha some speak softly. Not all of them”, “I’m Colombian and my best friends are Cuban. I haven’t had a problem with vocabulary”, “I’m Cuban and at first I was shocked working with Colombian women. I thought they were showing off the way they spoke. Then I fell in love with their accent” or “I’m Cuban, and when I lived in Mexico they always asked me if I was angry. And I: I don’t eat like that, I’m super fine. And it was because of my way of speaking haha”.
