Cafecito and Country Music

At Rebtel, we've been listening to customer stories for years. And some of the most exciting speak to hybrid cultures and identities.

The number of Cuban expats and US-born Cubans has grown since the revolution in 1959, with more than 1,8 million people comprising a significant Hispanic population in the States. This means many people are straddling the line of both identities.

If this is you, you might understand the subtle nuances of being "both" and how different the two sides of the same coin can be.

Today, many families are dealing with hybrid identities spread across state and territorial lines. That's part of what makes the USA and Cuban-American identity such an interesting topic.

As skilled workers move, in search of the American dream or simply to be reunited with people they care about, more people find themselves in both worlds in some way.

New place, same community

Because of the migrant nature of the Americas, it's not uncommon to find big Cuban communities in the US states. But what does this mean for those who have left friends and family behind?

There are a few things that shape and define Cuban-American identity:

Keeping family values.

Traditional family values are shared by many Cuban-Americans but these extend further than the structure of the average household. By nature, friendliness, warmth and hospitality are common among people with Cuban heritage and the feeling of community is stronger than in the US.

We've often heard customers speak about the culture shock they experience when moving to the US because, at home, they are very affectionate, and touch is an important part of connection.

However, in parts of the USA, this is not the norm, and people value personal space much more. In fact, it can be inappropriate to be affectionate with strangers and might get you in trouble.

Staying close to relatives, literally and digitally.

We know that some of our Cuban-American community phone home often, which is backed up by the findings of the Pew Research Centre.

Two-thirds of Hispanic people in general tend to phone someone at home at least once a month. Not just a text, or a gif - but a phone or video call to stay connected in a more personal way.

In Western culture, it's less typical for people to stay in touch with their families as often - showing the importance of strong ties to Cuban and Hispanic identity and culture. At the same time. Many Americans opt for supported care for their parents and grandparents as they get older.

Whereas Americans with Cuban heritage tend to keep their older family members in the home and take care of them themselves or with help.

Keeping Cuban culture alive with food, music, and art.

While America is a tapestry of cultures, Cuba has quite distinct flavors when it comes to food, music and creativity.

For example, Cubans are known to consume a lot of meat, especially roasted (lechon asado) or fried (masas de puerco) pork. Beef and black beans are also very popular.

Plus, artists like Gloria Estefan and Jon Secada set the stage early for blending English and Spanish in popular music.

Loving the language

Cubans are somewhat unique in that so many speak Spanish in comparison to other Hispanic countries. For example, 51% of Cuban-Americans are Spanish-dominant, and about 36% are bilingual, speaking Spanish and English.

While learning Spanish is not mandatory in every American school, many Cubans and second-generation expats choose to learn it in their early years.

Cuban-American culture by generation - now versus then

In years gone by, it wasn't easy for older generations of Cuban-Americans to stay in touch with family and friends back home.

The online culture that is so familiar to us today wasn't nearly as accessible before mobile phones became a household item. It was also more difficult to access inexpensive airtime to help them stay in touch. The US had early access to many different types of communication but has also experienced a digital revolution.

The importance of community and connection - How Rebtel can connect you to home

A number of our customers send Recargas to Cuba - it's the only recharge without commission. We don't take any extra. You only pay for what you are sending. It's quick and easy to get started. You simply enter the phone number of the person you want to send a recharge to, and then choose the amount you want to send.

Mobile recharge and top-up on calling minutes in no time

Make cheap calls to Cuba and top-up airtime for friends and family with an easy-to-use Rebtel mobile recharge app. Rebtel has some of the best international calling rates in the world and you don't need the web to make those calls.

Get Mandao credits

Mandao Credits are credits you can send to your connections in Cuba. They can then use the credit to get takeout food, groceries, and combos delivered right to their house.

With food being such an integral part of Cuban culture, as well as the need to take care of the people who mean a lot to us, a lot of Rebtel users have asked for the ability to send food to people they know in Cuba.

So we partnered up with Mandao - a food delivery service with especially fast delivery times and great value for money - to make it happen! It's quick, convenient and all done online.

Nauta top-ups

A Nauta top-up gives you internet and Wi-Fi credits that your people in Cuba can use at ETECSA Wi-Fi hotspots! You send these Nauta internet top-ups to your friend’s Nauta email address.

Then they can use them to surf the web, make audio or video calls, send or receive photos, and keep in touch with their loved ones. Explore your options and get them some credit.

Recharge, stay connected and send food home with Rebtel

Say "¡Chao, pesca’o!" to high fees and secret charges. Rebtel connects friends and family from around the world in a transparent, easy and cost-effective way.