From Cuba to the United States, A Path to Citizenship

[00:00:00] Kaitlyn Johnson: Hello, my name is Kaitlyn Johnson and I’m here with Eddie Santana. So Eddie, can you tell me about the actual process of migration? So who helped you pay for it and how was it done?

[00:00:12] Eddie Santana: Okay, Kaitlyn, um, actually the migration process for us Cubans are a little bit easier than for other, uh, nationals from other countries.

Um, There’s a lot of misunderstanding out there about the migration process and I’ll be more than happy to share my story with you, right? Um, in my case, I can only speak on my behalf and what I know about my country and what helped us to come here, right? Um, There is a federal law that it was passed by the U. S. Congress. I think it was in 1966 and signed by President Johnson at the time. Um, that is called the Cuban Adjustment Act. Um, which helps Cuban citizens to be in the United States, um, and become permanent resident after being living here for a whole year under parole, right? Um, so you got to come to United States first on the parole, which is a legal process to come here.

And then after being living here for a whole year, you can apply, uh, to your permanent resident, which is the green card, um, under that federal law, right? And that’s literally how I became a, uh, permanent resident first.

[00:01:26] Kaitlyn Johnson: Okay. Thank you. So why did you choose the United States?

[00:01:33] Eddie Santana: Actually, I remember growing up in my country.

Um, when you go to school, I’m from Cuba and, uh, our, our political system is all destroyed. Unfortunately, since 1959 and we haven’t been able to restore it because of COVID 19. under a dictator, which was Fidel Castro. Um, it was basically impossible to rebuild the whole country with our own belief and with our own culture.

Um, everything was basically taken away when Castro came to the power in 1959 with the, uh, revolution. Um, so I remember growing up and going to school, uh, everything they teach children in the school is, uh, Americans are enemies. And I was a little bit hurt. I was like, why are you telling that another person from another country is an enemy?

I don’t know this person. I can’t call this person an enemy, right? So they make United States look bad in my country, like telling us the worst stories about what Americans do, what Americans do. Um, take away from other countries instead of telling us the good things about United States and, you know, things like that.

And I remember growing up, I was like, how a country can be that bad and be an enemy when this country is making princess Disney movies, because I remember growing up like a kid, I was like, this is beautiful and it’s all coming from the United States. Why? So I realized that it was all a lie, obviously.

And, um, Um, ever since then coming to United States was like, I want to go there. I want to see with my own eyes. I want to be there and know if this is a lie or this is true. That’s how I choose United States.

[00:03:24] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you for that answer. So what was your original destination when you got to the United States?

[00:03:32] Eddie Santana: Um, I applied to come to United States with a, um, program that doesn’t exist anymore. The program got terminated in 2017 under Obama’s administration. Um, it was the CMPP, which stands for Cuba Medical Parole Program, that helps medical professionals medical professionals that are working for the government of Cuba out of the country.

Um, I am a dentist, so I went to dental school in Cuba. Um, and getting out of the country is basically impossible. If you’re a Cuban citizen, we are considered migrants everywhere we go. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter your profession. It doesn’t matter. Your, um, economic status, you’re considered a migrant, right?

So getting out of the country is really hard. Right. So basically what I did, I did sign up for a, um, government program, um, that helps, um, um, communities in need in Venezuela, um, and poor, poor population. Um, so I did sign up, I went to Venezuela. I was working with the, um, government for a whole year until I was ready to apply for that, um, program, um, the CMPP to come to United States, right?

Once you apply, you are approved. You’ve been granted a visa, which is a parole visa, uh, for a whole year. And, um, I came here and when I came here, um, I arrived to Florida, to Miami. And, uh, there is a, um, I will call it Association Foundation that is called, um, CWS, which stands for the Church World Services.

We Harrisonburg, downtown. Um, and they were literally the one that helped me, uh, to come to Harrisonburg. I asked them, uh, they were telling me, okay, so we have locations in this state, this state, here and there. And honestly, at that time, I was like, I don’t even know where I’m going. I don’t have any family here, right?

So, I asked them, what’s the closest place to, uh, the capitol? Because I want to be close to Washington, D. C. And they said, oh, Harrisonburg, Virginia. And I was like, alright, send me there. I want to be there. And that’s how I got to Harrisonburg.

[00:05:55] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you. So, can you expand more on your dental school journey and how it was like from going there? It’s like working in Cuba to the United States. Okay.

[00:06:06] Eddie Santana: Uh, literally the education system in Cuba, it’s really similar to here. Um, you need to have a master or bachelor degree in biology or chemistry to be able to go to dental school. Keep in mind going to school in Cuba is free. Um, it’s, you don’t have to pay for it.

It’s not the best. We don’t have the latest technology. But it’s free. At least you don’t, you don’t pay for it. Right? Um, so I got my master, uh, my bachelor degree, sorry, in biology. And then I was able to go to dental school. I went to dental school for five years. Um, it was one of the best experiences of my whole life.

I was able to meet, um, like students from across the country. Um, even a student from across the world, because, um, In Cuba, we have one of the biggest medical schools in Latin America that brings students from other countries, especially from Middle East and Africa, to study like science in Cuba, like medicine, um, nurses.

Nursing and dentistry. Um, going to dental school was awesome, , um, I’ve been telling you since I got here, I was like, wow, this pretty memories. Uh, when I was in dental school, I enjoyed my journey. I want, I was one of the best students on my of my year. Um, practicing as a dentist was a whole different story.

You know, when you’re a student, you’re in that bubble and then the bubble just pop and you’re alone by yourself. Um, seeing patients every day and just doing your best to provide the best health care possible. Um, I was working as a dentist in Cuba for a little bit until, until I left the country to go to work for the government in Venezuela.

Then I worked in Venezuela for a whole year helping. The poor population, um, the most, the most in need people, they, they, they needed a lot of like help, to be honest with you. Um, then, um, when I got here to United States, it is a whole different story. It’s not that easy. It is not impossible, which is great, but it’s not that easy.

Um, basically what you have to do in order for you to go back to dental school, because it is a requirement by the, um, U. S. um. school system. If you want to practice as a dentist in the United States, at least you have to do a one year minimum to practice in Virginia. Actually, Virginia is the only state in the United States that allows you to practice as a dentist going back to school for only one year.

Now, if you want to be able to practice anywhere else, you have to do at least two years of education. Um, the journey is expensive. It’s exhausting. Um, I’m telling you, us, that are coming from another country, we don’t know how to handle work and school at the same time. It’s not like you guys that were born here.

This is your system. This is what you guys know what to do. We don’t know. So it’s been a little bit complicated for me, to be honest, trying to balance between work and school. Um, currently I’m working as a dental assistant with the Harrisonburg Community Health Center. Because again, I am the person that likes to work for the community, help them, especially those people that need it the most.

And I continue my education, I’m studying, I need to pass the dental boards to be able to apply for dental schools. Once I pass the boards and I send applications to dental school, whatever I get, choose, that’s where I’m going to finish. dental school in the United States to be able to practice. My number one option will be VCU because it’s the closest one.

And if for some reason VCU doesn’t work, I will try with Howard University in Washington, D. C. And if for any reason it doesn’t work, I will look somewhere else out of the state, definitely.

[00:10:06] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you. Um, so how is it like getting a job at a dental school? In the U. S., like when you first came here?

[00:10:16] Eddie Santana: Um, getting a job was complicated because the language barrier.

Um, my first language is Spanish. Um, I learned English by myself. I’m a self learner. I like to self study and do stuff by myself. So I wasn’t able to go to school to learn English. So I remember, um, My first job was McDonald’s up here in Pearl road. Cause I used to live, um, down in, um, Bradley drive right next to Hunter Ridge.

That’s where I used to live before when I got here to United States and I used to go walking to the McDonald’s to work cause I wasn’t able to drive. Um, and it was complicated. I remember being bullied and I remember being like,

Discriminated a little bit because the language barrier. And I was like, you know what? I’m going to use this as a fuel. So I remember after, after the shift, I used to go home, take a really good shower, make my whole pot of coffee because us Cubans, we love coffee. And I remember getting into YouTube and to Rosetta Stone and learn English by myself.

Um, so again, getting a job when I got here was complicated just because the language barrier, um, again, I got here to United States without a program that helped me to get my, um, work permit to work legally. So that was not the problem. The problem was the language barrier. And sometimes while, uh, I’m trying to switch jobs because it’s not my first language still, um, even though people tell me I do great speaking, uh, writing and listening, um, I can tell that my language is still my biggest, um, issue while applying for jobs.

[00:12:04] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you. Um, so you already talked about discrimination, but like when you first got to the United States were people like welcoming, hostile?

[00:12:14] Eddie Santana: Um, my experience in Florida, cause I was in Florida for a month until I got relocated to Harrisonburg. My experience in Florida was great. Um, as you probably know, there’s a lot of like Hispanic, uh, in Florida and the Latin American community in Florida is so big that it’s literally impossible not feel welcome.

Um, but when I moved to, um, Harrisonburg, um, I’m not going to tell you that I felt discriminated right away because that’s not a lie. Um, people were welcome and people were nice and friendly. Somehow, um, like I said before, working in places, I could tell that I was being discriminated because where I was coming from and, um, I couldn’t speak the language like fluent.

And yes, I can tell that that was the biggest issue. Not because I was coming from another country, not because I was coming from Cuba. I don’t think my citizenship from another country was the, um, was the reason why I was being discriminated or bullied. I think it was because I couldn’t handle the job, uh, because the language barrier.

Um, after I learned the language, I can tell, and I can guarantee, I have never experienced an episode of discrimination or bullying. Uh, being bully, um, anywhere else. I’m telling you, it’s, I love Virginia. I love being here, even though there’s people out there that thinks or have a misconception about living in the North of the country, because that’s where Americans live and that’s where Americans do discriminate others.

That’s not my personal belief. That’s not what I think. And that’s not what I have experienced since I’ve been living here. Harrisonburg, Virginia is my home and I will never leave this area, to be honest with you.

[00:14:10] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you.

So what, so do you think that,

[00:14:28] Eddie Santana: Go ahead. Don’t worry.

[00:14:31] Kaitlyn Johnson: Um, so do you think your experience in Cuba would have been different if you had been straight or do you think the experience would have been the same?

[00:14:41] Eddie Santana: Um, wow. I think being, um, being gay. Anywhere, anywhere you go, it’s a challenge. It’s a real challenge. Unfortunately, the world we’re living right now is still not ready to fully open their arms for gay people, unfortunately.

And I’m not only talking about gay people, I’m talking about like people with disabilities, people with um, Uh, political belief, people with different political belief, people with different backgrounds. I don’t think the world is completely ready to be like 100 percent uh, wide open with those people. Uh, but speaking in my country, it was hard.

Again, I’m coming from a country where it’s ruled by a dictator. which is basically like you gotta dress this way, you gotta act this way. If you don’t do it this way, you’re going to be considered a bad person. Um, where I’m coming from, my family, I love my family. Um, don’t get me wrong what I’m about to say, but unfortunately my family was not very supportive on top of that.

Um, so one of the reasons why I decided to run away was because my family wasn’t very supportive with me. Uh, My dad was never in the picture. So growing up was complicated. It was just my mom, me and my sister. I think my mom, she, she did the best she could. She was mom and dad at the same time. I don’t think she, she understood her assignment and she did her best to raise me, obviously.

Uh, but in terms of, uh, sexual orientation, uh, she is very conservative. , um, I was living in, in a household where like being gay was wrong. Um, the right thing was just getting ma getting married early, before going to school, before going to do any, anything else. The rule was getting married and I think by breaking the rules, my family was a little bit disappointed, uh, with me.

Um, again, they still love me. But I think it’s the best decision that I have ever made, just run away from them, just make my own life here in the United States. Because that way I don’t hurt them anymore. Because I know I hurt them, by being gay. It is hard, it is hard. Um, I still love them, it doesn’t matter.

I understand being here now in the United States, the reason why they, they were that way. I don’t blame them. Uh, like, like I said before, I still love them. I love my mom. I love my sister. My sister is different. She’s from a different generation. Obviously my grandparents, uh, and my mom, they’re from a different generation.

They’re older. Uh, my mom had me when she was almost 40 years. So it’s hard for me to explain the reason why she doesn’t support me. I think it’s just because the way she was raised. Um, and what, what she, she’s still loving me. She’s still loving me no matter what, but we don’t talk about my personal life anymore.

We, we quit talking about my personal life years ago when she realized that I was not the person that she was looking for or she wanted to have. Um, I think I’d ended up any like connections between me and my mom talking about personal life. Um, so I don’t talk to her about my personal life. So coming to the United States definitely was a blessing because finally I could be free and I could be able to choose to get married to whoever I want to get married.

Um, being gay, I don’t think it’s a illness. Uh, in my country being gay was part of the mental illness until 1999. I’m And it was difficult because I remember going on, my mom was taking me to doctors and I have memories of me going to the doctor like several times they were doing that brain studies where they were connecting.

It was kind of like a hat with several wires connected to a computer. And I remember I was getting drugs and, uh, to kind of like made me feel sleepy so that way I could fall asleep and then can read and they can analyze my brain because they were considered The, uh, being gay or being homosexual was considered a mental illness in my country until 1999 was removed from the least.

So I said, can you imagine being a kid I born, I was born in 1991, so I was literally eight, eight years old when they decide, oh no, this is not an illness anymore. So what I went through in those eight years. Because I remember growing up it was different. Growing up it was different. I remember like, I enjoyed playing with girls more than boys.

The girls were my best friends. Um, it was different. It was definitely different. So yeah, coming to the United States, it was like, this is where I want to be. I don’t want to go ever back. I’ll be back to visit my family, to be honest with you. Um, and spend time with them, but live in Cuba. I don’t think I will ever be able to live in Cuba again.

[00:20:10] Kaitlyn Johnson: So have you ever been back to Cuba?

[00:20:13] Eddie Santana: Um, yes. Um, I mentioned to you earlier that I was working for the government. And, um, once you decide to leave the work responsibilities or quit your job while working for the government, you get a punishment by the government of my country and they restrict you to return to the country within eight years.

It’s been seven years. Um, so starting April of next year, I’ll be able to go back, uh, with, without any issues. Um, I was able to go back in 2019. My grandma, she was going through a lot of medical, um, and health problems. So I got grant and humanitarian visa to go back and see my family. It was only for five days.

Um, and ever since then, I haven’t been able to go back again I have a punishment because the government of my country.

[00:21:08] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you. So how did you meet your husband?

[00:21:12] Eddie Santana: Oh my God. Well, I was going through a lot of, uh, anxiety episodes and, um, depression back in 2020 when COVID hit. Um, I was like, you know what? I need to seek, uh, friends.

I need to seek, uh, My loved ones, people that I know, and unfortunately they only live in Florida. So I made the move and I moved to Florida for a year. Um, yeah, I was just giving myself time. I wasn’t moving them permanently. I would just move. I’ll move there just temporary to see if I really liked it and to see if that, uh, environment will help me to get out of my anxiety and my depression, which it did, to be honest with you.

Uh, and that’s how I met Jose, which is my husband. Um, we, we met randomly at a mall. And ever since then, I think he was the person that it was meant to be for me. Um, And he considers the same. He was single. I was single too. I was dating people up here to be honest with you. Nothing, nothing very serious. Um, I was not being serious about dating.

I don’t think I was looking for a person to get married right away. I was just looking for the right person. Um, I was not in a hurry and that’s how I realized that meeting Jose and dating him and moving with him. And getting, getting proposed was a good idea. So we got married like really fast after we met, which was crazy.

We met in January. We moved together in March. He proposed me June and we got married in September of the same year. So it was crazy. I think he was going through something as well. I have never asked him. He’s very close. He doesn’t. talk a lot of his personal life. Obviously I, I know his personal life, but he’s more like reserved with his feelings than I am.

Um, but I think he was going through something as well. And that’s how our, we, we got cross and that’s how we ended up getting married. After we got married, Harrisonburg was the best idea financially. And, um, Emotionally. Um, so I brought him in. I was like, let’s go there in summer. Let’s go there in winter.

And then you have to compare and you have to let me know if Virginia is for you. So we got here in summer. He loved it. We came back during winter and he got, he was able to see this snow and he was like, you know what? I’ll move with you to Virginia. So we decided to move back here. And so we ended up coming back to Virginia.

[00:24:06] Kaitlyn Johnson: Oh, that’s so nice. Yeah. So, what is the citizen process, citizenship process like and your attitudes towards it?

[00:24:20] Eddie Santana: Um, it was very easy to be honest with you. Um, the language was my biggest friend during the process. Um, cause I was able to speak English and I was able to fill out the application by myself with no help.

Um, going to an interview with an immigration agent and speaking with them in English and uh, being present during the oath ceremony and, um, speaking English was like, again, was my biggest friend throughout the process. Um, there is certain requirements and again, there’s a lot of misconceptions and miscommunications out there.

I’ll. Citizenship for migrants, um, unfortunately, um, during this past elections, which were my first elections for the first time, I was able to choose a president or to vote for the person that, uh, what I consider it was going to be my president, uh, in my country. You turn 18, you go to elections, but you know what’s gonna happen, you know who’s gonna become the president.

So it’s, there is no, um, there’s no freedom of democracy. You, you don’t have democracy. So luckily United States, you’re able to see democracy and choose democracy, right? Um, again, people out there believe that illegals, aliens can. vote in the election. And that’s not true. There’s a lot of requirements to become a citizen.

One of them, you got to be in United States living legally for five years. Um, you can go in and out of the country. You can travel obviously, but you cannot spend more than six months out of the country. If you spend more than six months out of the country, you can, um, they can take your, uh, green card away from you because it makes no sense.

You are living in United States. Six month only and six month in another country, right? Um, so that’s the first requirement. You gotta be in United States, live in five years. And you gotta speak the language. You gotta know about history. Um, you gotta be able to communicate in English. Cause it’s difficult.

It’s the language, um, and you cannot have any felonies or any criminal charges in your background. They’re going to run your criminal background and make sure you are clean and clear to become a citizen. Um, in my case, luckily, uh, have never had any issues with the, uh, justice in the United States. Um, not even on traffic tickets, um, um, And it was really easy.

Now, my husband Jose, he is a permanent resident, um, and I don’t think the path will be easier for him under the upcoming administration, uh, with their, uh, rules and regulations they’re announcing. So, um, he doesn’t speak the language like I do. Um, he’s learning a lot of English. Um, he’s trying his best. He works here at JMU in Panda Express.

Um, he’s great. He is a great person, a human being, um, but he is not a citizen yet. Um, and again, I do believe it’s going to be complicated for him to become a citizen under another administration as well. Um, In my case, it was easy. Um, and I don’t have any regrets. I think it was the best day of my whole life, to be honest with you.

[00:28:04] Kaitlyn Johnson: Okay. Do you feel American or foreign? Tough question.

[00:28:12] Eddie Santana: Um, I will never forget where I’m coming from. I will never forget where I was born and raised. I will never forget my roots. I will never forget that I speak Spanish first and then English. I will never forget that United States is my second home. I will never forget United States gave me all I could have in my country.

I do believe that I am half and a half. I’m a foreign and I’m an American, but I have to, if I have to choose one, I will be an American. United States has been a blessing. Um, I was able to be the person I wanted to be for so many years in United States. So I’ll be forever grateful for coming to United States, being admitted in this country, um, being able to become a citizen and be part of this country.

Even though I wasn’t born here, I consider myself an American now.

[00:29:18] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you. Are there any social norms that, like, it was hard getting used to when you moved to the United States?

[00:29:28] Eddie Santana: Yes. Uh, driving. Driving? Driving is one of them. Um, my My car in Cuba was a bicycle, so you got, it’s like as I’m certain and you go everywhere in bicycle, riding bikes, um, the public transportation in my country, it doesn’t exist.

So you’re lucky if you have a bicycle to go places. Um, I remember going to school, riding my bicycle. I remember going to. My first dental office as a dentist riding a bicycle, um, going to the grocery store, riding my bicycle. So coming to United States and having my first car and driving for the first time was definitely complicated.

Um, nobody taught me. I learned by myself. I remember getting my first car without even knowing how to drive properly. And I remember when I was leaving the dealership, the guy was like, Do you really know how to drive? And I was like, Yeah, I got this. I got this and I was like, all right, this is what we’re going to do.

I am going to focus that I am on Mario Kart, the video game, and this is what we’re doing, but without hitting people and without throwing rocks at people. So you’re going to focus on the road, look at the lights and you’ll get home. And that’s what I did. And I remember I was driving from the Ford dealership.

All the way up here to Port Republic Road because that’s where I used to live. And, um, after I got my car, I was driving in the parking lot, learning how to drive, learning how to stop, learning how to use the mirrors and everything. So that was a hostile for me. Um, luckily I have never been involved in any accidents.

Um, and now I’m not scared of driving anymore. Another thing that got me was, um, the food. I miss the food of my country. The flavors are different, obviously, uh, but I’ve been involved and I’ve been part of this country. I don’t, um, go to places demanding people to speak Spanish. I don’t go to places demanding people to make the food of my country because I’m not in my country anymore.

So I became part of this country now and I enjoy going out of places and like, uh, eating American food and, um, be part of the culture again. Um, I don’t think, um, I have to force people cause I’m from another country to like my culture or to do something that I don’t like that is being done in here. Um, being here now means that you gotta be part of the culture and you gotta just respect the country you’re living.

Um, but other than that, I think everything else was fine for me.

[00:32:24] Kaitlyn Johnson: Yeah. That’s good. So you talked a little about, a little bit about friends, but like, was it easy or hard like making friends in Florida or like Harrisonburg?

[00:32:41] Eddie Santana: I am sorry what I’m about to say about Florida, but in Florida, if you don’t have money, you don’t have friends, which is so sad. Even though friends that I knew for years and years and years. They treat me different differently when I was there and I was only able to sit them once in a whole year. Being a Harrisonburg in Virginia, you make friends for your lifetime.

So they’re friends forever. Um, my first, um, important job, I’m going to call it important job, which is a property management job. I never did that job before. I was like, what am I going to do here? But I was like, you know what? I’m blessed. This is all that matters. Um, Jake’s parents, um, they gave me the opportunity to join their team.

And I was working for them for years and years and years, until I moved to Florida. Um, they are my family. They became co workers first. Then they became friends, and now they became family. They’re my family, because again, I don’t have any family members here, and Hammond’s for me, it’s everything. Uh, I could, I could trade my life, if that would be a possibility, if one of them have to leave.

Um, I just love them so much, um, Um, and making friends being easy overall, it’s not being difficult. It’s not being complicated. There’s a lot of people out there. They see somebody from another country and they say, Oh, and they start asking you questions. How’s the life there? How’s your family? Do you have any family here?

And that’s how usually a friendship starts. Right? Um, every, everywhere I go, I try to make friends, my co workers or, Ordering food, because you never know who is going to be there for you or you never know who is going to be there if you ever need something. So making friends for me is really important.

So making friends in Harrisonburg is definitely easy. It’s not complicated.

[00:34:48] Kaitlyn Johnson: That’s good. Harrisonburg is known for the friendly city. It is

[00:34:52] Eddie Santana: a friendly city. It is a friendly city. And now I know why it’s being called a friendly city.

[00:34:58] Kaitlyn Johnson: So, do you have any family in the United States or are they still back in Cuba?

[00:35:04] Eddie Santana: Um, all my family is back in Cuba. I only have my mom’s aunt in the United States. She lives in Florida. We are close, but we are not that close because she’s my mom’s aunt. Um, but we keep communication mostly every week. She’s 79 years old. Um, her daughter is here as well. So that’s considered, they are considered my only family here.

And now Jose, which is my husband, I call him family. Even though we’re not attached by blood, but by feelings and, um, same thing with the Hammonds. They’re my family, but family by blood, everyone is in Cuba. My mom, my sister, my niece, my grandparents, um, my uncle, my aunt, everyone is in Cuba. My cousins, everyone is in there.

Uh, none of them wants to come here because there’s not an easy way anymore to come here. Obviously, my family would like to do everything right. Um, so we wouldn’t, we wouldn’t come here illegally because that’s not what we want and that’s not how we are. So if there is not a legal way to come here, they’re not going to come.

[00:36:18] Kaitlyn Johnson: Okay, Um, so do you still keep in contact with like your siblings? I know you said that you like still talk to your mom, but like, do you still talk to your, like, grandparents and your siblings back in Cuba?

[00:36:33] Eddie Santana: Um, yes, my mom, I talk to her every day, uh, every morning while driving to work, I talk to her, I call her.

Sometimes it’s difficult because there is, is, several hours of, uh, power outage in my country. So they lost signal on their cell phones for some reason. Uh, communication is a little bit complicated, but just because that, but my mom, she’s always there when I call her, she calls me over the weekend.

Sometimes, um, I talk to my sister, uh, a lot, like three or four times a day. Um, again, my sister is more. supportive than my mom. So my sister, she knows more about my personal life than my own mother, but it is where it is. I’ll take it. That’s fine. Um, I still talk to my cousins. I still talk to my, um, uncle, my grandparents, um, only have a relationship with my mom’s parents because since my dad was never in the picture, I don’t have any contact with them.

I haven’t heard from my dad since I was probably 11. And I’m 33 now, so you can just do your own math. Um, I don’t even know how he looks like nowadays, to be honest with you. I haven’t asked for him. I haven’t tried to have any contact with him. I don’t feel like doing it. I don’t think he wants to be in my life.

And I don’t think that I have to be forcing that. Right. But everyone else keep in touch with me. Um, everyone is waiting like desperately for me to return. Uh, I’m planning to go back at some point next year after April. I will think in either May or July, um, cause I would like to spend Mother’s Day with my mom.

I think it would be a blessing for her if I return on Mother’s Day. So that’s my plan for now. But yeah, I keep in communication with everyone, which is great. Um, there is several ways to, um, Um, talk to them, which is by phone call, by WhatsApp, which is an app that helps you to communicate through internet, uh, FaceTime, um, and well, obviously traveling there when I can.

[00:38:48] Kaitlyn Johnson: Do you think it’s going to be like hard for you to go back to like Cuba for the, for like since like a couple of years?

[00:38:56] Eddie Santana: It’ll be difficult. It’ll be really, um, strange. Again, I feel more American now than Cuban. Um, It’s my country and I will never forget where I’m coming from. I’m from a small town like Harrisonburg.

I will, I will, I will say that it’s smaller than Harrisonburg, way smaller than Harrisonburg. Um, it’ll be difficult. It’ll be, um, challenging. Um, Especially because right now we are so attached to many things that in my country we don’t have like food And I remember when I went there back in 2019. I was craving for pepsi We don’t have access to have pepsi, you know And that’s just something minimum just that way you can have an idea what i’m talking about and uh Going back after so many years is going to be challenging, but I’m planning to be there for at least a whole month so I can just be with them.

And I don’t care if there’s no food, I will bring food with me for my whole family. Um, I don’t care if there’s no power, I will bring like something to keep us warm if it’s cold or to keep us like hydrated or cool if it’s hot, but I will definitely return. It’s my country and I will never forget that.

Where I’m coming from.

[00:40:25] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you So is schooling easy for you in the united states because you said like the one year of dental school So like is that? Easy for you to like study and stuff like that

[00:40:53] Eddie Santana: or It is complicated Especially because everything is in english classes are in english. The boards are in english. They don’t offer any spanish version You Which, which is understandable and I agree, um, if I want to practice in the United States, I understand I’ll be seeing English speakers, patients, mostly of the time, right?

And I’m not, I’m not complaining about that. But I do believe there, there should be an easy way for us like foreign trained dentists to go back to dental school. that, that the way that is right. Currently implemented. Um, I think, uh, by passing the boards and demonstrating them that you are able to answer at least 80% of the questions correct.

You can practice in the United States, but on top of that, they force you to go back to school. Applying for schools now that I’m a citizen is easier because I can be eligible for student loans and grants and stuff like that. Before, I was not really into dental school because I was a permanent resident.

There’s a lot of restrictions in schools for permanent residents. As a permanent resident, you don’t get that many options as a citizen. So I was like, I’m going to wait until I become a citizen, then I’ll think about going back to dental school because dentistry is what I like the most. I enjoy my job, my profession, my career.

I really like it. Um, it is difficult passing the board. It’s challenging. I’ve already tried once and I failed. And I failed by one point. The passing score is 75 and I scored 74. And again, the issue to me, for me is the language. You are only required to spend at least one minute per question. And sometimes I was reading the question and I was like, Oh my goodness, what they’re asking, I don’t even understand.

There is so tricky. And sometimes I was spending at least three minutes per question because I was trying to understand what, what they were asking. What’s the right answer. But I’m still studying. I’ll keep up. I’m not going to give up easy. Um, my plan is taking the boards again next year at some point. I don’t know exactly when.

It’s really expensive for us, um, foreign dentists. On top of the regular fee that, um, American students have to pay, uh, foreign trained dentists have to pay an extra fee. They call it international fee. I don’t even know what they do with that money, but we got to pay 200 extra on top of that fee. It’s crazy.

Um, so for us it’s more expensive than for American students. Um, but yeah, at some point I’ll try next, uh, next year again to see if I can pass the boards.

[00:43:52] Kaitlyn Johnson: So are the techniques of like being a dentist in Cuba different from being a dentist in the U. S.? Like did you have to like relearn how to do certain things?

[00:44:01] Eddie Santana: There are certain procedures that yes, we have to, um, learn in United States, especially the ones, uh, related with, um, disinfection, uh, control. Uh, there’s a lot of chemicals we don’t have in Cuba. There’s a lot of procedures and regulations that we don’t have in Cuba. Here we have agencies that are in charge to, of that regulation.

So we got to learn that we don’t, but we can learn that as a dental assistant because we are in the field already, right? There’s other procedures like, for example, root canals, right? In my country, we do root canals, but we don’t have the technology that the United States has, so we gotta learn duct technology.

The procedure is still the same because at the very end, you’re just doing the road canal. Now the tools are different and that’s what you have to learn. So I do agree that you have to go back to dental school at least for one year. I don’t consider that you have to do both. A board and going back to dental school to me is either one.

Either going back to school or either passing the boards, right? But again, it’s just the way it is and I’ll do it. I don’t care. I’m here for it

[00:45:17] Kaitlyn Johnson: So you said Virginia has like a one year dental school program or like what was it like in like, Florida or like other states?

[00:45:25] Eddie Santana: You can actually do one year anywhere now Practicing you’re only able to practice with that one year in Virginia Virginia is the only state in the United States that let you practice as a dentist you with one year program.

Uh, but any school across the country will be able to, um, take you for one year, right? Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to practice anywhere but Virginia. Uh, but if I want to be able to go anywhere else in the United States and practice, um, I’m required to do two years program. And any school offers a two year across the country.

There is some requirements obviously to get into dental school. Cause you are, you’re not competing with American, American dentists, um, students. You are competing with other international trained dentists, right? So if you want to be able to get into dental school, you gotta be, your background needs to be great, the best.

And, uh, cause you’re competing with a lot of people. Unfortunately, the, uh, number of, um, um, Admissions they offer is very limited per school. For example, VCU, they only offer, um, eight, um, people, so they only admit eight people per year. There is other schools across the country that only takes two or three.

There’s others that take 50, which is Florida and, uh, Massachusetts and Boston. They take more students. Uh, but again, it’s, it’s just all about who is going to take you where you’re going to be accepted.

[00:46:59] Kaitlyn Johnson: Okay.

So since you’re like able to like vote now, do you feel like you have a more of a voice like when voting than you were like when you couldn’t vote?

[00:47:21] Eddie Santana: Yes, definitely. I do believe every time when there is, and I’m not talking about any parties specifically. Um, I’m talking about the person that represents the party.

Yeah. And what that person has to offer me as a citizen and number two, as a migrant, because I’m a migrant still, nobody’s going to delete that from my background. Nobody’s going to change it. I’m still a migrant. Even though I’m a citizen, I’m still a migrant because I wasn’t born here. And I understand that.

So sometimes it hurt my feelings the way there is, uh, people out there that they express about migrants. And I’m not blind. I understand there’s thousands of people that come to the United States illegally, right? Which I don’t agree. I do believe that everyone must come here legally. But this should be the easiest way to come here.

So that way you have, you will avoid that thousands and millions of migrants that come to the United States every year illegally, right? Unfortunately the immigration system is not the best. Um, By voting, um, like you said, uh, my voice is heard and not only mine, but the voices of millions of migrants that are in the same position that I was prior becoming a citizen.

So voting on the elections is definitely, uh, a step forward of people listening to my voice.

[00:48:58] Kaitlyn Johnson: So, yeah. So do you think with like the policy that allows you to come to like the United States since that’s like been been taken away, has it like affect, do you think it’s affected like other human citizens that want to come to the United States as well?

[00:49:14] Eddie Santana: Um, yes, definitely. Um, there is a lot of, um, new regulations to come to United States. I think they, sometimes it all depends about the administration that is running the country. Um, I came here under Trump’s administration and I, I’m not going to tell you it was the worst experience. It was not. Um, again, it was very easy for me to become a citizen, but because I work for it.

I try hard to learn, to learn the language. I try hard to do good work, pay my taxes. Um, never miss work. So I knew when I was coming to United States, but there’s other migrants that unfortunately they don’t have that same mindset. And that’s why different administration, they’re constantly changing the migration rules.

Um, but yeah, since I. I came to the United States, uh, everything has changed and obviously there is all, there is migrants in my country that want to come here and unfortunately they are not able to come in anymore because the migration is changing every time. So yeah, it’s been affected. I can guarantee that.

[00:50:26] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you. So you have dual citizenship, right, with Cuba and the United States or do you just have citizenship with the United States?

[00:50:41] Eddie Santana: I have dual citizenship. Um, considering the fact that I’ve been out of my country for more than four years, I lost my Cuban citizenship. Uh, but once I enter to the country again, um, they’re, they’re not going to see me as a Cuban.

They’re going to see, see me as a foreign now because I’ve been out of the country for so many years. So I don’t have the same privilege like I used to have anymore, like for example, uh, paying with the Cuban money. I can’t pay with that money. So my family have to take the U. S. dollars, change it, and convert them to the Cuban money.

Did that make sense? Yes. Um, I can’t go to hospitals anymore and receive free, uh, healthcare. I gotta pay for it. Um, what other things? Uh, can’t drive. So there’s certain privileges that are being taken away when you leave the country. And as part of being living in a dictatorship country, that’s how they rule the country.

But, um, considering where I’m coming from and where I’m living right now, yes, I have dual citizenship. I’m Cuban and I’m American. But number one, I’m American because My rise as a Cuban citizen, I’ve lost them because I’ve been out of the country for so many years. Would you But I have, I hold both passports, the Cuban and the American passport.

[00:52:08] Kaitlyn Johnson: Would you be able to gain the Cuban citizenship back once you do visit there again or

[00:52:14] Eddie Santana: Yes, but I’m not interested because I gotta pay for it and I think that’s unfair because that’s where I was born and that’s where I’m coming from. So I do believe that it’s unfair that we gotta pay the government to get our citizenship back.

I don’t think that’s fair. So I will, I’m not, cause I’m not considering to pay a dime to the government of my country to, uh, recover my citizenship.

[00:52:42] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you. Um, you’ve talked a little bit about it, but like, how is it growing up in a dictatorship country and then moving to a country that like,

[00:52:58] Eddie Santana: It’s very difficult. You don’t have options. Like I said before, you, you go to elections and you know who’s winning the elections and you know who’s going to become the president and you know who’s going to become part of the Senate and everything because the whole government controls the whole country.

And what I mean the whole country, I’m talking about schools. Health care, um, law, everything. So it’s controlled by the government. So everyone have to follow their rules. Otherwise they’re in troubles, literally. Uh, so the school system in Cuba, again, is very political. They teach us who are the enemies and who are the good people, which is funny.

They say that the Americans are enemies, but Russians are friends. It’s just an example so you can have an idea of the, uh, education system for kids in my country. Uh, there is some kids that they really like it and those are the ones that go to the, uh, army and those are the ones that works directly for the government.

And there is other kids like me that, uh, I was not believing that and I was like, there is something going on behind it and they’re not telling us the whole story or the truth. And, um, I need to find out by myself. Coming here and seeing the education system that you guys have, that politics is not number one at schools, I think that makes a difference.

That makes a difference because you don’t have to teach kids at a young age, uh, who is the enemy and who is a good person. I think that’s wrong and, um, I think that’s a job for a grown ups when you are older enough to know what’s good and what’s bad. That’s how I feel about the education system in my country and the education system here in the United States.

[00:54:57] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you.

I think that’s all the questions that I have for today. Do you have any closing remarks?

[00:55:08] Eddie Santana: Um, I would like, um, to let everyone know that, um, the American dream is not only becoming a US citizen. The American dream is also be free, have democracy, being able to be the person that you really want to be. Being able to help others and being able to keep your roots and your culture, whatever you go.

I think that’s the most important thing, especially about me. Um, and even though I feel more American than Cuban, I’ll be forever grateful for the good memories I had in my country. I’ll be forever grateful, grateful for my friends, My neighbors, my family that are still there, but I’ll be forever grateful for United States for allowing me to come here and be part of you, part of this country.

[00:56:09] Kaitlyn Johnson: Thank you so much.