Alfredo from Cuba : Dentist, writer, kick-boxer

Alfredo from Cuba : Dentist, writer, kick-boxer

From 177 Nations of Tasmania by Mark Thomson

September 7, 2025 · 44 min · Episode 123

About this episode

Alfredo shares his journey from Cuba to Hobart, discussing the challenges of migration and his reflections on life in Cuba.

Cuba is a country that really stands out amongst Latin American nations because of the revolution in 1959. Since then they have lived under the rule of a Communist dictatorship and for most of that time also under severe sanctions from the United States, both of which have create severe hardship for the people of Cuba, both in material terms and also in terms of the lack of civic freedoms. This has resulted in large numbers of Cubans leaving the country over the years to seek a better life in countries such as the USA, Canada, Spain or other parts of Latin America. Not a lot come to Australia, because it is very difficult both practically and financially. Alfredo is perhaps then a bit of a pioneer, who arrived in Hobart in July 2025 from Ecuador, where he spent 12 years previously. His first goal was to improve his English, but his main goal is to find a safe place for his family to settle. Like many migrating from South America, safety and security were major considerations. But despite the hardships that drove him away from Cuba, Alfredo remembers his childhood fondly, as he grew up in a place that was safe and security and where there was a strong sense of community around and…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Thomson

Guest: Alfredo

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: self-published books on dentistry

Places: Cuba, Ecuador, Hobart, USA, Canada, Spain, Latin America

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