Haven't Seen Mom in 27 Years: The Story of a Cuban Who Found a Home in Kyrgyzstan

Ruslan Barbarito Batista Sultanbekov's life story is a tapestry woven from Cuban, Kyrgyz, and Ukrainian threads. Born in Kirovohrad, Ukraine, in 1991 to a Cuban father and a Kyrgyz mother, his early years were spent in Cuba after the family relocated when he was just six months old. He grew up immersed in Cuban culture, considering himself Cuban and hailing from the eastern city of Holguín, the place where he truly formed his identity.

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As a result of this separation, I haven't seen my mother for 27 years, and only after so much time did we manage to meet again.

However, a significant emotional rift marked his childhood: his mother returned to Kyrgyzstan when he was four, and he remained in Cuba with his father. This separation resulted in a 27-year estrangement, with communication limited to letters in the early years. Contact was lost for a period after he turned 16, but his mother eventually found him through Facebook, bridging the decades-long gap.

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If I speak frankly, I feel and consider myself Cuban, a native of the city of Holguín - a city in eastern Cuba - because that is where I was formed as a person.

Despite his Cuban upbringing, Sultanbekov acknowledges his Kyrgyz roots and family history. The move to Kyrgyzstan with his wife, also Cuban, and their son, who was raised in Cuban culture, presented a significant cultural shift. Yet, the family has successfully integrated into Kyrgyz society, finding a sense of home and expressing deep gratitude for the opportunities the country offers.

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But at the same time, it is impossible to deny my roots, origin, and family history. By blood and origin, I am half Kyrgyz.

Sultanbekov pursued a career in medicine, driven by a desire to help others and alleviate suffering. After graduating from the University of Medical Sciences in Holguín, he specialized in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. His path led him to Venezuela as part of an international medical mission, addressing a shortage of specialists in the field.

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Today we sincerely love Kyrgyzstan, we feel at home here and are very grateful to this country for the opportunity to build our lives here.