Different Color

Happy Monday!

I've lived in South Georgia for going on 4 years. I like it here. The pace of life is different, its more laid back and I LOVE COUNTRY FOOD! Its soo GOOD! But besides that there is something I have noticed since I've lived here. Its that there aren't many people that are the same color as me. Most that are the same color do not speak English. This has been interesting because most people who see me, start making assumptions especially about the language part of it. As stated earlier my Spanish is somewhat limited. When I go into stores, there have been times when the clerk has not said a word to me. However, once I open my mouth and say "Hello," they will start to converse with me, but its like I have to prove that I speak English first.


Not only has the language thing been an issue but also "what I am" has come into question. You are probably wondering "What?" Let me explain... When you first meet someone we automatically start putting people in categories like..


* Male/Female
* Heterosexual/Homosexual
* Race--- Which is funny because this sometimes is tricky.. Not everyone is Black or White, we do have some in-betweens, like Hispanics/Asians..




So when it comes to the Race part I confuse people, and people will go though great strides to FIGURE ME OUT! So great that they will just plain out ask you. I've been asked if I was Hawaiian and Native American. I quickly tell them "No I'm Mexican"


When I lived in Texas, this wasn't the case, I was never asked what I was, I mean SERIOUSLY! It annoys me that I have to explain who I am. Not only have I been asked but I get LOTS of stares. I will walk into a restaurant and my fiance is White and we get looks, as if we are some "Freak Show". That bothers me too. I hate being stared at. I realize I am Brown and am a little different but I am not much different from you. I may be Brown but I grew up as American as you can get, I love American Food, I listen to English Music--Pop, Rock, Top 40's, Christian etc.


I'm not sure if I am singling out myself on purpose or if there is genuinely an issue at hand.


Thoughts??


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Hermanas/Sisters

OH MY GOODNESS! Has this been a week! I posted earlier this week about having a stressful week and let me tell you it has been ROUGH! I moved 45 minutes away from school, so now I'm having to commute and I'm still trying to adjust having to leave 40 minutes earlier than I am used to. I lived 5 minutes from campus previously... The things we do for LOVE!My middle sister celebrated her birthday earlier this week ( LOVE YOU DREA!) and I called her to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I miss my sisters so much. She just turned 20 which means I'm turning 27 this year.. YIKES!!! My baby sister is just 15 years old.


After I called her I started thinking about sisterhood, sisters do not have to be blood relatives, they can also be best friends. I was taught growing up that your family is everything, you sacrifice everything for your family and I hold this to be true for my sisters. Since I am the oldest, I definitely feel this need to protect them. When I was younger, my mom was diagnosed with a Hyperactive Thyroid and so she would come home and just fall asleep. Since I was the oldest, became my duty to take charge and make sure that my sisters and brother were fed, bathed and ready for bed. My summers were dedicated to babysitting my siblings.


I adapted to this role, very easily considering the age difference between us. I did these tasks, with no argument, as I knew that I had to help my mom and so I did it because you do what you have to do to help your family. By my watching my younger siblings I would save my parents money so they didn't have to pay a babysitter. Sometimes it wasn't the most fun, because I would get invited to go with friends to the mall or the movies during the day and I couldn't go because I had to watch my siblings. Looking back at this time in my life I appreciate doing that for my family because it taught me responsibility and also I was able to develop a relationship with my them.


I went home this past Christmas Holiday and my baby sister and brother were home from school, and it was funny to see me jump back into the role of the "Older Sister". We were straightening up the house and I was dictating to them what to do and my brother told me "Why is it that you come home and start telling us what to do..." It was as if I just slipped back into my role as big sis!


I miss them soo much and am sooo thankful for my 2 sisters--Andrea and Adrianna and for my brother-- Anthony too!


Take Care and Until Next Time,

Craziness!

Hello! I haven't had a chance to post a new blog up I plan on posting one this evening. This has been a CRAZY week with school starting back up. I have a 45 minute drive home to think about what to post up!

Hope you are having a GREAT week!!

Spanglish

I grew up not speaking Spanish, I took it in Middle School, High School and College, and I am still not fluent, No Nintendo! I was born and raised in Texas and moved to Georgia 4 years ago. Since living in Georgia, I’ve been asked multiple times if I speak Spanish, not just by native speakers but by others. My usual response is “I am not fluent but I speak a little.” I guess I’d rather be asked then assumed that I do speak Spanish. I think I’ve become more sensitive about this topic since I’ve moved to Georgia. In my part of Texas(Central) , the culture is different. There are more people who are Hispanic and speak English only than there are who speak Spanish only in that area. Here in Georgia its feels as if it is almost assumed that because I am Hispanic I speak Spanish. In a sense here in Georgia I am more of a minority since I am not a first generation Hispanic and I don’t speak Spanish fluently. I wish I was fluent.

Not only am I stereotyped by some non-Hispanics, I am also stereotyped by some Hispanics! Today was spent traveling from Texas back to Georgia. We stopped in Mississippi and there were a group of Hispanic Men, and I was walking up to my fiance, who--is White, and I spoke in English and I felt their eyes on me. I wanted to tell them to STOP STARING, but I didn’t have the guts to do it. This event isn’t just a one time occurrence. A different time, was during our Christmas Break in Texas, my fiance and I went to Hispanic Food Store, called La Michoacana, to buy fajita meat for New Year’s( Since they have this AMAZING seasoned fajita meat!) I had to wait for my number to be called, once it was called I went up to the counter and placed my order in English. After I gave them the initial item I wanted the guy behind the counter started laughing with a co-worker and was looking at me. I felt so weird! I’m not sure if they were laughing at me and maybe I am being too sensitive about it.

This topic goes back to that quote from Selena, I quoted in my first blog post. “You have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and More American than the Americans both at the same time.” Its hard having to balance between both of these cultures. If you assimilate too much then you are un blanca and if you are too Hispanic then you not an America. Is there a balance without losing too much of each part? I love being a Hispanic/Latina woman,and wouldn’t change it in the world, but at the same time I want to try to find a happy medium.

Hispanics on Television

I was watching Ellen yesterday and I saw that Rico Rodriguez was going to be on her show. Rico Rodriguez plays “Manny” on Modern Family. If you have not seen this show, it is a MUST SEE! It’s hilarious!! Rico is from my home town in Bryan,TX. His father owns a tire shop and it is still in operation. He said on Ellen’s show that he gets a $20.00 allowance a week. I think its awesome that the family is willing to try to keep their kids “grounded”.

I am writing about this not as an extension of what I wrote yesterday, but the number of Latino actors who are becoming more mainstream. Its amazing how far TV has come since the days of I Love Lucy. Its as if Hispanics are becoming more accepted into the world of entertainment. Its like Ricky Ricardo was a pioneer of Latino entertainment. George Lopez raised the acceptance level further; I would call him a modern day Bill Cosby. Its amazing. (I LOVED and still watch the George Lopez show)

Growing up I always wondered where the Latino shows were, besides on Univision or Telemundo. I didn’t speak fluent Spanish and if I tried to watch the Novellas on those channels, I wouldn’t understand what they were saying. It was like the total extreme. During my middle school days the movie Selena debuted. I watched that movie so many times in my freshman in high school Spanish class. Here was this woman who able to break though to Mainstream music. AMAZING!!! Not only that her movie really helped bridge two cultures together. She was able to balance both being Hispanic (Non-native speaking) and American.

Shows like George Lopez or Modern Family aren't so much about Hispanic families, as they are about families who happen to be Hispanic. This, in my opinion, can help increase the acceptance of Hispanics in the United States as well as give young Hispanics role models to look up too, who happen to look like them.

Pictures Provided by:

http://static.tvguide.com/MediaBin/Galleries/Celebrities/M_R/Ri_Rid/Rico_Rodriguez/rico-rodriguez-bio2009.jpg

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/george_lopez_1427.jpg

http://www.mediacircus.net/selena________3.jpg

Staying Grounded

I grew up in a lower middle class family, and there were some hard times. I don't think nearly as hard as what our country is facing now. We struggled as a family, but though those hard times we stuck together and were able to get out of it together. During those times I would get upset and wonder why our family has to go though these times, WHY? As I look back I appreciate them more. I feel that I have learned and grew as a person for those times. I appreciate what I have SO MUCH!!

Growing up my mother once told me "Never forget when you come from," I responded "Of course Mom." I gave her that response because what my mother said was the law, but at the age I was at (which was 12ish, I think) I didn't really understand that concept. As I've grown up this statement makes more sense. I've been blessed to have been able to go to college and finish. Once you graduate from college you get this new found confidence that you didn't have before. I told my fiance when he graduated with his Masters Degree, that this was something that Not ONE person could take away from him. Granted when you receive a college degree doors open, you can apply for different types of jobs, ones that usually do not require too much physical labor. Sometimes this "confidence' can get to your head and some people may start to think they are better than others. Others may try to assimilate into culture quickly since they are able to live a life of luxury that others aren't able to. This the time that I really came to understand my mom's old advice. I think that in any case we have to be grateful for what we have, since one day it may all be gone and all you have left is su familia, and you will truly be reminded of where you came from.

I have an uncle and aunt on my dad's side who are immigrants and worked hard for what they have and pretty successful now. Instead of being grateful and humbled by their success, they often behave as if they are better than everyone else. This really annoys me because,you have been blessed with rather than flaunting it, be THANKFUL for what you have! I realize that most of the time this primarily deals with money but money does not buy happiness! I know that I would rather have my family than all the money in the world.

In closing I say follow the advice of my mother "Never Forget Where You Come From." If you forget you may spend your entire life trying to find it again.

Take Care & God Bless!

Picture Provided By:

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Patriotism or is it Patriotismo???

I was born and raised in Texas. I LOVE TEXAS! When I see a Texas flag anywhere I feel this sense of pride like 'that's my home!' If anyone mentions anything about Texas, my face lights up. The first words out of my mouth when I meet people is "Hi I'm Rosie and I'm from Texas." Its crazy!!

So today my fiance and I were going to Washington on the Brazos, the birthplace of Texas. I have been there before(Yay for school field trips!) and I loved learning about the history of my state. I always feel a sense of patriotism for this state and country. But I started thinking... Should I be this patriotic? I get teary eyed when I sing the Star Spangled Banner for crying out loud!! I feel a sense of pride when I hear about our forefathers. Is that weird? To my knowledge my family doesn't really have any direct/marital ties to the founders of this country. So should I feel this way, since my family didn't really contribute? Don't get me wrong I am blessed to live in this country. I feel almost like I get looks when I sing the Star Spangled Banner or shed a tear when I see a fly-over. Should I just sit back and enjoy the ride?



I have justified why I feel this sense of pride in being a Texan. There is a chance, albeit slim, that my family may have actually helped in fighting for Texas Independence. It may be more likely that they were on the opposite side! Isn't this true for any cause. We, as a society, have to feel a sense of connectedness to the environment in which we live. If we lack that connection, we fell like an alien in our own home.

If we look back to the in history our country was built by immigrants. While my families first view of America may have been a muddy river rather than the statue of liberty, I'm sure my ancestors felt the same stirring of pride as all the new American as they crossed the border for the first time.


Pictures Provided By:

http://idfscidnewbornscreening.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Texas_20Logo.jpg
http://www.salsanewyork.com/guide/GuideImages/American-Flag-Wall-Art.jpg

Leaving Home

 Growing up my grandparents were just a few streets away, my uncles were near by so that if anything were to happen they were only 10 minutes away. It was great since sometimes they would stop by and say “Hi”. We often had family gatherings, some were very random, mom would make dinner and they would happen to stop by and they stayed and ate dinner with us. (I LOVED IT!) So I grew up knowing that my family was always close. Some research indicated that this is due to socioeconomic status, relying on each other and being close was just economically feasible. I honestly never thought that I figured it was just because my family was close and they loved each other.


In 2006, I met the love of my life. He lived in Georgia and I lived in Texas. I decided I would move to Georgia to be with him. I transferred jobs and schools to be closer to him. He came and helped me pack up my items and drove us to Georgia to start a new life. I hated the first year. I felt guilty for leaving my family. When is it ok to leave the nest? I still live in Georgia, I graduated and am working on my Masters. When visit usually during Christmas and in the Summer, I long to be home, but I also want to stay because I feel I have my own identity. Many parents lose their children because they live in different parts of the country. I have a niece that I only see three times a year and I don’t want to be that aunt that she only occasionally sees. From my experience I feel that its important to be there for your family which means you are a close, but at the same time is it really selfish to leave and live out your destiny. I think that you have to decide that on your own.

I decided to talk about this first because I am going though this now, I came home to visit my family and every time I leave I end up crying all the way home because I really miss them and can't wait to see them again!

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Morning!

Good Morning!!!

I woke up this morning excited about this new blog and thinking about what all I should talk about. I came up with a small list last night and will use that list as talking points. Not only will I talk about this list but I will also talk about daily life and how I view it. I am really excited about this.

I've been trying to promote the blog by putting it on feeders and such, I also am trying to customize it and working on twitter. 

Take Care and God Bless!! 

The picture is of Chorizo and Egg, a staple at my house!! YUMMY!!!!

The picture was provided by http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/photo/Chorizo-Scrambled-Eggs-105908

Trying this out...

Hello!! 

Let me introduce my self....

My name is Rosie and I'm originally from Bryan, TX. I'm a recent graduate of Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA with my B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology. I am currently working on my Master's in Social Work at Valdosta State University. I live with my fiance and two wonderful puppies (Taylor and Reagan). I am have a graduate assistantship as the Managing Editor of a a journal titled Teaching Sociology. I love my job!!

My father is an immigrant from Mexico. He came here in his early twenties. He was able to pull himself up by learning to pour concrete, and eventually started his own business. My mother is a third generation American. She did not learn Spanish until adulthood. My parents divorced when I was a child and I lived with my mom and did not learn Spanish until I took it in Middle School, High School, and College. (On a side note-- I always find it interesting that people assume you speak Spanish because you are Hispanic!! "No intende"). My grandparents didn't speak Spanish to me but they spoke it to each other.

Why did I decide to do this?

I decided to start blogging about what it's like to be a Hispanic woman in America. I hope that people will be able to relate and also possibly see what is is like to be Hispanic in America. Have you seen the movie Selena? Her father gives us a great quote that sums up how I feel, and I think that most people feel when thinking about being Hispanic in America. "We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans, both at the same time! It's exhausting! No one knows how tough it is to be a Mexican-American. " 

FeedBack

I hope you enjoyed reading this and please comment and give me feedback on your own experiences and insights! I'd love to hear them!! 

Take Care and God Bless!!!