OMG I'm marrying a WHITE GUY!

I know the title is not very PC. Many people don't think about what happens if you marry an "outsider" I grew up very culturally diverse (I tried to be at least) and even though historically Hispanics are considered White, doesn't mean we are the same. There are two different cultures. Hispanic versus White. When you combine the two, its Magical.... lets hope! After I met my Will, I was so happy and in love then it HIT ME! OMG!! Our kids are going to be Half White and Half Mexican. I didn't think anything negative, but it was like a realization, they aren't going to be my entire ethnic composition. Please do not think this is a bad thing, because its not. It was just that reality set in. I guess I assumed, before my realization, that our kids would be brown, like me. Well they may end up being a lighter brown closer to White. Not only am I talking about our children's appearance, I am also talking about how we are going to raise them. Lets be honest Will and I were raised quite differently. When you raise children, you tend to incorporate some of what you were taught into raising them.

Chemistry-- Mixing two chemicals may lead to an EXPLOSION!!

I grew up fairly Americanized, aka White, and I didn't think much about Will's skin color when we met. But as we started to grow as a couple, I started to realize that our perspectives on things are very different. Even though I moved away from my family, I told Will I wanted to move closer to them. He kept telling me, well it all depends on where I get a job at. I was adamant about moving home. His view on family is that you leave them and do your own thing. My view is you stay close so you are able to be near them and visit. So that was an explosion. Over time I think he is starting to see where I am coming from. This was one of the most major explosions/realizations I've had about marrying a white guy. I'm sure there are more to come, but for now that's it.

Happy Tuesday!!

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Racism

Yesterday in class we had a group discussion, Public Conversation Project, on Racism. Let me give some background on my class. We all get a long very well. We all have class together though the entire week. The racial make up of my class is 8 Whites, 6 Blacks, 1 Hispanic (Thats ME!). Where I am located in South Georgia, there isn't much of a Hispanic influence. There are not many Hispanics here and I feel the only real exposure people have to Hispanic culture is when they visit their local Mexican or Cuban Restaurants. When I speak about Hispanic culture in class, I feel like I am teaching my classmates something they have never heard about before. Its a very interesting feeling. We were at the curious question portion of the project. My instructor asked me a curious question, she asked "Rosie, I remember when you were speaking you stated you were a Mexican and not a Mexican-American, why is that?"

My reply was, I feel that I have to say I'm a Mexican since the term Hispanic is an generalized term for, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Mexicans etc. and the term Mexican I use that to specify which subgroup I am under. The reason I don't say I'm Mexican-American because when you start to hyphenate things, people in your subgroup start to think you are turning into a "Gringa" and that you are straying away from your roots." I went on to say that the more generational American you are the more you start blending the two together.

I also discussed the funny looks my fiance (Who is White) and I will get from both Whites and Hispanics. I don't consider us a in interracial couple, but society may. Back in Texas seeing a White and a Hispanic person together is very common. Here in South Georgia, it is a different story.

Tell me what you think about my response? I'd like your opinion and if you have ever been in a situation where you had to be an "Expert" of your own ethnicity?

Thanks!!

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