I am a proud American born young lady of Cuban descent. I am proud of my Cuban roots and proud of my native language, Spanish. Spanish is spoken in over 20 countries over the world. September 25, 2010 I was exploring the halls in the engineering building where I bumped into a person who was looking for people to attend a presentation, offering free food. He had said the room number, I didn't understand, so he repeated "One, tres, six". That's odd, why did he say three in Spanish to me? I attend the company presentation in room 136, after all who can turn down free food?
The presenter commenced and mentioned the diversity of the company. Diversity stretching as far to include a far away place called Mexico, where he queued me. Without fail, every time he mentioned Mexico he pointed at me. I couldn't help but chuckle. This is incredible! He actually thinks I'm Mexican! I guess in the eyes of others Mexico is the only Spanish speaking country, forget Latin America and the Caribbean Islands. If you're Hispanic, and speak Spanish, that must mean you're Mexican. Oh but that's not even the best part! After the meeting he approached me and asked me what part of Mexico I was from. "Well actually, my parents are Cuban" I replied. He apologized and later complimented my Spanish (at least he apologized). I personally believe I handled the situation extremely well especially since I did not proceed in calling him a terrorist (since he was from Saudi Arabia). I thought this had been pretty hysterical and made this my Facebook status. Soon I had comments of "Mexican speaking Mexican :P, and Tally isn't PC." Long live being a minority.
There was also the time when the Engineering Magnet male students in my high school approached me and said "Melissa, you will never become an engineer: you're a girl and your female brain will never understand the higher knowledge required to succeed in the math and sciences." Low blow. That had hurt me, I had even began reevaluating if it was even worth pursuing this subject if this was going to happen. I loved engineering; I was in robotics since freshmen year. I had worked as hard as they had, yet I was singled out for being a girl. But, nothing serves greater motivation than being told what you can't do in life. Here I am, currently in Florida State University, in pre-engineering, "unconquered" like a true Seminole.
This made me laugh. I think that you handled yourself quite well. If it were me, I would have been so mean to that man, and the person who said “one, tres, six.” People like that annoy me. I get this sometimes too. Most of my family was born in Trinidad, and people are constantly asking them what part of Jamaica they are from. People even ask me that sometimes because I tend to have a bit of an accent whenever I’m speaking to them. I just look at them like their dumb. Most times it’ll get them to walk way. And ohhh yeahh! being a minority rules lol.
ReplyDeleteI know you already have another comment, but this post caught my eye. It DISGUSTS me when people clump Latinas together by calling them Mexican and it especially bugs me when they call that the language they're speaking. Classless, culture-less jerks like them deserve to be taught some sort of lesson (not that I'm recommending anything violent... although it might not hurt... much (; )
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