One of the things that I truly have pride in is the Hispanic/Mexican culture that I have grown up with. Of course I'm white and nothing is going to change that but in my heart, I'm Mexicana toda! And not only me, but my family (just take a look at my dad's salsa) and pretty much everybody from the Las Cruces area shares that same heritage to some extent.
That being said, you don't really realize how much that heritage has impacted you until you go, let's say, to somewhere like Illinois.
Back home, we have a whole shelf at walmart dedicated solely to tortillas. But over here, they have one or two brands and even the locals have warned me against them. I have also intentionally steered clear of Mexican restaurants.
One of the funniest things, however, is the communication between Midwesterners and myself. I never realized how much I casually incorporate the Spanish language into my vernacular. Saying things as simple as "hasta pronto," "mas o menos" or just substituting everyday words for Spanish words.
The momentary look of confusion on people's faces is priceless. When this happens, I have to retract my sentence and explain what I was trying to say. It is pretty humorous because I know those are common phrases that most people in New Mexico would pick up on, but here people look at me like I'm a circus clown.
And honestly, it almost makes me want to speak more Spanish around people here, even if they do think I'm a freak. I guess the point is that everybody is affected by something in life they grew up around, but it's better to embrace whatever that may be because in the end, it's who you are and it's who you are supposed to be.
***The Zia Symbol is the official symbol for New Mexico. It is has a very symbolic meaning that I am not going to take the time to write out, so you can visit the link below to get a better understanding.***
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