Young California Native Trying to Move Back to California

[calgal0953]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

And yes it is a shame you don't speak Spanish, knowing a second language is an asset for anyone.

Actually he does speak another language, Japanese, which has helped him more at work anyway.

I took Spanish for 5 years in school in Texas, and it is helping me as it is very close to Portuguese, my in-laws' language (Brazil).

[peter_midnight]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

First off I am sorry you lost your dad at such a young age.

But do you honestly think these good ole boys who say they only hate those white Yankees are going to say anything to Mexicans to your face? Believe me if they're intolerant of the white folks from up north they
're intolerant of you. When they're around the "Yankees" they're smiling in their face and talking about those "damn Mexicans".

I lived down there for a few years, I know what it can be like. Not saying everyone is like that, because they aren't, but there is an element of people who think like that. That you don't find in CA too often.

Sorry, but you're not going to tell me that in Southern CA and in places like LA that are the majority Latino and have been for awhile that you run into more prejudice than the south.

You already mentioned you hear comments about blacks, again I was in CA almost 20 years went to the south and came back to CA, I heard comments down there that had my mouth drop open. Strangers in stores in casual conversations would bring up race, religion, and politics and because you're white and they're white well you must all agree......not! Many times I said to myself half laughing and half in shock "this never happened in CA".

And yes it is a shame you don't speak Spanish, knowing a second language is an asset for anyone.

And not everyone in LA has horrific commutes. My longest commute was 45 minutes.

Thank you for your condolences(honestly no clue how to respond to the first sentence)?

If the white guys in the LA harbor area have no problem calling me racial slurs, I don't see why the good ole boys wouldn't have a problem with it. They outnumber me here, lol. BTW, whites in the US have helped me a great deal. I'm not trying to emphasize hate so much as the hostility towards hispanics in border states. I lived in Florida (technically not a border state, but CLOSE to the Caribbean) briefly and it also had a similar albeit slightly nuanced hostility (Cubans, Haitians, etc).

I don't see why these guys are going to talk about "those damn Mexicans" when there aren't even that many around here. In CA, there are plenty of people who think like what you describe. They're in Orange County, Sun City, Menifee, Oceanside, etc. Is it all the time? No. Did I experience it? Yes. Oh, let's not forget my 3 years in Berkeley and San Francisco where again, very hostile. Literally heard racial comments/remarks 4-5 days a week. Were they all from whites? No. Does it matter? No. My point is that there is hostility in that state towards Mexicans.

Actually, I specifically said I have not heard anything about blacks here, just felt hostility towards them. I'm half black so one of my first concerns about moving to the South was racism. I'm sure they wouldn't mind saying stuff because I used to hear it all the time at Berkeley before the person saying it found out I was half black. Boy did that turn into a fun conversation.

45 minutes IS a horrific commute. When I was younger, I didn't mind it, but there's no way I ever want to travel more than 15 minutes to get to work again. It's such a waste of time and I work long hours as it is.

Originally Posted by calgal0953

Actually he does speak another language, Japanese, which has helped him more at work anyway.

I took Spanish for 5 years in school in Texas, and it is helping me as it is very close to Portuguese, my in-laws' language (Brazil).

LOL, I'm glad you pointed it out before I did.

The real question is what does the poster mean by it's a shame? I used to work in a call center with bilingual jobs. Spanish speakers-$13/hr. Japanese and German-$18/hr. Why is it a shame that I don't speak a language that is so widely used that it is worth less than languages that are harder to come by. Would it still be a shame if I were from an ethnic group that isn't from a Spanish speaking country? Is it a shame when you meet Irish that don't speak Gaelic? I'm AMERICAN! Spanish isn't even the real language of Mexico, it's from Europe. You should be saying too bad I don't speak the language of the Meso-Americans, lol.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by peter_midnight

Thank you for your condolences(honestly no clue how to respond to the first sentence)?

If the white guys in the LA harbor area have no problem calling me racial slurs, I don't see why the good ole boys wouldn't have a problem with it. They outnumber me here, lol. BTW, whites in the US have helped me a great deal. I'm not trying to emphasize hate so much as the hostility towards hispanics in border states. I lived in Florida (technically not a border state, but CLOSE to the Caribbean) briefly and it also had a similar albeit slightly nuanced hostility (Cubans, Haitians, etc).

I don't see why these guys are going to talk about "those damn Mexicans" when there aren't even that many around here. In CA, there are plenty of people who think like what you describe. They're in Orange County, Sun City, Menifee, Oceanside, etc. Is it all the time? No. Did I experience it? Yes. Oh, let's not forget my 3 years in Berkeley and San Francisco where again, very hostile. Literally heard racial comments/remarks 4-5 days a week. Were they all from whites? No. Does it matter? No. My point is that there is hostility in that state towards Mexicans.

Actually, I specifically said I have not heard anything about blacks here, just felt hostility towards them. I'm half black so one of my first concerns about moving to the South was racism. I'm sure they wouldn't mind saying stuff because I used to hear it all the time at Berkeley before the person saying it found out I was half black. Boy did that turn into a fun conversation.

45 minutes IS a horrific commute. When I was younger, I didn't mind it, but there's no way I ever want to travel more than 15 minutes to get to work again. It's such a waste of time and I work long hours as it is.



LOL, I'm glad you pointed it out before I did.

The real question is what does the poster mean by it's a shame? I used to work in a call center with bilingual jobs. Spanish speakers-$13/hr. Japanese and German-$18/hr. Why is it a shame that I don't speak a language that is so widely used that it is worth less than languages that are harder to come by. Would it still be a shame if I were from an ethnic group that isn't from a Spanish speaking country? Is it a shame when you meet Irish that don't speak Gaelic? I'm AMERICAN! Spanish isn't even the real language of Mexico, it's from Europe. You should be saying too bad I don't speak the language of the Meso-Americans, lol.

I think many of the responses to you, make your point about CA and racism.

I currently live in the South and racism is a minimal issue here. On the other hand I grew up in OC and saw minimal visible racism, though I know some existed. However since the 70's things have gotten a bit worse.

You sound like you are using your head in evaluating your choices.