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Hi everyone, My name is Armando. I'm 22 yrs old. I have never had a problem telling people where I was from in NYC because there is a big population of Puerto Ricans in NYC. However,when I go to the south or to any state of the US that there is not a big population of Ricans, I always get asked. Where I am from? I always tell them I'm from New York. They always say I am from New York just because I have a Spanish accent when I talk English. Just because of that they tell me that I am not from New York, that gets me so vexed. I was born in Puerto Rico, but moved to the Bronx when I was 6 years old. I have lived in the bronx Since then until 2008. I have been trying to work on my accent, because I am so tired of people saying that I am not from New York. The funny thing is, when I go to Puerto Rico they say I am not from Puerto Rico, because I do not dress like them or talk like them. So what am I?
So I need help in answering this question Am I a nuyorican? or a puerto rican? Am I from New york or from Puerto Rico?
Hi everyone, My name is Armando. I'm 22 yrs old. I have never had a problem telling people where I was from in NYC because there is a big population of Puerto Ricans in NYC. However,when I go to the south or to any state of the US that there is not a big population of Ricans, I always get asked. Where I am from? I always tell them I'm from New York. They always say I am from New York just because I have a Spanish accent when I talk English. Just because of that they tell me that I am not from New York, that gets me so vexed. I was born in Puerto Rico, but moved to the Bronx when I was 6 years old. I have lived in the bronx Since then until 2008. I have been trying to work on my accent, because I am so tired of people saying that I am not from New York. The funny thing is, when I go to Puerto Rico they say I am not from Puerto Rico, because I do not dress like them or talk like them. So what am I?
So I need help in answering this question Am I a nuyorican? or a puerto rican? Am I from New york or from Puerto Rico?
If you say you're from New York, then you're from New York. I wouldn't worry about what other people say.
But one thing that you might want to remember about the South (and this is true of other places, too, such as my mother's native France). It's where you were BORN that identifies where you're from. Let's say you were born in Dalton GA but your family moved to Atlanta when you were 4 months old. For the rest of your life when people ask you where you're from, you'll say something like "well I was born in Dalton but raised in Atlanta."
So even though you were only 6 years old when you left Puerto Rico for New York, many Southerners still consider your place of birth to be your true hometown. I really don't think anyone is trying to be rude or ignorant. Just wink and remind them that America is full of a bunch of different accents, particularly in New York City's beautiful immigrant communities.
As a general rule you should ignore most things people from the South say/do...you will be much happier that way. You know where you are from, and you don't need to prove it or justify it, nor do you have to fit into anyone's stereotypes or preconceived notions of what a person from anywhere should be/act/sound like.
JMT has excellent points. It sounds like for you the issue is heightened because of the accent thing, but it's an issue for many of us who were born one place and now live another; I was born and raised in one place but then moved elsewhere, and when traveling I'd just say "I'm originally from ... but now live in ...." I think your best bet is to offer the "born in... raised in..." answer that JMT suggests. It cuts through the confusion of whether the person you're talking to considers "from" to mean "born in," "raised in," or "lives in now." As for your own personal identity, you get to decide that yourself. If you live in NYC and consider yourself a New Yorker, then yes, you're from New York.
As a general rule you should ignore most things people from the South say/do...you will be much happier that way.
What is this supposed to mean? Honestly, some of the worst ignorance I have seen is right here in NYC, and I was born and raised in the South (South Florida, which many people say isn't "Southern," but it's nonetheless the South).
OP: Tell people that you were born in Puerto Rico, but were raised in NYC. There's no need to just name one place. I have lived in several places and all of them have contributed to the person I am today. It sounds like that may be the case for you as well.
As a general rule you should ignore most things people from the South say/do...you will be much happier that way. You know where you are from, and you don't need to prove it or justify it, nor do you have to fit into anyone's stereotypes or preconceived notions of what a person from anywhere should be/act/sound like.
Crispy...clearly I am not telling the poster to dismiss the 150 million people who live in the South (or whatever number it is), it is sarcasm. Ignorance is everywhere, there is plenty to go around, and its contagious! There is not a place where I have not encountered racism, ignorance, and the like, and that includes my own home. So relax and smile..it was sarcasm.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SobroGuy
As a general rule you should ignore most things people from the South say/do...you will be much happier that way. You know where you are from, and you don't need to prove it or justify it, nor do you have to fit into anyone's stereotypes or preconceived notions of what a person from anywhere should be/act/sound like.
Yes, next time there's a Mack Truck barreling down the road at sixty MPH and one of us tells you not to step into the road, by all means ignore it.
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