"Anglo"looking Hispanic (Miami, Coral Gables: living in, Korean, Cuban)

[cixcell]

[BIG MOUTH]

Lol

[BIG MOUTH]

I think Boxus went to take his medicine.

[Chelito23]

Why would you want to be considered Hispanic if you aren't from Puerto Rico, you don't speak Spanish as a first or even fluent second language...and don't look the part? I mean, by all accounts you are Anglo.

If you had grown up in Puerto Rico and spoke the language, you would be "accepted" as a blonde Puerto Rican or latin or what have you. But if all you have is a grandparent, that won't cut it for most people. Regardless, if you don't look Hispanic and speak Spanish with an American accent, no one will assume you're Hispanic in the first place and much less be rude when you don't speak better Spanish.

I have a friend whose family is Argentinan, but of European ancestry. He speaks Spanish fluently, but he grew up here so his English is better. His name is not Hispanic either. When he moved to Miami from NYC, he was resentful that people would be speaking in Spanish and then to him in English...and after he answered in Spanish, peple realized he was in fact, part of the Latin culture and "accepted" but this happened time and again and he felt like he was always having to prove himself. The only difference was he actually spoke reasonable Spanish as if he grew up in Miami or was a run of the mill first generation Hispanic, US born child.

I think you have much stronger ties to your Anglo roots than your Latin roots, so identify with what you know....otherwise people will not be receptive to yo and feel like you are patronizing them or not being yourself.

Good luck.

[BIG MOUTH]

You got a point, but I grew up eating arroz con gandules, lechon, etc. and although I don't speak Spanish, I know about the culture and as I said my WHOLE family came from Puerto Rico. I just never learned Spanish, and my parents grew up in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in Chicago( my mom is darker, looks more typically Hispanic) and they both pretty much spoke Spanglish coming up. Whatever, I am sure I will be assumed to be Anglo, and when people hear my last name, I will explain!

[ace587]

if you look Anglo, then why not. Like doggiebus said, theres plenty of you. Ive seen majority Cubans that look anglo

[Jamikel]

Oreo...brown on the outside, white on the inside. Miami Cubans do not get along with Boricuas.

[tallrick]

White and not native Spanish speaker = not hispanic. I have a friend who does speak Spanish but has blond hair and Nordic features because his dad is Swedish and mom is white Cuban. Born in Cuba and in my opinion is anglo hispanic. In my view, hispanic is a culture, not a race.

[Manolón]

BIG MOUTH

I don't know about the rest of the US, but I guess that in Miami you would be considered an "American Wannabee".
There are many white Hispanics doing the same, some arriving to the extent of changing their last names.

[Rock Newman]

Originally Posted by cixcell

ive heard people of cuban descent say to me 'you dont look totally gringo' whats your background?

its a widely known word now though. so its not like its isolated to any one spot in the country.

cixcell I agree with you on this one ... I am a Hispanic looking white non Hispanic and I have gotten some flack for not speaking Spanish or being "ashamed of my heritage " ... lol .... always in Dade , but I have never had that happen to me in Broward and yes ... Edu must be living under a rock ( no pun intended ) as I hear the word Gringo all of the time and it is not intended to be offensive .. I have a Colombian friend in Coral Gables whose four sons were born in the US and he calls them my little "Gringos " .. so people need to butch up on this forum and not become so offended so easily .