For My spanish brothers and sisters (Miami, Weston: for sale, house, to live)

[MORBID ANGEL]

Originally Posted by gv0928

As a Hispanic, I want to move to Miami. It is not necessarily the Spanish, but personally, I just love the hot, humid weather, and most of all, I want to get in touch with my Cuban side, and it's the best place to do so.

As for the Spanish thing? I love my language, and I'd take it with me wherever I go. Furthermore, I'd find Spanish-speaking people anywhere. It has nothing to do with making life easier. I'd gladly stay in New York, if not for the winter. lol.

You find hispanics everywhere?

[MORBID ANGEL]

Originally Posted by rune2402

lover of Italians that think their Anglos. .

That's so funny because it is so true.

[Marlin331]

[quote=nohope;2466519]i feel like some of the hispanics down here can be very disrespectful to non-spanish speakers or non-hispanics and i even experienced discrimination from them, i've been down here for over a year, came from the D.C. area and i was a bit shocked to see how some of the spanish people treated black people...i find it quite weird since we are all minorities...quote]

It is unfortunate that anyone would discriminate against anyone for his race/color in this day and age but as we all know, racial discrimination still happens from time to time. Many Latin Americans come from countries with small to substantial black minorities. Business, government, and the media are all controlled by white people who tend to have more money and education. Discrimination and racism is probably worse in Latin America than it is in the US, and unfortunately many Latin Americans bring these attitudes with them when they immigrate. Keep in mind that many Latin Americans (in fact the MAJORITY of Latin Americans / Hispanics in South Florida) are of European descent (white) and do not think of themselves as minorities in the traditional racial sense. Because white and light-skinned mestizo Hispanics in the US can often "blend" quite well with the white Anglo majority in this country, many Hispanics think of themselves either as NOT a minority or as LESS of a minority than black people, even though most black people have been in this country for longer than many Hispanics. It is quite shocking to many light-skinned Hispanics to move from one Euro-dominated society (Latin America) to another (the US) and suddenly be called a "minority."

To get back to the original question: I do think being Hispanic and/or speaking Spanish does give you an advantage living in Miami. As a young person, I don't think it matters that much when dealing with other young people (who tend to prefer English regardless of whether they are Hispanic or not) but I do think that older people may treat me better because I am Spanish-speaking. Even though most older Hispanic people speak some English, I find that they are often excited to chat with a young person who speaks Spanish as well as they do. In Miami I tend to have a policy of dealing with people in public who I don't know (waitresses, store clerks, etc) by responding in the language in which they address me, and often older Hispanic people will address me in English. If I can see that their English isn't very good I'll ask them if they prefer Spanish and they almost always do, and immediately have a smile on their face and sometimes sigh in relief. I think that this often does get me slightly better treatment than non-Spanish speaking customers. Young people in Miami address me 80-90% of the time in English to begin with and almost all young people are fluent in English so I don't think my status of being a Spanish-speaker makes it easier for me to interact with other young people.

I should add that I feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish in areas such as Little Havana, Westchester, and Hialeah where Spanish is heard more often than English. I probably wouldn't be as comfortable in those areas if I didn't speak Spanish. However, in most areas of Miami-Dade like Coral Gables, Aventura, Kendall, and Miami Beach I feel equally comfortable speaking either language and don't think speaking Spanish gives me much of an advantage because basically all of your dealings can be done in fluent English.

[Marlin331]

Originally Posted by MORBID ANGEL

That's so funny because it is so true.

LOL I have tried telling that to lots of Italian-Americans up here in the NYC and they deny it in order to distance themselves from Hispanics. I've only met a few Italian-Americans in my whole life who actually admit that Italy, Spain, and Portugal are all Latin countries and that real Italians are more ethnically similar to Hispanics than to Anglos. I think in the Latin versus Anglo split people of Italian origin should be grouped with other Latins.

[questioner2]

Originally Posted by crisp444

LOL I have tried telling that to lots of Italian-Americans up here in the NYC and they deny it in order to distance themselves from Hispanics. I've only met a few Italian-Americans in my whole life who actually admit that Italy, Spain, and Portugal are all Latin countries and that real Italians are more ethnically similar to Hispanics than to Anglos. I think in the Latin versus Anglo split people of Italian origin should be grouped with other Latins.

The average Hispanic in Latin America (and the USA) is more Indian than Spanish unless you are talking about people from Chile or Argentina.

[nohope]

TO:crisp444


well that's pretty sad......to think that being black is a curse in latin america....i think you do have an advantage if your spanish living in south florida.......at least customer service is better.....i love spanish food...but hate to have to go to a all spanish restaurant and be treated badly....for instance, the waiter looked me over and took the order behind me in spanish....how rude.....but i try to nice and not cause a seen and left...so maybe if i looked spanish and was more fluent in spanish i would not have gotten such bad service....

[Marlin331]

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Try another restaurant and I'm sure the service will be much better. I really think that it's only a minority of Latins in Miami/Fort Lauderdale that are racist against black people but even a small minority can leave a lasting, hostile impression.

[nohope]

TO:crisp444


I do try to give people the benefit of the doubt instead of generalizing that all certain race of people are the same....i don't give certain people special treatment or treat them superior than any other type of people...so i usually expect the same....so they may not like the attitudes of the florida born blacks down here.....that's not my fault....if you want my business...then treat me right....don't treat me like dirt...sorry that i don't resemble a hispanic or look like one..i apologize..

[TriMT7]

Are we talking about Spaniards? Or "Persons with ancestry from a Spanish conquested territory in the New World?"

[nohope]

i was referring to Latinos, Hispanics, South Americans