"Are you an American?" (Jacksonville, Miami: mortgage, new home, living in)

[Michael Di Meo]

The OP should do whatever she wants.
She can seriously try to learn Spanish, or refuse to learn Spanish, or try to learn Spanish and give up. She can likewise criticize those who call her "American". She can verbally attack them if she wants. She can tell them to speak English, she can even *leave* Miami and move back up north to a city that's more "American". She can even dislike her neighbors who do speak perfect English for whatever reason.

Basically, however she wants to react to the situation, that's her choice. Hopefully she won't physically harm anyone!

Seriously though, Miami is not for everyone. For many, it feels like they are no longer in the States. Many anglos from the north end up leaving after only a short time. They don't feel comfortable here. You can blame it on whatever you want, or say that it's unfair, un-patriotic, or un-american, or whatever. But leaving Miami is what a lot of people do in reaction.

I love Miami, but it's a matter of personal preference. The building and neighborhood where I live (N. Bayshore at Margaret Pace Park) is extremely international. I personally know people from all countries in the Americas (mostly South America) + Italians, French, Germans, Turkish, and Eastern Europeans (mostly Russians and Romanians). If this place became any more Anglo than it is now, I'd probably move back to Italy.

[TannerMan]

Ive been asked if I was American since I was in elementary school where more than half the school was black/mexican/asian. They usually mean if you, your parents or grandparents are immigrants or not. This is quite normal in any large city with an immigrant population. Doesnt mean they dont identify themselves as american, but also Mexica-American, Cuban-American and so on....It would be quite shameful if ther cultural identification was lost just to fit in and become just "american".

[big mean bear]

Originally Posted by palermodude

The building and neighborhood where I live (N. Bayshore at Margaret Pace Park) is extremely international. I personally know people from all countries in the Americas (mostly South America) + Italians, French, Germans, Turkish, and Eastern Europeans (mostly Russians and Romanians). If this place became any more Anglo than it is now, I'd probably move back to Italy.

I was going to rent a 2/2 condo at 1800 club, right in the same area as you, and there wasn't as much diversity as you profess. It was 95% South American and like 5% European. I don't think there were any 'Americans' to speak of there. It was almost totally foreign, even though the building was less than 1/4 occupied. The only residents were South Americans who probably used the units for profit but were in fact probably in some stage of forclosure. Also, there were bums, drug addicts and flop houses less than two blocks away across the street from US 1/Biscayne Blvd.

[Huckleberry3911948]

unfortunately discrimination is to often defined as something white guys do to other people.
everything else seems to be ok. but for your own existance as to living in florida i would urge you to take spanish lessons.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by crisp444

1/2 Asian and 1/2 Hispanic (mestizo?) - you won't look like most Hispanics in Miami because most Hispanics there (I grew up there and now live in NYC) are white or white-ish. People might not even think yoou look Hispanic at all; I can probably count on one hand the number of Hispanic people I know in Miami who look like your stereotypical dark-skinned LA mestizo.

Again, most people (including Hispanics and including virtually ALL Hispanics under all 30) speak English in Miami-Dade. If you are working in a professional office environment with focus on urban planning and land use, work will be in English and knowing Spanish will NOT be a requirement. Socially, however, you may face some discrimination from Hispanics *if* you self-identify as Hispanic yet do not speak Spanish. You will not be expected to speak Spanish, but if you want to "be Hispanic" in Miami, you pretty much have to speak some Spanish. I knew several kids who grew up with me who were not considered Hispanic by the "Hispanic" kids (they were pretty much considered non-Hispanic white) because despite their families' Latin American roots, they spoke no Spanish at all and might as well have been from Middle America.

With that said, you should be fine if you just be yourself and don't try to push the whole "Hispanic" thing (I notice you mention it in a lot of your posts). I know plenty of people down there who don't speak Spanish at all and who have met lots of friends and who have successful careers and active social lives. Miami has a lot of good going for it!

Thanks so much for the insight!

I'm not quite sure what "mestizo" looks like, but it's not like I look like I just hopped the fence over here or anything like a lot of the mexicans in LA. I get kind of pale in winter when I don't go to the beach and aren't out in the sun as much as the rest of the year.

I just bring up the hispanic thing often when I post in the Miami forum b/c it seems to be discussed here and elsewhere on the internet a lot, but it seems it all cultural more than physical appearance since many hispanics in Miami look white, that's just different how it is here out west. It seems hispanic seems to be more of a term used for race/appearance out here and more for culture out in Miami, at least from what I gather. I'm probably making a bigger deal out of it that what it actually is. I don't want to "be" anything really besides who I already am, an American basically. I just need a change from the vanilla/white bread culture I grew up around in the SF Bay Area and here in San Diego, but am not looking to "be hispanic", just want to be around something different culturally I guess.

Anyways, thanks again for the input. I'm probably worrying about the whole hispanic thing too much.

[big mean bear]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

unfortunately racism is defined as something white guys do to other people.

It makes you wonder why hispanics seem to be so aggrevated when they are not included as 'whites' in the census or in racial statistics. Being white makes you a lightning rod in 2008. You are the bad guy.

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

Everything else seems to be ok. but for your own existance as to living in florida i would urge you to take spanish lessons.

Mexican and Central American farm laborers love it when you speak Spanish to them. I made great strides in learning Spanish when I spoke to our Mexican lawn crew when I was in high school. They listen, respond, and give you respect for trying to learn their language. Try speaking Spanish to someone in Miami from South America ie Venezuela and they will hiss at you and walk away for even trying.

[Miami Vice]

So what happened to the OP??? If your still out there somewhere, what hospital did this happen? Palmetto? I have noticed that when there are a group of Philpino nurses, or Haitian nurses, they speak their language amongst each other.

I personally believe that it's very rude for someone who speaks English to engage in a conversation with someone in another language, when there is someone present who can't understand what's being said.

[Michael Di Meo]

Originally Posted by big mean bear

I was going to rent a 2/2 condo at 1800 club, right in the same area as you, and there wasn't as much diversity as you profess. It was 95% South American and like 5% European. I don't think there were any 'Americans' to speak of there. It was almost totally foreign, even though the building was less than 1/4 occupied. The only residents were South Americans who probably used the units for profit but were in fact probably in some stage of forclosure. Also, there were bums, drug addicts and flop houses less than two blocks away across the street from US 1/Biscayne Blvd.

Your comment that living in a neighborhood that is 95% South American is not diverse was funny. South America is in fact quite diverse. 15 countries, 371 million people, 2 major languages (Spanish and Portuguese). Anyone who says that living in an apartment building with representatives from all major South American countries is not diverse, probably has not travelled much there. That's like me saying that US citizens are not diverse.

Your second comment speculating that the said South Americans are all in some stage of foreclosure is also quite funny. Maybe some are, but some are not - just like the anglos. I am sure there are anglos that have foreclosure issues as well.

Why do I even bother to answer?
If you don't like the neighborhood around 1800 Bayshore, then don't move there. It's not rocket science.
Life is too short to be unhappy.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by big mean bear

It makes you wonder why hispanics seem to be so aggrevated when they are not included as 'whites' in the census or in racial statistics. Being white makes you a lightning rod in 2008. You are the bad guy.

In 2008, if you stop victimizing yourself, nobody is the bad guy!

[intelfan11315]

palmerodude, you are arguing about culture with someone who classified south american's as one...