Can you get by in San Antonio not speaking Spanish? (Houston: rental, crime)

[ArizonaTexan]

I think language is one of the largest misconceptions individuals have when speaking of San Antonio. It is typically viewed as having to speak Spanish if considering living in San Antonio and that is the farthest from the truth. There are "pockets" within the city in which Spanish is predominantly spoken but it is mainly between friends, family members, etc. Overwhelmingly, Engish is spoken by the majority.

[Insomniac]

Originally Posted by imthrowed94

Yes San Antonio is still in the United States not Mexico even though some people may consider it that. We do have whites here to and some blacks population may not be big but there here and so are asians.

Not to confuse you or anyone else but being Hispanic doesn't mean you only speak or understand Spanish. As for the "white" do you know how many "white" people are actually Mexican or Spanish? I was in a Target once and there was this "white" family,they all had blond hair and blue eyes. The only thing they spoke was Spanish. Sure, I'll admit myself it took me aback that this "Anglo" looking family only spoke and understood Spanish. Anyway, my point is your above statement is both narrow minded and ignorant, my advise to you is to look beyond skin color.

[millie61]

Originally Posted by southwest1230

I mean living in San Antonio....how hard would it be to navigate the whole world and things we typically do without speaking it? Would I be wise to take up the language when moving there? Are most people bi-lingual as well there?
I want to move there but fear my lack of Spanish-speaking skills will handicap me some way....WHich is a shame because it seems like the city is quite nice....please explain this "not speaking spanish in San Antonio" thing...
thanks!

Not a problem - I am from the UK and they understand me lol

[Insomniac]

Chalk this up to me having just moved here four years ago but what is the deal with this stereotype of San Antonio?

[Eleanor Rigby]

Not to confuse you or anyone else but being Hispanic doesn't mean you only speak or understand Spanish. As for the "white" do you know how many "white" people are actually Mexican or Spanish?

I'm about the gringo-est looking blonde white girl you can imagine, but I speak fluent Spanish. One day I was at Saks at North Star Mall talking in Spanish on the phone, only to turn around and find myself tailed by no less than four sales ladies. They assumed based on my appearance and my language fluency that I was a Mexican National housewife up for a little shopping for Semana Santa and were desperate to help me out! Probably the best service I've ever gotten.

Moral of the story, it's not smart to assume EITHER WAY about someone's ethnic background and Spanish fluency down here!

Also, my favorite way to trip people up - my family is Syrian. Syrians tend not to be Semitic or stereotypically Arab looking, and often have light-colored hair and hazel, green or blue eyes. I like to tell people who are on a rant about those evil evil Middle Easterners the wee fact that I'm Middle Eastern and watch them desperately backtrack. Good times, good times. For bonus points, I tell them half my family is Muslim and the other half is Eastern Rite Orthodox Christian.

It's fun to shatter misconceptions.

[imthrowed94]

Originally Posted by Insomniac

Not to confuse you or anyone else but being Hispanic doesn't mean you only speak or understand Spanish. As for the "white" do you know how many "white" people are actually Mexican or Spanish? I was in a Target once and there was this "white" family,they all had blond hair and blue eyes. The only thing they spoke was Spanish. Sure, I'll admit myself it took me aback that this "Anglo" looking family only spoke and understood Spanish. Anyway, my point is your above statement is both narrow minded and ignorant, my advise to you is to look beyond skin color.

what i said was not ignorant and narrow minded. what i said is real the truth no what i mean? but anyway most people will tell you the same.

[imthrowed94]

oh and yes i'm aware that you do have whites who speak spanish i have seen it with my own eyes.

[slaleman]

I laugh about it now, but I asked the same question of a friend before I moved here, and a lot of the people I knew from up north asked me about it after I moved here.

Please forgive us...all we know before we come here is that San Antonio is a largely Hispanic city pretty close to the border of Mexico. We also think everyone wears cowboy hats and rides horses =-)

[Insomniac]

Originally Posted by imthrowed94

what i said was not ignorant and narrow minded. what i said is real the truth no what i mean? but anyway most people will tell you the same.

No I don't "no what you mean." Care to explain exactly what you mean.? Do you even understand why I wrote what I did?

[martinez4]

I can't tell you how many people assume I speak Spanish......especially the phone salespeople. I am of European descent and do not speak Spanish but people assume I do just because of my last name. My husband, who I have noted before is a 10+ generation Texan, speaks enough to get by but was brought up speaking English as we live in an English speaking society in the United States.