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It's a great place to visit, especially if it's one's first trip to the island...I knew a lot of long-term gringos who lived there. Many were great folks...others, not so much. The winter months are high season for surfers.
I lived in Puerto Rico (the southern part of San Juan metro), but am from the U.S. mainland (and my family is not Spanish-speaking... except for cousins in Puerto Rico by marriage). In my friend and social circles, I was frequently the only non-ethnic Puerto Rican. I traveled throughout the island... Loiza, Fajardo, Culebra Island to the east; El Yunque; Aibonito, Cidra, Cayey in the interior hills/mountains south of San Juan; Utuado and Barranquitas in the mountains west of San Juan; Ponce on the southern coast; Toa Baja, Arecibo, Aguadilla on the northern coast west of San Juan; Mayaguez on the western end of the island... and I never heard once the term gringo leveled at me or anyone else... even in the remotest of places (and I've been to other countries where how I looked or where I was from made a difference to people).
I think the term gringo originated in Mexico many years ago... as in *green go* back home... *gringo*.
In PR, I had a blond friend from Idaho (there are also blond, blue-eyed ethnic Puerto Ricans, BTW). We went out one night with other friends. He had been drinking. A guy called him *albino* (same word in Spanish and English)… and they got into a fight... but that's the only thing I ever saw that could be characterized as ethnic tension.
It helps exponentially to be able to speak Spanish. If you move there, learning the language makes a big difference.
I think the term gringo originated in Mexico many years ago... as in *green go* back home... *gringo*.
That is what most people have heard, and most people believe, but the word gringo actually was around in Spain long before that conflict, and the US uniforms worn in the Mexican-American and Spanish-American wars were generally either blue or khaki.
Essentially, foreigners mostly from Ireland had moved to Spain at one point, and due to their thick accents and lack of practice, they were called Griegos (Greeks, like ¨it´s all Greek to me¨) and then gradually the word was tweaked to distinguish between those gibberish-talking foreigners and people actually from the Greek Isles. Somehow now it´s substituted for anything from the United States, if only the people saying it understood its real origin...
I rarely was called gringo by anyone in PR, much more common was Americano, something I found a little problematic because Puerto Ricans are also US citizens, and we all live in the Americas. But hey, they´re saying it, not me.
It depends totally on the context, really. It´s a loaded word, like indio or negro. It depends on who says it, and how they say it, to be something good or bad. ¨Go home gringo¨ isn´t nice and putting that word at the end adds emphasis; ¨What´s up my gringo!?¨ is nice, and once again at the end it becomes extra affectionate in a language like Spanish.
That is what most people have heard, and most people believe, but the word gringo actually was around in Spain long before that conflict, and the US uniforms worn in the Mexican-American and Spanish-American wars were generally either blue or khaki.
Essentially, foreigners mostly from Ireland had moved to Spain at one point, and due to their thick accents and lack of practice, they were called Griegos (Greeks, like ¨it´s all Greek to me¨) and then gradually the word was tweaked to distinguish between those gibberish-talking foreigners and people actually from the Greek Isles. Somehow now it´s substituted for anything from the United States, if only the people saying it understood its real origin...
I rarely was called gringo by anyone in PR, much more common was Americano, something I found a little problematic because Puerto Ricans are also US citizens, and we all live in the Americas. But hey, they´re saying it, not me.
I'd be upset if someone called me watered down espresso too (americano). I'd much prefer to be called con leche.
Am I one of the few gringos who doesn't feel offended by hearing the word gringo? It's just an identifier like 'white guy' or something...
Doesn't bother me either. I lived in Panama for 3 1/2 years, and have been back to visit many times. I have found it common for Panamanians to call Americans gringos. I don't think they mean it as a slur, and I don't take it that way.
Doesn't bother me either. I lived in Panama for 3 1/2 years, and have been back to visit many times. I have found it common for Panamanians to call Americans gringos. I don't think they mean it as a slur, and I don't take it that way.
If you don't take as a slur then here's something to think about. While it may not be used in a hateful way in everyday conversation (with you) it is at times used as such. And even if it were used a fond and/or friendly manner does that make it ok. In the times during and after slavery many referred to persons of color as darkies and several other "quaint" forms of speech. Was that ok, would that be ok today. So when someone refers to you as a gringo they are stating that you are not one of them, you are white and you don't belong. Sound familiar? Is it going to change, no.
If you don't take as a slur then here's something to think about. While it may not be used in a hateful way in everyday conversation (with you) it is at times used as such. And even if it were used a fond and/or friendly manner does that make it ok. In the times during and after slavery many referred to persons of color as darkies and several other "quaint" forms of speech. Was that ok, would that be ok today. So when someone refers to you as a gringo they are stating that you are not one of them, you are white and you don't belong. Sound familiar? Is it going to change, no.
Mmm...like I said before, it really depends on the context if it´s meant to exclude or be offensive or not. I mean the fat guy down the street might be called ¨gordo¨, his skinny friend ¨flaco¨, the dark-skinned guy ¨negro¨. I just think that latinos have observational nicknames.
As far as not belonging, that´s just part of the terrain with some people. Colombians like to dish out the exclusion card like candy, and more for their own blood. A lot of returnees feel snubbed and will be called ¨gringo¨ for the rest of their time here, even if their Spanish is up to snuff and everything. Some people do to me what you´re talking about, others treat me no differently...more logical are the ones who say that I´m a ¨great mix of both cultures¨, which is the only thing that could be true anyway.
I felt like there were way less barriers in Puerto Rico...back then my Spanish wasn´t all that good, and people made me feel very welcome. When I go back to visit soon I´ll let you know if my perception changes.
Last edited by aab7855; 11-05-2018 at 05:10 PM..
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