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Old 08-09-2017, 12:07 PM
 
5 posts, read 18,584 times
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Hi. I would like a response from anyone who does not speak Spanish living in McAllen. I recently moved to McAllen because my fiance lives here. I didn't realize it would be such a headache trying to land a job here. I have the experience and education but the problem is I don't speak Spanish. I am not sure if this is accurate but 80% of the population here speaks Spanish and the majority of the jobs require you to speak Spanish also even though it is in U.S. It is hard for me to comprehend that someone who does not speak English has a job working with the public but I have no luck. It came to a point where I told myself that beggars can't be choosers and applied for jobs well below what I was making at my previous job and applied for jobs I wouldn't have considered at all. I even registered with multiple job assistance websites but they are of no help. The jobs still require for me to speak Spanish. Help!!!
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Old 08-09-2017, 02:12 PM
 
2,132 posts, read 2,224,507 times
Reputation: 3924
Quote:
Originally Posted by stressedandfrustrated View Post
I am not sure if this is accurate but 80% of the population here speaks Spanish and the majority of the jobs require you to speak Spanish also even though it is in U.S. It is hard for me to comprehend that someone who does not speak English has a job working with the public but I have no luck.
Are you saying that most people there speak only Spanish and not English? I don't know McAllen that well, but I doubt that's true based on my experience in San Antonio. I'm guessing most people in the workforce speak both English and Spanish quite well and you're not getting job offers because you only speak one language.
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Old 08-09-2017, 03:21 PM
 
Location: San Antonio
4,422 posts, read 6,255,600 times
Reputation: 5429
Quote:
Originally Posted by stressedandfrustrated View Post
Hi. I would like a response from anyone who does not speak Spanish living in McAllen. I recently moved to McAllen because my fiance lives here. I didn't realize it would be such a headache trying to land a job here. I have the experience and education but the problem is I don't speak Spanish. I am not sure if this is accurate but 80% of the population here speaks Spanish and the majority of the jobs require you to speak Spanish also even though it is in U.S. It is hard for me to comprehend that someone who does not speak English has a job working with the public but I have no luck. It came to a point where I told myself that beggars can't be choosers and applied for jobs well below what I was making at my previous job and applied for jobs I wouldn't have considered at all. I even registered with multiple job assistance websites but they are of no help. The jobs still require for me to speak Spanish. Help!!!
What is your field?
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Old 08-09-2017, 04:43 PM
 
Location: League City, Texas
2,919 posts, read 5,949,008 times
Reputation: 6260
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kthnry View Post
Are you saying that most people there speak only Spanish and not English? I don't know McAllen that well, but I doubt that's true based on my experience in San Antonio. I'm guessing most people in the workforce speak both English and Spanish quite well and you're not getting job offers because you only speak one language.
McAllen and the RGV are very unlike San Antonio. We used to go to San Antonio to feel like we were in the U.S. There really is no similarity between SA and the RGV. I spent 7 years there in McAllen--I know what I'm talking about.

While a lot of the population is bilingual, a significant portion is not, and is Spanish-speaking only. Just observing shopping/retail situations, people routinely pay for goods in a combination of both dollars and pesos.

I don't doubt the OP's experience at all. As a Registered Nurse with over 20 years experience I was unable to secure a position due to my lack of fluent Spanish. Fortunately my husband was able to work, as he employed Spanish-speaking staff, so was able to get by without being fluent himself.
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Old 08-09-2017, 05:45 PM
 
Location: San Diego CA>Tijuana, BC>San Antonio, TX
6,498 posts, read 7,527,078 times
Reputation: 6873
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ing_population

According to this wiki article which sites the US Census Bureau as a source, these are the top 5 US metro areas with Spanish speakers over the age of 5 by percent of population.

84% McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA (Not sure if Harlingen and Brownsville are included)
72% El Paso, TX MSA
40% Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL MSA
37% Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA MSA
37% San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX MSA


LA, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix are the top 5 cities (of the largest 25) by percent.
LA, NY, Miami, Houston and Chicago are the top 5 metros by count.
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Old 08-09-2017, 07:16 PM
 
Location: Kaufman County, Texas
11,853 posts, read 26,858,186 times
Reputation: 10602
Welcome to the RGV. That's how it is down there.
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Old 08-10-2017, 03:16 AM
 
Location: Chambers County
1,132 posts, read 2,123,834 times
Reputation: 1178
You are going to have to do what the rest of us will soon have to do -- assimilate. Learn Spanish. Spanish will soon be the official language of the USA. English will be outlawed due to being "offensive" to the Mexicans that will soon completely overtake this nation.
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Old 08-10-2017, 05:38 AM
 
Location: San Antonio
4,422 posts, read 6,255,600 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southeasttexas View Post
You are going to have to do what the rest of us will soon have to do -- assimilate. Learn Spanish. Spanish will soon be the official language of the USA. English will be outlawed due to being "offensive" to the Mexicans that will soon completely overtake this nation.
...For the love of God, if you're that frightened by Spanish, don't live in Texas. You'll be perpetually unhappy.
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Old 08-10-2017, 10:24 AM
 
Location: central Austin
7,228 posts, read 16,096,785 times
Reputation: 3915
Quote:
Originally Posted by southeasttexas View Post
You are going to have to do what the rest of us will soon have to do -- assimilate. Learn Spanish. Spanish will soon be the official language of the USA. English will be outlawed due to being "offensive" to the Mexicans that will soon completely overtake this nation.
The US has no official language! Do you know that the Declaration of Independence was immediately translated into German and Dutch so colonists in Pennsylvania and New York could read it? Same with the Constitution.

Folks in the RGV have been speaking Spanish for hundreds of years, they aren't "coming in" the border moved around them.
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Old 08-10-2017, 02:17 PM
 
5 posts, read 18,584 times
Reputation: 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by thenewtexan View Post
What is your field?
Hi. My last job I worked for a life insurance company. I trained and mentored new and permanent employees, etc. I also have experience in retail, administrative support, customer service, etc. for various companies.
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