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The fact is that most Puerto Rican’s who live in the states refuse to accept the fact that they are only Puerto Rican’s because they eat rice and beans and dance salsa. Most don’t speak Spanish, don’t know a hoot about Puerto Rican history and come to The island only to go to beaches, go to Piñones to eat bacalaitos Fritos and continuously criticize Puerto Rican’s because they don’t speak English.
As of lately they’ve been hordes of African Americans arriving in Puerto Rico. Most are good folks however there are more than a few who arrive demanding Puerto Rican’s speak English to them. This is America they say. Fights have broken out in restaurants, the airport and they’ve had to close isla verde Ave because of huge disturbances like breaking windows with rocks. One would imagine that after 300 years of being treated poorly by white America, that blacks would have learned to respect cultural differences.
Who controls the police and security in P.R.? if tourists come and violate laws then you round them up and escort them all to the airport or send them for a few days to prison in Bayamon. The Puerto Rican media is as bad as the American. They are all about sensationalism and ratings and create a crisis out of anything.
The tourists come to Puerto Rico to spend money. The Puerto Ricans that work in the tourism industry which they make more money than the Spanish only speakers must speak English. Without the tourist then nobody makes money of they don't come or nobody could understand them. It's mandatory when you apply for a job in the tourism area in Puerto Rico for you to speak English. If you deal face to face with the tourist, they demand of you to speak English as part of your job because you are the face of the hotel, restaurant or service. So something is wrong at the management level in these places.
If the worker doesn't speak English, they have no business working at the Front Desk, or being a hostess in the tourist area at any restaurant or Bell Man or Concierge which the owners of these placer are Americans and America corporations. The #1 tourists that comes to P.R. are from the mainland. Without them the Puerto Rican tourism would be dead. So the problem isn't American tourists coming P.R. to spend their money and want somebody to answer their questions in English or the lack of security.
You think if I own a car dealer and most of my clients or a large % spends their money in my place I would only hire salesman that doesn't speak English?
The whole criticizing Puerto Ricans for being a mostly Spanish-speaking people and using the "this is America" argument is simply nonsense on their part. I have also met a few people through the years, including one African American, that "complained" about the same thing on a trip they made to the DR. The African American was one of the few that basically started by saying "the people don't speak English." Of course, after hearing that I had to look at him as if he was an alien with three eyes. That was a very long time ago around the first half of the 2000's, but I'm sure it still happens.
If the first "requirement" for some people is that most of the people should speak English (nevermind you never interact with 99% of the people around you anywhere), then maybe you shouldn't travel to other islands beyond Jamaica, The Bahamas, Barbados, etc. Plus, those that visit Puerto Rico and use the "this is America" argument should be reminded that the USA doesn't have an official language. Obviously, at least some of the workers in the hotels and points of interests frequented by English speaking tourists should understand English, but beyond that people will speak in the language that they are most comfortable with or more traditional or it could be the only language they know and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
When it comes to Spanish, they have been speaking it well before you got there, during the time you were there, and will continue to speak it well after you are gone. What most of the people speak shouldn't be a complaint at all.
I have No problem with Puerto Rican not speaking English in the island. I was born and raised there, so I know generally the areas that speak English and which ones don't. There are always exceptions of Ricans that speak English that surprises you. That's a general rule in life for everything.
My point is, if you are going to work in the tourism trade in Puerto Rico and the #1 group of people that come to Puerto Rico are from United States and they are spending their money in the island that helps jobs and the economy for Puerto Rico then you as an employee in the service department shouldn't have this attitude of : "Well, they are in my country and they better speak to me in Spanish or they won't get service" When I was there all the tourism jobs in Puerto Rico required you to speak English. 2 interviews min. are given in English. That's the way it should be. This is about economy not social class.
You are in the wrong trade if you have this attitude in a U.S. territory with the American flag flying in every government building in the island that if they don't speak Spanish you won't service them. That's the management's responsibility in who they hire.
Maybe it's me. I worked in the Hotel business when I was young so my attitude it's to serve the guest since We are the face of the hotel/restaurant and they are spending money in your trade and they are the reason everybody in that trade has a job. I was a Bellman (I worked Front Desk but the money is with the tips especially if you are good and smile) , I was averaging $15 to $20 an hour with tips. That was over 30 years ago. You think the guests would have tipped me nice if I refused to speak English when they asked me questions about the hotel, restaurants and places to see in P.R. I had a few Americans that tipped me $20 (back then was a lot ) just to bring their luggage to their rooms and answer their questions. It wasn't hard, the easiest job I ever had. You give tourists good service and they comeback and they spread the word around in the states for friends and family to come and check it out.
The same as a host. If they doesn't acknowledge the guest walking in the restaurant with a smile and welcomes them within 20 seconds then the host should be gone and shouldn't be in that trade. That's the main requirement of every host, to smile and make the customer feel welcome since that's the first impression the customer gets of the business and if the guest asks questions in ENGLISH, that host better know how to answer the customer back in which they understand and know about the food they serve that you represents.
Puerto Rico used to be good at that buy this new generation have this attitude like the customer should be thankful they are there and they must shut up and wait to be told when to speak and when to talk.
I won't say the name of the place but a few years back my wife and me went in a Mexican restaurant in Puerto Rico (starts with a M and it's in Hato Rey) we went in there for lunch and many tables empty and there were 3 people at the hostess desk. Not 1 didn't acknowledge us, not even a look or a nod. They were speaking in Spanish and it sounded like something about the reservation book because they were talking about it and flipping the pages and arguing about something but all 3 were looking at the book and at each other and ignoring us. I told my wife sarcastically "did We die and this is like the sixth sense" After 5 minutes, I interrupted their little meeting at the welcome booth and said: "Con permiso, puedo hablar con el manager" (excuse me, can I speak with the manager? ) They look at me like shocked and one went back to get the manager with an attitude. I know when Puerto Rican have an attitude especially women. It's their tone and look. She didn't like it (it's my right as a customer to speak with the manager, she had that look of "how dare you go over me") The manager came out and I let him have it. He felt embarrassed and knew We were in P.R. for vacation. He apologized gave us free drinks and free desserts. He was upset because every manager running a bussiness knows hostesses are the first face of the business and that's a no-no and We knew those 3 employees had a meeting in his office or got fired. I would either re-train them to do their job or get rid of them. We haven't been back them since. This place has changed since I was growing up.
Last edited by SanJuanStar; 07-14-2021 at 11:50 AM..
Some of the incidents where tourists complained that English wasn’t spoken were not in regular hotels but in the growing AB&B apartments being used to get extra cash. These apt buildings are not necessarily in tourist areas, some are. There is an incident where a group of African American women confronted a wheel chair bound resident in an apt building and demanded that English be spoken. They cursed the poor woman and made her cry.
Cheap fairs and AB&bs have brought to the island the dredges of America.
Some of the incidents where tourists complained that English wasn’t spoken were not in regular hotels but in the growing AB&B apartments being used to get extra cash. These apt buildings are not necessarily in tourist areas, some are. There is an incident where a group of African American women confronted a wheel chair bound resident in an apt building and demanded that English be spoken. They cursed the poor woman and made her cry.
Cheap fairs and AB&bs have brought to the island the dredges of America.
and how many tourists are these? 3? 5? 10? 20 people complaining that English wasn't spoken and this is your national crisis?
This is a 2 way street. The states gets the dredges of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico gets the dredges from the states. It's part of cake. If you are going to pray for rain you have to deal with the mud.
You make it sound like Puerto Ricans are weak helpless stupid people that can't handle a few rude tourists. The Puerto Rico I know answers and deals with rude people since Puerto Ricans can be rude back when We want to be. 500 years of existence and a small group of African Women on vacation are going to make us cry because they demand to be spoken in English? Thanks for the laugh.
Give Puerto Rico a little more credit. We didn't make it over 500 years of existence if We were sensitive to a few foreigners complaining that they can't speak Spanish. Puerto Rico has more serious problems than this.
The only way these women will make me cry is if they throw eyes drops or lemon juice in my eyes or give me a "pavera" that I couldn't stop laughing.
and how many tourists are these? 3? 5? 10? 20 people complaining that English wasn't spoken and this is your national crisis?
This is a 2 way street. The states gets the dredges of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico gets the dredges from the states. It's part of cake. If you are going to pray for rain you have to deal with the mud.
You make it sound like Puerto Ricans are weak helpless stupid people that can't handle a few rude tourists. The Puerto Rico I know answers and deals with rude people since Puerto Ricans can be rude back when We want to be. 500 years of existence and a small group of African Women on vacation are going to make us cry because they demand to be spoken in English? Thanks for the laugh.
Give Puerto Rico a little more credit. We didn't make it over 500 years of existence if We were sensitive to a few foreigners complaining that they can't speak Spanish. Puerto Rico has more serious problems than this.
The only way these women will make me cry is if they throw eyes drops or lemon juice in my eyes or give me a "pavera" that I couldn't stop laughing.
The older I get, the more I agree with you . . . and as you know, our head-on collisions go way back to days in another forum.
One thing I can attest to is the many Puerto Ricans on the island are fed up with the ill comportment of many tourists from Mainland USA. I was there in May 2021 and I heard about it over and over again. I even got to see a little of it upon arriving at SJU. After picking up my luggage, I and others were herded to several lines for Covid screening. In a nearby line, one "good ole boy" in his late 20's was raising hell because his line was not moving fast enough. In another line, a woman with a very raspy voice was complaining that she was not being allowed to exit so she could smoke a cigarette. I heard of AirB&B apartment getting trashed by visitors, and on and on.
Would be nice if visitors were civil, polite, and acted less entitled when visiting PR.
The older I get, the more I agree with you . . . and as you know, our head-on collisions go way back to days in another forum.
One thing I can attest to is the many Puerto Ricans on the island are fed up with the ill comportment of many tourists from Mainland USA. I was there in May 2021 and I heard about it over and over again. I even got to see a little of it upon arriving at SJU. After picking up my luggage, I and others were herded to several lines for Covid screening. In a nearby line, one "good ole boy" in his late 20's was raising hell because his line was not moving fast enough. In another line, a woman with a very raspy voice was complaining that she was not being allowed to exit so she could smoke a cigarette. I heard of AirB&B apartment getting trashed by visitors, and on and on.
Would be nice if visitors were civil, polite, and acted less entitled when visiting PR.
Your memory is better than mine. I hardly remember the other forums from years ago. I went like to 8 one time. Some sucked and closed on their own and other I was kicked out which is a badge of honor from the people running the place. Politics is a funny thing.
This is the post Corona shut down. There are more rules and longer lines and some people are not used to it. Add the heat and some people get a short fuse. Now I know why people from the Middle East are always upset, the heat. This is in most places after the Corona Virus. Las Vegas is the same. I go there a lot to get away, get room service and hang around in the pool and chill and We noticed that on Spring Break this year when We returned after the shut down more ghetto people were in the nice hotels. The hotels and airlines were giving away for cheap so people would return and with the stimulus you got all kinds of people. Las Vegas is a lot worse than Puerto Rico in that department. It was super ghetto with the fights and drama and most of it came from the blacks. It was funny to me, I had the popcorn and drinks ready.
This is post Corona. It will take some adjustment and even with that it will never be like before.
They would need to convert all public schools to English as the primary language of instruction. Starting from preschool. Puerto Rico could become a state when those who grew up with English are in their 30s and 40s.
So, at the earliest, in the 2050s or 2060s.
It would also help if they attracted mainland immigrants, to help speed up the anglicization process.
They would need to convert all public schools to English as the primary language of instruction. Starting from preschool. Puerto Rico could become a state when those who grew up with English are in their 30s and 40s.
So, at the earliest, in the 2050s or 2060s.
It would also help if they attracted mainland immigrants, to help speed up the anglicization process.
It would not be the first time that the primary language of instruction would be English in Puerto Rico. The following quotes are from a 1997 article in The New York Times.
Quote:
But Spanish is held as a pillar of Puerto Rico's culture, and even the pro-statehood New Progressive Party maintains that it is nonnegotiable: even under statehood, Spanish and English would co-exist, the party promises.
The mother tongue, however, has hardly been immune to the forces of Puerto Rican politics. Just in 1991, pro-commonwealth Gov. Rafael Hernandez Colon elevated it to sole official language, only to have the current Governor, Pedro J. Rossello, who is pro-statehood, obtain legislation two years later making English officially equal.
Quote:
Although English was the main language of public school instruction here in the first half of the century under governors sent from the mainland, Spanish replaced it for all courses except English class beginning in 1949. Census figures show that only about a quarter of the population of 3.7 million is bilingual.
The following quote is from a 2014 article in NPR.
Quote:
But it turns out my penchant for English isn't unique for a mainland Puerto Rican, according to a survey of American Latinos by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. Given a choice between answering a gamut of questions about their lives in Spanish or in English, 78 percent of the Puerto Rican respondents chose English, significantly more than any other Latino group. According to the poll, only 20 percent of Puerto Ricans speak Spanish at home, less than half the percentage for respondents overall. (The poll didn't include respondents in Puerto Rico, only Puerto Rican respondents living on the U.S. mainland.)
And in a poll released Oct. 1, U.S. English said the results showed that only 37 percent of Puerto Ricans favored statehood and that the number declined to 28 percent if Congress would require that English become the sole official language of Puerto Rico as a condition of statehood.
Overall, it seems mainland Puerto Ricans favor making English as the main language of Puerto Rico, but island Puerto Ricans are split regarding that with keeping Spanish as the main language ahead. English was the main language in Puerto Rican schools when Americans were in charge of Puerto Rico, but once Puerto Ricans became in charge of their island Spanish was king again. Why didn't the Puerto Ricans in charge of the island kept English as the sole language of instruction, like the Americans did during the first half of the 20th century?
Last edited by AntonioR; 07-27-2021 at 08:59 PM..
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