You’d be surprised how often I get asked this question!
Like they say in Puerto Rico, “¡Esa es la pregunta de los 64 mil chavitos!” The literal translation is “That is the 64 thousand pennies question.” The statement literally means that the person has asked a somewhat complicated question at least in my case. 🙂
I can answer by telling them I’m from (town where we live), but I know my answer will not suffice their curiosity. So I’m happy to oblige, and educate them!
However, being questioned where I’m from or what am I so frequently brings me to think of our beautifully mixed son. He’s just 5 yrs. ago, and I’m teaching him to embrace his biracial, and multicultural identity with pride. So when the question of “los 64 mil chavitos” arises he’ll be able to answer with pride!
How any educated adult would not know where Puerto Rico is or that it's part of the U.S. is beyond me. I mean even if they slept thru school I would think they'd heard of J-Lo, right? I can see where you confuse people a little, being so tall. I really have met very few Hispanic women of height 🙂 The thing that *concerns* me is that people have such a strong need to categorize each other by race, country or ethnicity. Why does a stranger have such a deep need to put you in a box? I know I do it too sometimes, so I'm not saying that as a judgement, but a real question.
Girl, you have no idea how shocked I was!!! Mind you, she has a doctoral degree!!! Yes! I totally get where you're coming from with the "real question", as I too, have often asked myself of others. Perhaps it's just human nature to be inquisitive? LOL
I didn't know you are Puerto Rican blogger :0) Happy to have found you. I was mentioning to another blogger in this blog carnival how the pop group Menudo has a special place in my heart :0) I admire your take on peoples questions. Personally, I think its the best approach sometimes its just ignorance and they do need to be educated.
I can imagine how complicated and frustrated these experience can be. Add a child into
My friend you are amazing and I have no doubt that your five year old would already answer the question of "los 64 mil chavitos" with grace and pride.