My two worlds

I really wish that I had started traveling at the start of my adulthood.  I've come to find out that traveling is my new passion. I find myself daydreaming of the places I've been to and all the places I wish to visit in the future. I'm not really fond of the airports and actually being on the plane for long hours but I do enjoy discovering new places and learning new things about different cultures.  


And in every place I've been to, I have learned more things about myself and the world I live in.  

I have learned that the world is big and small at the same time.  I tend to find similarities to my own culture in others and bottom line, we're not that much different from other people. We all want the same things: A career that matches our educational background, a home in a safe neighborhood, and being accepted by others.  

This isn't me but you get the idea. LOL

I remember a conversation I had with a couple of tour mates from a trip I took to a few cities in Europe.  They were born and lived in South Africa but were from Indian descent.  We had the best conversation about the way we are treated, how our cultural background makes a huge difference, and the things we truly love and hate about being "half of something." That was the moment when I realized that I had many things in common with a South African man than I ever thought possible. 

I remember telling him this point: "In America, I am only half American because my parents are Mexican.  Even though I was born and raised in California. In America, I will always be half of something. But everywhere else in the world, I'm an American. Period." 

His response: "I know exactly what you mean. Because I also will never be truly South African even though I was born and raised there." 

I remember coming home and actually giving this topic more thought and what I truly enjoy about being a "hybrid" is that I have the privilege of being raised in two worlds.  

• There's always a Mexican spin to the American holidays with foods and sometimes a spontaneous game of La Loteria before the night is over. 
• My thoughts and expressions are always in two different languages. 
• I get to enjoy, sing and dance to all kinds of music. 
• Latinos who are born or raised in the U.S. share a common language: Spanglish.   
• I enjoy teaching my non-Hispanic friends about my culture and what it means to be Mexican-American. 
• Watching telenovelas were part of my evening ritual.  This was before DVR, so I only had 2 minutes to run to the toilet or just wait until the show was over.
• Watching Chespirito, La India Maria, Cantinflas, and Sabado Gigante were part of my television viewing rituals along with Saturday morning cartoons and the TGIF lineup on ABC. 
• Listening to Selena's music still gets to me and brings me back to when I was 11 and I heard the news that she had been shot.  We're all in an unspoken agreement that if Selena was alive today, she would have been one of the biggest stars on this planet. Like Beyonce or Shakira status--hands down!

And yet, I wouldn't change who I am or my culture, language, and/or experiences for anything in the world.  All the contrary, I am motivated to keep learning more about others and myself.  Because in the end, a person who is open and willing to learn about others, is a person who gains more out of life. With cultural diversity brings more creativity and better understanding of others and ourselves. 

"Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit." --Unknown

Mayra ;)