tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25806438.post3343799521080259963..comments2024-01-26T09:29:04.765-08:00Comments on My American Meltingpot: No, really...Professor Tharpshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04714326142739366426noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25806438.post-1923593009738671172008-10-25T09:19:00.000-07:002008-10-25T09:19:00.000-07:00You've no doubt heard of President Fujimori, yes? ...You've no doubt heard of President Fujimori, yes? A past president, Japanese in name and appearance (though born in Peru), of a Latin American nation? <BR/><BR/>Many from Peru are of Asian ancestry and have Asian features. There are Korean communities in Mexico and Japanese communities in Brazil. Immigration happens everywhere.<BR/><BR/>No big deal to speak Spanish to someone working at a Mexican restaurant, but weird to continue without comprehension or reply.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25806438.post-91665144525112916022008-10-22T08:25:00.000-07:002008-10-22T08:25:00.000-07:00Hmm, this sounds like MexiCali. The owner formerl...Hmm, this sounds like MexiCali. The owner formerly ran a truly legendary burrito truck on Spruce Street, and has never made any pretense of authenticity. Obviously, this is a special case, but as a more-or-less fluent Spanish speaker, I'm often conflicted about ordering in Spanish at 'authentic' places like Taqueria La Veracruzana and Plaza Garibaldi on Washington at 9th or La Marqueza Grill in Upper Darby. Does initiating in Spanish presume a lack of English or honor diversity (or both)? There are lots of asians in latin america. The president of Peru was Japanese.FirstPersonArtshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16549878055951273827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25806438.post-57291468271946166992008-10-21T15:56:00.000-07:002008-10-21T15:56:00.000-07:00Wow. It sounds to me like the woman just saw "brow...Wow. It sounds to me like the woman just saw "brown", and pasted whatever ethnicity was most convenient to her at that moment.Former Mushroom-Haired Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02916586838385720911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25806438.post-37656614604019279852008-10-21T09:22:00.000-07:002008-10-21T09:22:00.000-07:00xdeiKohana,glad to know the meltingpot makes it wa...xdeiKohana,<BR/><BR/>glad to know the meltingpot makes it way to Sydney! Thanks for sharing your story. Hope you find some good beans and rice!<BR/><BR/>Anon,<BR/><BR/>I too have met Asians who speak Spanish. And Hispanics who speak Korean. That's the beauty of the Meltingpot. I just don't think this particular woman was really noticing that the Asian woman looked uttlerly confused when she spoke to her in Spanish. And she didn't apologize or even seem to care. She truly seemed to have made the assumption that this ambiguously brown girl must be a Latina. I could be wrong, I'm not a mind reader, but I don't think so. But I'm not trying to judge, just observing.Professor Tharpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04714326142739366426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25806438.post-62392561440252039482008-10-21T08:56:00.000-07:002008-10-21T08:56:00.000-07:00I've met asians raised in Brazil and in Latin Amer...I've met asians raised in Brazil and in Latin America, who speak Spanish almose exclusively, so it's not beyond the pale to assume that an Asian running a Mexican restaurant might speak Spanish - not true in this scenario, of course. I don't think that customer was wrong to try speaking spanish to the proprietress...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25806438.post-32245199199958059132008-10-21T00:31:00.000-07:002008-10-21T00:31:00.000-07:00Ha! This sounds like my experience last week. Lati...Ha! This sounds like my experience last week. Latin/Carribean/Mexican food is seriously lacking in Sydney (I'm lumping them together because the common ingredients I crave for protein, as a veggie - beans and rice). So when I found a "wings and burritos" hole in the wall I decided to give it a try. The staff did all appear to be Asian and the food was...strange. There were beans...but not like any beans I've had before!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com