Cultural Experience of the Day

So, I was walking down a hallway and passed a middle-aged gentleman. He mumbled "good morning" at almost the same time that I said "buenos dìas." Then, he looked at me and said (in Spanish), "I thought you were American." I just smiled a secret smile and kept on walking.

This has happened before, and I always just smile, allowing the person to think whatever it is they now think while protecting them from embarrassment by declaring, "I am an American." Sometimes I'm a "gringa." Sometimes I'm an "americana." Whatever they thought I was, I don't mind. That's part of my secret smile because deep down I know that I am an American even though I might be able to say an accentless "buenos dias."

If anything, this life in Puerto Rico has shown me just how American I truly am. I eat sandwiches, apples and chocolate for lunch (and sometimes peanuts) instead of rice and mofongo. I see differences in values, customs, and food. I can bake cookies and brownies and pies. Puerto Ricans can make all sorts of rice and root vegetables and plantain dishes, which I also love, but for the most part have never made. Puerto Ricans have the cleanest cars (though possibly quite dented up) while I wash mine once, sometimes twice, a month (only because Esther gave me a hint on how much Puerto Ricans clean their cars) and have never vacuumed it. I love the rain. Puerto Ricans, in general, dread it.

There are things that I appreciate about Puerto Rico. In contrast to the franticness of some time-driven Americans, Puerto Ricans can be very calm, taking things in stride. Of course, that can go to an extreme as well, but I do appreciate their patience in most things.

So, here I am, a self-confessed American living in a Puerto Rican world. I think I will always be mostly an American, but, hopefully, if I can paraphrase my friend H, the important thing is to be who God wants me to be--to have His values and His character, which is neither American nor Puerto Rican.

(Here is my disclaimer: All descriptions of Puerto Ricans and/or Americans were, of course, generalizations, and by no means apply to every person. Each person is different, and I know many people who don't fit these generalized descriptions. By the terms "Puerto Ricans" or "Americans," I refer more to the general culture than to the individual.)