mexican vs spanish

[Gringita/Morenito 0]

around here usually Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Latino is used to describe people who culturally come from a Latin American country or who speak spanish language.

But as far as foods--yeah everyone (Norte Americanos) seem to think that all latin american food is Mexican, from Texas to Tierra Del Fuego. Like when my wife got a job at a restuarant the Owner asked where is my wife from--I said Peru, and she replied great I hope she knows some good Mexican Recipes!

My fiance was offered a job in Peru at a a friends pizza joint, because he has an American fiance, they said he must know how to make pizza americana....

[garya505 2]

Ive never heard anyone call a mexican a "spanish". I have heard people call anyone who speaks spanish a mexican. Its just ignorance I think.

It doesn't take any speaking Spanish, actually. My wife is mistaken for a Mexican quite often. By Mexicans, actually. They usually have the look like a train just hit them when she says that she's from Africa. Just thought I toss that in since we're talking about ignorance...

DITTO....My wife hates it! They approach her and speak spanish to her everywhere we go....They're dumbfounded when she says no habla espanol (I taught her that), I'm Ethiopian from Africa....Surprisingly, many don't know where Ethiopia is.........

Ethiopia? Is that near Canada?

[Gringita/Morenito 0]

How about the shoe being on the other foot?

True story, I was in Home Depot several years ago talking to a friend in Spanish. I was asked by a customer service if I was speaking Czechloslavakian. #######? I asked the lady if she spoke Czech. She said no... I then said I was speaking Spanish. Her reply? "That does sound like any Spanish that I have ever heard."

Another true story: I go to Tijuana, Mexico to start a journey to Colombia. I speak Spanish to the "taxista" to get a ride to the airport. He asks me if I'm Argentinian. I tell him "No, soy puro gringo" (no, I am pure gringo). He gives me a strange look and then replies, "But you don't speak Spanish like an American. And furthermore you're not a gringo you're a gabacho o güero."

Down in my neck of the woods there are many Mexicans who cross the border to shop or dine or spend the day in San Diego. On more than one occasion I have seen them get upset at Americans of Hispanic background that don't speak Spanish. They use the pejorative term "pocho" to describe Americans of Hispanic background that don't speak Spanish.

My brother from another mother....I get the same response. I am about as blonde as it gets. I am not sure if I get more people freaking out here in NM or in Peru. I usually am asked if I am from Argentina too in both places. And the locals here that know me say I speak differently than they do, because of the Peruvian influences I guess.

I do remember once on a flight home from Peru, everyone was talking in Spanish and I was half-asleep, the flight attendant came and asked me in English if I needed anything. I of course had just spent almost a month in Peru and even on the plane I was hearing Spanish all around me and I just looked at her all sleepy trying to process what she had said. My mind translated it (I was still thinking in Spanish) and I sleepily responded in Spanish to which she quickly switched and she began apologizing for misjudging me as an American and possibly offending me. I almost cracked up when I realized what I had done. I tried to explain that it was okay no offense taken (why would that offend me, jeje) , in fact I was an American, I mean I am an American, I mean I do speak English because I am an American. She just looked at me like I was crazy so I decided to shut up. I felt like an idiot and she used Spanish for the next 5 hours