Ok, maybe I’m just being loca, but our neighbors just moved out and I can’t help but feel a small gleam of liberation. It’s not that they were bad people by any means, but they just never had anything in common with us. My husband and I are both really excited about new blood and especially about the possibility of Latinos moving in. There aren’t any Latinos in our neighborhood right now. The hubs unpacked his Mexican flag today with hopes of hanging it outside, now that the weather is warmer. I think he’s secretly hoping that this will let Latinos know que tenemos gente in our neighborhood…and hopefully, encourage them to move into the vacant house next door. ;) Don’t get me wrong, we have no problem living in a predominantly white neighborhood, but it does get uncomfortable when you’re often looked at as the outsiders on the street. Over time and with getting to know our neighbors better, some of that does slip away, but there are still families that see us as “different”.
We moved to the midwest from Michigan last year and almost every time we tell someone we’re from Michigan, they say, “Oh, that’s nice. So, how did you like Detroit?” Huh??? At first I was confused by this question, but the more I heard it, the more I was sure that it was a stereotype about the color of people from Detroit. ”We’re not from Detroit,” I would tell them, “We’re from the west coast.” ;) This response always gets strange looks. First, the shock that we could be from a city other than Detroit, then the realization that, yes…Michigan does have a coastline. Anyway, my point is…that our neighbors (especially this particular one) asked those semi-obnoxious stereotypical questions and while I mostly just avoided her family, I couldn’t help but feel like a foreigner in my own neighborhood because of those “insider” glances and “outsider” assumptions.
Regardless, we’re excited and hoping that the next family will have interests in common with us, maybe young children, and hopefully a little diversity! =)
UPDATE: April 8/2011 ~ Today the landlord next door was out sprucing up the house for our new neighbors. Hubby asked if there might be more diversity coming into the neighborhood (*rolling eyes* he probably shouldn’t have asked that out loud! Lol!) and the woman replies, “What?! Why would there be??? If you want diversity, I think they live more down that way.” She points to the other far outskirts of our neighborhood. Wow! Now, that’s blunt! It scares me a bit, but you never know…they may not be as rude as this crazy viejita! ;)
© 2011 – 2013, Chantilly Patiño. All rights reserved.
It really bothers me when people make assumptions. People are just dumb, sometimes.
Funny, not-so-funny, story. Actually, it really ticked me off. Was at the hospital visiting my father-in-law, whose been sick for weeks. My husband’s family is Italian, from Italy, Italian. Very fair skin. So the nurse starts chatting with me [note: I'm dark] and asks, “Do you work for Mr. Languzzi?” She assumed I was his employee. My expression, I’m sure, was, “Whut?”
And there I was dressed in my professional work clothes. I replied, “Noooooo. I’m his daughter-in-law.”
Why is it people do that???? Imagine.
I really hope you get a nice family moving in next-door. Even if they’re not Latino, as long as they’re kind an unprejudiced.
Wow…that is terrible! I know that often people don’t mean any harm, but really, the things that people say without thinking before they speak can cause a lot of grief for others. In my situation it wasn’t that bad…just annoying, but I can say that your experience would leave me pretty upset and disappointed. How rude!
I’m hoping for the same thing Ezzy. If they’re not Latino…ok. But, I would really just love someone who could chit chat without negative assumptions all the time, and feel comfortable with our kids playing together. I don’t like always having to feel awkward. It’s like we’re from mars or something by some individuals’ uncomfortable glances and strained conversations. I know they don’t even dare to ask how I met my hubby…but I’d love to have a neighbor to chat with that IS comfy enough to ask more than stereotypical questions and actually get to know them well.
I’m sorry about your experience and I hope that since we are becoming more of a multicultural nation and have a growing Latino population…the questions might be less for our kids. Now that would be true LIBERACION!
How exciting! Hope you have openminded, diverse, nice new neighbors moving in soon. keep us updated! i love my neighborhood….. although mi esposo es el unico mexicano y hispano en our neighborhood….. tenenmos un mix… one of our neighbors are Chinese, we have a couple of African American families, a couple of older couples, the rest are caucasion younger….. we still get some looks because we are way out in the country where diversity is a rarity, but gotta start somewhere!
Wow! What narrow minded neighbors you have! I do hope you get some nice people to move in next door. We’ve been lucky, though we live in a predominantly white neighborhood (I am a Latina- mixed) and hubby is white (German/Irish), we have some wonderful neighbors and friends.
Though reading your story and some of the comments left brought back story a friend shared with me a while back: To start off I need to say- he is third generation Mexican American, does not speak spanish and in the air force. Yet one day while he was out mowing the lawn (of his house that he had owned for several years by then) a neighbor comes up to him and has the never to ask him how much would it be for him to cut his grass!!! You gotta be kidding me!!!! I couldn’t believe it. And this is in Texas btw- Increible!
Wow! That is terrible! My husband has been through similar experiences and it’s very insulting! The common consensus by many is that every brown person is Mexican and from across the border! Ridiculous! I’m glad that your neighborhood has been accepting…that’s so very important! A lot of people don’t understand the concept of racial unity, but that’s something I need to discuss more on this blog. We need a community of like-minded individuals, because minorities are often made to feel like outsiders and not often welcomed into neighborhoods, workplaces, etc. I’m so glad you stopped by Lisa…thanks so much for the comment! =)