The Mexican-American Nursing Student & Mariachi Player

What was it like living with parents who immigrated from Mexico as someone who was born in America?

 

“I would say it was a little difficult because your parents wouldn't really understand what it was like growing up in America among other Americans. I guess growing up in a family that placed a lot of value on cultural preservation made it harder to relate to other Americans as I grew up in a predominantly Latin-American community.”

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How do you see yourself in the Mexican community?

 

“I guess I assume myself as another Mexican, but I guess other Mexicans might not see me that way. I was born in America and haven’t visited Mexico often, so I may appear more “American” to the Mexican people who were born and raised in Mexico. I guess I’m more like a Mexican American than a pure Mexican or a pure American—not too American, not too Mexican, just right in between. But I feel like I associate myself more with my Mexican identity than my American one.”
 

What is a typical Mexican person like? How do they differ from the typical American?

 

“So when I think of Mexicans from Mexico, I think of my parents and family that’s living in ranchos. My grandparents, who never left Mexico their whole lives, lived on their ranch their whole life. I guess Mexican natives and Mexican Americans are similar—all of them are the typical hard workers you see even in America. Because my parents didn’t really grow up with that much, they really just had to scrape by with what they had. They moved here to give me a better educational opportunity and help me realize my dreams.”

 

What makes the Mexican American community special?

 

“It’s a really tight-knit and inclusive community. It’s tightly held together by the music, food, and culture in general. Mexican values also emphasize family and loyalty, so I feel like that really brings my community together as well—we’re like a really, really big family.”
 

What’s the food like in Mexico?

 

“Everything is spicy, and everything has Chile. I feel like we need to have Chile everywhere every time, like in my house, we always have Chile with every meal we have—breakfast, lunch, dinner, even when eating snacks. Some of my favorite memories growing up was when me, my mom, and my cousins were making Chile together at home. It’s a staple, it’s a necessity—I cant imagine living without Chile.”

 

What’s your favorite Mexican food?

 

“Anything with Chile. I can eat just baked beans with Chile and I’d love every bite of it. Also, I think Chile just brings comfort—if you eat Chile when you’re far from home, you can reminisce about the positive memories back home. It’s just really nostalgic, you know.”

 

What’s your favorite part about Mexican culture?

 

“I feel like my favorite thing is the unity of the culture. Even if Mexican Americans don’t feel as Mexican as the people who are actually from Mexico or vice versa, the culture still brings them together as one big family.”

 

What’s your favorite Mexican cultural activity to do?

 

“Making Chile and playing in a mariachi band.”

 

What’s the biggest difference between the Mexican community in America vs the one in Mexico?

 

“I feel like the majority of the Mexican community in Mexico are people who lived in Mexico their whole lives, whereas the Mexican community in America is a blend of people who lived various experiences throughout their whole life. I guess here in the U.S. the community is more like a blend of Mexican and American cultures, whereas the community in Mexico is more pure and traditional.”

 

What’s most special about Mexico?

 

“Definitely the people. I feel like people in Mexico really don’t want to leave the place that they’re from, so a lot of families in Mexico have lived there for generations. That kinda makes it so that a lot of traditions unique to each family are well preserved.”

 

What is a typical Mexican person like?

“I really think that they’re all very proud of their home country and think it’s the best. Even in times like the World Cup where they lost, they just don’t give up their pride in their home country.”