Living and Breathing Your Culture! It's Not All About Speaking the Language

What keeps you tied to your culture?

I had a friend come up to me once suggesting that I wasn't a "TRUE" Puerto Rican because I only visited Puerto Rico twice in my life. How my Spanish was a bit American sounding. What? I'm appalled each and every time I'm surrounded by such ignorance. I live and breathe my culture every day. I cook my Puerto Rican dishes, attend events that represent Latinos in the industry, proudly tell everyone that I'm U.S. Born and that my parents are from Puerto Rico and I go to a Salsa club every now and then to dance my music. I don't go to the Parades every year but I watch it on TV with my son in the comfort of my living room. If our parents are Puerto Rican, Cuban, Peruvian or what have you then we are 100% that culture in my view. Do not be naive! I bet if you tried my dishes you would think twice about suggesting that I'm not a "TRUE" Puerto Rican. You're right? When you speak Spanish you are a natural but if I ask you to make an arroz con pollo will you be able to? What if I told you that you were not a "TRUE" Puerto Rican because you don't know how to make a simple dish such as an arroz con pollo? Here is the recipe just in case:

http://www.mylatinovoice.com/recipes/2760-classic-arroz-con-pollo-a-la-sandra.html

Ironically, when I was a little girl I used to hate my mother's cooking. I don't remember a time eating at the dinner table together with my family when I was younger. We ate at separate times. My mother would cook early for my Dad and he would eat at 2pm and then we would eat dinner around 6pm. I always thought my mothers food was dry, hated Spanish yellow rice, the stews and couldn't stand the smell of pasteles. Now? I can't live without these dishes in my life. Cooking is my life! I wanted my son to appreciate the culture through food, music,events and special family moments during the Holidays.

I don't like to be called a Nuyorican. I'm a Puerto Rican. You can read all the books you want about Puerto Rico but it's actually living and breathing it that makes the culture come alive in you. And yes! My son and I eat dinner at the same time every day and he loves the dishes. We are proud of our Spanglish because it identifies us as Puerto Ricans who were born here in the US. So condemn me all you want you language purists! I'm proud of the way I live and breath my culture. I live here in the US so I have to represent who I am; an educated, acculturated woman who will always love to cook her Puerto Rican dishes. This is what keeps me tied to my culture! What keeps you tied to yours?

Do you want to learn more about Puerto Rico? Below is a link I would like to share:

http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Puerto-Rico.html

This is real talk! Please share your views!