latina alter-ego

I think I have a latina alter-ego that is based primarily on the fact that I'm a gringa.

You see, when I was growing up in Peru and couldn't speak Spanish I capitalized on the fact that people thought I was a stupid, awkward gringa. In order to get people to talk to me I would exaggerate my naivete, my accent, my lack of knowledge about all things not-American with a sort of "Yeah, I know I'm ridiculous so pleeeaaaasseeee talk to me." This is how I got through girls camp, all class-trips through 12th grade, and also when I needed to order things at restaurants and waiters were ignoring me.

Fast forward many years: here I am in Honduras. I speak Spanish much better--now with a passable accent--and I comport myself with some sense of credibility in the sense that I jaywalk like a fiend and walk fast and leap gracefully (sometimes) over open pot-holes in wedges. However, a million times a day I am also a ridiculous gringa and I have acknowledged this fact by transforming into an uber-friendly, super-out-going-smiley-punta-dancing-in-the-office American so that people will love me for my foreign-stupid ways instead of hating me. This is interesting, especially that in my homeland I've been told countless times by friends that "Wow, when I first met you seemed really stuck-up and angry and I didn't even want to talk to you, but now that I get to know you, I guess you're kind of nice." Awesome.

So apparently I shed my chilly American demeanor in favor of loud obnoxious positivity when in the warmer nether-lands of my childhood. This is evidenced by Hno. M's wife who said, quote: "Wow, Kelsey is happy about everything always." This pleases me. I like my latina-alter-ego. Now if only I could have the all the benefits of latinahooddom, like tanness and mad dance skillz and native-Spanish speaking abilities and hips that don't lie.

look how happy Honduras makes me.

Awww.