When many people think of the word "multicultural" they probably think about a place (city, state, company...etc) that contains people from different cultural backgrounds. However, I, am talking about the fact that I was born in the United States of America, but I grew up on the island of Antigua. I lived in Antigua for the first 17 yrs of my life before moving back (I really shouldn't say "back" because i technically never lived in the US as a child but whatever u get my point) to the U.S.A so YES I still have an "accent" (and it will never go anywhere...it is a part of me). I first lived in the Bronx in NY (BX BABYYYYY) for my 12th grade year of High School then I moved to Texas on a track scholarship (Prairie View A&M University to be exact) to achieve higher education and this is where my dilemma begins.
In NY, because it is such a melting pot of races and cultures, I could always find the foods that we ate in Antigua, the music that I loved, just some good ole Caribbean culture. When I moved to Texas I was hit with a great reality check that everywhere in the US is NOT and I repeat NOT like NYC!!! Now don't get me wrong, I have grown to love Texas and probably prefer it to NY (only because I don't like the cold and I like a slower pace). However, my freshman year in college I got hit with every (ummmmm let me use the word unexpected) unexpected question in the book. Here are a few:
I COULDN'T MAKE THESE UP IF I WANTED TO
"Oh you from the islands, what is it like living in trees?"
"Do ya'll swim to school n stuff?"
"Where in Jamaica is Antigua?"
"I know you gotta be fast cuz ya'll gotta run everywhere right?"
"Do ya'll wear shoes where you from?"
"How do you know how to use a computer?"
"Do ya'll live in huts still?"
OK yes I know that Antigua is a really small island and a lot of people have never heard of it, but come on, not everybody that has an "accent" is from Africa, Jamaica, Barbados or the Bahamas!!!
Now there are many different situations, views, arguments...etc that I have encountered here in Texas that will be discussed, talked about, blogged about (or whatever you want to call it).
LEMME HEAR WHAT YOU GOTTA SAY!!! COMMENT!! :)
