I was born in Argentina to two Venezuelan parents. My family was very tied to their Venezuelan roots, and I grew up heavily involved in their traditions. I left Argentina when I was three years old, and slowly my Argentinian accent combined with my parents’ Venezuelan one. My brother and I learned English around this time.
I moved to the United States when I was seven years old. At the time, I lived in Arkansas, and spoke only Spanish at home and English everywhere else. In my town, Hispanics were not the majority. There was a point in which I was the only Latina girl in my entire grade.
When I moved to Texas for high school, my perspective completely changed. I not only began speaking Spanish with other Hispanic classmates and friends, but I was also surrounded by a large number of peers who shared my background. I befriended a large number of Spanish speakers and spoke more Spanish on a daily basis than I had in years. Some of my high school friends and I got close because we share the same identity as a Hispanic student living outside of their birth country.
At around this time, I began listening to more Latin music and half my Instagram reels page was in Spanish. Even though I am just as Hispanic without this, I actually do feel more Hispanic when I am surrounded by the Spanish language. Having a common language with someone else connects you to others. I have made countless friendships with people because we speak the same language. I wanted to emphasize the importance of understanding that speaking Spanish does not automatically make a person more or less Hispanic, but it has personally affected the way I view my culture.
Unlike the grand majority of people who live a similar experience than me, I have never felt like I was not Hispanic enough. I understand my circumstances, and despite having left my country so young, I still feel connected to my culture. I have lived in the United States for eleven years so far, so of course I am American in certain aspects. Instead of trying to change that fact, I embrace it. I am proud of being multicultural! A few years ago, I was blessed to get my American nationality, but when I am asked where I am from, I still say that I was born in Argentina and my parents are Venezuelan, because those are my roots, not my upbringing.
To all the immigrants who feel that they are not “Hispanic enough” (or wherever you are from), it is important to remember that you have lived a different life than everyone else. There is nothing wrong with being multicultural; rather, it is what makes you YOU, and you have such an interesting story to tell. It is important to remember that speaking the language, living in the country, and eating culturally significant food does not automatically make you from that country, as much as other people try to convince you that it does. Being part of multiple communities is such a beautiful experience, so instead of picking a nationality, stick with both. The right people will accept you for who you are, not where you are from.
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.