Hola, mi amigos!  Como esta usted?

It's me, Arturo, your amiga from San Antonio.  Thought I'd write to let y'all know what's been goin' down with my bad self.

I am getting more and more disgusted with los gringos estupidos:  they look at me like I'm garbage; they see my brown skin, black eyes and hair, and automatically make assumptions.  They think I'm one of the millions of illegal aliens who have seemingly taken over America, and they judge me.

Well, I have news for them:  those idjits don't know a taco from a tamale.  I'm as Americano as they are:  for one thing, I was born in Tejas (Texas); I'm a native American-born citizen!!  I also speak English like the Queen of England:  been speakin' it (and Spanish) since I can remember!  I speak both English and Spanish, read both, write both, too.  My parents, they speak it too, but my tios y tias, they don't, not so much.  They grew up in Mexico; they figure since they are Mexican, then they should go ahead and speak the Spanish. 

They have no desire to learn English.  That's their right, but I personally think they are only hindering themselves out of the better jobs or opportunties to get ahead in life.  They spend their days working in the back of restaurants or cleaning houses, with nobody to talk to but themselves or other Spanish-speaking people.

And whenever a gringo tries to communicate with them, they look at 'em and say, "No speaka da Eengleesh!  No comprende Eengleesh!!", which fires a lot of people off.

I personally find it annoying when I have to act like a translator when my Mexican relations come to see me and my family; if they'd only learn English, they'd have the world by the tail!

I just pray, hope that this school year is a lot easier on me.  I am tired of having to defend my heritage based on how I look or if they hear me speaking Spanish!  It's no wonder I box, as a way of venting out mi frustraciones!!

Mi madre, she says I'm stupider than a damp enchilada for boxing.  Well, it's better than getting into fights at school, as a way of defending myself and my heritage; that way, I can beat the schitz out of someone and get paid for it, too, as a way to bring a little extra dinero to my family!

Well, I hate to run, but it's thunderin' out, so before I get fried, I'd best go.  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Arturo saying adios, vatos!  Hasta luego!!

~Arturo Jiminez.

*To be continued.*