Moving to San Diego and not feeling welcomed by supposed California natives. Leaving San Diego back to New Orleans with a child of unknown native status!
After finishing SDSU Graduate Social Work School in May of 1984, back when my wife and I were preparing to return to New Orleans, I took the time to write this farewell “Letter to the Editor” which appeared in the San Diego Tribune.
During the few years that we had lived in that area, we had noticed that there appeared to be a strong ethnocentric and rather brash non-welcoming spirit to some folks who lived there. My letter also tied in to what many readers were lamenting as to their view of California having the worst drivers in the country:
Almost everyone driving along I-5 and/or I-8 into San Diego is greeted with the following bumper sticker: “Welcome to San Diego, Now Go Home!” My wife and I have had our own such experiences.
When I had made my planned temporary relocation to the San Diego area in the fall of 1982 for SDSU, I became very much aware of the staunch “native” esprit de corps that existed here. I often wondered how many of these “locals'” sentiments that were expressed on bumpers were truly authentic.
Lately, the “go home” messages have become extremely more poignant since marrying a lovely Southern New Orleans bride, Maria. After our marriage in July 1983 on our way back to San Diego en route to a honeymoon in Hawaii, we drove here in her car that still has a Louisiana license plate on it. Maria also couldn't believe how many people's varied car bumper stickers strongly portrayed this desire to keep “California Dreaming,” as the Mamas and the Papas said, to themselves.
We really got the hints from the supposed native drivers who let us know on the freeways both that 55 mph is really the minimum speed limit and that drivers on interstate entrance and merging lanes have the supreme and unyielding right of way! While 'Yat drivers certainly possessed some of those traits, at least we had the excuse of mainly only having one interstate to get around unlike the many they have in California.
Extremes put aside, we would like to let all of San Diego area's natives know that we have enjoyed living here but are joyously awaiting “Now Going Home” to New Orleans, Louisiana, where we are truly natives.
How could anyone leave the beautiful and sunny San Diego area for the hot and humid/rainy New Orleans swamps? We're natives!!! Our roots are there, and we look forward to allowing our San Diego conceived child, who is due in mid July when we're hopefully back in Louisiana, to experience his/her extended family.
Now, we're in a real predicament! Is our expectant child considered to be a native of San Diego California or of New Orleans? Oh well, we'll just have to hope that on our way into New Orleans on I-10 that we don't see the following bumper stickers: “Welcome to New Orleans, Now Go Home!”
My P.S. to the the San Diego Tribune was: “We had a lovely daughter in July, and San Diego Drivers really aren't the worst – but they sure try to be! My new bumper sticker: “All Insured Drivers: Welcome to New Orleans/Louisiana – ½ Of Our Natives Don't Carry It!”
Keith John Paul Horcasitas, LCSW, MHA, 1133 Knollhaven Drive, BRLA, 70810, khorcasitas.yahoo.com, September 17, 2011.
Let this coming of age story of a boy named Bean take you back to a simple time. Set in a small southern town in the 1960's, encircled by a river and gleaming white cotton fields.
After finishing SDSU Graduate Social Work School in May of 1984, back when my wife and I were preparing to return to New Orleans, I took the time to write this farewell “Letter to the Editor” which appeared in the San Diego Tribune.
