Done Fitting In

Funny how your attitude about things change as you get older. I am Hispanic, Puerto Rican to be exact. I've lived in the USA pretty much my entire life. When we came here, we moved to Texas where we were surrounded by Hispanic people from different backgrounds, i.e. not everyone was Mexican. But, once we moved to North Carolina, it was different. The only Hispanics that you saw here were the migrant workers that would come in the summer then leave. We stuck out like a sore thumb and everyone seemed ready to point it out to us. I became ashamed of my heritage. I lived out in the country, in the middle of nothing, where you are either black or white and if you're not "pure" white, then you must be black (as if that is a bad thing). I suddenly didn't know what I was. Where I lived in Texas, color wasn't an issue or really discussed - you were just a person. Where I grew up in NC, one of the first questions someone would ask is, "What are you?", as if your skin not being pale and hair blond made you some how less than human. Now I know better. I know that I am beautiful, with my dark curly hair, brown eyes and lightly tan skin with lovely curves that only Hispanic women can pull off so well. I am glad that I do not look like a typical Southern girl (not that there is anything wrong with that look). Who would want to look the same?? I want to stand out in a crowd and be noticed.