Thread: Mexico will not be an example for south americans at least

I dont think Mexico is ever going to be looked up to by other countries in South America for sure. Most south americans or south american born immigrants like myself find it sad that the united states educates people so little about south america. We often get tired of seeing how many people seem to think that all latin america is one big Mexico. I came here legally with my family from chile when I was two years old and I can't tell you how many times I have had to explain and convince people that not every country in latin america is as corrupt or highly uneducated as mexico. Chile has one of the best economies in latin america and english is now taught in primary school because unlike mexico and most of central america, chile( like argentina, uruguay, paraguay, venezuela, and believe it or not colombia) education is regarded very highly. Most of the immigrants from South America can read and most of the ones I run into speak english or at least know enough to get by. Most of the illegals from Mexico I have encountered barely can sign their name and many have been here years and yet they dont seem to make an effort to learn english. To legal immigrants like myself, I see this as setting a bad example for the children. It is no wonder most of the illegal alien children from mexico and central america are failing in school. They figure if Mom and Dad are not learning then why should they. My mother and father had to know how to read and write and speak enough english to show that they would not be a burden on the country. I also find it sad that many of these immigrants put enormous pressure on their kids to learn english. I ran into a lady who's child had been enrolled in an elementary school in houston and she seemed to be expecting her son to become a full skilled interpretor within 2 months of being in kidnergarten. One of the biggest problems mexico has is that lack of higher education is a priviledge that the 50% poverished population of mexico have little or no access to. In South America however, education is taken extremely seriously by teenagers and they enjoy being competitive and having debates. Unlike Mexico, the youth of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay etc also organize peaceful(most of the time) protests when they have a problem with the government. They are encouraged by their educators and/or parents to question the government. This is something that South American humanitarians have often encouraged and tried in helping some of the most poorest and most rural areas of mexico and central american nations to do. Now, some of the poor who have not run away from mexico-mainly indigenous groups are actually starting to take education seriously in hopes of being able to eventually bring down corruption in mexico. ONe thing that baffled many south american born immigrant youth like myself is the fact that the illegal aliens from mexico as well as central america is why are they receiving bilingual education. The spanish spoken in mexico and central america is often laughed at and looked at as "imbecile spanish". If they are going to education them in spanish, it should be in "castiliano"(spanish from spain). Whereas in this country, english (language arts) is taught, in
Chile, it is called castiliano. This would benefit these children from being limited to which latino ethnicities they could communicate and or be able to work with and/or working in countries that are economically stable or use that education in proper spanish to better mexico. Most countries in latin america are turned off by mexico's lack of castillian education as most nations want make castillian the agreed upon dialect when conducting political and/or business meetings in the region. dont seem to take education seriously especially when they are fortunate enough to be getting a free edcuation. Personally, I think bi-lingual education is a joke. This is the united states of america and I think the children should just be taught in english. My father put me in private school because he did not want me to have to go to school with a bunch of illegal alien children. Most illegal alien children from Mexico are taught by their parents that other hispanic people should basically become mexican because they are the majority of the latino population. I was often teased in my neighborhood and said that I was speaking old people spanish. Often they would say I was stuck up because I did not want to learn to speak mexican.[/i]

No sonali, I for one do not think that most Latin American countries are like Mexico. Nations like Argentina and Chile have very different cultures, economies, and demographics. Hostilities between these nations and Mexico seems greater than USA/Mexico hostilities (which is all one way directed at us). We need to get rid of the term "hispanic' or "Latino." They are confusing, inaccurate, useless terms. Actually, if my nation goes to hell, I wouldn't be opposed to living in a nation like Argentina or Chile.

Curious, what are the soccer matches like between Chile and Mexico

Yes, this has happened to me on numerous occassions. Occassionally I get stuck having to communicate with guatamalan or mexican illegals if I am in a store or restaurant and need something. I try to keep whatever I have to say short and sweet. I love it when a mexican illegal alien tries to argue with me regarding whether or not I am speaking spanish correctly. I usually end up telling them that I speak castillian which is spanish from Spain and that castillian is the only dialect I know. The other day I was asked if I spoke spanish by this little guatamalan illegal and I said, si, castilliano. (yes, castillian-proper spanish). The guy said, "oh you are from brazil". I said no hun. They speak portuguese in brazil.
Usually, latinos who hear me speak spanish will ask me where I am from because I speak a very proper(educated castilliano) spanish dialect. This one lady from guess where? (mexico) tried telling me that chilean people are like white mexicans. LOL!
What I probably hate more than anything about being a spanish speaker is the fact that illegal aliens from mexico and central america think that because the majority of the hispanic population is mexican, that I should drop my castillian and learn to speak mexican. I let anyone know right away, even if they are a fellow spanish speaker, that I will not be engagin g in spanish conversations with them due to the fact that my preference is english. Most people dont seem to mind. Most illegal aliens from mexico and central america think South americans are stuck up.

This is true; Spanish of other countries; don't consider Mexico speaks proper Spanish. Proper Spanish is originated from Spain and they don't speak that. In fact most do look at their whole system of lack of education; and the corruption in their country as a disgrace. Those that immigrated here legally from other countries don't look kindly upon their disrespect of the law or the way they sneak into this country. Most consider them a separate race and culture all together.