Word of the Week: El Difícil, and Puerto Rico does not speak English

Sometimes it seems near impossible to find people who won't speak to you in English on the island: one tiny whiff of gringo-ness and you may find yourself having to explain in your native tongue* that no, you don't know their second cousin living in the state adjacent to yours. But the truth is that plenty of people of don't speak English well on the island. I was particularly interested in this article which claims that an entire 137 potential jury members couldn't serve in the jury for the famous Aníbal case (still ongoing, of course) because their English wasn't at an appropriate level.

They make some interesting points in the article, mostly because they start drifting into politics in a way they normally avoid. Honestly it reads more like something I'd write than something produced by El Nuevo Día based on the positions they take, surprisingly.

La mayoría de los que saben inglés en el país pertenecen a la clase media y alta, mientras que la inmensa mayoría del país es de la clase pobre, subrayó el antropólogo Jorge Duany.

“La distribución de las destrezas lingüísticas en inglés está mal distribuida, la mayoría de las personas que lo hablan vienen de escuelas privadas, donde se enseña inglés como único idioma. Esto crea un discrimen por razón de clase, porque sólo la clase media y alta pueden pagar por el colegio donde enseñan en inglés”, expresó Duany.

Las razones que explican el escaso dominio del inglés en la Isla incluyen las deficiencias en la enseñanza pública; la poca migración de estadounidenses hacia la Isla, distinto de Texas y Hawai, donde el inglés no es la lengua original; y que en la vida cotidiana en Puerto Rico no hace falta inglés, dijo Duany. Además, en Puerto Rico ha habido una resistencia lingüística, porque en la primera mitad del siglo XX se trató de imponer el inglés como idioma de enseñanza.

“El español se ha visto como un símbolo de la identidad puertorriqueña”, dijo Duany.

The majority of those who speak English in Puerto Rico belong to the upper and middle classes, while the country is mostly comprised of the lower class, emphasized the anthropologist Jorge Duany.

"The distribution of linguistic skills isn't even; the majority of people who speak [English] come from private schools, where English is taught as the only language [as in all the classes are taught in English]. This creates class discrimination, because only upper and middle classes can pay for schools that teach in English," Duany expressed.

The reasons for scarcity of the command of English on the island include deficiencies in public education; the lack of American migration to the island, unlike Texas and Hawaii, where English is also not the original language; and that English isn't necessary for daily life in Puerto Rico, said Duany. Additionally, there has been a linguistic resistance in Puerto Rico because in the first half of the 20th century the U.S. attempted to impose English as the language of all education on the island.

"Spanish has been seen as a symbol of Puerto Rican identity," said Duany.

Along with this point the scholar Jorge Duany makes (shoddily translated by yours truly--although to be fair some of the writing wasn't too great), I'd like to point out something in the title--"el difícil".

El difícil (literally "the difficult one") is a Puerto Rican term coined to describe English. I think the term is very telling, especially in this context: while no other countries have similar nicknames for English (as far as I know; fill me in if you know anything), Puerto Rico, due to its uneasy and persistent relationship with English, has nicknamed it in a way that reflects its position as an obstacle, rather than a method of ascension (professionally, socially, politically, or otherwise)--while it can be used that way, more often than not it isn't.

Anyways... I'm not really sure where I'm going with this and it's getting a little longer than I'd like, so I'll cut it off here. Comments, criticisms, and the like are, as always, welcome.

* This occasionally happens to Puerto Ricans as well if they happen to seem like gringos for whatever reason, despite having lived their whole lives on the island. So don't take it too hard if it happens to you.

Re: Re: Referendum or Restitution?

So the never-ending status question has been raised again, this time with the can of worms by Gil the Jenius and then the can of snakes from DONDEQUIERA. In this second post a series of questions are posed and in my usual fashion I've decided to respond. Not in order of the questions, of course, but in the order they fall in naturally. If we're going to stick with metaphors, let's call this the can of anacondas, shall we?

The first thing that caught my eye was the question of why Puerto Rico doesn't carry the same grudge for Spain that it has for the U.S. This is pretty simple to explain; when has anybody ever not wanted what they can't have? And yet during Spanish colonization there was plenty of animosity towards the Spanish--perhaps not as much as in most Latin American countries, for a few reasons: one, the size of the country--the population was very small and very spread out, with most small towns nearly unreachable--two, Puerto Rico was a bastion for the last Spanish empire supporters of Latin America, as many of the former politicians, military leaders, and richer families supporting Spain fled to the island, where they continued to have positions of power, and three, Spanish rule and the system of hegemony accompanying it maintained the careful racial and political system of the time. Puerto Rican hacendados were desperately clinging to the power they had, especially in light of the revolution in Haiti, which frightened the rest of the Caribbean, and el Grito de Lares, which greatly depended on the effort of many slaves. But there was still plenty of discontent, some of which was concentrated into the efforts of Cuba, some of which waited for the new autonomous government which came into existence in 1898, a couple of months before the U.S. invasion. It's important to note that the autonomy that the Spanish government bestowed upon Puerto Rico actually granted a few more rights than the current setup does, in particular real government representation in las Cortes de Cádiz as opposed to the voteless Resident Commissioner in Congress.

However, to continue to link Puerto Rico with Spain and Latin America in many ways is unfair. While the similarities and shared cultural aspects are countless, Puerto Rico has gone down a very different political path, one that involved many abrupt changes, slow cultural shifts, and everything in between. In this sense we can't link all of Puerto Rico's problems to its Latin heritage. In this same manner the status and other issues mentioned in the blog post above aren't the cause of crime. I'd say that, among these contributing factors, the biggest one is poverty.

... which brings us to my main point. Although the U.S. has not necessarily done the damage that, say, Russia has done to Georgia (in the previous post's example), even in regards to Vieques, it also has not done it justice, especially concerning the poverty of the island. Most people at this moment will point to the great economic changes that have taken place in the island, especially in the last 50 years. Believe me when I say these changes are superficial. For one, both the U.S. and Puerto Rican political efforts have sought temporary fixes for permanent problems. But the biggest cause I see of poverty is the importation of U.S. products. This culture of dependency thing that a lot of people rail about is much more serious than we think. After all, Puerto Rico gets over 90% of its imports from the U.S., which is a huge amount considering that nearly everything that is consumed in Puerto Rico is imported. In comparison, how much does the U.S. import from Puerto Rico? While technically the island exports more than it imports, nearly all of it is pharmaceuticals--which means the money is still going to the American companies who own the factories on the island, rather than the Puerto Ricans working in them. This great disbalance would help to explain why the Puerto Rican economy is nearly stagnant and unable to catch up to the American one.

It also helps explain why the U.S. continues its hold on Puerto Rico. While the U.S. has very little to lose from the independence of Puerto Rico in the traditional colonial sense, it has everything to gain from keeping it. A great percentage of the money spent in Puerto Rico is returning directly to American corporations, who in turn pay taxes on it to the U.S. government, who in turn pays only a tiny percent of Medicaid and other social services in comparison to how much it should be paying based on the poverty level. Because all the money is literally flowing out of Puerto Rico, the government is crippled with a lack of funds and (even if it were in theory capable of such a move) couldn't begin to create a system to replace or supplement U.S. aid.

Skeptics (including myself) now are rightly bringing up a couple of questions: one, can the Puerto Rican government actually be effective and not corrupt, and two, why does the Puerto Rican people not act against such a cycle? The first one doesn't have a clear answer; I'd honestly love to promise that such a government is possible, but politicians are politicians so it's only fair to be cynical. Therefore we should try to find a solution acknowledging the inevitable problems, or perhaps in spite of them. The second question, on the other hand, is much more difficult to answer. In fact, it is one Puerto Rico and many of its political movements have been grappling with since the times of Luis Muñoz Marín and the development of today's Commonwealth--how to engage and awaken a fiercely loyal and admittedly stubborn voting public? Unfortunately, most see this as near impossible feat, understandably. It seems that the only thing that would provoke a sudden change in opinion would be a dramatic and traumatic event, not necessarily Russia-Georgia scaled but perhaps another Vieques.

That's not to say I wish that something would actually happen to Puerto Rico ('cause I don't) nor that I think we should be forcing people to believe in something they don't want. That's not fair. However, I think more awareness about history, politics, and economics would begin to tilt things in another direction, or at least allow people to make a more informed decision. Confidence would also make a big difference--Puerto Ricans should understand that there's no reason an independent Puerto Rico would reflect the image they carry of stereotypical Latin American corrupt governments and devastating poverty (which, by the way, are not uniform nor mandatory for all countries during all time periods) and that indeed Puerto Rico could reach a greater level of success should it so desire it. That it is to say, there is no inherent reason for Puerto Rico not to do well independently, just as nothing really is inherent at all. Naturally we could expect plenty of difficulties from every direction, and a well-designed process towards independence would anticipate and plan for as many as possible. But the obstacles alone, as scary as they may seem--and they are, because they represent the loss of security which Puerto Rico clings to through the continuation of the current status--, should not frighten anyone from making a decision that ultimately would be the best for the country. The options are these: either accept that a few sacrifices today will mean a changed country tomorrow, or Puerto Rico stays as it is and faces a future that contains few profound and necessary changes, thus condemning it to simply getting by rather than any chance at excelling... or, of course, statehood, which would bring more security but far less cultural freedom. All of these choices have sufficient reasons behind them, which I respect as someone who can't really be a part of the politics. But when people vote with fear, or rather because of it, as in they don't really want what they're voting for but fear what they really want (whether or not they realize this is the reason they vote as they do), there is a problem. I'm not talking the lesser-of-two-evils problem that many people face when at the polls, since usually the impact that decision will have on the person's life is many times minimal if they don't hold any of the issues that highly. Instead, I'm referring to the continuation of a system most people don't want to be a part of (hence that 50-some percent "none of the above" vote in the '98 plebiscite) and the denial of the great potential Puerto Rico has. Deny it as you may, there's no way to foresee what an independent Puerto Rico could accomplish or what it could fail at. But based on the Commonwealth's track record, consisting of dependency, poverty, and corruption, it's pretty easy to predict how Puerto Rico will continue to get by and nothing more, all while trapped deeper in the mire.

All that said, I'm not about to pick up the torch. Since I'm not exactly on the island, nor do I feel it fair for me as a non-Puerto Rican to have a say in Puerto Rican politics (useless blog posting does not count!), there's not really much I could or should do. If I've touched on a truth here or there, eventually it will be discovered and then perhaps change can come--or perhaps not. Knowledge doesn't imply change, or even the ability to change. The cynic (realist?) in me can't imagine anything changing anytime soon, except maybe the transition to statehood at some point. And honestly, it's not my place to admonish anyone should that happen.

That brings me to my other point, which is my coming out of types as a supporter of independence for the island. This is despite the fact that, again, I would never dare vote in the Puerto Rican elections because I don't believe in letting my vote cancel out someone's more legitimate vote, as well as that an independent Puerto Rico would make my relationships with the island and my friends there that much harder to maintain. Because of this admitting it to myself has been kind of difficult, but I'm reassured by the fact that it won't really affect anyone. So don't take it too seriously, especially in light of what I said above: that there are plenty of valid reasons for any position and I don't really oppose any of them. In fact, if any one status option is finally selected as a permanent answer, whoever leads the government has to account for all of their concerns or face huge problems.

I think that's about all I have to say for the moment. As always, I encourage friendly and not-overly-passionate debate (being overly enthusiastic on the internet is a waste of time, as far as I can tell) and any questions. I think I sufficiently addressed most of the questions in the original blog post referenced above but if anyone has any pressing desires for a direct answer to one or two let me know.

Words of the Week: Pari and more

Per request I'm tackling some English words used to pasarla bien... nothing complicated, just a few words in case you want to go out. This isn't a complete list by any means (or really even a list), mostly because I'm hardly mentally conscious at this point, but I wanted to get something up anyways. Please add your own.

As you know English has had a profound effect on the island's speech, particularly slang. However, I'm not really up to getting into a whole linguistic and cultural analysis at the moment, although I'm not sure there'd be much of one. It's not uncommon for one language to adopt slang or vocabulary from another, particularly in cases like that of Puerto Rico where there is a close, sustained relationship with another country, its language, and specifically its media (American television and movies usually do the trick). Puerto Rico has constant exposure to English and countless words are Spanglicized each year. So I'm sorry, Janine, but tracing pari/party to its original Spanglish roots (as in when it made the transition from English to Spanish) would require great etymological feats that I am simply incapable of performing. Regardless, this does merit a bit of reading on the topic in general, so I'll see what I can find next time I'm on the island.

Just a couple words in the meanwhile to whet your appetite:

• Pari - From the English "party". While it can be written any combination of ways (party, parti, pari, pary, etc.), particularly online, generally the t is not pronounced. Other words from pari are parisear (to party, not surprisingly) and pariseo (from the verb).
• Janguear - From the English "to hang (out)". While hanging out in English isn't necessary thought of as partying, generally it does here. The verb form is janguear.
• Chilin - From the English "chilling". It's usually spelled "chillin" but I decided not to confuse anyone with the double l here. For whatever reason every time I've seen it it's only been used as an adjective, as in "'Tá chillin"... the best way I can think of to translate it is "It's pretty sweet" or something to that effect. Suggestions?

Yes! Yes! God, Yes! What I've been thinking forever but in better wording

I happened across this moments ago on El Nuevo Día and I really have no choice but to post the entire thing. A most likely shoddy English translation follows, along with my comments.

26-Junio-2008 | Ángel Collado Scharwz -Fundación Voz del Centro

Un país agrícola sin agricultura

En la década del cuarenta, el último gobernador extranjero en Puerto Rico, Rexford G. Tugwell, exclamó con asombro: “Imagínense, la comida es importada. Han perdido el arte del trópico. Nadie bajo ese sol, con buen terreno y con cuarenta pulgadas de lluvia, debe pasar hambre”. Puerto Rico goza del escenario perfecto para ser autosuficiente en lo que respecta a su capacidad terrestre y marina de satisfacer las necesidades alimentarias de sus ciudadanos.

Hace muchos años la agricultura desempeñó un rol protagónico en nuestra sociedad y nuestra economía. En 1935, el secretario del Interior, Harold Ickes responsabilizó a los Estados Unidos de destruir nuestra agricultura: “Puerto Rico… ha sido víctima de una economía de 'laissez faire' que ha originado el crecimiento rápido de grandes corporaciones azucareras absentistas, las que han acaparado mucha tierra que antes pertenecía a pequeños agricultores independientes, quienes, en consecuencia, se han visto reducidos prácticamente a la servidumbre económica. Si bien es cierto que la inclusión de Puerto Rico dentro de nuestras barreras arancelarias ha sido sumamente beneficiosa para los accionistas de esas corporaciones, los beneficios no han pasado a manos de la masa de puertorriqueños. Éstos, por el contrario, han visto que las tierras en las que antes sembraban cultivos de subsistencia, se han dedicado a la producción de azúcar, mientras ellos han sido empujados gradualmente a importar todos sus alimentos básicos, pagando por éstos los altos precios producidos por el arancel. Hoy día hay más miseria e indigencia y mucho más desempleo en Puerto Rico que en cualquier época previa de su historia”.

Años después, la situación empeoró con la operación Manos a la Obra, la cuál continuó debilitando a la industria agrícola. Se asignó prioridad al programa de industrialización basado en inversiones extranjeras. Se buscaba resultados inmediatos, aunque fuesen temporeros. El propio Teodoro Moscoso me comentó en sus últimos años de vida sobre el grave error que fue abandonar la agricultura.

Es lamentable que hoy día el único alimento cultivado en nuestra tierra que supera el renglón de las plantas ornamentales sean los plátanos. La venta de estas plantas es cuatro veces mayor que la venta de los mangós.

Más lamentable aún es que los mangós cosechados en la Isla sean desplazados por guineos de Costa Rica y piñas de la República Dominicana en los barcos que llevan los productos a Europa. Recientemente se reseñó en la prensa que los barcos llegaban sin cupo para nuestros furgones de mangós. Esta industria produce 700 empleos y genera $18 millones anuales. Pero las leyes de cabotaje federales, al obligarnos a utilizar los transportes marítimos estadounidenses considerados los más costosos e ineficaces, no sólo perjudican la exportación de nuestra producción agrícola: también aumentan el costo de los alimentos que importamos

La calidad de nuestros productos agrícolas es insuperable. Tres ejemplos de reconocimiento internacional son la piña, la cual es considerada por los expertos como superior a la de Hawai; el café, el cual se ofrece en restaurantes de alta cocina en Europa como un delicatessen; y el mangó, el cual recibe en Europa una aceptación formidable. Experimentos como la siembra de arroz en la década del setenta fueron abandonados ante la incapacidad de los gobiernos de turno para incentivar a empresarios locales.Debemos ver a Israel como nuestro principal modelo de desarrollo agrícola. Han conseguido cultivar en el desierto. Satisfacen toda la demanda alimentaria de sus ciudadanos, más exportan su producto agrícola a Europa. Sin embargo, su economía no se limita a la agricultura: ésta complementa una moderna industria de alta tecnología.En Israel, la agricultura representa un 2% del producto bruto mientras que en Puerto Rico es menos de 1%. Israel tiene el doble de la población de Puerto Rico pero cuatro veces el número de empleados en la industria manufacturera.

Israel, al igual que otras colonias antiguas, ha alcanzado estos éxitos económicos desde una plataforma soberana.

En Puerto Rico, aunque el escenario actual permite mejoras a la industria agrícola, el status político limita su desarrollo y potencial. Las leyes de cabotaje federales y la falta de poder para negociar tratados internacionales constituyen una camisa de fuerza para este desarrollo.

El otro aspecto importante es la mano de obra, la cual es muy limitada, pues es mucho más cómodo depender del mantengo federal. Lo irónico de la situación es que tampoco tenemos el poder para importar mano de obra que cultive nuestras tierras.

26-Junio-2008 | Ángel Collado Scharwz -Fundación Voz del Centro

An Agricultural Country without Agriculture

In the 40's, the last foreign governor in Puerto Rico, Rexford G. Tugwell, exclaimed with astonishment: "Imagine, the food is imported. They've lost the art of the tropic. No one under this sun, with good terrain and 40 inches of rain, should suffer hunger". Puerto Rico enjoys the perfect scenario to be self-sufficient in respect to its terrestrial and marine capacity to satisfy the gastronomical needs of its citizens.

Many years ago agriculture occupied a lead roll in our society and our economy. In 1935, the secretary of the Interior, Harold Ickes blamed the United States for destroying our agriculture: "Puerto Rico... has been victim of a 'laissez faire' economy that has given rise to rapid growth of huge sugar corporations run by absentee business owners, which have seized great quantities of land that belonged to small independent farmers before, who, in consequence, have practically been reduced to economic servitude. If it's true that the inclusion of Puerto Rico in our national boundaries has been extremely beneficial for the shareholders of these corporations, the benefits have not been passed down to the hands of the Puerto Rican masses. They, on the contrary, have seen that the lands in which before they planted subsistence crops have been dedicated to sugar production, while they have been gradually pushed to import all of their basic food, paying for these the high prices produced by customs. Today there is more misery and poverty, and much more unemployment, in Puerto Rico than in any other previous era in its history."

Years later, the situation worsened with the Manos a la Obra operation ("Operation Bootstrap", the nickname for it--and not translation per se--commonly used), which continued debilitating the agricultural industry. It assigned priority to the industrialization program based on foreign investments. It sought out immediate results, even if they were temporary. Teodoro Moscoso himself (the man for whom the large and famous bridge in San Juan, with the Puerto Rican and American flags in pairs, is named) commented to me in the last years of his life on the grave error that was abandoning agriculture.

It's regrettable that the only food cultivated in our land that exceeds ornamental plants in count is the plantain. The sale of these plants is four times greater than the same of mangos.

Even more regrettable is that the mangos harvested in the Island are displaced by bananas from Costa Rica and pinapples from the Dominican Republic in the ships that carry the products to Europe. Recently it was reviewed in the press that the ships arrived without space for our tons of mangos. This industry produces 700 employees and generates $18 million annually. But the federal coastal shipping laws, by obliging us to use the American maritime transportation considered the most costly and ineffective, not only damage the export of our agricultural production; they also increase the cost of the food we import.

The quality of our agricultural products is unsurpassable. Three examples of international recognition include the pineapple, which is considered by experts to be superior to that of Hawaii; coffee, which is offered in gourmet restaurants in Europe as a delicacy; and the mango, which has had formidable levels of success in Europe. Experiments like the planting of rice in the 70's were abandoned thanks to the incapacity of the governments to provide incentives to local businesses.

We should look to Israel as our lead model for agricultural development. They've figured out how to grow food in the desert. They satisfy all the demand of their citizens, plus they export their agricultural products to Europe. Nevertheless, their economy is not limited to agriculture; it compliments a modern industry with advanced technology.

In Israel, agriculture represents 2% of the gross product while in Puerto Rico it's less than 1%. Israel has double the population of Puerto Rico but four times the number of employees in the manufacturing industry.

Israel, like other old colonies, has reached these economic successes from a superb platform.

In Puerto Rico, although the current scenario permits improvements to the agricultural industry, the political status limits its development and potential. The federal coastal trade laws and the lack of power to negotiate international treaties are a straight jacket for this development.

The other aspect is labor, which is very limited, seeing as it's much more comfortable depending on federal welfare. The irony here is that we don't have the power to import labor to cultivate our lands, either.

Did I ever mention how much I love La voz del centro? I do. I think I have over 100 of their podcasts on my iPod, all interviewing fantastic people about fantastic topics. Thank you, Mr. Collado Schwarz!

Anyways, I want to reiterate the message in this article: Puerto Rico, you can do it!

I sincerely believe that one of the most empowering things Puerto Rico could do for itself to shake the chain of dependence it is now living is to turn to its own resources. Food is a huge part of this. As we are asked in the beginning of this article, why is a tropical island with the ideal natural conditions, practically mistakeable for Eden itself at times, importing food? It can't be that processed, old, preservative-loaded Kraft cheese packages are tastier than fresh (and free) avocado from the backyard.

I think Collado Schwarz doesn't quite show the truly devasting effects the American corporations intially had on Puerto Rico. While he does touch on it, it is one of those big deals, a monumental and decisive moment in history that even today still dictates what you find in each grocery store today. Having done my own minimal research on that period, I can promise that the period from the American invasion through the 30's was one of the most tragic moments Puerto Rico lived, only following slavery and the explosive results of the initial Spanish arrival.

Industry changed overnight from coffee (and tobacco to a certain extent) to sugar (Puerto Rican coffee was too strong for American tastes). The conversion from peso to dollar was very poorly managed, seeing as most merchants just changed the currency symbol and not the number next to it, in essence increasing prices by up to 40%, particularly in markets for the poorer sectors of the population. The owners of small farms, due to the change in industry and rising prices, soon had to sell their land and become migrant farmers. The land was bought up by the aforementioned absentee businessmen, who sped up Puerto Rico's path to monoculture with giant sugar cane plantations, all while making the island poorer by funneling the money into the United States rather than Puerto Rico. Within a short time period of this, 75% of all food was imported (practically all from the United States), and rural families, often previous land-owners, spent a whopping 94% of their income on food. Coupled with skyrocketing unemployment and an education that insisted on English even though both the students and the teachers didn't speak the language, opportunities to improve quality of life were few.

I don't really think I need to even say that many of the protests at the time were met with official censorship and state-sponsored violence. It should be obvious.

Now obviously things have improved in Puerto Rico, but looking back in history, we can also see that many haven't. Old habits and impracticalities are about to reach their centennial. It's just sad to see these idiocies that have obviously been harmful survive long past their expiration date.

The blame falls both ways. For one, Puerto Ricans earn some for complacency and an undeserved satisfaction with things how they are. Puerto Rico should be constantly striving for improvement... and no, I don't mean new SUV or widescreen improvement, but a better life for everyone regardless of what they can buy. This can only come about through breaking the chain of dependence. No, I am not calling for the independence movement to suddenly take over the country (although if that's what Puerto Rico wants, so be it). I am talking about a Puerto Rico that concerns itself with Puerto Rico over the United States. Less imports. In regards to this article, I think that the biggest step that Puerto Rico could take would be limiting imports, or, even better, putting tariffs on them (even though it would never be allowed by the U.S. government), and then pumping the money made from tariffs or not wasted on jacked-up import costs into agriculture. Puerto Rico can sustain itself. With the rising costs of both food and gas, hopefully soon it will realize the value of that message.

An equal part of the blame, however, also lands on the United States. The only surviving pretext for the current status is that corporations make a killing importing all that food and other consumer goods. They completely manipulate the market, making it nearly impossible for Puerto Ricans to compete. Do we really continue mantaining colonialism just to make the extra buck?

I am not necessarily against capitalism... it'd be a bit hypocritical, seeing as it's a part of my daily life and the lives of others. I don't want to say that Puerto Ricans don't have a right to want the same things I want, frivolous though they may be. But when the process for acquiring it becomes harmful and inescapable, I think we must find a solution. Clearly colonialism and capitalism are a deadly combination. How many years would it take to resolve this... if an effort is ever made?

Whoops... we missed it

What with the heat, thunderstorms, and lack of technology (I broke free of my chains for the weekend, in case you didn't notice), I didn't even realize that NYC's world-famous Puerto Rican Parade came and left. Then again, I can't imagine it was that much fun, seeing as it was blazing outside. Anyone reading this go to it? How was it? Any stories?

If you're like me and trying to avoid the weather, here's some reading:

• Apparently during my blackout I also missed Top Chef in Puerto Rico making Puerto Rican food. Check out a pretty funny description of the episode here. Another interesting look at it (along with vegetarian versions of some of the recipes) is right here.
  
• A couple things on tourism--well, one is partly tourism and the rest just migration... yep, I'm talking about Puerto Ricans in Florida. Apparently they've beat New York for flights to and from the state. Hmm. The other one is about JetBlue, who is adding more flights from JFK, Orlando, and adding flights early (starting September) from Boston. Good news after AA's announcement; Puerto Rico needs it.
• And now... politics, that inescapable topic. But this time I have decent reading about it (or at least I enjoyed it!). Check these out:
• An interview with Aníbal about why he's petitioning the UN to review Puerto Rico's status:

Many things have [caused us to change our stance]. Instead of getting more autonomy and powers, we have less than in 1952 because the federal government has grown exponentially and aggressively and now controls things that in the past were left up to the states. . . .

For instance, we have a strong dairy industry in Puerto Rico. For the last 50 or 60 years, the government of Puerto Rico has regulated the industry. Last year, a federal judge decided they were the ones that would regulate prices. This is something that affects the pockets of every Puerto Rican, our farmers, our agricultural sector, a whole industry in Puerto Rico, and from now on we have to go before a federal judge for changes.

Another example is we don't believe in the death penalty. Our constitution, which was approved by Congress, specifically bans it. . . . But under the Bush administration, we have seen the district attorney [in San Juan] very aggressively seeking death-penalty convictions. .

• A slightly less political and more cultural look at some of the same thing, Americanization in Puerto Rico (it's not too well written but is a decent introduction to the issue):
  

In assessing the effects of the “Americanization” of the island of Puerto Rico, it is important to ascertain whether industrial progress is always beneficial to the people’s to which it is brought. Through the American perception of the ideal, one would believe that suburbanization and industrialization is akin to progress and success; however, Puerto Rico proves this to be a fallacy. The people of Puerto Rico, hard working individuals with a strong work and family ethic became so immersed in “Americanization” that no price was too big to pay to achieve that “ideal.” Such prices included the dissolving of the patriarchal society, the sterilization of one-third of the country’s women of child bearing years, and the loss of pride in one’s ability to provide not only for himself but for his family. Now, this society is rapidly becoming matriarchal with 20 percent of the males unemployed and living off of American handouts. But how did this happen?

• A deeper look at why Hillary "swept" Puerto Rico:

Regardless its unexpected exposure to CNN's limelight, the primary event in Puerto Rico failed, once more, to engage in the potent issues that with some frequency rear their heads in the mainland campaigns. If politics is always local, in Puerto Rico, a superpopulated Island (with one of the highest population densities in the world, despite the fact that a full half of Puerto Ricans live in the United States) it is really a bizarre mirror labyrinth in which the colonial status is the overriding issue. Other social, economic and cultural contents revolve around the question of whether Puerto Rico will continue its colonial status (since 1898), or achieve some kind of resolution, any time soon.

• Did racism in Puerto Rico affect the election? A quick glance...

"On the mainland, Obama is black, but not in Puerto Rico," said Juan Manuel Garcia Passalacqua, the island's most distinguished political commentator. "Here, he is a mulatto, and this is a mulatto society. People here are perfectly prepared to vote for someone who looks like them for president of the United States."

This is of course the party line on the island and is used frequently to say why the island does not need a black movement. However, a mulatto ran on Sunday and race was an issue and not in his favor.

I would argue, though, that when the author says that Black island populations are consistently poorer and less educated and White populations are not does not add up to the same wide discrepancies in Puerto Rico that may be found in other Latin America. Undeniably it exists in PR, but to the same extent as in neighboring countries? That is a very strong statement to make for an island that tends to share its poverties with the entire population. Blacks do tend to be poorer on average, but the margin is smaller than it is in other Latin American countries if I'm not mistaken.

• Finally, an article about racism between Puerto Ricans and Nuyoricans, who are seen by islanders as Blacker and therefore are subject to various ugly stereotypes, including overly sexual. Highly recommended.

Photographs in a controversial video feature smiling fair-skinned beauty contest winners and fashion models contrasted with images of scantily dressed, full-bodied, dark-skinned women in public spaces ---"evidence" of the cultural and aesthetic differences between "real" Puerto Ricans and those who make illegitimate claims on that identity.

These are the verbal and visual claims of a controversial video making recent rounds on the Internet, explaining the alleged differences between Puerto Ricans on the Island and those in the United States. The two-minute video, which has repeatedly been yanked from YouTube, informs the viewer that “Puerto Ricans come from the island,” are overwhelmingly “blancos” or mestizos of Taíno and European ancestry, and “typically VERY classy and/or preppy or as we say in Puerto Rico ‘fino’.” Island Puerto Ricans are also highly educated, the video asserts. In contrast, Nuyoricans are “3rd or 4th generation Puerto Ricans that are usually mixed with African Americans, CAN NOT speak Spanish or speak it very badly!!! They act very, very trashy and ghetto or as we say in Puerto Rico cafre!!!” Nuyoricans are Afrocentric and one is more likely to find them “in prison than in college.” Indeed, Nuyoricans—a misnomer since it encompasses the entire Puerto Rican diaspora—often seem to be a target in this video and beyond for anti-Afro-Latino sentiment. Nuyoricans come under fire for their apparent obsession with race and racism and, most particularly, their identification with African-Americans and blackness.

El Día de Soy Americano - A Brief History of American Citizenship in Puerto Rico

So apparently the Puerto Rican legislature is trying to get a(nother) holiday celebrating American citizenship added to the calendar (for May 20th). Well, technically, it already existed, but they're reviving it. The other holiday celebrating American citizenship is March 2nd, "el Día de la Ciudadanía Americana", in case you were wondering.

El proyecto de ley indica que el 20 de mayo los puertorriqueños deberán “rendir tributo, observar y conmemorar públicamente la ciudadanía de los Estados Unidos”. Ins[is]ta, además, a las organizaciones patrióticas, cívicas y educativas a que hagan lo mismo.
The bill indicates that on the 20th of May, Puerto Ricans should "render tribute, observe and publicly commemorate United States citizenship". It also insists that patriotic, civil, and educational organizations do the same.

I do agree with a lot of the comments left behind by readers saying it seems like a waste of funds and legislative action (although what isn't...), however, it does also raise the question of the appropriateness of celebrating American citizenship.

American citizenship is a heavily contested issue. Most people don't realize that American citizenship was indeed imposed upon Puerto Rico with the Jones Act. While it was in a sense a "gift", as in it was optional, for all practical purposes it was mandatory, since anyone who didn't have it was sentenced to unemployment (after the switch American citizenship was required for jobs). So, although there were surely many dissenters (although there were many people excited about it as well, let's not forget), only a few hundred Puerto Ricans decided not to immediately become American citizens, about 400 if I remember correctly. This was 1917, after nearly 20 years under the United States.

Luis Muñoz Rivera, grandfather of Puerto Rican politics and father of an equally famous politician, Luis Muñoz Marín, the one who came up with the holiday being discussed now (and for whom the airport is named), left us with a quote that still is as thought-provoking for Puerto Rico today as it was in 1909 when he spoke to Congress:

If you wish to make us citizens of an inferior class--if we cannot be one of your States; if we cannot constitute a country of our own then we will have to be perpetually a colony, a dependency of the United States. Is that the kind of citizenship you offer us? Then, that is the citizenship we refuse.

The next large challenge to this setup comes from Juan Mari Brás in 1994, when he renounces his American citizenship in Venezuela in favor of a Puerto Rican citizenship. Because of the rules involved in renouncing citizenship, he would have to be deported to his birthplace, and yet he had just refused it. Therefore, in Puerto Rico he was both legally forced to be there and yet illegally in a land he wasn't a citizen of, a strange situation indeed. To add to the confusion, in 2005 the Puerto Rican State Department (finally?) awarded him with "Puerto Rican citizenship", which technically doesn't exist and is something that still hasn't been resolved with the U.S. government.

Anyways, history aside, what's most disconcerting to me is the need to celebrate American citizenship. Not that I think most people waste time and money celebrating, because I can't imagine they do (although I don't know, I've never been around for either of the dates). And I do think that Puerto Ricans benefit a lot from being American citizens, the many examples of which I don't think I need to recount here. But by making an official holiday it's kind of paying tribute to the colonial dependence and second class citizenship that Muñoz Rivera brought up a hundred years ago. After all, Puerto Ricans are Americans that are not protected by the Constitution; they can be drafted and yet have no vote in Congress to declare war; they have their own government but the U.S. has complete, if underabused, control over its every action. Statutory citizenship leaves Puerto Ricans in a strange place, where they are both the same and yet different from their fellow Americans.

I say, if Puerto Ricans want to celebrate American citizenship, let them celebrate it on July 4th with all the other Americans, as equals. There's no sense in celebrating inferiority.

Use of English in Puerto Rico, or, How to Deal with the Inevitable "Gringo" Label

So I was asked recently if Americans speak English or Spanish while living in Puerto Rico. The answer is a bit complicated so I want to start with some history first.

When America first invaded Puerto Rico, there was an intense effort to "Americanize" Puerto Rico. A large part of this was due to racism on part of the American government (Congress members didn't believe Puerto Ricans were capable of self-rule not only because of the African and indigenous roots but also the Spanish as well). So instead of the democracy that was promised by General Miles in 1898, the Puerto Ricans got American governors chosen in Washington. None of these governors spoke Spanish and most were just serving so they could climb the political ladder; basically, they were padding their resumes. So the American governors were generally out of touch with their subjects, and, if I may be so frank, didn't really care. There are a few exceptions to this, of course, most notably Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (yes, son of president Roosevelt), who, among many things, learned some Spanish, tried to help Puerto Rico out with the devastating hurricane San Felipe, and offered a quarter of his own personal funds to support the Puerto Rican banks when economic crisis hit.

Meanwhile, there was an attempt to Americanize the culture. Teachers and students were all expected to speak only English in school, even though none of the students and very few of the teachers even knew the basics. The U.S. sent English teachers but most didn't speak any Spanish and some didn't even know any English at all. Needless to say, this was a very ineffective way of handling this, causing anger and confusion for both parties. A more lenient setup (and more rights) would follow much later.

Fastforwarding to today, nearly all Puerto Ricans speak and understand some level of English, and they are quite used to American tourists (depends on where you are though--places in the center of the island are a bit less receptive since less tourists come by). English is taught for all 12 years of school, after all, and people try to use it when they can. So generally, when Puerto Ricans see people who look American, they automatically resort to English.

For me personally, this is something I've gotten used to, because I'm a redhead and redheads are quite rare in Puerto Rico. I've seen a few and the only one I've really met was in the middle of nowhere at a parranda, when a lady walked up to me and told me I had to see her niece because we looked identical, and then she brings out a girl who was even fairer than I with a long ponytail of very red hair. So there are some; regardless I am stared at constantly while walking around (you get used to it, I suppose).

While I'm still trying to deal with being bombarded with English every time I try to buy something, I am figuring out a few techniques to avoid it. One is that I simply won't let people speak in English with me. For me I guess it's different than it would be for someone still a beginner or without a Puerto Rican accent, because it's kind of obvious that you aren't a native speaker so they will keep pressing for English. Regardless, continue talking in Spanish until they get the message that you refuse to speak in English. Something else important to remember is to never speak in English in a store if you can help it, because they will hear you and start speaking in English before you even open your mouth. Not that you should change your friends just because they speak English! But if you have the choice, go for Spanish.

However, the best way to ensure you will get the Spanish treatment is if you find a Puerto Rican friend and speak in Spanish with them as much as possible. It sounds kind of "duh", but there is no other way to figure out the expressions and get used to the sounds of their Spanish than with practice and explanations of why what is what. Finding someone sounds a lot harder than it is. Many Puerto Ricans are more than willing to share their culture with anyone who will listen. The more flags you see on their property, the more they'll want to talk about themselves (that's a joke, by the way).

I think the fact that their Spanish needs explanations also contributes to why Puerto Ricans are so hesitant to speak in Spanish to foreigners; they know that their Spanish is difficult to understand, what with the accent and the colorful vocabulary. Without someone explaining a lot of the conversation to you, it can be nearly impossible to follow. This causes mixed feelings. On one hand, a lot of Puerto Ricans (and other Spanish speakers, unfortunately) see their Spanish as impure, cheap, etc. On the other, it's a huge source of pride, because their unique language unites them and identifies them as members of the same community.

This, I feel, is an example of what is a huge part of the Puerto Rican sense of being: contradiction. There is a giant lack of self esteem combined with an almost exaggerated patriotism that determines the movements of Puerto Rican society. It is not unusual to see signs saying, "¿Qué nos pasa, Puerto Rico?" (What's happening to us, Puerto Rico?... it sounds more catchy in Spanish I suppose) alongside huge flags displayed with pride. Nowhere is this seen more in politics. In fact, I would dare to say that this contradiction has both decided politics in the island while also being the effect of politics on the island. Puerto Rico doesn't trust itself to be independent (an ideology cemented into society after history proved the difficulties of an independent Latin America as well as chasing away the voices of the independentistas). But at the same time, there is far too much pride to become a state, losing the language and the sense of a nation. Thus the island still has trouble committing to one side or another. However, even deeper, the frustration at seeing the corruption and inability to make change has also kept confidence down while each day more that Puerto Rico stays part of the United States the more patriotism rises since it has to counter growing American influence. This self doubt and pride, a great paradox fueled by an uncertain fate, is an important part of the Puerto Rican soul and will continue to be an obstacle for Puerto Rico in the future.

Anyways, even though I mentioned last time that I do write this blog to spread awareness about Puerto Rico, another reason is the uniqueness of the language. As I've mentioned before I feel that Puerto Rican Spanish is unappreciated. It is a very rich language that has three additional sources besides Spain to draw from, those being Taíno and African roots along with American English. Then there is just plain old creativity which continues changing the language without leaning on either the past or the future but rather serves to satisfy the present needs of Puerto Rican speech. I can't see Puerto Rican Spanish as "trashy", not only because I've been taught that there is something like a better or worse accent in languages, since better or worse is determined by social constructions and not by the sounds, but also because of the very depth of Boricua Spanish. It's too easy to write off informal language as "incorrect", and I implore everyone to forget this misconception. Informal language is what makes a community, especially for Puerto Rico, and it does have cultural and even literary significance.

For the person studying Puerto Rican Spanish, it's a victory each time a piece of the language is clarified. I think one of the most rewarding things is being able to understand the clever reggaetón of Calle 13: first passing through the accent, then understanding the slang words unique to Puerto Rico, then figuring out the (occasionally strange) expressions, then finally discovering the satire, cultural and political, below all of this, which can mock and still care for Puerto Rico--yet another example of the paradox above in popular culture. Even though I don't expect everyone to like Calle 13, these layers also apply to normal speech. A simple statement in Puerto Rican Spanish can easily have historical, cultural, political, and personal implications, all at once; yet all of this is lost on someone without the background knowledge.

My first experiences in Puerto Rico were exactly like that, which I included above as a warning not to sound condescending but rather because it's the truth. Although I had a decent level of Spanish when our plane touched the ground, I soon found it wasn't adequate. Honestly? I didn't understand a thing. So I sought out the answers to everything I didn't understand, which not only provided a new knowledge of the language but also the culture. For example, knowing the word jíbaro in all of its meanings requires knowing everything from the pre-Colombian people to the modern political parties and then seeing its purpose as a symbol during the past and today. Without help this and other more obscure terms would have been completely lost on me. Over time many similar things were explained to me. I owe my friends a lot for all that they've taught me. Even so, I still feel I have a lot to learn, but at least now I can enjoy what I have learned. It has made a drastic difference in how I see Puerto Rico and I don't think I would be where I am without it.

Overall, understanding Puerto Rican Spanish is a test of understanding culture. It's impossible to speak Boricua without acknowledging this. But learning culture is not too difficult to accomplish and it is definitely worth it in the end. And of course, I am here to help.

And a final note about the original question: for Americans working in Puerto Rico knowing at least some Spanish is vital, particularly in San Juan. Because of the job market mess, there are few professional jobs and a lot of Puerto Ricans who are qualified. Therefore, most companies, even American ones, have no reason to hire a monolingual experienced American over a bilingual experienced Puerto Rican. But a little Spanish goes a long way in this case and an experienced American with basic Spanish can sometimes get preference over the bilingual Puerto Rican. So it depends. There also are communities of expats, generally on the west coast and in specific in Rincón, and while there are plenty who do speak some Spanish, I've gotten the impression that many don't. I think the safest answer is to say that it depends on the situation. It is possible to survive on the island with just English, for sure. But living there is a different story.

I welcome any comments on this because I think there are a few themes I brought up that can be explored more if there is interest. So, please, let's discuss.

Walgreens and the American Corporative Takeover of Puerto Rico; Plus, Farmacies

So, this recent post from Dondequiera about how Walgreens has bought 20 Farmacias El Amal has inspired me to confront two important topics.

The first is the question of American corporations (mostly those pesky chains) and their presence in the island. While most Americans (or at least most of us "hippie" college students, anyways) would be quick to decry the "Americanization" of the island, I don't think it is so simple.

Now, I am not about to deny Americanization. After 100 years of American colonization obviously large parts would be adopted into the culture of the island. But I would like to suggest that Puerto Ricans have had a large share in deciding how to accept Americanization.

This may be a stretch for some, as the concept of globalization and cultural imperialism imply a sort of oppressor/oppressed system, where the oppressed is an innocent victim, and the ending is the Americanization or Westernization of the entire world. Looking at Puerto Rico, it's hard to see it in that light. I would say that Puerto Rico has quite a bit of control over its fate. After all, early attempts at Americanization failed (the island is still speaking Spanish, in case you haven't noticed) and large parts of the culture remain intact. Spend more than a few days outside of tourist areas and it should be obvious.

The question that interests me more is how Americanization has come into Puerto Rico. It's been adopted in pieces only when convenient for the island. Thus, you can find the standard American malls in Puerto Rico (although with some different stores; the food and a few local chains come to mind) and any kid will be able to tell you about Santa Clós. But these American traditions are still forced to compete with local family-owned stores and Three Kings Day.

Now, I am going to save a more cultural look at this for later and return to my point, which is Walgreens. See, Puerto Rico loves its Walgreens. Really. According to the post I linked to above, that puts the total of Walgreens on the island above 90 stores. This number doesn't seem so high until put in the context of the island, which after all has the rather small dimensions of 100x35 miles (not exact, of course). For me this manifests in a Walgreens in nearly every neighborhood, particularly in the outskirts of San Juan. This is in addition to the other American chains like CVS (although there aren't many), local chains like El Amal, and independent farmacies.

This is kind of verging into my second topic, that Puerto Rico is obsessed with pharmacies and everything related with the medicine industry. My experiences tell me that each neighborhood usually has about 2 pharmacies, usually within 2 minutes or less walking distance... I can even think of a neighborhood where there is a Walgreens and directly behind it another local pharmacy. Puerto Rico is also the source of many medicines, since a lot of large American corporations have their factories on the island. There additionally is a large number of nurses on the island, along with private practices, hospitals, specialists, and much more. It is a huge part of their economy. It also is beneficial for tourists; after all, if you are going to get sick anywhere in the Caribbean, it'd be better to be in Puerto Rico. At least, that's how I'd like to see it.

Anyways... so there are a lot of Walgreens. And they are rather popular. Right now I'm looking at a group on facebook called "Porque janguear en Walgreens es lo mejor que hay!" ("Because hanging out in Walgreens is the best there is!") which has nearly 7000 members, all Puerto Ricans. In fact, I would say Walgreens is more appreciated there than it is in its native land.

In other words, you may be surprised to find what seem like American chains but either are more popular on the island or hardly even exist stateside. The most noteable one for me is Tacomaker, which has more locations in tiny Puerto Rico (101, to be exact), than it does for all of the United States. There's also Kress, a clothing store that fell apart in the U.S. after a long time but continues to expand in Puerto Rico. There are more, but I'm not sure listing them all is necessary.

Point is, the American chain has been accepted on the island, but it's not really straightforward, as most large corporations (McDonalds, department stores, etc) share space with both local chains and obscure American companies.

Like I said, I'll delve into the more interesting cultural conflicts dealing with this at a later date; I hope this is mildly satisfying in the meantime!