A friend of mine recently wrote me asking me what it is like to live in a Latino city. These were my responses to him.
You live in a Latino town don’t you?
Yes, 67%.
What’s it like?
I speak Spanish, and the Mexicans are an integral part of California and always have been. But there were never this many of them, and the ones I grew up with were assimilated.
This town is ok, except you sort of feel like you are living in an Upgraded Mexico. Mexicans are very friendly people, and they are overjoyed if you can speak even two words of their language, so they are ecstatic when I speak Spanish to them. Plus I often ask them to help me with my Spanish.
A lot of the middle class young people of all races are dicks, but that is true anywhere. The less assimilated Mexicans are way friendlier than the more assimilated ones. Apparently assimilating to American culture involves turning into an asshole.
The town has a bit of a run-down feel to it, but I am used to barrios. It is nothing like a ghetto. Most people are working class, and the Mexicans are quite Left. The Whites are all very rightwing.
One thing I will say though is that Mexicans are just not very smart. They are definitely smarter than Blacks, but that’s not saying much. They are interesting people especially if they are from Mexico recently, but intellectuals they are not. They are not hostile to intellectualism. They are intrigued by it but also sort of indifferent.
Mexican women are pretty much untouchable as far as I can tell. I have had very bad luck with them. Most of them don’t really put out that much anyway as they have this good girl/bad girl, Madonna/whore, virgin/whore thing going on.
A lot of the people around here are working class, and many are simply not very attractive. I am not sure why that is, but often poor people are not very good-looking. A lot of people around here are fat, and the Mexicans have a bad diet. Everyone lives off junk food. The true Mexican food is better for you. There is a lot of great Mexican food to be had, and I buy it all the time.
You feel safe walking around?
Generally, yes. But I stopped going for midnight and 3 AM walks. People told me to stop. A friend of mine had a couple of people try to rob him on his door to door job. Most people do not mess with me though because supposedly I look scary. Walking around in the daytime is nothing. I do it all the time.
There much risk from gangs or kids in the street?
No, none whatsoever. The only problem is when you make the mistake of making friends with these idiots and having them over to your house and whatnot, which is what I did. Simply do not associate with them, and you will be fine. Some of the younger kids age 12-15 are real shits, but they do not bother me too much anymore.
The people friendly?
Extremely. See above.
