My race only defines a part of me

Hola todos!

I know I have been slacking (to say the least) in keeping yall updated on my adventures here in Argentina. I want to speak about some of the negatives about being a foreigner in a new city specifically a person of color. Here is an up-date for you…

I’m African American.

I’m Black.

I’m a Negro.

Yes yes yes. It is true. I have darker pigment than most people especially here in Buenos Aires. Since I’m naturally kissed by the sun there are a few reactions I have experienced while abroad and I think it is important to share with my peeps.

1). Stares. I kid you not when I say I get stared at by everyone. Everyone being men, women, children, grandma, grandpa, people working in the stores, people on the bus, people on the subway, people in the bank, people in the supermarket… the list goes on.

2). Long stares. These are the ones that get to me the most. I’ll catch someone staring at me…smile or say hola! (you know something nice). When the moment has passed what do people keep on doing STARING. Did I not just catch you staring at me and you looked away thinking (dang it he saw me staring). But, no they have the audacious to keep on staring!

a) There is an urge inside that makes me want to say “Hey, if you take a picture it will last longer!” in Spanish of course.

b) I also have the urge to give them the stink face like some give me.

3). People down here just love my hair. My locs and my skin color are the two things that compel wide eye stares. It is one thing to ask to touch my hair and asking how I do that I’m totally okay with because really in Argentina there is a very low percentage of dark skinned people. However some people love my hair so so so much or find it so so interesting that some have even asked “Hey, Can I have a piece of you hair?”

WAIT A MINUTE…

Thoughts

Do whattttt?

You want a piece of my what?

My hair?!?!?!?!?!

What will you do with it? I mean really? Are you going to sew it into your head? Or will you make earrings out of it? Are you going to frame it?

Needless to say, my friend Kathryn and I left that supermarket fairly quickly haha. I just wanted to clearly say that my skin color/my race is only one branch of this tree or it’s only one piece to the puzzle. Do you understand?

My race only defines part of this whole that is Jameson. There is my two cents.

Fun Fact: A lot of people think I’m from Brasil which is cool but… when I tell them no I’m from the United States haha ALL cool points go out the window.