There is one question that always gives me an uneasy vibe - "hables español?"
To safeguard myself from a Spanish reply that only speeds past me, I usually reply, "Un poquito" ("some"). That's right - after five years of Spanish in public school, I don't speak it fluently.
After three semesters of it at UH, I don't speak it fluently. Because my hair is curly and skin is brown or I look a certain way doesn't mean I speak Spanish fluently. (I can, however, conjugate a mean verb and talk about the weather for days, but useless things taught in foreign language classes is another column.) This does not mean to give me the "How-dare-you-call-yourself-Hispanic?" look.
It's not the look that does it - it's the feeling you're left with. Many are intrigued at my lack of bilingual skills and feel the need to interrogate me, asking, "You are Latino, aren't you?" "You don't know Spanish?" or "Why haven't you ever learned?" These are just some of the questions I get from strangers, who speak Spanish. These questions leave you with the feeling that you are a lesser Hispanic who doesn't deserve to associate with Spanish speakers.
The same thing applies to non-Hispanics who assume those who look Hispanic or have a Spanish surname speak Spanish. Recently, I introduced my mother to an English professor. The first words from his mouth were in Spanish, and yes, I understood what he said: "Pleased to meet you. You should be proud of your daughter."
My mother said he was probably trying to impress us. Still, he should have assumed she knew English, if only because I didn't say, "While I'm introducing my mother in English, she is not, in fact, understanding a word I'm saying."
A simple solution - ask. That's right. Ask me if I speak Spanish. Don't come to me with a sentence that is only a blur. Start out in English, and I'll tell you if I don't understand.
Sunny Astorga is a junior
journalism major.