Why I'm an American Mutt!

I get the question, "What are you?" a lot.

Here in Florida, where I currently live, most people are transplants from other places and we've come up with quite an interesting mixture.

At first glance, when most people see me, they see someone that looks like a very young (22 or younger) woman with brown hair, tanned skin, green eyes and somewhat slanty or almond shaped eyes.

At that description, most would think that I am Asian or some sort of exotic species. (For the record, I'm in my early 30s.)

In the past when I used to go out  dancing or to the bars in The Time Before Progeny, people would ask me if I was Hawaiian, Polynesian or Indian (from India), among other nationalities or ethnicities.  While I was flattered by all the attention, especially from the men, I would shake my head and laugh.  "It's just...you're so...exotic!" the men would tell me.


Dude...I'm from Kansas.

The last time I checked, people from Kansas were not exotic... and I'm not Asian. Nor Polish.


Now, here I will interject and say, that while I'm not Hawaiian, nor do I consider myself exotic, I am a cultured and also a multi-cultural being.

You now know I come from Kansas. Big whoop. Land of Sunflowers and big sky and waving wheat. Though I jest at my home state, it's actually very pretty.

This is what I am: An American Mutt.

 I am half Ecuadorean. From that half, I am also a quarter Italian. That quarter is also an eighth Chilean (we assume).  The maternal half of my dad's Ecuadorean roots is an eighth Spanish (from Spain) and I am suspecting some Quechua.  I have seen a picture of one of my paternal great-grandmother's and she had some pretty interesting indigenous features.  My father's maternal family would probably kill me for saying that.

My maternal half is Texan. Don't ever tell a person from Texas that they are American. They are Texan first and American second. In case for those of you that do not know, Texas was its own country before it was admitted to the Union. In fact, Texas and I share a birthday, from the day that it was admitted to the Union.   Ok, so from my mother's maternal side, I'm a quarter Scottish. That quarter is also an eighth Irish. My mother's paternal side is half Mexican. I'm assuming there's some Aztec blood generations ago, too.

As you can see it is quite an interesting mix.

You know what's funny?  I used that moniker "American Mutt"  to describe myself at a former place of employment.  They had a fit over it.  Though I was not told WHY I had to remove it from my website, I guess it was because someone found the term "American Mutt" offensive.  But how?  If I AM CALLING MYSELF an "American Mutt", why should it bother anyone else?  They need to get over themselves.

I mean, here's an urban dictionary definition --> American Mutt

In any case...

People should accept one another for their backgrounds and live happily ever after. Let's do it!

RV