How To Not Look Like A Gringo.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by minaret

The shirt this guy is wearing, but the shirt is just part of the package...

I think this guy is wearing a tank-top,real "beatters" have no fabric under the arms and the neckline is more of a vee and always white(except for the sweat stains)...This according to the "Fashion Police"

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Geoduck

Can anybody translate the word "gringo"?

I can tell you what the opposite of Gringo is .."Beaner" or "Freholaro" It is a word that can get a fight started in Mexico or Texas right fast..Never seen an American get as upset about "Gringo" as a Mexican will get about "Freholero" What do you know "Soy to meistro"!...If you dont want to look like a gringo ,look like a Ranchero, wear a pair of cowboy boots(boatas sp?)(must be made in Durango) and a "Centrol"(sp?)(belt)w/a silver buckle and a nice white cowboy hat w/ an oxford, they wont look twice at you..

[David_Old_Jersey]

One thing only touched upon is the matter of "class". Obviously Americans don't have any but much of the rest of the world does .

As a Westerner in a 3rd World country will be regarded as Middle Class by default, at least - and by that I don't mean the US definition of "working poor" (an old capitalist trick - instead of money give 'em a nicer job title )....well, will be until you prove otherwise (by dress, manner, actions and speech) - some may take a while to acheive that, others within seconds ..................Peasants act as peasants and are expected not to know any better - and everyone is comfortable with that. But folks get confused when someone they think should have a higher class acts like a peasant .

Exception being those regarded as eccentrics. or mad (in a nice way ) - which allows them to step outside the rule book whilst still keeping the locals happy. A bit of self awareness and a willingness to laugh at self helps. and a bit of age no bad thing either. No names .

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

..................Peasants act as peasants and are expected not to know any better - and everyone is comfortable with that. But folks get confused when someone they think should have a higher class acts like a peasant ....

Love all this WASPish advice David.:

Is it peasants or pheasants you’re not allowed to pick up if you run them over?...

[zeehag]

daaaahhhlinggkkk david.....some of us have ditched the false pretenses brought into life by those who believe they are above others---like my late grandmother--sorry, grandma, rip!....but she believed whole heartedly in the hierarchical bs that was brought thru by our ancesters and their social status and power. some of us were actually raised right, doj....LOL>...

[rtbates]

when in latin cultures I am never so happy to have lots of melanin in my skin. I tan like a roasted nut. When in Miami all the store clerks approach and start speaking spanish until I tell them I'm english speaking. Not being light skinned has apparently kept me from being singled out. I also seem to get great respect from the local men for having a fair skinned blond wife!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Love all this WASPish advice David.:

Is it peasants or pheasants you’re not allowed to pick up if you run them over?...

WASPish? 1 out of 4, but I can't change that one . In any event the WASP thing is only a US creation that doesn't travel well - I think the nearest comparative over here is the term Nouveau Riche or Made in Essex . Simply because grandad made the family money / bought the furniture (or castle!) does not automatically change that..........

Whether one agrees with the class thing or not - IMO just something that should be borne in mind when travelling away from own classless society (in the UK we have that as well as the class system - the main members are called Chavs ) Whether "you" then decide to go with the (local) flow or re-educate the masses is a personal choice. Not being aware of is called ignorance. Pretending does not exist is called pig ignorance. Personally I favour the "when in Rome" approach........and call it having good manners .

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by zeehag

daaaahhhlinggkkk david.....some of us have ditched the false pretenses brought into life by those who believe they are above others---like my late grandmother--sorry, grandma, rip!....but she believed whole heartedly in the hierarchical bs that was brought thru by our ancesters and their social status and power. some of us were actually raised right, doj....LOL>...

Methinks in my original post I identified the category into which you (don't) fit . Not fitting into any category is also a fit - but not everyone can pull that off. Takes some style - and dare I say it?, even some class .

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by rtbates

... I also seem to get great respect from the local men for having a fair skinned blond wife!

Always want what you dont have...we gringos want hot latinas and the latinos want hot gringas.

[Blue Crab]

[belizesailor]

Also today I was reminded of how to look like a gringo in a way totally opposite the typical cruising gringo. In Belize I often chuckle at the gringos coming down to go fly fishing. They look like an ad for a sporting goods store...decked out in all the apparently essential styles and gadgets for fishing...all quite obviously brand new too.

They stumble down the dock all decked out, carrying their $1,000 fly rigs, to their $500 a day guide boat...sometimes they even catch a fish or two. Meanwhile the old Creole guy, they didnt even acknowledge, is sitting on the dock realing in one fish after another with a hand line wrapped around a old stick.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by rtbates

when in latin cultures I am never so happy to have lots of melanin in my skin. I tan like a roasted nut. When in Miami all the store clerks approach and start speaking spanish until I tell them I'm english speaking. Not being light skinned has apparently kept me from being singled out. I also seem to get great respect from the local men for having a fair skinned blond wife!

Me too ,Blue eyed girlfriend and all..Makes getting around alot easier..

[Andrew Troup]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

"Estadounidenses" I find does not roll off the native English speaking tongue so well -- at least not mine. "Norte Americano" is a little easier but could also be Canadian. ...

Well..... North America is more than just the US and Canada: it's everything north of the Panama isthmus. Which of course includes Mexico.

which means, incidentally, that talking about the "United States of America" is not very specific.

The US is not the only "United States" in America: it's not even the only "United States" of North America, given that the official title of Mexico is Estados Unidos Mexicanos

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

Well..... North America is more than just the US and Canada: it's everything north of the Panama isthmus. Which of course includes, but is not limited to, Mexico.

which means, incidentally, that talking about the "United States of America" is not very specific.

The US is not the only "United States" in America: it's not even the only "United States" of North America, given that the official title of Mexico is Estados Unidos Mexicanos

So should we call the USA "South Canada" or "North Mexico"??

[Andrew Troup]

Originally Posted by Bash

So should we call the USA "South Canada" or "North Mexico"??

I think to give due deference it should be "The Northernmost United States of North America"