How American is Miami? (Hialeah, Pinecrest: how much, landscaping, maintenance)

[MiamiResident]

Originally Posted by deboinair

I guess you don't know the meaning of diverse. Diversity is having more than one predominant race. Miami is a Hispanic city. When you go in stores and nobody speaks English, that is not diversity. Go to Doral and go to Miramar. If you can't see the difference than I can't help you my friend.

There is diversity in the entire country, just look at Obama.

The USA is more diverse than many American countries. Brasil and the USofA are very similar in demographics. There was no multiracial option in the US census until very recently. There are tens of millions of whites in the usa who are mestizos.

Hispanic is someone who is spanish blooded, western european.
The same with the anglos, a true anglo is someone british blooded.

There are a few anglos and a few hispanics in the entire continent. Most people are multiethnic.

Just look at the players in the world cup, the US team is not european blooded at all (Except the player with the over sized shaved head, Bradley). The only teams that look european are argentina and uruguay (Excluding Suarez and his teeth, he looks Native American).

[deboinair]

Originally Posted by MiamiResident

There is diversity in the entire country, just look at Obama.

The USA is more diverse than many American countries. Brasil and the USofA are very similar in demographics. There was no multiracial option in the US census until very recently. There are tens of millions of whites in the usa who are mestizos.

Hispanic is someone who is spanish blooded, western european.
The same with the anglos, a true anglo is someone british blooded.

There are a few anglos and a few hispanics in the entire continent. Most people are multiethnic.

Just look at the players in the world cup, the US team is not european blooded at all (Except the player with the over sized shaved head, Bradley). The only teams that look european are argentina and uruguay (Excluding Suarez and his teeth, he looks Native American).

Hmm? I like you went off an entirely off on another tangent. I believe we are talking about Miami, not the entire country.

You know what I mean. Hispanic, Latin whatever. Go to Miramar and go to Miami. Then post about which place is more diverse culturally.

[doggiebus]

Please stick to the topic of Miami, anything else will be deleted from this point on.

[ace587]

Originally Posted by Sjd1

We frequently hear about how Cuban Miami is. I guess it's not surprising considering that majority of people residing in Miami were born in Cuba as opposed to being born in the US like other hispanic cities in the US. So I guess it brings me to the question of how American is Miami?

Is it difficult to live in Miami knowing english only? Do people celebrate Thanksgiving? Do children say the pledge of allegiance in schools? Is football (not soccer) the most popular sport? Do people sing the star spangled banner before games? Do people celebrate the 4th of July? Do people generally consider themselves American or just Cubans living in America?

Difficult with just English? No, i get around with basic conversational English

People do celebrate Thanksgiving

Soccer is very popular here

People do sing the Star Spangled Banner before games for sure and we celebrate 4rth of July

You have people who consider themselves Cubans in exile and you have people who are proud to be Americans

This is not like Montreal, Miami is American but with a latin twist.

[Miserere]

I quite recall Cubans celebrate Thanksgivings with a turkey stuffed with moros and mojo, much nicer.

I guess the only real American section of Florida is the Miccosukee reservation.

[THX 1138]

Being of Italian descent, growing up outside of Philly, going to New York and etc, there was at one time notable areas that were Italian and populated by Italian families, pizza shops, markets and etc. Jump forward to present day, you go to these places, the Little Italy's of the land and there is little if much Italian-American culture left. We pretty much all assimilated and diluted into the fabric of American society, my grandfather spoke Italian, but it was not passed down and my relatives intermingled with other nationalities and did not marry in their own nationality. Here though, I tend to see less assimilation of any similar rate. I still think in 50 years, it won't change.

I worked with a Colombian a number years ago, he never went out and socialized, watched Telemundo and Univision when he went home, didn't know much food culture outside of his own, his wife didn't speak much English and they both seemed totally devoid of things the area has to offer. He was in the USA at that time 15 years and lived in NJ prior to moving here. Sure there is nothing wrong with being proud of your Heritage, I surely am, but when it Rome...well you know how it goes...

[Miserere]

Because we live in a different world, under the same guise many American expats only watch Fox News or CNN and barely know 10 words of the language of hisr country...

Plus, many Latin Americans are not immigrants and are not interested in the American culture, they just want safety.

[JohnD_fla]

Originally Posted by deboinair

Eeehhhhh! It's mostly Cuban. The spike in South Americans has risen rapidly in Broward. They are more susceptible to speak English also. Definitely other Hispanics in Miami, but it's definitely over populated by Cubans. I really don't understand why people are in denial with this. They come over with NO PROBLEM, so of course they are going to be the majority.

^This!

[MoItaly]

Miami is diverse. Then that doesn't make all the people living in Miami interested in that, so you have - like in some of the examples brought up in this thread - the Colombian guy who speaks only spanish and doesn't care about American culture or the white American who speaks only English and gets upset when they speak to him in Spanish.

Can you live in Miami speaking only English? Of course. I do believe that you are going to miss part of Miami's life though, as undeniably there is a vast group of spanish speaking inhabitants coming from many nations, not just Cuba.

I personally love Miami. I live 60 miles away and my wife and I go there every time we can. I do have however to "reveal" something, we are Italians. We moved to the USA in 1998, we are citizens, we speak English, but the reason I mentioned we are Italians is because we are probably more geared toward the "Latin" world than a white American (this is a generalization).

I apoligize for the long post (I do have that problem...)

First because for us it is easier to learn Spanish, as it is a latin language, like Italian, second because we have very strong similarities in the character, personality, the way we joke, what we like etc...with several latin countries, especially Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.

That said, the bottom line is that Miami offers a lot and has improved vastly in the last 10 years. If one likes, it is easier to get to know people from other countries (not just hispanics, there are plenty of Europeans as well) and enjoy some of their food/festival etc. If one wants to live an "all-American" life, he can, it's a choice.

But Miami has plenty to offer, just a lot of people (including Miamians) don't know (or maybe don't care).

And finally it always depends on what you are comparing it with. Compare it with Chicago and I would tell you: in Miami the food sucks, no authentic cuisine, can't walk, little cultural events/places, lousy music scene.

But compare it with Palm Beach County and I can tell you Miami has much better food, way more authentic ethnic food than famous wallet-breaking places like Boca raton or even Palm Beach, you have nice walkable areas (in Miami Beach but also the Grove, Coral Gables - partially-, even Downtown-Flagler, calle Ocho etc..), public transportation is not NYC or Chicago but it exists unlike Palm Beach County and you have some cultural and musical offerings of different types, degrees and levels, which makes it a very interesting city.

[tallrick]

I guess what the original poster meant was North American. Personally i do not care where someone is from, as long as they leave behind their corruptions and connections and assimilate into the local culture. Oh, wait, Miami is a culture of corruption fueled by money laundering. So I guess Miami is very appealing to the rascals from all over. If the local population was less diverse and united against fraud, things would be different would they not? Diversity is division and that is why Miami never seems to progress between extremes of poverty and wealth, just like many Latin American nations.