When I Was Puerto Rican
In the memoir When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago, the author recounts her childhood. Also referred to as "Negi," Esmeralda shares the various stages of her upbringing throughout Puerto Rico's various cities, including Macún and Santurce. After dealing with several uprooting experiences, multiple schools, and even more challenging periods of adjustment, Negi is ultimately uprooted once more. After several years without commitment, Negi's mother Ramona decides to leave Esmeralda's father and immigrate to New York. Immigration has a tremendous effect on Esmeralda. Negi experienced similar effects when she was moved to different cities throughout Puerto Rico, although on a much smaller scale. For example, when Negi’s family relocates
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This socioeconomic status greatly affected Negi’s childhood as she could barely go outside. Although Ramona had an established job in Puerto Rico, she essentially had to start all over again. She shared the following with Negi, “‘Here you have to prove yourself all over again,’ … she tried hard, which impressed her supervisors, and was moved up quickly” (Santiago 246). Ramona also instilled this hard work ethic into her children when it came to academics because she wanted better for her children. She told Negi that she was not working hard to support their life in New York for them to get factory jobs like she had. This is a big goal of many immigrants. They work hard for their children, constantly being knocked down and getting back up, so they can have a better life than they had.
Negi, in particular, also experienced cultural shock. She discusses the different cultures she was exposed to in New York because “in Puerto Rico the only foreigners [she’d] been aware of were Americanos” (Santiago 225). She quickly learned about the morenos, Italians, and two types of Puerto Ricans. She discussed how they felt as if she hadn’t fit into any of these groups. There were multiple divisions, between these various groups of people. She explains that she “didn’t feel comfortable with the newly arrive Puerto Ricans who … criticiz[ed] everyone, afraid of everything” (Santiago
This socioeconomic status greatly affected Negi’s childhood as she could barely go outside. Although Ramona had an established job in Puerto Rico, she essentially had to start all over again. She shared the following with Negi, “‘Here you have to prove yourself all over again,’ … she tried hard, which impressed her supervisors, and was moved up quickly” (Santiago 246). Ramona also instilled this hard work ethic into her children when it came to academics because she wanted better for her children. She told Negi that she was not working hard to support their life in New York for them to get factory jobs like she had. This is a big goal of many immigrants. They work hard for their children, constantly being knocked down and getting back up, so they can have a better life than they had.
Negi, in particular, also experienced cultural shock. She discusses the different cultures she was exposed to in New York because “in Puerto Rico the only foreigners [she’d] been aware of were Americanos” (Santiago 225). She quickly learned about the morenos, Italians, and two types of Puerto Ricans. She discussed how they felt as if she hadn’t fit into any of these groups. There were multiple divisions, between these various groups of people. She explains that she “didn’t feel comfortable with the newly arrive Puerto Ricans who … criticiz[ed] everyone, afraid of everything” (Santiago