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Sunday, September 9, 2007

Where do you come from?


Every so often, I have a student who will ask me, "Where do you come from?" At first I hesitate and wonder, "Why does it matter?" However, out of courtesy I answer, "My parents are Cuban, and I was raised in America." Some students accept my answer and move on to something else, but others want to know more, and at that moment I realize my answer needs explaining.

With a name like Cueto, I expect to be asked those kinds of questions. However, Cueto is not my name. It is my husband's name and his father's name and so on. But, I must admit that it is more than just the name that clearly reveals I am different. My hair, my skin color and even my nose reveal that I must be from somewhere else. Then, I think, "Are we not all from somewhere else? Where did the pilgrims come from? Where did the explorers come from? You get the idea.

Although I was not born in the United States of America, America is all I know. In the 60's my parents left all they had--homes, businesses and family-- in search of freedom. My mother and father understood what Castro had in mind for Cuba, and if you lived on the island today, you could see why. I was only a year and half old when we left, so I remember nothing of my birth place. All I know is what my father and mother told me as I got older.

We had distant relatives in the U.S. but no real close family, so my parents moved to New Orleans, Louisiana and there my brother was born. I remember New Orleans, the house my parents saved to buy, the catholic school I attended and my neighborhood park. In New Orleans, we were alone. Some immigrants today are fortunate to have family or even close friends they can turn to for guidance and assistance. We were not as fortunate. My parents, both in their 30's, had to learn English in order to work, to buy bread or to catch a bus. No one spoke Spanish where we lived, and when someone did, that person became a friend forever in our home.

I have never visited my birth place, but oh how I have heard stories of its natural beauty. The stories I wish to have never heard are those that caused my family pain and suffering--the execution of my uncle when he was 18 years old because he spoke out against the revolution or the confiscation of my father's many homes and business. Only out of curiosity or out of respect for my parents would I consider a visit when Cuba is free.

Recently, I discovered that my great grandparents on my mother's side were from Argentina. My great grandparents from my father's side were of royal descent in Spain. Yes, there is even a town in Spain named after my great grandparents.

So where do I come from? I come from the land of the free, the land of opportunity, the land where I can be anything I want, have anything I want and say anything I want. My God I hope everyone knows just how incredibly blessed we are to live in a country as great as this, for there is no place in the world that I would ever rather be than here. This is my country; this is where I am from. I am an American. Georgia O'Keeffe said it best, " Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest. "

Live FEARLESSLY and honor those who sacrifice for you.
M. Cueto

9 comments:

  1. Mrs. Cueto , your blog is amazing !!! It's soooo deep ... i kind of started tearing up a little when you talked about your dad and graduating from college it kinds of remind me of myself ;i think somehow god is trying to talk to me through you ! It is self-evident that you are my mentor i'm glad you told me to read that it is wonderful, you are an inspiration to me !

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  2. Please know that you too inspire me with your upbeat attitude, determination and incredible dedication to doing GREAT things with your life while helping others. It is a pleasure to be in your company. MC

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  3. WELL I HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUND. I THING IS THAT I AM AN AMERICAN BORN. BORN AND RAISED IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. I LIVED IN HIALEAH FLORIDA FOR ATLEAST 10 YRS THEN I MOVED TO LOSANGELES. WHERE I LIVED THERE TILL I WAS 15 THEN I CAME BACK TO MIAMI. WELL I HAVE A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND, I AM HALF BRITISH, HALF SOUTH AFRICAN HALF INDIAN. FROM MY DAD'S SIDE MY DAD'S FATHER IS FROM INDIA AND MY DAD'S MUM IS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. AND FROM MY MUM SIDE ALL MY MUM FAMILY IS FROM THERE, INCLUDING MY MUM'S PARENT. WELL MY SISTERS WERE ALSO BORN IN ENGLAND BUT THEY CAME TO AMERICA IN JANUARY OF 1988 AND I WAS BORN IN SEPTMEBER OF 1990. WELL THATS MY BACKGROUND. IT'S SPRAD ALL OVER THE WORLD BUT I AM AN AMERICAN DESI ITS IN MY BLOOD.

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  4. Your families story is rich with history. I have gain alot of insight reading about it.

    Sharon.frere001

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  5. Thank you for your post! :) This is the topic I´m writin a book about now... We usually talk about it with my husband, he is spanish, but was born in Pais Vasco (maybe you know, It´s a region in Spain, they are different people, they have absolutely different language and they want independence, so a team from there called ETA terrorize a country. In Basque country he is spanish, in Spain he they called him basque and even terrorist. Where he truly belongs...
    I was born in Georgia (post soviet union country), I´m 1/4 greek, 1/4 georgian and the rest russian. For georgians I'm russian, for russians I'm georgian althrough I don't look like georgians, they are much darker, but for moscow police officer my birthplace in the passport was anough to insult me...
    I haven't been to Russia for 2 years and don't miss It like all russians do. On the other hand I was so happy in Spain, becouse its landsape looks like georgian.
    I think even this things make us even more similar with my husband and help to understand each other.
    Oh, I can talk about endlessly... :)

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  6. Profressor Cueto, where you originate from isn't anyone's business. I beleive that individuals fail to realize that we all are inter-racial in many sorts. I, too; suffer from these quetsions. where you from? where your parents from? and i love this question "are you sure?" well, last that I recall; yeah, i'm pretty sure of this!
    My mother is African-American with creek indian blood running through her veins. My father, on the other hand; is White-American with french-canadian indian and irish mixed in his blood. i am what you consider a "MULATTO" my facial features and complexion, along with my hair texture may lead you to these questions, out of curiosity. I am always mistaken to be hispanic. whether, it is columbian, puerto-rican, cuban, or even dominican-republic. I was born here in miami,fl. No where else. So, yes i can understand how frustrating it may be at times to hear questions asked such as those. but, you made a valid point; that you are in the land of the free. next time, walk away, because you are free to do so.

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  7. I really like this one because I can really realte to it. People always want to know where I come where I come from. I was born in New york, but my parents are from Nicaragua but have Jamacian background so thats is where my last name comes from. I don't like to have to explain that to every person that asks,but they just can't leave it alone.

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  8. LOVE this blog. Absolutely gave me chills. --- Nards

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