Two of a Kind

Just last week, my friends and I were watching a few episodes of the television show, Modern Family on Netflix. Secretly, I had always considered Sofia Vergara as one of my favorite characters on the show. Why? Well that's easy- she reminds me TOO much of my own mother. From the things she says, to her "spanglish" vocabulary, my mom and her would get along very well. Apparently, I am not the only one who thinks this. My friends also have the same opinion. During every show, they can't help but crack up at the things she says. They follow their laughs with statements like, "Wow, she sounds just like you're mom!" "What would your mom have done in the same situation?" One of the things that makes me laugh the most is that they have basically the same exact accent. I think that's why I can relate to that family so well. Both moms (my mom and Vergara) are hot Latina mothers who have accents and a very strong personality. Don't let their looks fool you- they're some very opinionated women! If you have never seen this show, I would recommend watching at least one episode. Not only is it hilarious, but you will actually get a little taste of what it feels like to be married to a Latina or have a Latina as a mother. Right there, during this thirty minute sitcom, you will already be able to tell the difference between a white family and a Latino family. The differences are endless! Check it out!

Preparations for Halloween

So, as many of you know Halloween is coming up and I am pretty excited. In my family, we celebrate every holiday- even if they aren't celebrated in the United States. My brother called me last night (a little way too excited) and told me that we should carve some pumpkins. Obviously this sounded like a great idea. But hold on wait, remember that I'm Cuban? So this won't be an ordinary pumpkin carving session. This is what will happen. Now, everybody we know is invited to our house. My dad already went out and bought a million (not exaggerating) pumpkins, Grandpa Pipo has already started making the mojito mix, and my mom well, has her own take on Pumpkin pie. Flan is a very popular dish in Latin American countries. Although every culture makes it a little differently it is a universal dish between Latinos. My mom is pretty creative and doesn't let anything slip away. What does mom do for Halloween? Not pumpkin pie, but yes, pumpkin flan! It is one of THE most amazing things I have ever eaten. "Flan de calabaza" is what we call it.
See guys, this is what I'm saying. Cubans never let an opportunity slip away to educate others about their culture and the fact that yes, pumpkin flan is better than pumpkin pie. So, at our pumpkin carving party not only will we have a lot of fun people, but Mojitos (virgin for the kids), pumpkin flan, and a lot of pumpkins. Oh yea, I forgot to mention the fact that my mom has already began cooking for this event. What is she making? I have no idea- but I will definitely keep you all posted!

A surprise in life!

Hey guys! Quick blog entry today! I was just informed that some of my family will be coming to visit me from Miami! They had arrived in the states not too long ago. Just a couple of months, actually. Although they are still in complete culture shock and have no idea what is going on, I am excited for them to come and visit. Trust me when I say, Miami and California are two extremely different places. I'm excited to show them around and take them to places like San Francisco and even show them my own school. This should be exciting. I'll keep you guys posted. My mom has already started planning all of the meals for when they are here. Like I told you guys, meals are a very important part of our culture. Grandpa has already bargained with the meat butchers at the supermarket to give him a cheaper price for all of the meat we are buying. Vegetarian in a Cuban family? Yeah, right!

Dos Vidas?

Many people say that when we come to a country like this, we try our best to assimilate. I couldn't agree with that statement more, especially because I see it in my own family. My mother was born with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and olive colored skin. Although she is a very petite woman, she could actually kick your ass in a matter of seconds. Trust me on this one. My parents came from Cuba with literally nothing in hand. They have worked very hard and are proud parents not only because of what they have accomplished during their own lives, but also because they are very proud of their own children. As I have stated in another blog, my mom likes to hangout with the well, "higher end" people who live on our block. See, we live in a beautiful little old town by the name of Alameda. Due to my parents' sacrifices, we live in one of the best parts in town in a well-known craftsman home. But like my mom always says, "People don't have to know our lives inside of the home, outside." I find it HILARIOUS actually. Mom dresses in these 54395043904 dollar dresses, gets her hair done, makeup done, (she's blonde now by the way) and goes out and has a wonderful time laughing over wine and dinners pretending she has the slightest interest in what everyone is talking about. One of the things I've learned and appreciated from my mom and dad is in life, in order to succeed, you must get together and hangout with people who are actually going to get you somewhere in life. You learn from them, they learn from you, but in the end, never, ever lose who you really are.
My mom comes home and takes that dress and heels off quicker than I can ask her, "How did it go?" Before I know it, she is already in her yoga pants and t-shirt. She looks at me and just laughs. "They talked about this french restaurant. We ate salad that they barely touched, and next week they want to go look at flower arrangements." We both laugh and mom makes herself a big old plate of anything she can whip up. (Cuban, of course.)
Everyday I continue to ask her- "Mom, why are you hanging out with these people?"
Her answer never fails. "You see, they're my friends. I learn from them, and they learn from me. I mean come on, when did you think Rosanne was going to be able to boil a good old plate of black beans in her life. They keep me going and allow me to strive. They allow me to dream. We came to this country to get somewhere, to make you and your brother succeed. It's okay to have multiple groups of friends. That's what I have and I wouldn't want it any other way."

#MojitoLife

Just for the record everybody, there is ONE type of mojito. Ahhh yes, this drink originated in Cuba. Don't let anyone fool you. My family likes to go out to eat a lot. Eating together is one of our traditions. During one of these instances, my grandfather asked the waiter for a Mojito. The waiter responded with," What kind would you like?" My grandpa stared at him for a minute...actually we all did. "What do you mean what kind? The only kind there is." Yes it is true. Restaurants have now come up with a million types of mojitos. Rum, Tequila, melon, strawberry, pomegranate, mango. No, no, no! Although they are very delicious, there is only one type. The one and only original mojito. Ladies and gentleman, let me assist you. To make a mojito you need: Fresh mint, Rum, Limeade (the ones that come in the frozen juice cans), ice, sugar, and fresh cut lime. Man, I made a few of these this past weekend and everybody LOVED them! So please, educate yourselves. When you are at a restaurant or look up on google, "How to make a mojito" don't let them fool you. There are no such things as mojitos of other flavors. Back to the story, the waiter was confused. Knowing my grandpa, he asked the young man to sit down for a second so he could educate him. He started his story with, "See, when I came from Cuba..." We all looked at each other and just laughed. I was only thinking of the fact that I wanted to order my food! I was starving. After about a 15 minute chat with good old Grandpa Pipo, the waiter was pleased to say that he learned something new that day and continued to go about taking our orders. Oh, and one more thing. Don't forget to serve that mojito with a fresh piece of sugar cane. That will add the finishing touch.

A little introduction

When I say, "Cubans think there are two kinds of people in this world" I'm not lying. There are Cubans and the rest of the world. Growing up, I have experienced and lived through many high points and low points in my life. But one of the things that always keeps me going is the fact that I know for a fact that I'm different and can handle my situations based on how I have been raised. My friend groups are pretty diverse. In fact, in high school, my best friends all came from different races and cultures. It was fun to hear about all of their family stories and customs. But they always wanted to hear about my family, about my weekends and the crazy shenanigans that always went down at the Ramos house. It's usually the same kind of thing, yet so different at the same time. Let me start by introducing my family. Well, my immediate family because I could go on forever if I wrote about my whole family. I'll start off with Grandpa Pipo: the cutest and most entertaining old man you'll ever meet. Yes, he has heart problems and yes, he has high cholesterol. His motto for life, " I'm still alive right? Smoking a Cuban cigar everyday and eating the way I like makes me happy. The hell with the rest. The day I die, is the day God wants me to smoke one up there with him." This man is well known by my entire hometown. Not only is he adorable, but he knows how to handle any kind of situation. His family is his main priority. That's a fact.
My mom is a whole different story. She lives two different lives. One outside of the home where she is very calm and collective, well put together and well spoken. Her friends consist of many women who are around her age, but only see this one side. Sandra Ramos is one hell of a lady. She comes home from her 8 hour work day and gets to work. She takes off her makeup, heels, and nice clothing and changes into her workout gear. She whips out a mean dinner (Cuban of course) and calls all relatives from Miami to talk shit and gossip about the women she is friends with but cannot actually stand! My mom is a very unique character. I'll get into that more later. Blonde hair (dyed because obviously no Cuban has naturally blonde hair) and blue eyed with olive skin, my mom also stands out in a crowd. Her opinion and voice are always heard, even in her heavy Latina accent. " You have to show them who is boss. See, we live two lives, Lissette. One in the home and one outside. No one needs to know our private life because if they did, they'd call us crazy!" I cannot tell you how much I love this woman.
Then, theres my dad. Good old dad. He's a little more down to earth and keeps my mom sane. THANK GOD. Dad tries to act cool, like he actually knows whats up with the common culture. My older brother and I taught him how to text...So now, he thinks he is even cooler. Dad makes a mean Mojito...or two..or three if you're like me. Dad likes to show the world more of our real side, but mom thinks it should be more private. Words cannot describe how thankful I am for having someone like this in my life. It's like God planned it.
Oh, yeah. Then there's my brother, or my best friend, I should say. My older brother is currently studying to be a neuropsychologist (I have no idea how to even spell that). He's kind of like the star child. I'm proud of him for that, especially because WE balance each other out. Although he is more of an introvert and I am an extrovert, it works. Our talks and hangout times are amazing. Especially because half of them consist of the events that happened at dinner or the fact that some of our moms friends have NO idea how our family actually is. Well, the truth is we are loud, happy, we LOVE to cook good food, we talk over one another, we argue, we cry, we laugh, we dance, and listen to loud music. Our customs and daily routines are one of a kind. I mean seriously..who roasts a pig in a cement box shipped from Cuba for Christmas Eve? Or has "the normal thanksgiving food on thanksgiving." We celebrate it the Cuban way- with Cuban food and yes, we have a turkey. But this turkey weighs like 45390453 pounds and contains stuffing of all types of meats that have marinated and prepared by my mom. I could go on forever, but that's all for now! Stay tuned!

Welcome to "A Little Taste of Cuba"

Ever since I can remember, I have been different than my friends. My first day of school was an experience I will never forget... What I mean is that I was born and raised in a Cuban household. Every step of my life has been completely different than those of my friends. And although Cubans are part of the Latino community, I can almost swear that we stand out for numerous reasons. Cubans think this and nothing else: There are Cubans, and the rest of the human race. Fortunately, I have no problem with this. My friends come over to my house to spend time with me but ALSO to spend time with my loud, crazy family. There is never a moment of silence in our house, and when there is, it usually is because my mom made everybody shut up because "The Real Housewives of Miami" was on TV or the news was giving a story about Cuba. Usually when this happens, everyone's ears perk up hoping that Castro has finally taken his last breath. "Lissette, Did he die yet!?" "The day he dies is when I'll get my ass back to Cuba." These kinds of comments never fail, especially during dinner, which is in fact one of the most sacred times in our house. I welcome you to my blog, where I will be sharing my experiences about living in a Cuban household and how I can assure you, we truly are different from everyone else. Open your mind to what it feels like to live with Sabor.