Oprima el numero dos

I have an issue. And it's probably a common issue around these parts, probably in a lot of parts of the US. But the reason it is an issue for me is probably not the popular reason for the masses around here. My issue? Why is everything in English and Spanish?

I was reading ol' Mexico Way's recent post concerning her culture shock up north there, and one of the things she mentions is that as of this moment the packaging on products for which she is shopping is all written in English (and French, because, you know, it's Canada and all that), and it confuses her somewhat due to the fact that for the last five or so years she has been shopping, she has been in Mexico. She's looking for the Spanish, because she's used to it, and sometimes you run into words that in English are one thing but in Spanish are another (example: Hay). So I thought I would give you my perspective, being as how I haven't lived full time in Mexico in like 2 1/2 years (well, 9 months really, but let's just pretend last year's 3 month "break" never happened, shall we?).

I was at the Target the other night with that Marsha, mostly because I haven't darkened the Target's doorstep in months, and whenever I am there I pretty much search for things I just might need to stock up on. Most of my time is spent in Health & Beauty Aids, just because it's there that you find stuff you should stock up on, right? So anyway, I was looking for some Pantene Shampoo + Conditioner (I spend exhorbitant amounts of money on my shampoo and conditioner, but my hair is weird - it needs shaking up in the week. So if I use the same shampoo and conditioner every day, it gets lax, weak, flat. I have three different brands in my shower right now, and I alternate. I use the shampoo + conditioner all-in-one situation perhaps twice a week. Now get off my back.) because I am just about out of it at home.

When I found the Pantene section (Target has like 2 full aisles of shampoo and conditioner - talk about choices), I searched for the all-in-one, and while reading the labels, I found that they are in English and Spanish. Same font, right there on the bottle. In a throw back to my time in Cancun, my eyes will automatically hit straight on the Spanish - I don't know why. It's the same for every product, instruction manual, whatever. I have to make a conscious effort to avert my eyes to the English. And I realized something. When I first moved to Cancun and needed shampoo, I had a somewhat difficult time finding the right kind for my hair. Yes they sold same and similar brands (Pantene was one), but the labels are not in English at all. So I had to figure out, in my limited, just-moved-to-the-country-and-not-quite-aware-of-all-vocabulary Spanish, what the heck these things meant. Liso and Sedoso stuck out. I asked Laura, my neighbor who drove me around and pretty much made my transition a smooth one, and even she didn't know. I found myself reading the back and trying to find familiar words that might lead me in the direction of what exactly this particular shampoo was all about. It was trial and error, and eventually, I figured it out.

So now, here in the Target, and the Fred Meyer, the Haggen and the Safeway and the Albertsons, just about every package out there is in English and Spanish - frozen foods give you cooking direction in both languages, body lotion, hairspray, Raid, Drano. Name it. If you don't have any English but you have plenty of Spanish, you will not find yourself lingering for any particularly long period of time trying to figure out what "daily hidration" means in your native tongue.

I'm not bitter that they are in both languages because I think we are catering to the illegals (which is I am sure why other people are - I mean, if every single person from south of the border came up here legally, it wouldn't be an issue to the US, would it?). I'm bitter that they are in both languages because I certainly didn't have that luxury when I moved down there. If I had to call Cablemas or CFE I couldn't oprima el numero dos for English. I had to suck it up and wonder why the hell I didn't have internet or TV or why my electric bill went through the roof when my a/c had broken and the power was out for 3/4 of the billing cycle.

I'm all for being nice and considerate and all that, but isn't there some kind of line? I mean, you have people protesting the illegals and patrolling the borders, but the US just keeps on making it easier - the services we provide like healthcare and all that, and now this labeling. If you want English to remain the primary language of the United States, make people learn it. I had to learn the primary language of the country I moved to, why shouldn't they?

And what about the Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, whatever. What about them? They don't get any help with the language? What's that about?

So all I am saying is that part of the challenges of living in a foreign country are acclimating to their cultures, and it really does enrich the experience and make the immigrant a stronger individual. Which means that the US clearly would rather the Spanish speaking immigrants just be more comfortable here. Comfort is good, but so is learning how to live in the country you choose