VIEWS january 2002 OITN ° 9 QUEER The Christmas that , Comes to the Door BY MICHAEL ALVEAR I was 9 years old when I experienced my first American Christmas. I was at a loss to describe my "° reaction because my English wasn’t very good. When I became completely fluent I realized the word I was looking for was “bummer.” ' ’ That’s because I had the disadvantage "of experienc- , ing eight Latino Christmases before celebrating my I ninth with an Anglo one. " ' A Latino Christmas is a wonder to behold. If American families are nuclear then karma \Kar"ma\ n_ [$kr_] (Buddhism) []ne's acts considered , Latino families are e1ectro—magnetic, pulling every relative, no matter how distant," asfixing oneis lot in thefuture existenm into their orbit. ‘ Latin children are constantly surrounded by explosively extended families -— grandparents who live downstairs, cousins who live across the street, uncles who live to see you. It's a cauldron of love and excitement that few American children experience. Especially at Christmas. ' ' My father is South American, my mother American. Hisside of the family out- numbered my mother’s side by a factor of 10 to one. ' N E \ _ For the first eight years of my life we lived in Quito, Ecuador, a country with T inflation rates so high banks routinely advertise 33% interest rates on passbook savings accounts. I " But_ what Quito lacked in financial stability it made up for in familial warmth. thursday januai-y My Ecuadorian family was big, loud, and boisterous. It seemed like there wasn’t a ' " ' grandparent or‘ aunt who lived more than a few blocks away. Cousins were best friends and meals were at least a twelve—seat affair, with someone always yapping at me for drinking up all the Coca Cola. ' Past, Present, and Future Volunteers! Come and talk with us about what interests"you, and find out about volunteer opportunities at . . the Center. Or, just swing by and check out the newly remodeled In America, my family was small and spread out on both coasts. I— saw my 7 . . . . . . . cousins every couple of years, and my Mom always had to remind m.e of their R'u'1'2' Headquarters m the w'_ng Bfuldmg 0." the Burlmgmn B'ke'mh' names. , A _ ' Refreshments sewed. Ball for directions. I experienced my first American Christmas the year my parents divorced. Mom packed us up and we moved from Ecuador forgood, settling smack dab in the (Nut a Buddhist? Earn extra points to get into heaven!) /7 V international Mason—vDixon Line: Miami. g I V 9 802_é60.Ru12 _. community l . .. . .. v If American families are nuclear then Latino families are“ ' ' 3 electro-magnetic, pulling every relative, no matter how dis- tant, into their orbit. It was odd sitting around the tree with just my immediate family. In Ecuador, L 1 the doorbell would constantly ring with this part of the family or that, with this. C Tolemn cousin’s friend or that uncle’s uncle. When it rang my sisters shrieked with‘excite- mote about , ment while my brother and I rubbed our hands together. I —-————- _ l The doorbell meant only one thing: More presents. E ' HIV testing ' Bod)’ Pamflng In America, nobody rang our doorbell. Confused, my brother turned to me and <1: - Henna Tattoos , _ _ , - Benefits of said “Donde esta toda la gente?” (“Where is ‘everyone?”). That_year “Feliz Navidad” 1: knowin our “ turned into “Merry Christmas.” The sentiment was the same, but the volume on the 8 HIV SW9“; 1’ stereo wasn’t. . ‘ _ g I A G I I missed my Latin family terribly and wanted to go back. I remember thinking C]_ o'|'req|mem, “V5 %‘Pi_(",8% 3, “Y para que valen todos estos_regalos si no se los podemos mostrar a nadie?” (/34 5“ on and lo , (“What good are all these presents if there isn’t anybody to show them to?”) Q coflsseiing it I was thirty years old before I set foot in Ecuador again. When I passed through :1: options customs and saw what was waiting for me, I couldn’t help but think of all the 2 Christmases I celebrated as an Ecuadorian kid. II: v For more info: I There by the gate, waiting for 'me, wasn’t just the uncle who was supposed to (alive,-mom 8o2_4_79_7925 pick me up, but eight other cousins, aunts and nephews. Alps H°fline_ artbyrenee@aoLCom I laughed out loud at the sight of such a huge welcome. In America, my family would have helpfully suggested I take a cab. I am part American and part Ecuadorian. I guess I’m bi-countried. Meaning, I’m I-800-882-AIDS l attracted to presents from both continents. dcribb/e6LZ\_ ~i The ones under American trees are better. They’re bigger, shinier and the brag PYR!5fiflID » I" it factor is higher. “What’d you get me?” is the most important question in a child’s ‘ We offgrafine selection ofweclcling life, and no one answers it better than this country. » B{—)(}K-:3 sn‘1°iVi_11‘1“i°“i“Vi*3ti°“5a“d But every January my American friends and family suffer from Post Traumatic ‘ ’ 50°“ a““°““°e‘“"“t5' Mall Syndrome, a condition caused by the profound belief that shopping for the « "-.._v;..........._. Ourlmowledgeable and friendly right gift is more important than sharing yourself with the right people. staffis readYt° assist You “dill I can’t recall a single gift I received as a child, from either continent. What I Al-“L[huk§RA1F svsgéaspsst Otyour , . ,. ' g erisemlole. remember is every uncle and aunt and cousin who showed up at the door. , _ _ [1 _ A we 1" ' Bgflwilersifi . /u Scribbles talee you from 1: ii: at iéidil M: ‘mt smirk-a-.:a engagement announcements to §i2«rii«:i:i-itiiltiiiieiiviirvn tiizr. thank you noies with no detail left unattended. 96 C/Jurc/J cslreet‘ (Bur/1’/zglon. ‘verrnonl . G302) <3a342oo4- ‘Fax (609) <3d3~9006 -~- —-—~- -» -- --—-—— -»-~—~~-~e-‘-«~- -- 7- .-—g—mai’/.sc;[;l7/.so:‘@ao/.com. -.’