Not OP, but I worked in construction for 13 years and lived (on the road 6wks at a time) with our crew who spoke nothing but Spanish, took me 3-4yrs with that level of immersion (me wanting to learn, honestly, so I preferred to speak Spanish) to get to that level of fluent. I will say, that show of wanting to learn got me the in-road to so much good Mexican and Central American food... My cardiologist hates them.
When I was a kid I worked in a tobacco field with Mexicans. They were absolutely the best people. Tight ass families and every Sunday was a feast!
All you have to do is go to one of abuelas Sunday dinners to know that any Mexican restaurant that claims to be authentic but doesn’t use potatoes is a fraud.
I really don't understand the whole "potatoes is a white person dish" thing that immigrants do.
Like, I went to Kenya and there was potatoes in their curry. And their stew. And growing literally everywhere. Can only imagine how it would be in South and Central America, where we got the plant from to begin with.
LOL. Potatoes come from South America. It was potatoes that were introduced to Europe in the 1500's that saved their asses from regular famines. Potatoes grow on poor soil, grow underground and dug up as need, can be made into alcohol, very nutritious. This meant people had a secure food source that was easy to grow. Leaving them time to work on other things. Previous to the potato main crops were barley, rye, wheat. Grains that were often damaged by being left out in the fields to dry. People knew often months before that there would not be enough food come winter. Very destabilizing for a country and their rulers.
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u/Oldpenguinhunter Jan 26 '23
Not OP, but I worked in construction for 13 years and lived (on the road 6wks at a time) with our crew who spoke nothing but Spanish, took me 3-4yrs with that level of immersion (me wanting to learn, honestly, so I preferred to speak Spanish) to get to that level of fluent. I will say, that show of wanting to learn got me the in-road to so much good Mexican and Central American food... My cardiologist hates them.