Boricua in Texas

Once upon a time, a long time ago when I thought I would grow up to be someone important, I wrote a few short stories. Two of them got published in a book in the mid nineties. My claim to fame is that one of those stories was picked up to be used on a school text book back home. Not that I got much from it, really. A check for $300 about 4 years ago, I think.

Anyway, around the time that my stories were first published, someone tried to interview me. I can't remember who it was or in what context. Those years of my life are kind of a blur. All I remember is someone asked me a question about my voice and whom I represent. And I said I am not speaking for anybody but myself, a middle class female Puerto Rican of a certain age group and educational background. I would never presume that my voice or my writing is all-encompassing and representative of all Puerto Ricans. I can only write/speak from my circumstance. I can only write as Ingrid and for Ingrid, even when I am writing about the world beyond the tip of my nose.

I recall that interview often, when I think about my blog. Lots of people find their way into my blog by looking for the word "boricua" on the web. Some of them are searching for boricuas in Texas. I often wonder if these visitors are disappointed with what they find. I am not keeping a shrine to all things boricua. I am not selling tchotkes with coquíes or Puerto Rican flags in them. I am not usually talking about the latest celebrity scandal on the island. I am neither idolizing, nor am I bashing Americans. And I deliberately choose not to write about partisan politics. In short, I am very much a boricua female (and damn proud of it), but I may not be what they expect.

I do often allude to my native Puerto Rico and some of the cultural aspects that I miss the most. But overall, this blog is very personal in its scope. I write about my life, about what catches my fancy. I write about my family and the trials and triumphs that we go through. Mostly, I use the blog to chart the evolution of my mood, as someone who is prone to depression. However, lately I have been a bit reticent to open up online. Some things just need to be kept offline.