global212

It was back to Guerrero, reconnecting and connecting past, present and future NYC migrants. While Tlapa is the commercial center, most are from the surrounding small towns, with Mixteco speakers concentrated in the southeastern part of the state that borders Oaxaca. While in San Juan Mixtepec the cars had license plates from a dozen or so US states and in Nieves, all were from California, mostly San Diego. (There was one Alabama plate, but he must have been the town rebel...) Most Tlapanecos are concentrated in New York City, but the signifiers do not come from the license plates on the streets since, like most NYC dwellers, most do not drive. They are found on the signs, in the money exchange places or in other businesses. The local watering hole on the zocolo, Bar 103, is named after 103rd Street, where the owner lived for six years in New York.
While I certainly do not feel like I am fluent in this language, I certainly have a better idea of the grammatical structure and as always, when you learn a language, you learn more about the culture, which will help in connecting with this somewhat invisible community that is marginalized not only in Mexico, but within the Mexican community in NYC. Many Mixteco speakers are right in my backyard in the 90's/100's streets on the Upper West Side or in East Harlem, so there will be no excuse not to practice - although the variety I was learning is a bit different from the Guerrero variety, undoubtedly setting me up for some intercultural faux pas.