It's Hispanic Heritage Month. For all of my life that's meant nothing, just a time for me to write reports on famous hispanic people. But since moving from Miami to Orlando for school, Hispanic Heritage Month makes me feel so proud. It makes me want to celebrate.

I was raised in Hialeah, which is a predominately Cuban area (basically everyone) I was just another Cuban. Being half Puerto-Rican was the most obscure thing about my background in Miami. Although I love my Puerto-Rican side, I was more raised in the "Cuban way" because most of my Puerto-Rican family doesn't live in Miami. Now in Orlando, and more specifically UCF, I realize how much of a minority I actually am.

I realize how little people know about my background. Little idiosyncrasies that I have that people don't understand.

My non-hispanic friends don't understand why I go home so often. They don't understand why my entire extended family had to come up with me to help me move in. Although my family raised with me the ideology that I should leave Miami for college, other hispanic kids can tell you how difficult it is to leave our family. Most of my friends in Miami weren't allowed to leave for college, yes, allowed. I know people may think "they're adults, they can do what they want!" Not in a Cuban household. Just because you're 18 doesn't make you an adult.

Besides that, they don't want you to leave. Hispanic moms love taking care of their kids well into adulthood. Abuelos and Abuelas (grandpas and grandmas) want to spoil you until they can spoil your kids, and even then they'll just spoil both of you. My other friends don't understand why coffee doesn't get me hyper. I was raised on Cuban coffee, I'm basically immune to caffeine at this point.

While being up here, I yearn for Cuban food constantly. I miss a well made pan con bistec (steak sandwich) or frita (just look it up, trust me). I go out and I hope that the DJ will play some salsa music, knowing well that no one can dance it with me. I miss my people. Going away has made me more Cuban than ever.

I have become more proud of my background than I ever have been. I just want to take my non-hispanic friends to Cuban restaurants, Latin nights at clubs, and eventually to Hialeah.

I know my friends would never understand what is so great about Hialeah. From an outside perspective its not a pretty city, it looks rundown and let's not even start on the drivers. But to anyone from Hialeah, it's beautiful. Our families are all ten minutes away from us, we can find cafeterias within walking distance serving the best coffee and pastries, and are surrounded by the culture. Everyone speaks Spanish, and a very particular type.

I can see how it can be off-putting to some, but to me it's home. And I'm beyond proud to say it is.