1. "Go back to where you came from."

Well, with a big family like mine, an eight-hour drive to St. Louis, Missouri, takes a lot of planning. Which is really sad, because I miss toasted ravioli and Ted Drew's.

2. "What are you?"

Human, a girl, a sister, a daughter, a girlfriend, a writer. Oh, and Mexican-American. That too, I guess.

3. "You can speak Spanish? Say something right now!"

No, gracias.

4. *Looks at my last name*: "Oh, I have a friend who speaks Spanish too!"

This is how people look in my head when they tell me this.

The worst experience I had with this was on a school trip. I was checking into the hotel, and my teacher noticed the man at the front desk's name tag and said to him, "Oh, Anna speaks Spanish too, you should talk to each other!" Oh, the pained look on mine and Jose's faces.

5. "Why does your food smell like that?"

Because my mom knows how to cook exceptionally well, that's why. And no, I'm not sharing.

6.  "Umm, I can't understand your mom."

Yes, my mother has an accent. You know that, I know that, she knows that. But so Shakira has an accent too, and everyone loves her!

7. "Where were you born?"

Well, part of having birthright citizenship includes being born in the United States of America.

8. "Are you sure?"

Yes, I'm sure. Hey, where were you born?

9. "You don't look Latina."

I'm sorry, I didn't fill in my brows, and I left my hoops and brown lipstick at home! But seriously, not all Latina women look alike, and it's statements like this that make second-generation Americans so insecure.

10. "How did your parents get here?"

If you ask my dad, he'll tell you he trudged through rivers, deserts, and snow with nothing but the clothes on his back. If you ask my mom, she'll tell you they came here on a plane.

11. "Are your parents citizens?"

This question doesn't bother me as much now that they are, but the worst feeling a kid could have is when you answer no but rush to ensure that they came here legally, yet still be filled with fear that something could happen to them.

12.  "Which country do you like best?"

I've only lived in one country, but the social and political divisions of today have made me think about what life in other countries would be like. But if you are making me choose a favorite, I choose Switzerland. Neutrality and chocolate.