Let's face it — we Latinos are a bit different from other people in many aspects. From the type of food we eat to the way we express ourselves, Latinos are very unique in their culture. One of the many things we do differently is how we hang out. "What do you mean," you might say? Well, I'm glad you asked!
Here we have compiled a small list of some of the things you should expect when hanging out with Latinos that you might not be used to. Let us begin:
1. We are loud.
"I'm not yelling, this is my normal voice." We Latinos are known for not being the quietest people; we talk a lot, we like to have conversations, we love to share and hear stories and experiences that have happened to us, and we enjoy expressing ourselves. Normally, this results in loudness as a side effect.
2. Expect there to be music.
Blood tests will show traces of salsa and merengue in our veins. Whether it's in salsa, bachata, reggaeton, hip-hop, jazz, or ballroom, the rhythm flows through us and we have to express it. Music is a way of expressing ourselves - a distraction, a comfort, and a way of having a good time.
3. Anything is a good excuse to hang out.
Literally anything, guys - we really like to hang out. Hanging out isn't just to party or do something big, but it can be a long visit to someone's house, or go out for pizza, etc. Latinos are very social people. We are family- and relationship-oriented, and we look for any excuse to exercise that love for our friends and family. When we say, "we should hang out", we actually mean it.
4. We will most likely be late.
It's a Latino thing; nothing personal, I promise. We like to be fashionably late. We don't like to be the first ones there awkwardly waiting for everyone else to show up, nor do we like to be the guy who shows up when everything is about to end. Most of the time, we Latinos will arrive late enough for most people to notice they are there and can make an entrance.
5. People will bring food.
If you invite us over to your house, don't expect us to show up empty-handed. Whether it is for lunch, dinner, or just to hang out, we'll bring food to share with you and the family. No food, no party.
6. We like to talk about where we're from.
We love home. Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, or wherever, most of us love where we are from and if you ask us anything about our country we'd be glad to say it. Most of us, even if we don't show it all the time, want to go home. We like where we are from and grew up, and we miss it. Sharing that with other people who are genuinely interested is a great thing.
7. Be ready to improvise.
Whether it's going to the movies on a Wednesday, driving up to someone's house out-of-the-blue, or calling someone up to go hang out in five minutes, we Latinos like to be spontaneous and improvise.
8. You're gonna learn some Spanish.
Sometimes a few Spanish words will slip out, but can you blame us? With so many words in Spanish that don't translate well to English, it's easier to teach you the words and have you meet us halfway. If you are genuinely interested and you want to, you can learn enough Spanish to at least last a week on your own in Latin America.
