Most Incoherent and Shameful Things I Have Heard in my Travels

Updated March 17, 2014

 

Actually, I am not sure what my feelings while writing this post were.  At some moments, I laughed remembering the exact moments and the reactions of people.  Other times, I was pretty bummed to discover the things that can get out of people’s mouths.

Today, I am writing about the most incoherent and shameful things I have heard during my travels.  Some are bizarre, some are disgraceful and some are plainly stupid (ufffff).

This is not fiction.  I know it is hard to believe adults pronounce words like the ones below but I am not making up anything.  And that is not the worst.  The most horrific part is that one person is responsible for three of these comments. Plus, the comments were made in the same trip.

So, go ahead and enjoy the incoherent, the shameful, the weird.

Let’s start with the ones related to Puerto Rico.  Yes, my poor island has had to endure multiple insults from different human beings around the world.  Every time I travel, people ask for my country of origin.  When I say I am from Puerto Rico, I am prepared to hear back all sort of incomprehensible comments.

1. Person: You are from Costa Rica, right?

Me: No, I am from Puerto Rico

Person: Are those different countries? Really?

 

2. Are there TVs in Puerto Rico?

 

3. Wow, I can’t believe there are local TV stations in Puerto Rico.

 

4. In what part of Africa is Puerto Rico located (a teacher asked me this)?

 

5. Person: Do you know how to swim?

Me: No

Person: But, you are from Puerto Rico.

Me: And?

Person: What if an earthquake breaks the island in multiple pieces and you have to swim for your life?

 

6. Person: Do newspapers exist in Puerto Rico?

Me: Yes.

Person: In Spanish?

Me: Yes

Person: What a nightmare!

 

My husband is from El Salvador.  That is another country that doesn’t get a lot of love.

7. Person: Where are you from?

Husband: From El Salvador

Person: What the hell is that?

 

8. Person: Where are you from?

Husband: From El Salvador.

Person: In what part of Mexico is that located?

 

The attacks towards my family do not end there.  I also have problems explaining where my mom lives.

9. Person: Are your family still living in Puerto Rico?

Me: Most of it.  My sister lives in New York and my mom in Pennsylvania.

Person: I imagine your mom lives in a constant state of fear.

Me: Why is that?

Person: That is the place where vampires roam free.

Me: She lives in Pennsylvania not Transylvania! (Anyway, aren’t vampires supposed to be fictitious?      This was just too much.)

 

This is an odd one.  Not sure what was the point.

10. Do you know what a turkey is?  Because you cannot celebrate Thanksgiving Day without a turkey.

 

Some people have serious prejudices.

11. “I already saw the best of Central America.  I don’t have a desire of returning there.”  This person said this after spending 4 days in Costa Rica.

 

Some are just plainly offensive.

12. “The kids in this country play the most stupid and nonsense games I have ever seen.”

 

13. “I have noticed the women in this country are uglier than the Miss Universe contestants.”

 

14. “The Buddha seemed to be a really poor person.  He never wears shoes on his statues or pictures.”

 

15. Person visiting country x: Women in this country are so old fashioned and dress horribly.

Local from country x: Hey, my wife is from this country.

Person visiting country x: That is why I am saying it.

 

16. Person asking a question to a tour guide:  Have you been to the United States?

Guide: No, never.

Person: What a loser.

 

I don’t know how to describe the following group.

17. A person asked me once: “Does quesadillas contain cheese?” I tried hard not to faint and answered: “Yes”.  She didn’t believe me and asked the same question to a waiter.  He looked at her and just said: “Excuse me”.  By the way, queso (Spanish for cheese) and quesadilla.  Do you get it?

 

18. In London, I overheard the conversation of some girls.  They were discussing how to spend their money.  Some wanted to spend it on drinks, others wanted to ride the London Eye.

Person 1: I think we should go to a bar.

Person 2: I think is better to ride the London Eye during sunset.

Person 3: Listen gals, we can drink anywhere in the world but maybe this is the only opportunity we will have to ride the London Eye.

All of them: AHHHHH!!!!!

 

19. One day, I took some friends, visiting from another state, to San Diego.  Our hotel was located really close to the border.  While driving to the hotel, I told my friends: “Do you see that hill in front of us? That Mexico already”.  It was about 8:00 p.m. and the hill was visible because of all the house and street lights.  One of my friends said: “I would have never guessed it.  I didn’t know there was electricity in Mexico.”

 

And, chan, chan, chan, chan: the worst one.

20. Person: I didn’t know El Salvador was part of California

Me: What?

Person: Everywhere I look, it says El Salvador, CA.

Me: C.A. stands for Central America (not California)

I know, I know this is not good.  C’mon, you have experienced similar comments.  At least once.  Let me know in the comments area below the most incoherent and shameful things you have heard while traveling.  Let’s see if you can top mine.