The El Salvador Gringo

I came across a new blog recently which focuses on El Salvador. It's called The El Salvador Gringo and has posts which focus on information for gringos traveling to El Salvador. According to the blog:
The El Salvador Gringo is a frequent visitor to Central and South America. Watch this site for the latest in rumors, news and the latest hotspots in one of the fastest growing Central American countries.

Recent posts have included residence permits, hotel and restaurant recommendations, places to visit, and local customs. The blog is part of a "Gringo" network of related blogs covering several countries in Latin America.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The word "gringo" has interesting connotations in Latin America. Often times, it is seen as a pejorative, denoting disapproval or even disdain for the subject -- persons of U.S. background. In essesence, U.S. citizens are perceived as self-centered and oblivious to the rest of the continent. Even the way we refer to ourselves as "Americans" -- as though we are the only inhabitants of the entire continent -- is irksome to some Latin Americans, who use "gringo" as the substitute designation. Others use "gringo" with no intention to defame or even praise whatsoever: they simply think it's a judgment-neutral, albeit informal, term for U.S. citizens (the way that some people used to call Asians "Orientals").

The origin of the word is unclear. Some think it comes from the words "green grow" or "green coats," referring to U.S. soldiers stationed in Latin American countries. But, the term does not refer exclusively to U.S. citizens. Ironically, in Argentina, they call country folk and farmers "gringos" because historically, Italian immigrants went into rural areas and agricultural activities. In El Salvador, "gringo" is used both disparagingly and benignly. Although when U.S. citizens call themselves "gringoes," it is seen as self-effacing and thus graceful.
6:16 PM
Unknown said…
Oh thanks! I'll be looking at that blog too :)
6:33 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi, I wanted to say, I did a terrible thing the other day to the local group of guys that constantly harrass me when i walked by, I yelled and threatend them. In my awful Spanish, standing in mud, I asked stupidly and said, ¨What is your name, and I am scared of any of you. Boys. Boys are what you are. ¨ And left. They sit in front of my house, normally, leaving garbage and a trail of insults to me when I have to go to the store. I have been quiet for the 2 months i have been here, the locals, who are so nice to me will not do anything about it, of course I don´t expect them to, I am a gringa, and although I may look like latinamerican( i am part Ecuadorian,) I am still from estados, and no help ever comes my way. After defending myself, I guess you can call it that, very stupid of me, these local teenage girls started to crack up laughing, of course it is the Salvadorian nervousness, I am use to this, but I grabbed one of the girls and asked in Spanish, What are you laughing at! Tell me what!¨ and in typical Salvadorian fashion, backed off, not confrontational at all. I did this in front of the main street, in front of a lot of people.I lost my cool, and I feel like an idiot, the gringa I am. Now the whole town is gossipping about me, because there is nothing else going on around here. Will this pass . Will the men look for me when I am alone, I am stupid.
11:55 AM
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