Sup, man, said Rico Vega, joining me in the back of Spanish class. 'Sup, I answered. How can they let you take Spanish when that's what you speak half the damn time? Why they let a bunch of gueros take English? You gringos gotta be stupid if you ain't got it down in eighteen years.
In this excerpt from "Pushing the Limits" by Katie McGarry, Rico Vega humorously questions the irony of language classes, highlighting a scenario where he, a Spanish speaker, is in a Spanish class, while others, referred to as "gringos," struggle with English despite having years to learn it. The conversation reflects a playful yet pointed critique of cultural and linguistic realities.
This dialogue serves to underscore the complexities of identity and language acquisition in a multicultural environment. Rico's remarks reveal the frustration some individuals feel when the educational system seems out of touch with the diverse backgrounds of its students, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive understanding of language education.
