Hi , my names Kiko, im half bolivian half dutch, i grew up in new jersey in a small suburban town where i was the only latino kid.
I always wanted to be the same color as the others because I just wanted to fit in. I used to be embarrassed by my name, Francisco Peñaloza. Only now am i proud of my heritage. My dad never spoke spanish to me as a kid so now im learning on my own and am doing very well. I was just wondering if you guys here could posibly find me some email penpals from East Harlem that I could communicate to in Spanish.
My dad used to live in Harlem when it was "one of the worst places" and brooklyn too, my mom is from manhattan. Recently I have felt the urge of going to live in East Harlem, I just feel compelled to go live where my dad used to.
Im also going to continue my education in Cochabamba Bolivia.
Thanks for listening to me and please answer .
Gracias
Kiko

Kilo,

By all means, you are welcomed to live here.
I would recommend that you come visit first, see if it's for you and then
move in. I think you will like it.

Jose

__________________
Jose B. Rivera
www.east-harlem.com
www.powermemorialacademy.com
www.saint-cecilia-parish.org

Thank you for answering! I really apreciate it. I dont know if you saw my question but i was wondering if it was possible for you to find someone from east harlem with whom i could communicate via email or mail. Preferably young (15-16 years old)
Thanks alot but Im only 15 so ill have to wait till I can go exploring by myself. :-)
Thank you so much. Because east harlem seems so far from where i am i just feel great to get an answer!
Kiko

Kiko my young brother if learning spanish is hard to do logon to spanishcity.com You could learn your language easier. Check it out

Kiko I was born and raised in East Harlem. I was born in 1957 and lived in EH until the age of 20. We call it El Barrio, the part of EH that started on east 95th street to east 125th. The ones that considered EH one of the “worst places” as you stated were those that didn’t live there. It became bad when the crack era came, but now that has cleared up a lot. Back then EH was mostly Puerto Rican. I don't know what age your father was when he lived in EH. I go back to EH once in while just to walk around my old neighborhood. I have to tell you that it has changed a great deal. All of the people I use to know aren’t there anymore . Puerto Ricans are moving out just like others like the Irish and Italians that lived there before PR's moved in. It happens with all groups, but the only difference was is that Puerto Rican’s were migrants not immigrants. Now my old neighborhood is mostly Dominican and Mexican. We Puerto Rican's were free to play stick ball, football and handball in the streets and we use to open the fire hydrants to cool off in the summer. I think about it now and I miss it, we were together. All of the neighbors in my building knew each other and all the kids associated with one another. Its not the same way anymore, it kind of lost its charm because the new inhabitants try to keep a low profile because of their status in this country. To me the buildings are still there but its not the same to me anymore. I am sure your father will find this to be true depending on the era he lived there.