How I Honor My Latin Heritage in Canada as an Expat

A proud Mexican who embraces her culture and takes it everywhere she goes.

If you love your country, why do you no longer live in Mexico? — You should ask.

All you have to know is that love brought me to Canada after learning lessons from a long-distance relationship. I live in Canada for two years now.

In a Mexican calendar, I missed twice these important festivities and memo days.

• Día de Reyes: Your family gathers and eats a delicious king cake. If you find little Jesus, you should bring Tamales on February 2nd.
• Tamales day: You gather with your friends and family to eat tamales and drink atole; a corn beverage, usually chocolate flavoured.
• 5 de Mayo: I am from Puebla, the place where the Batlle of Puebla took place on May 5th of 1862. Every 5 de Mayo in my city we commemorate it with a parade. Anywhere else in Mexico is a normal day.
• Independence day: You gather with your friends and family to eat authentic Mexican food. Drink tequila, get drunk. Sing Mexican rancheras. Ah yes, you reaffirm your Mexicanity by singing the hymn.
• Día de muertos: You set up an ofrenda t your home. Expect your ancestor’s souls while you eat pan de muerto; a special sweet bread that represents skeleton bones

These are only a few Mexican celebrations I have missed twice. Not counting on Mother’s Day, Christmas, and New Year’s eve or my family’s birthday.

The difficulties of moving overseas

When I wished to live in Canada, I wasn’t thinking about how to honour my Mexican culture and my Latin Heritage.

Moving overseas and move to a new country is an admired experience. People see it as a new beginning, a new opportunity to succeed. It is all romantic and inspiring. But nobody tells about the crucial moment of missing home. Hence, people dare to ask sensitive questions to expats living abroad.

For my good luck, my partner in crime and the reason I moved to Canada, my boyfriend Joshua, he is also Mexican. Which means we are on the same page for remembering important dates.

During my first year in Canada, I couldn’t find the energy and purpose to celebrate my Mexican heritage on the important dates listed above. I limited myself to see pictures from my friends in Mexico. At this moment I felt homesick.

Then I realized Mexico can be wherever I go. I am Mexican, and a part of Mexico will always come with me, same as my heritage.

I realized that feeling at home is not about the place where I am located, but the attitude of how I face the circumstances.

Mr. J and I made an agreement: we would commemorate Mexican traditions at home with our Mexican gang.

For example, on Independence day we listened all day long to Mexican music. From mariachi, rancheras, salsa and cumbias.

It doesn’t mean that we can’t or don’t listen to Mexican music any other day, but September 16th is especially a must.

Last year on día de Muertos, we were about to move from a shared house to an apartment. We couldn’t set up an ofrenda to welcome our ancestors. This year I am ready to set up our first ofrenda and feel the warmness of this celebration of life in a Mexican style.

Actually, I already baked pan de muerto. Which represents the skeleton bones of the decedent. This shape of the bread is part of our ancient indigenous ritual traditions. I couldn’t believe I could find all the ingredients to make my own pan de muerto at home in Canada. Isn’t that’s crazy and amazing?

How to celebrate your heritage as an expat?

To celebrate your Latin Heritage in another country, as an expat, you should precisely do that. Embrace your culture and your traditions to feel right at home.

Even though I haven’t been to Mexico on Independence day to eat chalupas, tacos árabes, tacos al pastor, elotes, and esquites…

I honestly don’t feel like missing out because I commemorate the date in my very own way.

Want to write about your travel experiences? Join the writing journey to learn how to achieve amazing stories that your audience wants to read.

If you enjoyed reading this story, subscribe to Medium. Using my link, you get endless stories to read, which generate a commission for me. Thanks for reading and supporting new writers!