The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria Summary

Her pursuit of education takes the girl to London one summer to Oxford University, where she encounters her first perspective of Latin women from other cultures. A man sees her on a bus, drops to his knees and sings songs from West Side Story. The girl is not amused, but she manages to get through the situation and remembers the difficulty of her transition from a Puerto Rican life to a more American life.

Clothing was always a big culture clash. Puerto Rican women who are beautiful in the colors of the island don't know how to prepare their daughters for entry into the education and business worlds. The girl soon learn the distinction between bright ruffled blouses and...