I'm the only minority in my program!Any Puerto Ricans out there?

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i live in western pa which is as culturally diverse as well, most of pa until you get to philly. i've lived in mercer,westmoreland, and potter counties. i currently reside with my hubby and 2 little ones in cambria county.(pretty diverse in johnstown) i have repeatedly found myself to be the only puerto rican in the whole school if not the whole town. i plan on living here a couple years after i graduate (3 semesters left of ns)then we plan on making a new life in new hampshire. i just want to know if anyone is or knows any puerto ricans that are pursuing nursing careers? i was born in brooklyn of course and my parents migrated to pa when i was 8. i've endured alot of racism growing up in a very small town and just want to hear from others that have endured and grown up to be better ppl because of it. :typing

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Wow I guess I am the only Puerto Rican student nurse for miles. That's so sad.

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.

I am in southern PA. I'm not Puerto Rican, but this area is pretty diverse (puerto rican, mexican, african american, etc.). I know only 1 puerto rican nurse. I'm sure their are more, I just only know one. :)

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Can you tell me where in Southern Pa? If I had to guess, I bet it's south east Pa. I'm not being sarcastic or rude, I'm just wondering. Right now I live in a small town and I remember the first time I saw an african american walking down the street. It was memorable to say the least. I look forward to moving out of Pa after I graduate only because I was born in Brooklyn and I'm thirsting for some culture.

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sorry to sound like a broken record. maybe instead of looking for puerto ricans i should be inviting anyone that is or feels like a minority in their nursing program. no discrimination here!:coollook:

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hi. i am puerto rican. i too was the only pr in my class. everyone talked to me...when ever they did talk to me..like i was slow and didn't understand. my instructor didn't have any confidence in me at all. it was tough but i graduated top of the class. hang in there my sister.

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i love that you graduated top of your class! that's wonderful. most people don't know i'm puerto rican, they assume i'm middle eastern,indian,hindu, hawaiian,italian, you name it. it's all the same to them. i'm doing awesome in my program(alot better than most of my classmates):D i'm trying my hardest to graduate with honors just to prove that i am a hard worker and i want to be the best nurse possible.

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I moved to Western PA about 3 years ago - and have been feeling the lack of diversity ever since! While I am Caucasian, I grew up in Africa and have since lived in the DC area, and have an interracial family - I'm so not used to being around whites exclusively!!! I can hear you on the challenges you must feel!!! We had Orientation for my LPN class this week - all "white" save one! It felt strange to me!

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.
Can you tell me where in Southern Pa? If I had to guess, I bet it's south east Pa. I'm not being sarcastic or rude, I'm just wondering. Right now I live in a small town and I remember the first time I saw an african american walking down the street. It was memorable to say the least. I look forward to moving out of Pa after I graduate only because I was born in Brooklyn and I'm thirsting for some culture.

I sent you a PM.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

I agree that people of Latino/a backgrounds are sporifice in western PA. And I have some appreciation of what must be like as I spent a few years in a southern state where my ethnic background, holiday traditions, and Roman Catholicism put me in a minority of one.

However, we never get anywhere when we paint an an entire group of people or an entire region with one brushstroke, do we? There is diversity of races and ethnic groups and culture here ... it's just that the one that you're looking for is limited.

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Specializes in Hospice.

Hey I'm Puerto Rican. But I'm in NEPA, where there are none of us. I'm also about to start an LPN program here. I'm not originally from here, and Pa as a whole has a serious lack of culture compared to other states.

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I'm a Philly girl, born and raised. Only once have I been outside of the city and into the "Boonies" (Bloomsburg) and OMG. There's as if there's no color and no... vibrance in the state of Pennsylvania. In all of my classes I was one of the VERY few African Americans. I can definitely relate. One time during the semester there was this big commotion... allegedly there were some black kids downtown, who were welcomed by a group of angry (or shall I say, ignorant) white guys chanting racial slurs and throwing things at them. Needless to say, this had all of us (or the minorities, anyway) nervous. What has this world come to?

Good luck with your fresh start in NH!

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