Mexican or Arab? You Decide.

My boyfriend and I have been dating for 3 1/2 years now and it never ceases to amaze me that every time I mention his name to someone for the first time, I have to repeat it twice or even three times. If we ever have to put our names on a waiting list somewhere, we always use my name just for simplicity sake. When he's picking up an order and they ask for the last name, it's "J-A-S-S-O" pronouncing the letters only, not a word. His name? Zeniff Jasso. Generally speaking, when ever I have introduced him to someone, the next question always follows: "So Zeniff, is that right? Were is he from?" Zeniff is from Mexico. He has lived most of his life in Dallas, TX but was born and spent the first 8 years of his life in Mexico. I see it. He looks hispanic, we eat a lot of tortillas, beans, and rice, and he speaks mainly spanish with his family. Once a few years ago someone asked me where he was from. I answered Mexico, and they said "Mexico really? I was thinking that he was from some Arab nation." Arab Nation? I see Mexican, but I don't see Arab!

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I finally began to see where my friend was coming from. We went snowboarding and were taking a break, goofing around in the lodge with the camera. Later that night, when I looked at the pictures I finally began to see what she had been seeing all along.

I only wish that I had a picture of him in a sombrero to compare this to! And for those of you still wondering how to pronounce his name, go back to your high school spanish class and say this: Zeniff Jasso "[Suh-neef] [Haw-soh]"