Roughly half of Alaska’s 40,000 or so Hispanics were born in Mexico, but their passion for El Tri is no less intense

'Right now is a good time': Even in Alaska, pride for Mexico runs deep

'Right now is a good time': Even in Alaska, pride for Mexico runs deep

Just before 7am on a quiet cul-de-sac Sunday, the soft tones of a doorbell rang at the home of Luis and Angelica Casanova.

The house smelled of coffee and frying tortillas. Visitors came in quietly and settled around the green rectangle of the TV. The racket of the World Cup crowd, half a world away, rose as Mexico’s players spilled out onto the field to face Germany, the reigning champions.

“If we were to win,” Luis said. “It would be a big deal.”

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Alaska’s Latino community is small, percentage-wise, with Hispanics making up just about 7% of the population, compared to the US overall, where Hispanics make up about 17%, according to the US Census. In Anchorage, Spanish speakers from all over, many brought to the state for work in sectors like oil and gas, construction and tourism. People tend to congregate for things like church and sports, sharing a common language, but not always a country of origin, Luis said.

“It’s so diverse,” Angelica said. “We lived before in Colorado, where (the Hispanic population) is like 80% Mexican. Here, actually, at church, there are people from everywhere.”

Roughly half of Alaska’s 40,000 or so Hispanics were born in Mexico, according to state statistics. Puerto Ricans and Dominicans are the next largest groups. Three out of four Hispanics living in Alaska were born in the US, a slightly higher percentage than the country as a whole.

Luis, 35, an oil and gas engineer, is from Ecuador, and Angelica, 33, who works for an airline caterer, is from Mexico. They met when he was working in Mexico on a project and now have two children with another on the way, she said. Work brought them to Alaska.

“The feeling (watching the game) here in Alaska is different. When our team plays at home, basically, the country stops,” Luis said. “Here, I believe there are bigger priorities: work, work, work, work. That’s what makes the US great.”

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Back on the living room television, El Tricolores drove the ball down the pitch.

Angelica, in a green jersey, yelled, “Vamos! Vamos! Vamos!”

Then Hirving Lozano made a shot on the German goal. The ball sailed by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s fingers. The living room lit up with cheers as the television replayed Lozano kneeling on the turf in slow-motion.

Luis Mangandi, 32, who works as a car salesman, glowed with delight. He’s Salvadorian. His team didn’t qualify for the World Cup. (It’s a sore subject he’d rather not talk about.) A Mexican win would be an acceptable second best option, he said.

“I just hate Germany with all my heart,” he said.

Half-time came. People refilled plates with eggs and chopped hot dogs, hot tortillas and pancakes.

Francisco Ramirez, 22, settled on the floor with his coffee as the game started back up. He came to Alaska recently from Oaxaca to live with his brother who owns a small flooring-install business. The job opportunities are good, he said. He works in a brewpub kitchen as a line cook and takes English classes. He sends money back to Mexico to his parents and sisters, he said.

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In his off time, he plays lots of pick-up soccer with a Spanish-speaking team made up of players from countries all over Latin America. They meet in a field behind a middle school. He doesn’t mind living in Alaska, but he misses his friends at home during World Cup time.

“Right now maybe the people are drinking beers, it’s morning, but…” he said.

Watching the sporting event at the same time as people in his country connects them, he said.

“Right now we are enjoying the game together, right now is a good time,” he said.

On the TV, the crowd broke into Cielito Lindo, an anthem for Mexican soccer fans, as the minutes ticked away. Germany still had no goals.

On the couch, Alejandro Guadarramama, 20, and his wife, Isela Espinosa, 22, bantered away. They are both originally from Chihuahua, and came to Alaska because Alejandro was stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson with the Army, he said. Back home, he said, the game would be playing in the restaurants, bars and plazas.

“There’s a lot of passion for it, even if we know we’re never going to win the World Cup, we cheer,” he said.

Soon the game was down to its final seconds. Still no goals for Germany. The room got quiet. Then, finally, full time. The Alaska fans jumped up and down on the carpet, clapped and hollered. Mexico is ranked 15th in the world. It was an incredible upset. Phones dinged with text messages from friends and relatives far away. On the television, the camera panned the faces of weeping Mexican fans, and the German fans, their faces fallen.

Not every Spanish speaker in Alaska was from Mexico, Angelica said, and some loved other teams more, but still, this win meant something to all of them.

“In their deep heart, they are happy because it’s Latin America,” she said.