The ONE KEY INGREDIENT to success in Latin America is:
SPANISH SPANISH SPANISH
The more, the better. Not only should you simply aim to be understood, but you should speak it fluently, charismatically, and like a native. That will get you major points.
I guarantee that almost everyone who speaks Spanish well is going to experience at least some level of "success," whether making plenty of new friends, enjoying the culture, or scoring dates.
Everything else is secondary:
- Your race, ethnicity, nationality
- Your age
- Your looks, height, weight
- Your income, job, education
- Urban vs. rural Mexico/Peru/etc.
- Northern vs. southern Mexico, Colombia vs. Argentina, etc.
- White vs. indigenous vs. black women
- Upper class vs. lower class, rich vs. poor
- Where to meet people, how to chat up people
Not speaking Spanish is seen by some (not all) Latinos as a sign of arrogance, since Americans have a reputation for not learning others' languages and speaking to them only in English as their way of showing off their superiority. Most Latinos will simply have trouble getting to know you, or view you as a strange curiosity.
If a Latino speaks to you in English, reply in Spanish. Start off in Spanish. End in Spanish. Do everything in Spanish. Latin America is a melting pot of all kinds of different peoples and cultures, but there is one thing that binds them all together: the Spanish language. Spanish is what will assimilate a newcomer into Latin American society; Spanish is how you become accepted by them.
What about the issues of age, urban vs. rural, white vs. indigenous, and so on? They are all secondary, because they all come after Spanish is mastered. Then find your own niche / style through exploration and trial-and-error. You might be much more successful with the rural/indigenous areas, or you might find that your age in fact doesn't matter that much, but you will need to know Spanish well if you want to find out.
Same with China - speak Chinese. Same with Brazil - speak Portuguese. Same with Russia - speak Russian.
Happy language learning!
