Feb 14 I’m laying on the top bunk, right next to the open window, we always keep it open to keep the room cool. Through this window I watch the evening clouds roll along the hillside Gray, yellow, and peach, against the deep green of corcovada peak. The great Christ statue that overlooks the city is outlined in the mist. It’s not to hot but I’m sweating with the moister in the air. Down on the street below, kids play soccer, a few men play drums while the women dance, practicing for carnaval I guess. I’ve been in Brazil for a week. I’m still slightly breathless.
For the past few days I’ve been living in a sort of boarding house. It’s on a relatively quiet street, cobblestone in fact, where all the houses are tall, pressed together, and brightly colored. Ours is red. I live in a small room at the very top of the house. It’s hot up here but peaceful, and the view…ah…the view…the view is great. The house is owned by Ricardo and his young(very young) wife. Besides these two and myself the house is home to three guys, four girls, one very old man, three dogs, and at least three cats.
I’ve come to Brazil to study the people, their language, and their culture. I want to understand their way of life, and their way of thinking. I want to find a connection. I’ve come to realize over the past few years that the world is becoming so integrated, that understanding is the only way forward. I feel that to many in the U.S. and probably around the world, don’t appreciate this integration. Part of my goal is to learn how a person can be integrated into a new society and come to function well within it, without loosing their own cultural identity. I also hope to discover how a society can be taught to accept people from other cultures into society. Where ever we’re going we’re going to get there together. This bog will be a record of the things I’ve learned. Since my focus and goal is understanding if anyone out there has any insights, into culture, humanity, truth, society, please give us your thoughts. Thank You
6 comments:
Boy;
Why do I suddenly feel like Homer Simpson?
Anyway, thanks for the great post – it helped me picture your life and adventures. I am excited that you are living your dreams and finding the truth in this hands-on way. As you know most of my adventures have been in books; and I don’t resent that, but I am glad you are having this deeper drink.
I am impressed with the willingness of the people of Brazil to live together in seeming harmony. I think most of us in America do so as well, but we are by nature an aggressive and critical people. Critical thinking is our mindset, and it brings us to examine differences, perhaps heighten them, for the pleasure of the “fight”. Just a thought.
Why Homer Simpson?
I´m not sure I belive that people are naturaly prone to predudice, aren´t we taught to classify people into groups.
Primates are in general social animals wanting to create alliances. Conflicts arise when there is a lack of resoarces, or monopolies on resoarces. I don´t belive people are naturaly prone to conflict.
Boy;
What does Homer call Bart? Think about it.
Perhaps a better world would have been competitive not conflicting.
Library Girl here…
Please forgive any mistakes or breaking of conventions. I am new to the world of blogging. I am working on getting a real screen name.
Brazil sounds like a beautiful place to live and learn. And from what I have heard of the people there sound like great teachers and friends.
My experience with other culture, although limited, has brought me to the same conclusion as you. The world is becoming smaller and smaller. We effect and relate to each other on a higher and deeper level than ever before. Just the other day I played a game with someone that lives in Iowa. Though he is not in a different country, I met, talked, and learned with someone I was very different from.
I believe that there are many people in this world which recognize this growing interconnectedness and see it as a good thing. However, while humans might not be naturally prone to conflict it seems we humans value individuality. There are many that might feel that their individuality is being threatened by a world that takes little time to understand individual cultures. They see the world as becoming standardized. As the world becomes smaller they find comfort in the things make them feel bigger. Things like race, color, religion, or anything that separates people can be used to help them stand out. I have observed some ethnic groups are protective of cultural practices. They only want members of there culture to participate so that their beliefs are not corrupted by outsiders. If only they realized that if they shared their beliefs they could prevent misunderstandings and prejudices from being formed.
We are all citizens of the world. We are different and unique. Hopefully more people can learn from your example and try to share and understand these differences. That is the only way to become closer and help these wonderful traditions last. I look forward to a world that is united and understanding. Like you said “Where ever we’re going we’re going to get there together.” I hope that we travel into a bright, harmonious future where people work, live and love together, rather than one motivated by division.
`We´re all citizens of the womb before we subdivide in to sexes and shades this side that side.`
´I know there is strength in the differences between us and I know there is comfort where we overlap.`
Thanks for writing Library Girl, I agree with you, I am lucky that here in Brazil the people are very willing to share their culture. I also hope we are headed for the `Star trek` future I just hope we don´t have to pass through the `Blade runner` future to get there.
People should read this.
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