tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post8664917177953909247..comments2023-08-28T17:02:27.341-05:00Comments on Go Goiano: Being A Tomboy in BrazilAmaris in Wonderlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10709934116485026384noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post-86974427703524177902012-04-14T15:06:06.609-05:002012-04-14T15:06:06.609-05:00Jennifer -
It's healthy for people to be expo...Jennifer -<br /><br />It's healthy for people to be exposed to other views, i agree. <br /><br />I've tried bringing up animal rights, human rights, the environment, the war on drugs (we see so much in Texas that isn't shown other places) ...the economy & immigration reform, etc. but i've found out that some females view that as i "only want to discuss weird subjects"... lol<br /><br />I've been accused of hating children or being sterile, simply because we haven't chosen to take that step, yet... (and, *yes*... we know the clock is ticking!) The very same people ask me verbatim, "...and WHEN are you having YOURS???" e-v-er-y-time we meet in a social setting, so i now tell them to refer to the same answer that i gave them the last time they put me on the spot. :D This has helped to alleviate the mind-numbing frequency in repetition of the same scenario over & over... (It was really excessive, at one point.)<br /><br />However, i must say that it has to be (or at least, i hope it is) a regional thing. I haven't noticed as much of the stereotypical attitudes along the coast - in the touristy areas/more international cities.<br /><br />As for us, we just have to remind ourselves that this is simply another chapter in our story. It's nice to find others in similar situations, though, so that we can compare notes and cheer each other on. :) :)Amaris in Wonderlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10709934116485026384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post-84629289569220614162012-04-13T08:48:59.448-05:002012-04-13T08:48:59.448-05:00Amaris and Ana- I'm here in the middle of nowh...Amaris and Ana- I'm here in the middle of nowhere, Rondonia, and I can say that it is the same here. What I do- and my Portuguese is very,very basic- is I talk about things that interest me, and say revolutionary things about how I don't have kids and don't want them. I also talk about how wonderful life can be if you go to college and travel and delay marriage/children. I tell little girls life without children is wonderful, etc. It's normal here for girls 15-17 to get married and have children with a boy of the same age.<br /><br />I also bring up animal rights, human rights, the economy and war and push women to give me their opinion. I find that Brazilian women just are not used to giving their opinion. But if pushed, they will talk briefly about something interesting to me.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10822419510744243455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post-8911105546496797382012-04-12T02:46:56.651-05:002012-04-12T02:46:56.651-05:00If I ever go, I will :) Good luck for now!If I ever go, I will :) Good luck for now!Ananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post-6364815086651189422012-04-01T08:42:40.929-05:002012-04-01T08:42:40.929-05:00Ana -
I agree with you that a lack of connecting ...Ana -<br /><br />I agree with you that a lack of connecting beyond a surface level can be because people are at different points in their lives, or simply have dissimilar interests and/or viewpoints.<br /><br />That added with the fact that just as in our home countries, there exists the popular culture here: novelas, Big Brother, etc. (back home: Dancing With the Stars or some reality show, etc.) that a foreigner may or may not connect with. In my case, i didn't watch any of the "popular culture" things back home, either.<br /><br />Once i moved beyond the basic 20 questions (where i'm from, do i like Brazil, etc.) i found that unless i knew the family (to discuss how everyone is doing, etc.) then subject matter was scarce. Again, this has something do with finding someone in our particular field, and/or similar background. [In my case, this is where culture plays a big role.] <br /><br />I don't expect others to meet me where i am, as i realize that the odds of that happening are slim to none. I try to find things (aside from the standard novela, salon, fashion topics) that might interest them, but it's been 5 years and i have yet to figure out how to connect on a deeper level.<br /><br />I don't think we can ever expect to find friends that will be as close as those we grew up with, as we more than likely shared similar interests with those nearest to us. I'd like to think that in the future i will have close friends here, but for now, i realize that i’m simply in a different chapter in my life.<br /><br />Look me up when you get to Recife! :) Perhaps we will make it that way someday, too.Amaris in Wonderlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10709934116485026384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post-20516829861551277192012-04-01T03:53:51.752-05:002012-04-01T03:53:51.752-05:00Amaris, thank you for sharing all this.
It's ...Amaris, thank you for sharing all this. <br />It's still quite a vague possibility, but it would be Recife. I was there already for a little while but it was hard to judge whether I would fit in in a hypothetical future. As you say about yourself, my Portuguese wasn't great at the time, and being it the first time I was meeting everybody, the conversation would be mostly on what I do, where I am from etc., which came quite handy. But overall I had the feeling that the themes and the tones were quite different from what I prefer/am used to with my close friends. Then again, I've had similar experiences in other countries; sometimes it's just that people are at different points in lives or have different perspectives. Hard to say, but it's interesting that you say it is cultural. In that case, well, I'll make sure I'll bring my camera, too ;-)Ananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post-24508710563082409862012-03-30T15:52:45.264-05:002012-03-30T15:52:45.264-05:00Ana -
So far I’ve been to 7 states + the federal ...Ana -<br /><br />So far I’ve been to 7 states + the federal district. I've traversed Goiás extensively, from one side to the other - and everywhere in between... I've also been through a good portion of Mato Grosso.<br /><br />I haven't seen anything to the contrary, yet. I thought that perhaps this was mainly the case in the metropolitan, upper-class social circles, but it’s the same in smaller towns, too. Good conversations have been few & far between, but are memorable for the delightful deviation from the norm.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong: I really can’t stand talking about business or fishing, but in this case, "guy talk" is the lesser of two evils. Truthfully, no one talks about things that interest me here. I'm caught in a cultural chasm, if you will.<br /><br />I actually prefer to talk about comics, cuisine, environmental & humanitarian issues, movies, music, photography, pop culture from the '80s & '90s, video games, etc. … which fail to interest the social circles in which I find myself. We mutually bore the heck out of each other, I think. The first year I thought it was because I didn’t speak enough Portuguese, but it truly is cultural. <br /><br />The second year I decided that I was racking up enough wasted hours at parties where I just couldn’t connect. The conversations were just too superficial, if not nearly nonexistent. I started bringing a book in my purse. The first time I did it, my husband accused me of being antisocial, but after everyone had run out of things to say and I was left with nothing but time on my hands, I discreetly slipped into a corner and read. This really helped me to feel like the time spent there was not a total waste, and my brain wouldn’t turn to mush as quickly. <br /><br />It’s hard when there is no one to converse with in your native language – vocabulary starts to disappear… the mind gets idle… it only accentuates homesickness & can lead to depression. I’d rather appear “weird” or “antisocial” for not occupying a designated space at a party all night, on the off chance that someone might speak with me, and instead go do something enjoyable that stimulates the brain.<br /><br />Nowadays I don’t go to a social function without all of the following in my bag/purse: a book, journal, ipod & camera. If nothing else, I can slip off & get some good pics of the surrounding area, or find a quiet place to write. The ipod’s good anytime – I pop it in when off-color subjects arise (and they do quite often). It’s a good buffer. It may not be the most gratifying experience of the week, but it’s how I cope with the vacuum. <br /><br />What part of Brazil are you considering moving to?Amaris in Wonderlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10709934116485026384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592697585915916071.post-10420033180982981742012-03-30T02:16:28.264-05:002012-03-30T02:16:28.264-05:00Interesting, Amaris. I observed a similar situatio...Interesting, Amaris. I observed a similar situation when I was over there some time ago. This is what scares me a bit about moving to Brazil, in case I have to some time in the future. I'm not particularly into male topics or activities, but I'm not particularly 'feminine', either. Do you think the situation varies from State to State, and/or from urban areas to countryside?Ananoreply@blogger.com