It is true that I had written two other posts for Bulb's meme - which is not meme according to him - but then I decided to delete them. I don't know why I couldn't post them. One was about what it is to live in an 'under-developed' country and the other was about fear, more specifically fear of driving generated by a car accident. For a moment, I felt that I could publish both. I was wrong (or maybe not). They both came out poorly written so I thought it was worth getting rid of them. On the other hand, I got stuck with my 'nationalist' post. I don't even know what this entry will end up like. But at this time, I will just post it no matter how bad this will end up being.Although I write texts here in English (never apologized formally for my possible 'sad' mistakes and awkwardnesses with the language - forgimme Lord too for that! (LOL)), I am Brazilian and have lived back in Brazil for the last 3 years. Portuguese is the official language of this country. There are other spoken languages here too. Different from what many of you might think, all the other languages found in Brazil are unknown, and only spoken ones. They belong to the Brazilian native indians. Some of them are even taught at universities to anthropologists and scholars of Brazilian culture. Brazil is one of the richest nations when it comes to cultural diversity and that makes me really proud of being Brazilian.
There are now more than 180 million people residing in this land. That is a huge amount. There aren't many countries where Portuguese is spoken (7), but when I see that number of population only in Brazil, then I realize that there are many speakers of this language. That is why I never understood that many times the Portuguese language is often forgotten when one thinks of South American cultural facts. I speak neither Spanish nor Brazilian. Brazilian isn't nearly a nationality, to my opinion. It is the name of a group of victims that live together in a country which is 15 times the size of France.
The thing which scares me is the negative rates and statistics around that number of population. Now, my friend bloggers, I get to my point... Once, while reading Marcele's blog (Marcele is an old friend of mine), she's made me learn that 30% of Brazilian population live under poverty standards. That is, it is known that these folks have to survive throughout a month by making less than 50 American dollars. How can a family be supported for a month with US$50??? I really don't know the answer to that question. It is no wonder that in "poor" countries you have the highest rates of urban violence.
I should now mention Michael Moore's fuss in the US. Apart of political views or beliefs, I kind of admire his work, specially his well written documentaries. By watching that "Bowling for Columbine", I got to know that Michael was scared at the high number of deaths caused by bullets in his nation. I then got scared at our own crazy rates here; I quite don't see the same alert work being done which it should since there are over 40,000 deaths a year caused by fire guns in Brazil. The confusing thing lies on having the sensation that I live in a paradisiac place with beautiful beaches and women, good sounding music, the best soccer in the world, etc: A Bloody Paradise.
Living in a place like that, where we are to believe that 'everything is gonna be all right' in the end, can be pretty dreadful. Everyone I know knows at least one person who has already been robbed, stolen, shot, kidnapped, carjacked, or had his or her house broken into by stupid burglers, or even lost a loved one. Once reading a blog written by an American lady, she described her closest experience with urban crimes - she had her car radio taken because she'd left the passanger's door unlocked. I thought how lucky she was for having a car and a radio to be taken, unlike those Brazilian families that have to make it through the month with $50 in their pockets. Neverthless, while speaking to a Sudanese refugee here in Brazil, he told me about the same: "how lucky you Brazilian are because you can trust in your kids. A young person can approach you on the streets and you can be sure he won't stick out a machine gun and point it to your face." I could contradict him right there, but I'd rather have not said anything to him.
The thing is that I have already been robbed by having a young kid pointing his gun to my face here in Brazil. He was probably as old as I was. I was 15 at that time. I was walking to my uncle's house when he showed up from the back of a big car which was parked on a busy avenue at around 5 o'clock in the afternoon. He seemed altered by drugs. He was nervous and scared - he didn't want to get caught. He threatened me with that weapon by saying: "Gimme what you got - wallet, wristwatch, jewelry, sneakers, fancy jacket... everything - or I'll shoot you!!!" How lucky I was to have all those material gains to be taken... right? (now with an ironic tone in my speech) How lucky I was to be able to trust the kids down here because they are never gonna point a gun to my face... right??? Yet, I am still proud of being Brazilian and speak and write in PORTUGUESE.
Laila, I am so happy that you write in English, otherwise I could never read your writing!
ReplyDeleteMy brother passed away 6 years ago, due to a car accident, so I understand how fearful this is for you.
We are Irish/ English Americans but he loved Spanish, so he got a degree in it and became a Spanish teacher. He also went to graduate school for Spanish. He spoke Portugese quite well too. I wish he were still here so I could let him read your blog, I know he would write you a comment in Portugese.
I really miss him.
So glad that I met you!
I'm sorry, I was teary and I spelled Portuguese wrong!
ReplyDeleteWOW!!! That was something, RAIN!!! I'd have loved to read his comments in my language. The reason why I know or write some English is because of my dad who has taught this language since late 60's. I owe my knowledge to him. I am also very proud and pleased to have met you here in this blogsphere. This post was really necessary - thank you, Bulb!
ReplyDelete(Don't I wish this was your 'extra in a movie' piece.)
ReplyDeleteFirst, you write incredible English...but even still, you craft your words in such a unique, intoxicating way, you're always Brazilian.
I have a brother-in-law who is a free spirit, always telling stories, and every 'most gorgeous woman you've ever seen' story is about a woman from Brazil. That part made me smile...and as far as my experience, it's very true.
The poverty and violence saddened me.
Being held at gun point horrified me.
If only everyone had the opportunity to do this, what we're doing...to meet people all over the world and form bonds that break through misguided anger and distrust.
If only people in the world with billions of dollars would realize life isn't worth the decadence if you can't go anywhere, see anything and be free while doing it. *I'd try appealing to their compassion, but was trying to be realistic.
Even still...I would work my fingers to the bone before inflicting violence on someone else...and only then, for the sake of my children.
The world is inside-out.
Success should be measured by one's ability to make friends using only a keyboard. (also, charity, compassion, creativity, etc.)
I would LOVE to come visit you and spend a fabulous week seeing your country through your eyes.
I would love to visit my SIL's home in Colombia, as well...but I admit it frightens me.
Someday, I hope it doesn't.
You're beautiful. Always beautiful.
@Angie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the breathtaking words about my writing.
I agree with you about being scared of visiting friends in Columbia. Their guerrilla there isn't a funny joke. It can be really dangerous. However, these countries have a tendency of overprotecting foreign tourists so that they don't get into international tension with UN and so.
I'd be more than happy to host your family in Brazil. The urban violence we all face here get concentrated in large cities mostly. Small towns and beaches offer peaceful environment and the best hotel services you could ever imagine - well, someone needs to be making money, righ? I know you'll have the time of your lives. ;-D
Peace&Love
@Bulb,
ReplyDeleteCool! So I will finally get to walk on the red carpet.
Ma,
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and commenting on my spot. I still have lots to learn about writing in this language that I strive to know better and better each day.
Our social and economical problems worsen because of this "Brazilian" life style of being always happy and accepting everything that is rotten out there as it is a normal condition of a 'healthy' society. I was threatened by a kid with a loaded gun on a street - I could have been killed... and what have I done to stop this? Can we actually change this reality??? We are too chilled out! We oughtta be angry sometimes.
Love you too
We should all be angry more often in relationship to what is happening in our world. Yes, we minimize, we under emphasize, we do what we can in order to deal with the situations we find ourselves in, and in so doing we are desensitized and many times blind.
ReplyDeleteUntil it finds us, or someone in close proximity to us.
I like Michael Moore too, and his work. It's biased as all hell, but it/he makes relevent points. Seeming to point out that our nation, the US is bombarded with fear, through the media, and from the government. The media focus here is generally the negative, anything that smacks of disaster and reeks of poisen. The positive is left to lay low.
I'm babbling. I'm glad you were not physically harmed by that young man.
Love and stuff, Lori
I forgot to add that I suppose we are desensitized by the flooding of negativity and so we blind our selves to reality. Or we live in paranoid fear.
ReplyDeleteI have alway said that: "From now on I will only see a glad world. If I see something different, I won't believe it."
ReplyDelete