Foreigners Through Brazilian Eyes - Interview

Here goes an interview with Cláudia Ramis De Almeida, who is a language teacher, translator and interpreter and who has worked with foreigners for the last ten years. She shares with us her experiences with foreigners and provides some great insight into Brazilian people and culture.

Where are you from in Brazil and what do you do?
I'm from Porto Alegre, RS and I'm a private English/Portuguese teacher here in SP. I also have a language school, focused on Language Immersion Courses.

What are the main obstacles for foreigners in Brazil?
Not knowing Portuguese, accepting cultural differences, coping with traffic (in SP), dealing with disseminated corruption, living close to poverty, being vulnerable to violence. Our extremely unfair social pyramid scares and astonishes many.

What are common mistakes that foreigners make in Brazil?
Comparing Brazil to their home countries and misunderstanding Brazilians. Comparing makes things more difficult, brings homesickness, stifles new experiences. Instead of comparing, they might try to keep an open mind. As we descend from a mix of cultures, it's easy to misunderstand us, our values and beliefs. In doubt, they can simply say: "I'm sorry, but I didn't understand you."

Can you share an incident, misunderstand or culture shock that you have experienced with a foreigner?
At an Arab restaurant, having a lunch class, I asked my student to order everything, to practice his Portuguese. The waiters, perceiving he was a foreigner and started speaking in English (eg. "More beer, Sir?"), despite my angry look at him! My student had a good time laughing at my rage!

What are 2 things you would recommend for a visitor to do in Brazil to better understand Brazilian people and their culture?
Learn the language, to be able to understand and interact. And travel, as much as possible. I suggest visiting small forgotten towns, tasting regional dishes and drinks, listening to our many accents, dancing our hundred rhythms, learning to enjoy this big, different, "emotional" country. While living here foreigners could try to make Brazil their second home. Brazil is a welcoming country, so they could just embrace it.

Adapted from: Gringoes