Originally posted by cara0910 Plenty of other countries to pick from!

Originally posted by tamte Don't call it soccer, it is football, I have never heard any Brazilian used the term "soccer".  If you do that, you are trying to be "so American".

I'm not stupid. I'm not trying to be something I'm not. The reason I call it soccer is because "soccer" means "futebol" in American English. All I'm doing is adapting to my speaker. If I was trying to speak in Greek, I would say "podilato (poh-dee-lah-toh.)" If I say it in Portuguese, I won't say "soccer". I'll say "futebol." In the same fashion, I won't say "off-sale," but "liquidação." I even try to avoid using "CD" or "DVD" in Portuguese; If I'm allowed to be generic enough, I'll just say "disco" instead.

Originally posted by tamte "Blending in" is losing your own identity, if that is needed to be friends with Brazilians, suck it.

You complain so much about here, but try going to Japan, where people actually worship American people. You'll be treated very respectfully and warmly, but if you actually want to be taken seriously, you'll have to learn their innumerous etiquette rules, their social dynamics, and even body language – which are far more complex than ours. Even then, contrary to here, you'll never be allowed to fully "blend in" unless both of your parents are Japanese.

Originally posted by tamte I don't need Brazilian friends who require me to be like them? If you are a criminal I understand you have a need to "blend in".

Please ellaborate between this parallel of "blending in" and "being a criminal."

Originally posted by tamte And I do not have a need to blend into this degeneração around.

Prejudice much? Now imagine if I said to American people, "you are scum and I have no intention to socialize with you" if I intended to live there. Would they put a smile on their faces? No, and I wouldn't blame them for it. Would they outcast me? Yes, because they would be on their right to feel insulted.

Edited by Megabyte - 05 April 2012 at 13:54

Originally posted by jacare Originally posted by jkennedy Move to another country, and you should blend in. Yeah! Get over the TP thing will y'all.

TP?

Originally posted by jkennedy Move to another country, and you should blend in.  You shouldn't drag your culture with you and force it upon others.  You should respect the culture, you should join it, or not move.   You shouldn't move into a newly minted city of immigrants from your home country so you can keep your culture.  If your sole point is to move to another country with your culture, you should stay where you are.   If your sole goal is to get a better life, make your home country a better place and keep your culture there.    This has always been my philosophy.   This goes for everyone moving around the world, for whatever reason.I'm friends with several hispanics, my wife learned spanish in 2 months and started tutoring spanish students in spanish on spanish.   They're scared of being deported and thus stick to those they know and feel they can trust.   The majority are here to work hard and get a better life.   2nd generation can go either way, better life or just mad at their situation in life.

To be clear, I adapted to Brazilian culture. I started yelling out what I wanted instead of waiting in lines, I didn't mind other pedestrians on the sidewalk nor in the street, I learned the language pretty fluently (written and spoken), I learned the ins and outs of family life and made quite an effort to blend in.

Yet, there was still an overwhelming feeling that they don't want foreigners in Brazil. This is their 'big moment' and they look at foreigners with disdain. It's disguised by their superficial friendly culture, but it's definitely there.

This goes especially for anyone who has an American accent. We pay for international politics firsthand.

Maybe when I meet Brazilians in the US I'll be telling them they're here to 'exploit' our economy, to 'take' our women and all the other BS I heard for years in Rio.

And then I'll say, but we are friendly midwestern people! We drink and have fun and don't have political corruption! Any sort of minor problem, 'Get out of here Brazucca! Go back to the jungle!'

Only, I won't do that! I am what makes the US great, and Brazil a hole. Pro-immigrant, pro-diversity, friendly. That's why this is where everyone goes. It's not just economics.

The only expats in Brazil have a specific reason to be there (family or business) or are sex tourists. Maybe about 100 don't fit into those categories. Rio is chock-full of lowlifes and snobs.

There are millions of immigrants who make the US their happy home!

Edited by cara0910 - 05 April 2012 at 13:56

Originally posted by cara0910 My culture is being accepting of foreigners. You are right. I don't wanna blend into a xenophobic culture.

"Blending in" means something very different here than it does in the US. It doesn't mean you should dress completely like a Brazilian person does, or do the exact same stuff. It means socializing. You're not expected to fully learn the language, because we know it can be hard. But it does mean that you need to try to understand the culture and accept it as is. Brazil isn't a second United States, unfortunately, and social dynamics are different.

Say, if a 32 year-old person wants to have sex with your 15-year-old child, wouldn't him/her go to jail in the US? A Brazilian person wouldn't avoid jail on the basis this is allowed legally in our culture (since 2009, that is.)

Edited by Megabyte - 05 April 2012 at 14:11