THE Head of the International Relations Department, very sweet middle aged woman, kindly scared the living daylights out of me the first time we met and she still gets me till this day. “What does she do?” you might ask.
SHE HOLLERS. She hollers as if she lived at the top of Mount Everest in a constant struggle to communicate with the rest of civilization that lives miles below.
The funny thing is that initially, her seemingly harmless charm draws you really close to her. But after our first exchange of words, I learned my lesson: Stand a few meters away.
miércoles, 1 de julio de 2009
“What the Mo Fo???!!!”
Spanish society is so... different. Spanish people are beautiful, warm, outgoing and they talk like crazy. They value collectivity and are refreshingly active in their communities. On the other hand, I have also found that many are offensively direct, almost filterless, and most politically incorrect; in words and in actions.
Being educated in the Toronto Public School system, we are taught “If you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all”. We are taught to be conscious of and attentive to indiscrepancies that may occur in cultural translation.
I craved that sensitivity today when an international student approached the front desk on the brink of tears. When I asked her what was wrong they finally rolled down her cheeks. She swallowed hard and explained that the cashier who had just tended to her at the supermarket literally threw her change back at the counter.
Seeing her cry made me want to do the same. I may have proved a bit more tough-skinned in situations like this one, overlooking to southern Spanish aggressiveness which quite frankly bothered me too. Even so, I knew exactly how she felt.
Just an example of the uttermost importance that hospitality and manners hold. They make each moment. Also an example of why it is important to be open and tolerant. We don’t all share the same customs and we were not all raised in the same home. We were definitely not all educated in the Toronto Public School system.
Aware of this fact, one question has been pestering for a while...Can enough ever be enough for the consciously anti-cultural imperialist?
I often find myself puzzled, making grimaces in random places and mouthing “What the Mo Fo???!!!”
Being educated in the Toronto Public School system, we are taught “If you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all”. We are taught to be conscious of and attentive to indiscrepancies that may occur in cultural translation.
I craved that sensitivity today when an international student approached the front desk on the brink of tears. When I asked her what was wrong they finally rolled down her cheeks. She swallowed hard and explained that the cashier who had just tended to her at the supermarket literally threw her change back at the counter.
Seeing her cry made me want to do the same. I may have proved a bit more tough-skinned in situations like this one, overlooking to southern Spanish aggressiveness which quite frankly bothered me too. Even so, I knew exactly how she felt.
Just an example of the uttermost importance that hospitality and manners hold. They make each moment. Also an example of why it is important to be open and tolerant. We don’t all share the same customs and we were not all raised in the same home. We were definitely not all educated in the Toronto Public School system.
Aware of this fact, one question has been pestering for a while...Can enough ever be enough for the consciously anti-cultural imperialist?
I often find myself puzzled, making grimaces in random places and mouthing “What the Mo Fo???!!!”
Not Too Different, Are We?
My Caribbean background has often caused people to attach a variety of erroneous typecasts to my person. While most of the time I have considered them to be annoying, comments such as, “but you’re not black” still make me laugh.
I like to think that, like most people, I’m not what people expect when they judge me according to my ethnic background. I actually don’t possess many of the most characteristic features accorded to a person of Caribbean roots.
I am:
1. Not laid-back
2. Not loud (when I’m sober)
3. Don’t have a mixed, semi-distinguishable accent or latch phrase, like “Ju know”.
4. And unlike many Latino-Caribbeans, I am capable of speaking,pure English and pure Spanish without difficulty, rather than the odd colloquial mixture of both, otherwise known as “Spanglish”.
Like me (or so I would to think), Spain, COMPLETELY defied expectations…
Being from a colonial and post colonial background, where I myself have seen many a new Spanish settler position himself above my mulato race with a simple scowl, I was under the impression the Spain must be characterized by a superior societal and cultural refinement.
It was with great and almost vengeful pleasure that I realized, “Dang, Spanish people are LOUD and rarely sober. They are ultra-laid-back with undistinguishable accents, mad colloquialisms and absurd latch phrases”… Not to stereotype or anything.
I like to think that, like most people, I’m not what people expect when they judge me according to my ethnic background. I actually don’t possess many of the most characteristic features accorded to a person of Caribbean roots.
I am:
1. Not laid-back
2. Not loud (when I’m sober)
3. Don’t have a mixed, semi-distinguishable accent or latch phrase, like “Ju know”.
4. And unlike many Latino-Caribbeans, I am capable of speaking,pure English and pure Spanish without difficulty, rather than the odd colloquial mixture of both, otherwise known as “Spanglish”.
Like me (or so I would to think), Spain, COMPLETELY defied expectations…
Being from a colonial and post colonial background, where I myself have seen many a new Spanish settler position himself above my mulato race with a simple scowl, I was under the impression the Spain must be characterized by a superior societal and cultural refinement.
It was with great and almost vengeful pleasure that I realized, “Dang, Spanish people are LOUD and rarely sober. They are ultra-laid-back with undistinguishable accents, mad colloquialisms and absurd latch phrases”… Not to stereotype or anything.
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)
