This has to be one of the most common questions I get living in Brazil when I come to the U.S. for a visit.
Friends, dentists, doctors and hair stylists ask it. Even random store big box clerks when I answer the question, "Would you like to share your email address so you can receive a bazillion email coupons for a measly 5% off?" and I politely answer "No thanks," and have to follow up with an "I live in Brazil" because that polite no's never quite strong enough.
But what's funny to me is does anybody ever ask you, "So how's America?" They don't? You never get a "How's the USA doin'?" Hmmmmm...
One thing about this question that strikes me is no one gets more specific than that. Never a "So, how's Brasilia?" or a "How's Brazil's soccer team?" or a "Hey what about that new lady president?" I know that people ask THE question because they don't know what else to ask. I think some people believe that life in another country just can't be like life here. Reality is for the most part, it is.
So my advice to my readers who are my friend or you have a friend who lives abroad, living overseas, yes we do get to travel to amazing places and the grocery store's got a few different items but just ask about the usual things...weather, work, holidays; the things you'd ask if we lived right down the street. We really do appreciate the effort but after answering it a few extra times today, I feel the need to help coach the question a bit. Now I just need to find a way to spread the word to the big box clerks...
Amen to that!! I love when people congratulate me on being so adventurous and look at me as if I was so exotic breed of human... when the reality is, I am just living here the same way I would in the US or Canada... I am doing my job the same, learning new things the same, earning money the same (albeit a different currency), paying bills the same and going to the grocery store the same. It's really not all that different... it's just all in a different location with some language and culture adjustments...
ReplyDeleteAngela - I also love the compliments about living overseas but I'm sure you are similar to me and never thought of it as something brave, just following your passion. But it's nice to hear that praise sometimes and especially to be reminded of it when those little cultural and language nuances cause a bit of frustration. All in all though, like you said, it really on a day-to-day basis is the same. When I move back to the U.S., a goal I have is to make sure I take advantage of my longer breaks to travel like I do when I live overseas. It's one of the things I miss when I live in the U.S. and really there's no reason I should.
ReplyDelete