Americans got it Right

One of my previous posts comments on several issues, such as environmental care, that I think the Americans got it wrong. In some sense, those were not that hard to point out after eight years of Bush and the very conservative policies that his government supported. It takes a bit more time, therefore, for an outsider to see or feel the bright side of American society. For me it took about six months. It happened while I was attending the memorial for Amir Pnueli in New York City. Since I went there alone and I did not know many people, I found myself one evening searching for a restaurant to eat alone. Ordering a table for only one person is kind of depressing, so it took me a bit of time to find the courage to enter in a NY restaurant where all tables are usually full of people. After walking for some time, I entered a sympathetic, friendly, French restaurant and ordered for a table. I ordered a glass of wine and while I was browsing the menu, a woman, at her mid 40s, stands on front of me and asks whether I am Indian. I respond that in fact I am Brazilian, and after some more small talk, she invites me to sit on her table together with some of her friends. It happens that she just came back from India and she loved it. However, when I joined them, I was facing a French woman that loved Brazil! She goes very often there and went to places that are still in my to-do list, such as Parati. We also shared our experiences in Fernando de Noronha, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, etc. In summary, what seemed to be a lost and boring evening turned out to be a very enjoyable one.

Being approached by a complete stranger in any European country is something that is almost impossible. When she approached me, I felt that I was in Brazil where people do these kind of things. For instance, in Brazil, it is not very seldom that while one is waiting in a queue, one becomes the "best" friend of the following person. Definitely, this is an aspect that Americans got right. They are much more open to personal contact than Europeans.