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.
Showing posts with label europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label europe. Show all posts
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Americans got it wrong
Dear all,
It has been a while (almost one and half years) since my last post. Much has changed in my life in the meantime. I graduated from Ecole Polytechnique, got engaged, and now I am a postdoctorate researcher at UPENN, Philadelphia, in the US, since last November.
After five years in Europe, I find the life in the US very different from the European one. The Americans have a very different set of values than the Europeans. One big difference, in my opinion, is that Americans do not know how to live. Let me give you a simple example: I often ask the graduate students at UPENN about their plans for Summer break, and all of them tell me about how they are searching for internships in companies or trying to find out some more extra classes to take. If I asked the same question to an European, most of them would tell me about their big plans of going to the beach or hiking, etc. In France, for instance, the whole country stops in August, that is, everyone is on vacations. When I tell this to any American, they tell me how impossible it would be even to think on asking his/her boss for a month leave.
Another aspect that differs very much from the European values is on environmental issues. This is specially shocking when coming from Germany which is one of the countries that best takes care of the environment. In the US it is really the opposite. There is basically no care for issues like recycling, saving energy or water, mass transportation, etc. For instance, the lights in my department stay on the whole time, even in weekends! The same happens in the building where I live. There is not even a timer that automatically turns off the lights after some time. Recycling in the US is also ridiculous. My building is one of the few that do something, but compared to any German home, it is really nothing. They only recycle old newspapers and magazines. They do not even have a slot for tin cans!
However, the worst aspect is not even the two above, but rather how they treat the poor. It is sad to see that in the richest and most powerful country in the world, there are people without teeth that cannot formulate correctly one sentence. You find people like that very often on the streets here in Philadelphia. They do not have access to hospitals, schools, basically nothing, while the upper class shows off their BMWs and big cars around. Given this situation, it is not hard to see how one can easily manipulate these fragile people with nationalistic propaganda or religious brainwashing. They are against issues which would clearly benefit them directly, such as health care. This contrasts with the situation in Europe: whenever there is any attempt to remove rights of, for example, the French people, they rise up. They are not easily manipulated because they are treated much better by the French society, although they do have their problems.
After five months in the US, I am really glad to discover that this is not where I want to be for the rest of my life, at least not if things continue like this. Europe may have its problems, e.g., xenophoby, but overall their values are much more compatible my values.
It has been a while (almost one and half years) since my last post. Much has changed in my life in the meantime. I graduated from Ecole Polytechnique, got engaged, and now I am a postdoctorate researcher at UPENN, Philadelphia, in the US, since last November.
After five years in Europe, I find the life in the US very different from the European one. The Americans have a very different set of values than the Europeans. One big difference, in my opinion, is that Americans do not know how to live. Let me give you a simple example: I often ask the graduate students at UPENN about their plans for Summer break, and all of them tell me about how they are searching for internships in companies or trying to find out some more extra classes to take. If I asked the same question to an European, most of them would tell me about their big plans of going to the beach or hiking, etc. In France, for instance, the whole country stops in August, that is, everyone is on vacations. When I tell this to any American, they tell me how impossible it would be even to think on asking his/her boss for a month leave.
Another aspect that differs very much from the European values is on environmental issues. This is specially shocking when coming from Germany which is one of the countries that best takes care of the environment. In the US it is really the opposite. There is basically no care for issues like recycling, saving energy or water, mass transportation, etc. For instance, the lights in my department stay on the whole time, even in weekends! The same happens in the building where I live. There is not even a timer that automatically turns off the lights after some time. Recycling in the US is also ridiculous. My building is one of the few that do something, but compared to any German home, it is really nothing. They only recycle old newspapers and magazines. They do not even have a slot for tin cans!
However, the worst aspect is not even the two above, but rather how they treat the poor. It is sad to see that in the richest and most powerful country in the world, there are people without teeth that cannot formulate correctly one sentence. You find people like that very often on the streets here in Philadelphia. They do not have access to hospitals, schools, basically nothing, while the upper class shows off their BMWs and big cars around. Given this situation, it is not hard to see how one can easily manipulate these fragile people with nationalistic propaganda or religious brainwashing. They are against issues which would clearly benefit them directly, such as health care. This contrasts with the situation in Europe: whenever there is any attempt to remove rights of, for example, the French people, they rise up. They are not easily manipulated because they are treated much better by the French society, although they do have their problems.
After five months in the US, I am really glad to discover that this is not where I want to be for the rest of my life, at least not if things continue like this. Europe may have its problems, e.g., xenophoby, but overall their values are much more compatible my values.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Crazy Weather!
One of the worst of aspects of living in Europe is the weather. Today, for example, it was snowing, even though we are officially in spring. However, the worst is not the cold, since the houses here usually have a good heating system and to go outside it is enough to protect yourself well. The rain is terrible, specially because it affects my mood; more specifically, my working mood is completely destroyed. In the three winters that I've passed in Europe, this was definitely the most annoying; it was a constant period of light and cold rain. I just do not feel in the mood to work; at least not without some chemicals such as chocolate or coffee (the Illy version of the latter is the best; thanks to Andrea :).
Today, after four doses! of coffee, I've written some pages, and for that I am glad, but I seriously hope that spring comes soon!
Today, after four doses! of coffee, I've written some pages, and for that I am glad, but I seriously hope that spring comes soon!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Xenophobia in Europe
It is tragic to see an increase of aversion towards foreigners in Europe. Just to see what extreme right wing candidates say and how much support they have is really disappointing in the so called civilized continent. After some time in Europe and staying for some time in three different European countries: Germany, Portugal and France, I could see that Xenophobia may come from completely different reasons:
1) In Germany, the hostility towards foreigners, specially the Turkish community, comes mostly from the unemployed, lower class Germans that think that foreigners are stealing their jobs.
2) In Portugal, there is clear the separation between Portuguese, Brazilian and Africans. The Portuguese still regard Brazilians better than Africans because Brazilians, specially in the last years, come to Portugal in more "respected" positions; for instance as Dentists, in Marketing positions; while the Africans have the less paid jobs like maids, electricians, plumbers, etc.
3) In France, it is not really more an employment issue than a class issue. More than two hundreds years after the French revolutions (1st and 2nd), the French society values more class and etiquette than education and qualification. This is why in Paris everyone is so well dressed; they want to be part of the aristocracy. So differently from Germany and Portugal, the origin of the French Xenophobia is not from economic reasons, but from cultural/historical one: the French higher class still believe that they have a different blood: le sang bleu.
1) In Germany, the hostility towards foreigners, specially the Turkish community, comes mostly from the unemployed, lower class Germans that think that foreigners are stealing their jobs.
2) In Portugal, there is clear the separation between Portuguese, Brazilian and Africans. The Portuguese still regard Brazilians better than Africans because Brazilians, specially in the last years, come to Portugal in more "respected" positions; for instance as Dentists, in Marketing positions; while the Africans have the less paid jobs like maids, electricians, plumbers, etc.
3) In France, it is not really more an employment issue than a class issue. More than two hundreds years after the French revolutions (1st and 2nd), the French society values more class and etiquette than education and qualification. This is why in Paris everyone is so well dressed; they want to be part of the aristocracy. So differently from Germany and Portugal, the origin of the French Xenophobia is not from economic reasons, but from cultural/historical one: the French higher class still believe that they have a different blood: le sang bleu.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Stereotypes
This week in my French class, we were discussing about the different misconceptions (just a note, curious to see how many words in English come from French: mis = put) and stereotypes different people have from each other. For instance, my French professor said that French think all Brazilians wear only havaianas and stay at the beach surrounded by mulatas in strings. Later, I commented that Brazilians think that French are not very hygienic; for instance we often say, when someone does not take shower but only puts perfume, that he/she took a French bath. My professor was really surprised to hear about this.
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