Global Competencies

Cultural Adaptation


Thus far what has been your experience in understanding and following cultural norms, making accommodations for different beliefs, values, laws, and behaviours in your host country?


Adjusting myself to cultural norms of Brazil hasn't been that much of a challenge. It is only normal that one would encounter cultural differences in a different country. One thing that I had to get used to is the lack of security. For instance, when I first arrived in Fortaleza, I was constantly warned to be careful, don't walk around at night, don't carry a purse, don't use your phone in public...etc People here are very cautious when it comes to their safety. Although Ottawa is relatively safe in comparison to Fortaleza, (see homicide charts on blog) I still try to be aware of my surroundings when walking alone especially at night because, unfortunately, anything can happen. My mother has certainly instilled in me a sense of cautiousness during my upbringing. Every time I leave the house to go out with friends, she always tells me to "be safe and don't leave your drink unattended to!" We've had talks about safety in the past and how simply being a women can place a target on my back.

One thing that I have certainly not gotten used to is the public bus system ETUFOR. I've never been a fan of buses, especially Ottawa's OC Transpo, but now I've come to appreciate Ottawa's organized and timely bus system. In Fortaleza, buses come late, they pass bus stops leaving waiting passengers behind, and the drivers drive like maniacs (but Malawi's bus drivers are worse). I have yet to see a bus schedule that the bus drivers follow. Hence the only thing I can do is go outside and hope that the bus shows up to take me to my destination at a decent time. There's no map of bus routes so if you need to get somewhere people simply ask other people at the bus stop for what bus to take.


In terms of behaviors, the way the men respond to me when walking down the street has certainly been one of my biggest challenges. Whether it be walking to the bus top or to the store, the constant catcalling sounds are irritating. Sometimes if I ignore the sound, they hiss even louder, thinking that perhaps I didn't hear them the first time. There have been occasions where I've been tempted to turn around and yell "Don't hiss as me, I'm not a cat!" (in Portuguese of course) But in most cases, Amber and I would exchange a look of annoyance or laugh at the foolishness. t makes me wonder if such calls actually work for Brazilian women, since it doesn't seem like an effective/logical strategy to get a woman's attention. It's worse when the men start following you in their car and try to get you to come to their car, very irritating.


In the same family of catcalls are the constant calls of "morena" when I walk by. When I went to the Dominican Republic last year, it was my first experience with random men on the street calling me Morena. I'll admit, at first I did feel offended. In Canada, if a stranger randomly refers to me by my race I would question them as to why they need to point out the obvious. I actually find that some Canadians fear the risk of being called racist for simply identifying the race of another individual, which is a little overboard...But random a funny story:

When I worked in LaSenza, one of my many retail jobs, I had helped a lady pick out some undergarments. Since we also received commission for the customers we assisted, the cashier had to make sure the sale went to the right person. When the cashier had asked the customer who helped her, she gave a vague description like "she's tall and is wearing black" (the employee uniform is all black) My coworker probed for more information and the custumer then leaned over closer to the cashier and whispered "She's black."

When I heard of what happened, I couldn't help but laugh. We live in a society where there is no need to point out the obvious unless you have to, especially when it comes to appearance. In Brazil, people identify eachother based on looks. They even give each other nicknames based on someones physical appearance. I've actually come to embrace my street name of Morena. Whether it be the creepy men on the street trying to get my attention or my Brazilian friends talking to me, it doesn't bother me as much as it used to since there is no negative/derogatory intent behind it.

So the biggest behavioral trait that I have yet to get used to in Brazil is staring. I feel that I have probably ranted about this enough in these blogs:
- Hit the ground running
- Os Filmes sao melhors em outras linguas

I don't understand if some Brazilians get pleasure from staring at people to the point of making them uncomfortable but I did finally have a breaking point about halfway through my internship. I could no longer just ignore it as I had before. In Portuguese, I'd ask people that stare for too long if they wanted something or I'd bluntly tell them to stop looking. Occasionally I would stare back at them (in not the most friendly way). To the ones that prefer to continue to have a staring competition with me, I would point at them just to make them feel the same discomfort they are making me feel. I have walked around with Brazilians and non-Brazilians who have noted how much people go out of their way to look for long, uninterrupted, periods of time at me. My friends have assured me that I'm not disfigured and I'm sure I can trust them, but they do say I'm different...well I guess its a good thing I like being different.

Network and Relationship Building


From your experience to date, what would you say are the main factors in connecting with local people and partners, both socially and professionally? Has it been different from how you might connect with colleagues and partners in your own country, or do you find things fairly similar?


One thing I've come to realize more is that  networking is one of my strongest skills. Whether it be social or professional networking, I've met many interesting people from around the world during my time here in Brazil. I feel that I use the same outlets, such as email, social media sites, and conversations to connect with people in Brazil and Canada. Below, are just some of my many networking situations.


In terms of social networking, during my first month in Brazil I attended my first couchsurfing meeting where I met a lot of people who share many similar interests. CS itself, in a sense, is a networking platform for people who enjoy meeting people from different places. In one of my first blog posts I mentioned how I enjoyed this first meeting:
- Adoro conhecer novas pessoas
Before I even arrived in Fortaleza, I used CS to ask locals if they knew of any apartments available. For the conference in Rio, we were able to stay in Eric's beautiful apartment, who I contacted through CS. Trust between members is what keeps this online community going. Whether it mean letting a complete stranger stay in your home for a few nights or meeting up with someone for a drink, this networking site has definatley been useful for me.
If you are ever travelling and want to meet local people or even if you aren't travelling and have time to spare and entertaining travelers in your city, I strongly recommend joining this website.

As for professional networking, I've made quite a few connections here in Fortaleza. From the professors at the IFCE that we work with in managing the Mulheres Mil program to the random people I have met through friends who are working in the development field. I am even networking the very women we work with through the social media site Orkut. When I first arrived in Brazil, people kept asking me if I had an Orkut account. I eventually made one to keep in touch with the many relationships I have established. I think also by maintaining contact with the women through Orkut, I will be able to keep track of what the women are up to as the years go by.

During Sustenavel 2011 in Rio, I tried to distance myself from Amber so that we wouldn't rely on each other for company. I ended up meeting a lot of people and exchanging business cards. See more about my networking experience in Rio:
- 4º Congresso Internacional sobre Desenvolvimento Sustentável


This experience, networking a professional setting, was one of my most memorable. I have attended book signings and fundraisers for development projects but I have never talked to as many people as I have during this conference. I have kept in touch with some of the people I met through email.
When I return to Ottawa, I look forward to making more professional connections with similar events. 

Intercultural Communication


How have you found communicating with local people and colleagues? What have you found works best in getting your message across to local  people and colleagues, and alternatively picking up on what local people and colleagues are wanting to communicate? 


In the beginning I found it very difficult communicating with local people and colleagues because I didn't know Portuguese. I had never studied the language in a professional setting but I knew random words from the Brazilian students at Carleton University. Hence communication was a huge obstacle for me. At IFCE, our boss Sarah speaks perfect English hence it wasn't hard to communicate with her. There was Professor Vitor who speaks English and taught us some basics of Portuguese. There's Professor Erilan who speaks French, hence her lessons we're the funniest. She would teach us Portuguese in French and I would translate what she says into English for Amber. However as time went by, I picked up more and more, to the point where I currently find it hard to speak French or Spanish because I've gotten used to Portuguese. See more about my early learning experience here:
- Estou falando Portunhol

Funny commercial, a Spanish speaker trying to speak Portuguese....well I guess he's basically speaking Portunhol.

There are moments where I don't understand full conversations in Portuguese. For example, during the Mulheres Mil meetings to get the program running, it was hard to keep up with the conversation because everyone is speaking at their regular full speed and at times there was more than one person speaking. I have found that people speak slower, hence understandable, when it's a simple one-on-one conversation.


Speaking on the phone is one of the challenges I have yet to overcome. The sound of the person's voice isn't as clear and it's hard making out what people are saying without seeing their mouth. I've come to rely on watching the way people move their mouths or asking where their tongue is when they say a particular word in order to pronounce things properly. At times when I simply can't understand on the phone, I ask people to send me a SMS because it's easier for me to read Portuguese than to talk on the phone.


Sensitivity and Respect 


How have you found maintaining an attitude of sensitivity and  respect while in situations where cultural protocols, etiquettes, gender roles, and social systems  differ to what you are use to or to what you are comfortable with? 


In terms of the social system, it has certainly been hard to adjust to. From the street children that sleep across the street of a large supermarket, to the women holding their babies on the bus asking for someone to pay for their bus fair, poverty certainly does exist in Fortaleza....and so does wealth. From the overpriced boutiques to the luxurious cars people drive, this city has a huge gap in income. With soo many people living in poverty, I find that many of the well off Brazilians have gotten used to seeing the less fortunate on the street. They have, in essence, become immune to such scenes of poverty. In many parts of Canada, poverty does exist but in Ottawa it is strategically hidden. We do have people who beg for money  on the streets, however this is usually concentrated in the downtown area. It is certainly not to the same magnitude as in Fortaleza.
I have gone out with friends to eat at restaurants and usually they serve more than enough food. If we can't finish it, I ask for the leftovers to go because I know I will encounter someone who is begging on the street, so I pass them my leftovers. The way I see it, it's better to give it to some who is hungry on the street than to let the restaurant throw it in the garbage. I have worked in the food industry for most of my university life and I have witnessed how much food is wasted in restaurants. Instead of donating them to local homeless shelters, my bosses have told me it's better to throw it out because they don't want to risk people getting sick because the food wasn't put in the fridge.





Another image of poverty I have trouble seeing  is children living on the streets in Fortaleza. It's simply a scene I can't get used to. In Canada, if there is a child on the street, it is the duty of any adult has witnessed and is aware of the child's living situation to report it to the proper authorities. Any adult that does not report the situation runs the risk of being held accountable for not doing anything. Many times in Fortaleza, I have witnessed groups of street girls, between the ages of 6 and 12, that wait for a red light at an intersection and perform devil/juggling sticks in front of cars then quickly go ask for change before the lights turn green. Such scenes make me wonder if locals are just as troubled like I am of the obvious poverty within their city.

Knowledge of the Host Country


Pre-departure training gives you a small window into the history and culture of your host country, but this is just an introduction. How have you found the process of learning and understanding your new surroundings? What roles have curiosity and cultural engagement played in obtaining a greater knowledge of your host country. 


I have had an interest in going to Brazil for some years now and I knew some history of Brazil based off of my own personal research. I have never taken a Latin-american course during university and it definitely wasn't offered in high school. The only times Brazil was mentioned in university was during my African history class. Mainly about Portugal's participation in transporting Africans to their Brazilian colony as slaves. Other than that, Brazil's world famous carnaval and futbol team is the only time I hear about Brazil in Canada. This is unfortunate because there's clearly more to Brazil then just these 2 aspects. Occasionally, there would be random stories I would hear about Brazil. For instance, the views and statements of former President Lula. Specifically his famous statement blaming western countries for the 2008 economic crisis:

"...the irrational behaviour of white people with blue eyes, who before seemed to know everything, and now have shown they don't know anything..."

During my time here, I have tried to embrace many cultural aspects of Brazil. I find myself sprinkling farofa on most of my meals, dancing samba and forro with my friends, and using local slang that I have picked up. Going to the beach on a weekly basis here is like going to the mall or the theaters with friends in Canada. I try to surround myself with Brazilians when I go out to practice my language skills. We often have discussions of cultural differences and they are often interested in how I perceive Brazil. This has lead to long meaningful discussion regarding Brazilian vs Canadian culture, each one recognizing the benefits and flaws of each owns culture. When people find out that I'm a foreigner, the next question is usually, "How do you like our country?" or "Do you prefer to live in Brazil or Canada?" My answer is usually something along the lines of "Both countries have their goods and bad, its hard to pick!"

Being here and learning about Brazil's history and culture has certainly been an eyeopening experience. See Brazilian Culture.

Personal and Professional Commitment 


Reflecting on the time you have spent in your host country, how would you judge your capacity to live a balanced life while working interculturally? Have you been proactive in your engagements with  your new environment, did you try to show leadership in both your personal and professional life?

I've always been interested in travelling. I can see myself working in a job that requires me to live abroad for long periods of time. I feel that I have very strong adaptability skills that allow me to thrive in different situations. Of course I will have moments where I miss my family and friends but I feel that with so many social outlets available (skype, facebook, orkut, phone) I can always keep in touch. I take each day as an opportunity to learn more about myself and the environment I live in.


In terms of showing leadership in my professional life there is a unique dynamic in the room when facilitating classes to the women. There is a mutual respect between the women and I. Although Amber and I are younger than most of our students, the women do listen when we have something to say and are absorbing everything we say.  They are certainly learning from us but at the same time, we are also learning from them. Of course at first it was intimidating to think that I would be managing a class full of women with more life experience than I had, but with time we developed a comfortable class environment where the women could hug us an give us advice, yet still respect us and let us to teach the class. See blog on last day:
- A ultima aula

Intercultural Team Leadership

When faced with an obstacle, what has been your experience in attempting to shift between creative thinking ( generating multiple possibilities) to critical thinking ( arriving at best solutions to challenges), while coping successfully and performing effectively in the face of significant stress or adversity?

Amber and I work very closely together, not to mention we live together. When it comes to work, we are always bouncing ideas off each other and then deciding what's the best route to take. For instance, when it comes to deciding the topics we should teach the women and time is a factor, we both discuss it quickly then make a joint decision. Sometimes we disagree and when we do, we simply state our reasons to support our arguments. This allows us to see where the other person is coming from and hear points that maybe we didn't consider. We both know what is expected from us and we often work together to get things done. If there is something I really want to work on,  I simply take the initiative and get get it done.


The way I've learned to deal with stress (thanks Carleton University) is too simply relax and take a break (sometimes nap). If it involves writing an assignment, I take a brake and work on something unrelated to give my brain a break. I sometimes start cleaning things or start cooking, things that need to be done eventually. I find that when I come back to doing the task, I am even more productive than before I took my break.