expatriate's wednesdays: Static representations and generalisations, danger !



Here I am, in a favela alley, in Santa Catarina, near Rio down town, with a couple who live there and to whom I was asking my way.

We chatted a bit, I helped them carry their daily shopping down to their house.

Alleys are very steep there !

They tell me that I have to keep going on down; the alley was a place where evidently no gringos are used to wander. Well, I was lost, this is why !

Right or not, I then do not feel any hesitation

I have anchored in me some naïvity and simplicity that puts me naturally in this state of mind.

After all, I am just a human who will probably see other humans when going down this alley, that’s it !

My notion of respect stopped me from taking pictures, even though I am burning to take some. Maybe next time ! For the moment, my camera stays in its box.

When walking down, two men looked at us. I understood their message as being:

“ You don’t belong here, get out, now !”

Right, we got out;

The person I was with took the picture that you an see. Is it the cause for those aggressive looks ? I do not think so. The men, I think couldn’t see the picture being taken.

I felt I found myself at a crossing of several of my cultural representations among those the one linked to social belongings here, in Rio.

As a gringa, for a fraction of a second, I asked myself if it was clever of me to go down this alley without being with the local couple that could be a kind of a “passport for being here”, if I may say it this way.

Why wasn’t I sure ? because as foreigners living in Rio, we regularly have warnings from employers, consulates (not so from the French consulate though ;o) other expats, school, newspapers, … so I observe, I feel in my daily life and … I build my own opinion and take decisions, like all of us do.

Not always simple actually.

The person who was with me doesn’t live in Rio and didn’t feel very comfortable staying there.

The two men who looked at us in what we felt was aggressive, also have their own representations;

What is interesting for me is to be able to recognize our own representations, their limits and to know how to evaluate them regularly for not staying in a static image that then loses all its meaning.

Let’s be careful with generalities as well … they can lead us to totally wrong interpretations

No, not all the favelas alleys are dangerous … and

No, not all the favela’s alleys are safe …

Yes, reality is complex, each of us has to find where to stand !

No need to end in a favela in Rio for re assessing our representations !

And if you are tempted, I have an exercise that can help you do it ! Just aske !

Have a beautiful day !



¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Hey ! Do you like this blog, does it inspire you ? Remember that you can subscribe to my newsletter, and so you will be notified as soon as I publish a new article! And if you really like it and if it really inspires you, tell your relatives, friends or family !

The inspiration and pleasure should be shared ! ! !

Hey Ho ! Let's share ! Since the begining I have though this blog as to be an exchange and I thank you for that and for all your reactions that allow to make it richer for everybody;Your ideas, your thoughts, your interrogations that we can develop here are more than welcome !

Hey, hey ho ! If you want to use one of my articles or one of my photos you can, but please let me know before !