We will start this week talking about Emotional Expressivity. For, this subject has many layers than the Culture by itself. Personality also plays an important role in this topic. I think that personality has a strong impact especially on those people who is "different" than their own culture.
Allow me to share my personal
experience to explain it better. I live in a large country, with many different
ancestors. In the south, where I was born and raised, most of the population
are descendants of East Europeans. In the Southeast, we have descendants from
West Europe, especially Portugal and also from Africa. Nowadays, we are a mixed
people, but we still can find some aspects from our Ancestors Culture in each
region. In the south, we have "colder" people than in the rest of the
country. Curitiba's people are known as the coldest ones! For them, that's ok
to not greet everyone or hug them, to not invite colleagues to their homes, to
not talk with strangers about themselves, or just to give them information! And
as I said, it's ok! I know that not everyone will say hello, that in social
places people will greet me with a handshake, and I will not be invited to
their home unless we are more than just colleagues if we are real friends. Rio
de Janeiro ‘peoples, on the other hand, is totally the opposite. They will greet
everyone, give hugs and kisses on their cheeks, will talk with you in the line
at the supermarket, and will tell you about their lives, and you will be
invited to many different friend meetings, even if you aren't close. And that
is ok for them.
I lived in Curitiba, and I served as
a volunteer in the Self-Reliance Center. My role was at the front desk and
helping the brethren to find jobs offerings. When I moved to Rio de Janeiro to
get married, the first thing that I did was a volunteer in their Self-Reliance
Center. My fiancée worked nearby so we decided to have lunch together. I felt
so overwhelmed by all those people inquiring me and invading my personal space
that I asked my fiancée to help to get back home. I couldn't return and serve
for the rest of the day. Eventually, I was getting familiar, I lived there for
almost 10 years. But I am a shy person. Isn't just about my culture. I wasn't
"cold" because I was from Curitiba. I was a shy person living among
very warm people. I can't say how many times I heard this "counsel":
"You need to be a more open person. You do not live in Curitiba anymore;
you must act like people from Rio de Janeiro."
And as soon I started to speak people
knew by my accent that I was from the south part of the Country. I have heard
this counsel from people that I haven't any kind of relationship with. They
were just customers in the place I worked. This is why I mentioned the
personality also has an important role. I guess that this isn't an exception,
but for sure people tend to act accordingly with the culture about Emotional
Expressivity where they live.
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