Aninha Franci
af004@marietta.edu
Oi! I am an exchange student from Brazil, majoring in EFL/ESL teaching. I am really enjoying life here at Marietta College, and experiencing the ‘American college life’, which is very different from college life back in my home country. It is such a great and unique experience when you have the chance to practice your second language in a native-speaking country. Speaking another language means being in touch with a new culture and a whole lot of new challenges.
I just love the unique characteristics that each country has! The different aspects of each country do not make one better or worse than the other, but they make it unique! Since I arrived in America at the beginning of the semester, I have realized a few cultural aspects that I really like – people are very kind, the cars stop whenever you have to cross streets, people most of the time hold the door for you, and in general people respect one another’s space and privacy.
Among all the differences between the U.S. and Brazil, one that really pops out to me is the way people greet one another here. In my home country we are used to greeting people with a kiss on the cheek – even if it is the first time we are meeting the person. In America a simple handshake and a deep look in the eyes are enough. While living here I have experienced a few awkward situations when greeting/meeting people – I was ready to hug/kiss and the person came straight with a handshake! It is always funny and a little embarrassing… It took me a while to get used to it, but now I am finally adapted, I guess.
I really enjoy when people ask me questions about my culture and language, but sometimes they are too funny that I can’t contain myself and laugh! The other day, someone asked me if we had cemeteries in Brazil (I could not miss the chance to joke) so my answer was: “No, Brazilians go straight to heaven!” Whenever people ask really unreal questions it is always fun to add a little bit of humor. Besides that, people ask me about typical food, geography, politics and customs. I really like sharing about these aspects because there is a misunderstanding that Brazil is all about the Amazon so it is really good for people to learn about other countries in order to avoid stereotyping.
Living in the U.S. is bringing me a whole lot of new experiences – like getting to see snow and feel -8 °F weather (it never gets this cold in Brazil). I have tried new foods and eaten a lot of peanut butter M&M’s, made new friends from all over the place and have practiced learning new English words and idioms. Traveling/living abroad is definitely one of the richest experiences one can have. It opens your mind to see the world differently and to realize that there is so much more to explore and discover!
