Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Brazil 2010 - A Little Help from Friends

Bom dia is the traditional greeting here in Brazil. At night we say Bom Noight (not sure of the spelling). In between good day and good night, the challenge is to find all the words in betweeen. Everything from how to ask for water, to how to ask for directions, and of course, how to ask for a particular pair of shoes in a particular color. I usually try French first if I do not know the word and then sign language.

But I find body language to be the best communicator. That and tone. Smiling always works, and not using abrupt words, or words that sound abrupt. One our friends who are travelling with us consistently get bad service. Their orders are always wrong, and the person literally gets a glazed over look in their eyes when they talk. They tend to bark and point abruptly, as if to insult the intelligence of the person trying to help them.

Bad idea. That is why I make friends with the people who can help me. The staff at the Mercatta store where I buy lots of cloths know me and what I like. The young girls who work at the Acai booth where we visit frequently (it~s like the Dairy Queen here) are a welcome break for us in the heat. Jacqueline and Rashonne are life savers.

So as the song goes, I get by with a little help from my friends.

1 comment:

Windnsnow said...

This explains why you always talk to me in gentle tones with very long words...I thought you were just making fun of me.