Japan vs. Brazil

          Naturally, I find myself comparing our experiences here with the time I spent in Japan since that is the first foreign country that I could call home.  My journeys in Japan allowed me to be immersed in the local culture and language through home stays, all-Japanese work environments, and the challenges of living alone in a rural community.  Here in Brazil, we are immersed instead in a unique school culture of many nationalities.  Even though Brazilians are most well-represented among us, English is our lingua franca, and for me, this means that I work in the identity of my home culture most of the time.  They moved away recently, but our next-door neighbors were from India, allowing for a very satisfying, yet, nonetheless, non-Brazilian relationship.  Our church community is also international, with English as our shared language.  We feel like we are in a bubble here, perhaps by circumstance, perhaps by choice.  Since the school is right next to our condominium, we are not required to interact with many people outside our work environment, except when we go grocery shopping or out into the city. 



With some of our 12th graders, whom we both teach.



            Z and I have also agreed that, while Brazilian culture is unique, it is not nearly as shocking as living in Japan was for us.  Even though there are more inconveniences here, we are not as challenged on a daily basis to carry out regular activities as we were in Japan.  Compared to our experience in Japan, we do not stand out as obviously here as foreigners.  In Japan, I had near-celebrity status in my small community, which worked to my advantage for making friends and getting involved in events and activities.  Here, however, outside our school and its community, I am not known other than by my condominium's friendly security guards.  Getting involved in the community outside of school requires more effort, which I have generally not put forth.  I was tentative to get involved, not knowing if I would be able to stay as long as I hoped due to the visa situation, and once we did have the visa, I knew we would be leaving soon, so I thought, Why bother?  (In retrospect, I think it is best to settle in, even if you are staying for a short time.) 

            I feel that our marriage relationship has a huge role in how we have been involved in the local culture.  In Japan, we were single people seeking friendship and companionship, eager to be part of the action; here in Brazil, we are often satisfied to spend time with each other, which prevents us from getting involved with others as extensively.  This is not necessarily a negative point, but it has colored our experience here.

            So, how will we approach our integration into the local culture of Lugano, Switzerland?  Working and living at an international boarding school will present many of the same challenges we have had here in Brazil.  Z and I have discussed this, and he made a valuable point.  In San Diego, it was not until our third year there that we felt integrated in our community.  For me, it took a year in rural Japan before I felt comfortable taking risks to get more involved.  As we transition to life in Switzerland, I am prepared to be patient with our progress and simply take advantage of the encounters we do have with the local culture and people. 

           Since Ecclesiastes is fresh in my mind from studying it with the soon-to-graduate 12th graders, let me quote Solomon, the wisest man of his time who wrote this toward the end of his full, rich life:

¹⁸ "Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. ¹⁹ And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. ²⁰ God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past" (5:18-20).

Let us, then, all of us, enjoy our lot in life, since every good thing comes from God, and God can make good of all things, no matter what our limited human perspective may be.  I look forward to hearing how you are using and enjoying your time on earth.  Write soon!