August 25, 2008
Olympic Reflections
Blogging has not been a high priority in recent days as I have been slogging through a mountain of tasks. I have, however, been following--off and on--the olympics, particularly as they relate to Brazil. Below are some random observations:
1. What was it this year with the US playing Brazil in just about every final or semifinal?!? This causes much stress within the Comings household.
2. Congratulations to the US women's soccer team on their spectacular win. In case you missed it, here is the goal.
The American goalkeeper Hope Solo was given ample chances to put her money where her mouth was...and made good on them.
3. The announcer for the Brazilian network Globo is unbelievably obnoxious. After the US win over Brazil in women's soccer, I was all prepared to join my wife in cheering for Brazil against the US in the men's beach volleyball final. I even went with my Brazil shirt. After ten minutes of listening to this guy talk about how the Americans were shaking in their boots, and how the Brazilians were going to humiliate them, I switched.
Perhaps someone translated his nonsense for the American players between the second and third sets.
4. Emotional Control. Most of the Brazilians I talk to--and even commentators on TV--are lamenting the Brazilian lack of emotional control this year. From the humiliating defeat the men's soccer team suffered at the hands of Argentina(!), to the tantrum a Brazilian pole vaulter threw when she couldn't find her pole, to the disintegration of the Brazilian beach volleyball duo in the gold medal round--it seemed to be all about control. One Brazilian marveled to me yesterday: "The Americans are so unemotional!"
This highlights one of the main cultural differences between the US and Brazil. It has ramifications for missionary work as well. Many times what seems perfectly logical to us as Americans meets with resistance from our Brazilian colleagues because they analyze it first on an emotional level. Of course this is a generalization--there are emotional Americans and "cool" Brazilians. However, when a missionary to Brazil understands this national "psyche", he can be much more effective in his work. His Brazilian partners can help him see the emotional effect of his decisions, and he can help them see the unattached, logical aspect. Kind of neat when it works. When it doesn't, things can get messy.
Posted by Andrew on August 25, 2008 8:24 AM.
Comments
Posted by: Pregador27 at August 25, 2008 11:27 PM
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I was for the Brazilian women's team (soccer) and was livid when they lost. I severely DISLIKE the American women's team. I would like to see them lose every game. No patriotism there!!!
I almost always pull for Brazil in all sports. Meu coração é verde e amarelo. I tend to be overly emotional in these things at times too. When I heard the US women won in soccer I was ticked and made a bad statement about them. It was around an unbeliever. Bad thing there. No salvaging that moment.