Culture Clashes

Whether teaching abroad or in the States, I have always enjoyed picking up tidbits of cultural knowledge through conversations with my students. It’s one of the best parts of my job and keeps me endlessly entertained.  

Last week, we were studying physical descriptions of people. One category was age, so we were using the adjectives young, old, and middle-aged. One student asked the meaning of middle-aged and I told him about 45-65. Then another student asked, “Well, in Angola, is middle-aged different? Because people here usually die before 65.” Awkward!

In another class, we were studying food. In groups, students had to think of a food for each letter of the alphabet. I noticed that the groups were engaging in heated debates and began asking me questions in order to put the argument to rest. “Are tomatoes food?” Yes. “Is a banana food?” Yes. “Are carrots food?” Yes.

Okay, this was getting weird so I stopped the game and asked the class, “Is lettuce food?”

Everyone replied, “No.”

“Ummmmm, then what is it?”

“A vegetable”

Apples are NOT food!

After much discussion and confusion on my part, I discovered that Angolans only consider something food if it is cooked or prepared; therefore, a banana is not food, it’s a fruit. I explained to them that for the purpose of this class, we will consider food all the things that we eat, to which someone responded, “but you can eat anything.” Ugh.

I also learned that if an Angolan doesn’t eat the typical food for a meal, he will say, “I didn’t eat” even if he did. For example, everyone eats tea and bread for breakfast, so if someone eats cereal and is asked, “What did you eat for breakfast?” He will respond, “Nothing. I just had cereal.” Same for lunch. If he doesn’t eat funje (the gray blobby stuff), but instead has a sandwich, he will claim that he didn’t eat. This really threw a wrench into my lesson.

*Upon learning that we don’t have funje in the US, some of them are reconsidering their dream of studying there, because they “can’t even survive one day without funje.” 

I am teaching two courses in academic writing, and one of the major obstacles is the stylistic difference between Portuguese and English. Written Portuguese tends to be flowery and indirect, while written English is considered more effective when it's clear and concise. I always tell my students, "don't use 10 words if you can use 5." Here is a prime example. This is an e-mail I received from a student last week. 

Professor Nee, 

Receive my regards at any time you are going to read this email, and I wish  this to find you in a good health. I came through this message to know how is your health, as we you told us that you would travel and we would not have class on Monday, so We missed you that is why it encouraged to write you and know your disposition and how is your maintenance in South Africa up to now. 

Professor It was only this that troubled me to know how you are, knowing that you have been very kind with us every time, and we have also lived in a very good brotherhood so we can't stay like this without know at least your disposition and you to our as well. That's why wherever you are my best wishes will trace you the steps.

I finish here.

Your Student,

XXXXXX