Opening Night Feature Film: Life in Rio's favelas is explored through their own voices in 5X Favela. Recipient of multiple awards including Cinema Brazil Grand Prize, Special Selection at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Chicago International Film Festival. Produced by Carlos Diegues.

The Illinois and Sao Paulo Chapters of Partners of the Americas are proud to present MOSTRA II, the second Brazilian Film Series in Chicago. The event will take place November 9 – 16 at Columbia College,  School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Brazil in Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University, Northwestern University, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

This year’s MOSTRA (“Show” in Portuguese) presents an outstanding line-up of films with social themes, including feature fiction, documentaries, and shorts.  The event is presented by the Illinois and Sao Paulo Chapters of Partners of the Americas, in collaboration with Columbia College Chicago, the Consulate General of Brazil, Brazil in Chicago, Grant Thornton LLP, the Lemann Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northeastern Illinois University and Northwestern University.  A complete schedule of showings will be available after September 15th on the MOSTRA website: www.brazilianfilmsinchicago.com

Among the many films, the MOSTRA II will present three Brazilian award-winners:

• 5x Favela – Directed by seven different geniuses of the Brazilian cinema, the project ‘5 x Slum, Now by Ourselves’ gathered over 80 young people from Rio’s favelas to create a feature film consisting of five stories that reflect different facets of the daily lives of residents of these communities – with the promise of escaping stereotypical representations. Directors: Wagner Novais, Rodrigo Felha, Cacau Amaral, Luciano Vidigal, Cadu Barcellos, Luciana Bezerra, Manaíra Carneiro. Opening Night Festa, November 9.

• A Orquestra dos Meninos – The Children’s Orchestra – In the poor and dry Northeastern region of Brazil, a group of children form a woodwind orchestra to play Mozart, Bach, Villa Lobos, etc. The orchestra is created by conductor Mozart Vieira, a 25-year old humanist and dreamer. This causes strong reaction from parents and politicians, because he’s taking the children away from the work in the fields.  Director: Paulo Thiago.

• Mutum - Thiago lives in an isolated farm in the arid backlands of Minas Gerais, Brazil.  As he is forced to confront separations and betrayal within the home, Thiago begins to see and understand a place that he had never been able to before, thus slowly letting go of his innocence. Director: Sandra Kogut.

Purchase Tickets Online: www.illinois-saopaulo-partners.org/MOSTRA

Admission: General admission $8 each, or buy a `5 Movie Pass` for $35.

Student Tickets (w/valid ID) $5, or a `5 Movie Pass` for $20 (free at their home institution).

The Illinois-São Paulo Chapter of Partners of the Americas is a volunteer, person-to-person diplomacy organization committed to improving the lives of people across the Americas by sharing best practices in arts and culture, sustainable architecture, agriculture, environment, and more. www.illinois-saopaulo-partners.org; www.partners.net.

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For everyone who was jealous that I was tanning on a beach during my July trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1.) it was winter, and Sao Paulo had record breaking cold temperatures, and 2.) here’s a taste of downtwon Sao Paulo! 

This view from Edificio Italiano only gets 1/2 of the City!  We wanted to see the view (and did, the next day) from Edificio Banesp, but it closes at 3 (why?  Who knows–it’s really a bank/business building and you are allowed 5 minutes per person to view the city from the outdoor deck–no glass or windows!)

 Growing up in St. Louis, and even living in Chicago, I”m always impressed by the density and vastness of downtown Sao Paulo.  Great restaurant, something like Varanda (a “por kilo” place) in the lobby of the building next door.  Get the mousse de maracuxa (passion fruit mousse).

And, for those who asked, my Spanish is okay, but luckily my Portuguese is better as it’s the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world.

On a final note, the density of the architecture does seem to parallel culturally how space is perceived:   “Social distance,” and in particular, ‘personal space,’ is much closer in Brazil than in the US, and you can see that on all levels.  At home, 10+ family members casually squished into a barlely 5′ x 8 ‘ space to watch a movie together (would never happen at my family home in St. Louis!); traffic lanes are much narrower in Sao Paulo than in Brazil, and granted cars are smaller, but even then motorcycles toot their horns to squeeze in between. 

And, well, don’t ride the subway during rush our if you have personal space issues.  Said my niece, Priscilla, “If you jump a few inches off the ground, you will just stay there suspended, held up by eveyone else pushing in around you!

Good news?  These tips apply whether you are traveling around the globe, interacting in a diverse work environment, or, my favorite this time of year, trying to better understand and appreciate the unique traits of key family members over the holidays!

1.  Beware of making assumptions about people based on physical characteristics:  race, ethnicity, age, ability, gender, etc. (That can’t be reiterated enough!)

2.  Do good research in advance, but do not take ‘country guides’ as being the final word.  Individual preferences vary and will trump any group customs, but might be helpful to know that the clock you about to give as a gift to your Chinese host might imply death.

3.  Welcome feedback as a gift.  Thanking someone for his or her suggestions is a great way to solicit ‘insider’ knowledge.  Once you say thanks for the insight, he or she may be willing to share more.  When a business deal is at stake that could be just the ticket to your success.

4.  Embrace your own identity and use that as a platform to communicate with others.  (I statements instead of you statements—as in “that’s so interesting, I do it this way, how do you do it?

5.  Asks questions to understand what motivates others.

6.  Be open to learning, and learn to teach without being judgmental or making the learner feel embarrassed.  Remember Emerson (sic) Everyone is my master because I can learn something from everyone.

7.  Be an Anthropologist.  Ethnographers or Participant Observers are keen to watch the interactions of others closely when approaching new communities or situations.  How are items being used?  How do people greet one another?  It’s a chance to really listen with your whole being.  Think “don’t drink the water in the finger bowl.”

8.  Be sure to try new things, particularly foods when in another country.  But, allow a little latitude when ordering food in restaurants, as in, you may understand the word for lasagna, but it may not be served as you expected…enjoy-seeing how similar concepts are enacted in different countries is part of the fun.  (on the flip side, ff you have allergies or things that don’t allow latitude, like a peanut allergy, bring a dictionary to know key words.)

9.  Be patient with yourself and others.  Anger, unease, defensiveness, etc. may come with the territory.  Just remember, that moment of discomfort is usually when you are at the cusp of learning!  Kind of like in weight lifting—the moment the weight is too much and the muscle fails, is the moment the muscle gets stronger.

10.  Be brave but safe, confident but humble…don’t be afraid to simply open the dictionary to the right page and just show it to the person with whom you are speaking;  learn where the street signs are-sometimes they are on the corner, sometimes on the side of the building, sometimes on the sidewalk.  If you go out alone, bring a piece of paper with the phone number and address where you are staying.

The Illinois-Sao Paulo Chapter of Partners of the Americas is proud to present a 10 day exchange with Sao Paulo-based African Dance and Drumming performance artist Fanta Konate’s cultural mission to Chicago December 1-10. Fanta will reach out to 1000’s in the Chicago area with dance and rhythm workshops showcasing Guinean influence on Brazilian music, including the following public events:

African Sensory Experience

Friday, December 3, 2010 Ÿ 6-10 pm

Suggested Donation $20

Presented in partnership with Jane Addams Hull-House Museum

The University of Illinois at Chicago

800 S. Halsted

RSVP to ksuzanne@uic.edu

Fanta Konatê and Luis Kinugawa of the Africa Viva Institute present an African Sensory Experience. Engaging all senses, this workshop shares the deep culture of Guinea Conakry with participants, combining a history of the region with participatory dance and rhythm workshop and culminating with a taste of West African flavors in a typical Guinean meal.

African Dance & Percussion Workshop

Saturday, December 4, 2010 Ÿ 2-5 pm

FREE

Presented in partnership with Gingarte Capoeira Chicago

1501 West Chicago Avenue

Dance workshop and presentation with Fanta Konate and Luis Kinugawa, with potluck to follow.   Come early for Capoeira Roda for kids and adults, presented by Gingarte Capoeira.

West Africa Dance Introductory Class with Fanta Konate

Saturday, December 10, 2010 Ÿ 2-4 pm

FREE

Presented in partnership with praxis place/CCBdance Project

1474 North Milwaukee Ave., Third Floor

Register at celiaandchristianbambaradance@gmail.com

Looks like a sweet, innocent baby, right?  But if you panned out to get the full picture, you would see a different story.

As the camera pulls away, the baby is sitting on top of a case of tequila that is resting in the basket of a shopping cart to be the right height.  The mom is in front of the cart, facing the baby and holding him around his waste so he doesn’t fall.  She’s bent her head forward to be out of the picture, which places her head right at the baby’s belly button, a sure invitation for the baby to play with her  hair.

The photographer is waving and smiling to get his attention.  No go…looking away.  Nope, eyes closed.  He’s good, but mom’s head’s in the way.  Take 24.  Clerk ready to quit.  Mom ready to cry.  Trip to meet grandma first time in Brazil about to be canceled due to lack of passport photo.

And, voila, the perfect angel picture.

Point is sometimes the immediate image doesn’t paint the full picture, and this is no less true in intercultural communications.

Have you ever thought someone rude or unfriendly, only to find out later English wasn’t his or her first language?  Or how about walking into a business meeting in another country, but not knowing the customs or expectations in a particular context?  And, in moving to the arena of difference based on ability, how can hidden disabilities like chronic pain or illness influence interactions?

But isn’t that the job of the interculturalist to be extra observant and grasp the bigger picture?  How has remembering that helped you in your work?  Are there times when you didn’t grasp the full picture, and it hurt you?

This was supposed to be a cute post about how the Youth Ambassadors from Ecuador (8 high school students and one adult mentor) ended up having to stay two extra days in Chicago because on the day of their departure (9/30) the military closed the airports in Ecuador after a rebellion by the police, in response to rumors that year-end bonuses were to be cut.

The idea was that as “typical” Americans we tend to gloss over world events unless something connects us personally…or really unless we are inconvenienced.  In the case of recent terror threats in Europe, the news angle was to interview USAmerican tourists in London and France to see if they still planned to visit the London Eye and the Eiffel Tower, respectively.  “Yes, they answered, otherwise the terrorists win” was the trite answer.

In this case, after two weeks of scheduling, homestays, parties, school shadowing, presentations, meetings, museum visits and other assorted planning, the Youth Ambassadors showed up at the airport only to find that they couldn’t travel.

The urgent call came to me as a planner for this program locally in Chicago (via the Illinois-Sao Paulo Chapter of Partners of the Americas–the program was implemented nationally by Partners of the Americas, funded by the US State Department).  “The kids are still here.  We have to find places for them to stay at least until Saturday…possibly indefinitely.”

For me it became a funny anecdote as relates to my realm of responsibility…not a “real event” affecting “real people.”

For 15-year-old Dayana, it was deep concern for  her family’s safety in Ecuador; or for 17-year-old Andres it was wondering when he would see his family, as he already was expecting a two day delay to get to his home on the Galapagos Islands after the group returned to Ecuador.  And for the President of Ecuador it was a threat to his life, and for Ecuadorians a fear for national stability.

Even with a program designed to foster intercultural understanding, appreciation and global leadership (and it does, I don’t want to discount that), it’s still hard to step outside of one’s frame of reference to empathize with the position of others.

Perhaps the person who got it the most right was the Consul General of Ecuador, who was at the airport to say goodbye to the youth when the announcement came through.  He and his wife invited two of the students to stay in their home until they were able to travel (two other volunteers with the program also immediately stepped-up to host the other students for the additional days).

If the role of the Consulate is to protect and serve nationals from their country when on US soil, he certainly aligned his ideas with his actions.

How do your ideas and actions align?

After all of the build up, there was no way Dillon was going to miss trying a hot dog in Paris.

“A foot long, on a full baguette, and covered with cheese,” I recalled from my high school exchange trip.

“Sometimes with French Fries stuffed right into the bun!” added my husband.

“It lived up to the hype” said Dillon (not really, he’s 9, but he said something to that effect.)   And then we stopped to ponder the calorie/fat content in such a delicacy.  Ouch!  How can people eat these and stay in shape?

The next morning over breakfast of croissants and butter (isn’t that redundant?) our hostess, good friend and native Parisienne, Laurence, pointed out “But French people are not fat.  We walk everywhere.  We eat well, but we eat three meals and nothing in between.”

Ahh, I thought–the hot dog in the US is the “snack” you eat to hold you over until dinner.  Sure, it can be a meal, but it’s more the “I’m at the game-I smell the cart-Let’s grab a hotdog” kind of thing.

So there are two Intercultural Lessons here:

1.  Your opinion on things will influence your child’s (or student’s) anticipation of them.  That’s a powerful and responsible position, particularly when it comes to engaging in and experiencing different cultural traditions, and

2.  It’s good to understand the full context of an item in another culture, to understand that not only might something be prepared differently, but the custom around its consumption might be different in different cultures (think salad before or after dinner, and cheese for dessert?).

Who knew a hot dog could be such a good teacher?

What favorite foods or pasttimes from your culture have you tried in another?  How were they different?  How were they the same?

The traditional Jewish sandwich is a corned beef on rye, right? 

It was actually our (not Jewish) Parisian host who told us about Sascha Finkelsztajn’s.

Having been to a Jewish seder in Brazil and with a nod to his burgeoning Jewish cultural identity, 9 year old Dillon said it would be fun to try a bagel in Paris.    Bernadine excitedly told us about Sacha Finkelsztajn’s in the Jewish quarter (27 Rue des Rosiers). 

“I love it there, they have the typical Jewish Sandwich!” she exclaimed in French.

“Corned Beef on Rye?” I asked in English.

“Oui,” she confirmed.  “And they have that traditional Jewish bread!”

“We have to go there,” shouted Dillon at the prospect of combining his zest for exploration with his passion for all things edible.

While in New York the typical Jewish deli sandwich is corned beef on rye with mustard, in Paris it turned out to be pastrami on bagel with eggplant and red pepper spreads.

And the bagels were sort of…braided.  “Isn’t that cute,” I thought.

In retrospect, we wanted to see the French traditional bagel to see how it compared to our’s in the US…with the unconscious assumption being that OUR’s was the right one, and this “foreign” one was the adaptation.

The more accurate comparison might be the evolution of the bagel–Sacha’s grandparents Dora and Itzik came from Poland in 1930 and opened the shop in 1946.  Leo Rosten, in “The Joys of Yiddish” credits the first printed mention of the bagel to Krakow, Poland, in 1610.   Maybe this French bagel is the “real” bagel, having come straight from the source.

Sacha himself may not care, as he sits in the back at the cash register and a steady stream of customers from all over continues to line up and order.  At one point while conducting our business in French we discovered I was from the US, my husband Brazilian, the young woman making our sandwiches Polish, the person behind me in line a relocated New Yorker. 

For a minute I wanted to say well what the heck are we all doing speaking French?  But then you realize it’s because you’re in Paris.

In a bright yellow, authentic Jewish deli.

How authentic are your authentic traditions?  Who owns the “real one,” when they spread around the globe?

Bagel photo credits Chocolate and Zucchini (Parisian bagel, left) and NYTimes Blog (New York Bagel, right)