Lessons in culture

So I (Bethany) am enrolled in a Portuguese class on Livemocha, a social networking language learning site. Each night I learn new vocabulary and then use that vocabulary to write a paragraph and read some. I then submit my work to Portuguese speakers for them to correct it for me.

Yesterday I wrote about my week. Keep in mind my Portuguese is very limited, so I can't fully explain what I'm doing each day. On Thursday, I am speaking to a senior adult group at the church I grew up in. Of course, being Baptists, this meeting is over a meal. When writing about my Thursday night plans, I wrote: Na quinta-feira, eu vou à igreja para comer com amigos. In English this says: On Thursday, I am going to church to eat with my friends.

You will not believe the response. Normally, when I submit something, people mark what needs to be corrected but don't ask questions. Normally only one person will correct my paragraph. I had three people make corrections. All three people were shocked that I was eating with friends at church. All three people asked for an explanation.

I wrote back that I'm going to study the Bible with some friends over a meal, and we were meeting in one of the classrooms at the church. I asked if it was an American thing to have a meal at something like this.

It's amazing how one simple statement can bring up a spiritual conversation. It's also amazing how American I am. How something I take for granted as normal--having dinner with friends at church--can be something completely shocking--something that people have to ask for clarification on because they thought I must have messed up my Portuguese.

This shows me not to take things for granted. This shows me that I am very American, no matter how well-traveled and experienced I think I am. This is good, but it also shows me how far I have to go to truly learn a new culture.