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tahi123
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:26 am Post subject: Is race an issue? |
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I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way, im just curious...
I was having a conversation with a guy at school who had been teaching abroad in china, this guy told me that i don't stand a chance getting a job teaching english in asia because they prefer Caucasian teachers over non Caucasians...Is this also the case in South America? In a place like Brazil?
Would a non Caucasian native English speaker be able to find work easily? Or would it be more difficult ? Would students take you seriously?
�..I know these are ridiculous questions, but im really interested in going to brazil one day to teach English(after talking to this guy im a little discouraged). Do people usually take the teachers race/religion into consideration before hiring them? Would I have a hard time finding a job, even if i have the qualifications? |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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Is race an issue?
No. And, erm, yes. It depends on what you mean by an issue. I don't know Brasil well, and it is certainly one of the most racially mixed societies I've seen, but I expect that, like in most of Latin America, the "top" of society tends to be whiter than the "bottom." And all the prejudices that go with that can apply.
My answers are really aimed at South America in general, and I haven't worked in Brasil.
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| Would I have a hard time finding a job, even if i have the qualifications? |
If you have the qualifications, a reputable school would be delighted to have you. But there are a lot of disreputable schools which trade overmuch on the white face equals native speaker image. So you really may have to look harder for a first job than a caucasian teacher would, but some of the jobs you could miss would be well worth missing.
On a related note, while I don't find racism to be particularly more prevalent here than in other parts I've visited, the absence of a culture of political correctness means that it's more blatant when you run into it. In general, people don't shy away from using physical descriptions. African-Ecuadorians are generally just called "negros," (blacks) and all people of asian descent are "chinos." Having this in mind, it's easy to see how my students, seeing hollywood films and listening to hip hop, often come to the conclusion that the appropriate English term for a person of African heritage is "*beep*." They don't realize that it is generally a perjorative.
And amongst our students who go overseas on exchange programs, it is not uncommon for their parents to request a "real" (meaning white) American family. (A request that, unfortunately, or not, we are unable, or unwilling, to honor.)
I have known a fair number of non-caucasian English teachers in South America, and if they are professionals, with professional qualifications, they seem to get by as well as anyone else. But their experiences in adapting to the culture often leave them feeling, at least some of the time, that they are back in the 1950's.
This can be hard, but I know that some of them feel compensated by the amount of cultural education and eye-opening that it allows them to do.
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| I know these are ridiculous questions |
No, they are not. You are quite right in doing the research you can, to prepare yourself as fully as possible for experiences you might have.
Regards,
Justin |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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I see that my previous post got beeped- and I suppose it's a good word for the filter to beep, although my intention was more educational than offensive...in any case, I hope nobody is really in the dark as to which word my students have been learning from hip hop and rap.
Justin |
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, I think we all know what word you mean. |
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tahi123
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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Yes..I think we all know what word you mean...
Thank you very much for the info!!!!�very informative..!!!!
�hmm�so you wouldn�t happen to know any reputable schools in Brazil would you??....
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