The Kindness of the South American Stranger

There seems to be a gap between the image of the South American stranger and the reality. On the news, in the movies, and from the stories, we are constantly confronted with the idea that third world countries such as Brazil and Argentina are full of crooks and criminals. People have little so they are always ready to take advantage of anyone they can. If there is a wallet, they will take it. If there is a single woman, they will rob her. If it is a dark night, they will take advantage of anyone coming near them.

And yes, of course these images are based somewhere in reality. As with all places, you have to be careful. Car theft isn't uncommon here, people do get robbed at night and of course there are always watchful eyes waiting to take any unwatched belongings. But the people committing these acts are far and few between, the true minority. The South American stranger, surprisingly, is the complete opposite. Somehow, amidst the poverty and sadness of many of the lives here in Brazil, the people seem to rise above their conditions and become extraordinary individuals.

What has amazed me throughout my travels in South America is the kindness of the South American stranger. It began on the bus when I took note of this phenomenom. The bus is packed with people hurrying home from work and there is little space to stand in the aisle, let alone walk through the crowd to find a space to stand. When I was standing three people deep in an aisle possibly meant for one person, a man seated next to me offered to hold my bag sine my hands were busy trying to hold on to the bus handles for dear life. A bit skeptical but feeling more than just a little crammed and unbalanced on the bus, I took advantage of his offer. With my watchful eyes on him the entire time, he folded over the top of my purse so it wouldn't be open and went on to read a book. As I went to leave, he happily handed me my bag without a problem. Now, I see that this is a normal offer, happening nearly every day as I head through rush hour on the buses on my way to work.

I was again struck by surprise when I would ask for help on the street. Most people would stop to give me detailed directions or find someone who could help me. If I didn't know a street name, any stranger walking on the street would at least try to help me. And the stores are the same way. I went to Walmart in search of paper bags. Who in the world hasn't seen a paper bag at some point in their life? Well, apparently Brazilians. I searched and searched and searched. There were no paper bags. I asked an employee for help and he found three other employees to help me as I described what the paper bags were like. Yes, I was out of luck, but I was surprised by how readily these strangers jumped to help. And when I go dress shopping, the employees tell me what they truly think of the clothes saying, "That makes you look so thin," "That pattern does not look good on you," and "I prefer this dress over this dress... that first one doesn't flatter you." It's not about the sales, it's about helping.

But the remarkableness that struck me so much I had to blog about it was a story from a friend staying in Argentina. Unfortunately, she hadn't watched her backpack closely and her money was taken. Asking around, she found enough people to give her change that she could pay for the bus fare back home. She got on her bus but, unfortunately, later found out that there are two similar buses and she had gotten on the wrong one and was taken outside of Buenos Aires to a very poor part of town with no money and no idea where she was. She began to cry and a man on the side of the road stopped to help her. He deciphered her scrambled Spanish and felt bad so he found a taxi driver and explained to the taxi driver her situation. The taxi driver also felt bad and took her all the way to her home for free. Never once in the U.S. has someone paid for my taxi when I've been lost.

The warmth and willingness to help of the South American stranger never ceases to amaze me. The people are truly open and ready to help those in need. Yes, I must always be paying attention and have to know that there could be dangers around, but I can't be suspicious of the South American people as a whole. Most have hearts of gold and are ready to help whenever they are needed. For me, it's been an interesting journey to see how the stereotypes I've heard about compare to the truth and from what I've discovered, the South American Stranger tends to be the Good Samaritan Neighbor.