Suggestions About Dealing With Anti-American Sentiment on the Camino

[Rosina Lila]

Oi Antonio,
While what you write is eminently correct, there are certain inescapable
present realities that  U.S. people traveling abroad would do well to
recognize.
Two weeks ago I returned from Rio de Janeiro where I had gone for Carnival.
I adore Brazil, unquestionably. I think it and its people the most beautiful,
the most possessing of the happiness of being alive, the friendliest and the
most generous with themselves of all the peoples I've know anytime, anywhere,
bar absolutely none.
And yet, at the Sambodromo itself (!) there were definite acts of hostile
behavior towards our little English-speaking group; when some of those
Cariocas who had been talking around us in highly critical terms about the,
then, upcoming war heard me speaking Portuguese they gave me an on-and-on
earful about  their all too clear sentiments.
Were it not for much welcome caipirinhas and the comforting affection of my
Brazilian friends, the glories of that Greatest Show on Earth which is the
Rio Carnival would have been ruined for me.
I might add that the cautionary advise that I've been receiving about how to
act in Seville, when I go there for Holy Week in a couple of weeks,  has come
from my Spaniard friends in Seville itself. In fact, I had been fancifully
toying with the idea of pretending to be Brazilian so that everyone would
love me.
It does appear that discretion, and some type of friendly, dispassionate
answers to possible war related questions and comments might be good to take
with us.
Do you, by chance, read the Brazilian "Caminho" list-serv? If you haven't and
you will  I think you might well think a little differently.  Rain, wind,
snow and other problems do not  bypass pilgrims. One must deal with them.
Personally, I'll just do what I do in the Camino itself and everywhere: trust
myself to Jesus and the Virgin Mary and pray a lot.
Warm regards,
Rosina