Ok : It was discovered that the book Alemão was printed with a problem. What happens is that the very first chapter , with 4 pages, named "Inteview" was suposed to have the William Michaelian's ( http://recently-banned-literature.blogspot.com/ ) review for the questions .
I had asked William to re-write the questions made for the main character as was necessary a more mature , correctly spoken and with an touch of American North Western accent .
Willian did a great job and I got very happy with this .
But It was only my fault , I made a stupid mistake and used the old-original-messy version for printing the book.
It happened only with this tiny chapter-introduction even so I am devastated.
Sorry everyone for this that have bought the book for this .
I have no idea when it is going to be re-printed . But HEY !!: look by the bright side. You are going to have a rare version of the book with the original 4 pages chapter-introduction. When this book becomes a classic and a bestseller , your rare copy is going to worth a fortune.
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Alemão
Interview.
Recently a group of anthropologists, sociologists and psychologists based at a university in Oregon conducted a research project that focuses on German immigrants and their descendants in Brazil. The work included traveling to all Brazilian states that have received immigrants from Germany since the nineteenth century, and interviewing hundreds of citizens from this ethnic group to determine the influence its members have had on Brazilian history and society. During the interviews, which were recorded, the subjects were asked about their lifestyle and to tell their personal and family stories.
Research - Interview number 307.
- Hello. You speak English, correct?
- I think so, at least a little bit.
- You’re aware that you’re a volunteer for a research project we’re conducting at _________University about German descendants living today in Brazil , and that this work is being done in all the Brazilian states that have received German immigrants at some time in its history. You need only answer the questions you feel comfortable with. All of your personal information will be kept confidential.
- Yes, your workmates already explained all that with details. - Good. Name? - Nicholas Landgraft Schimidt.
- Age?
- Thirty-five.
- Address?
- Write only Campos do Jordão on it.
- State is São Paulo, correct?
- Yes.- What is your marital status?
- Married with children.
- How many?
- Two.
- Occupation?
- Businessman
- Any specific social class?
- Middle class.
- Do you have any brother and sisters?
- Three sisters and one brother.
- About your parents... what is their occupation?
- I am not going to explain anything about my parents to you now.
- Very well.... Your grandparents are German immigrants, correct?
- Yes they were, all dead now. From my mother's side, they arrived after Second War going first to Argentina and later coming to São Paulo. From my father's, my grandmother was born here , her parents arrived in São Paulo at the very beginning of 20th century and my grandfather came when he was very small with his parents after the First War.
- Would you like for us to arrange another meeting to talk specifically about their stories?
- No, I can't come here to São Paulo again… only for this. You can come to my house in Campos or if you prefer, it would be my pleasure to send by email.
- Email would be better.... Now, in a few words, how would you describe yourself? - Christian, husband, father, vegetarian.
- Other than your family, are you involved with any German community or group here in Brazil? If so, which ones?
- No. I don't have contact with anybody, German or not.
- Did you come to São Paulo City only for this interview?
- No, I came with my wife and kids to visit my family yesterday, it was my brother's birthday, and I thought would be a good idea to spend the day today doing this work.
- How do you think your story might contribute to our research?
- How am I supposed to know? I don't even know exactly what you are studying or looking for. I was told that you were looking for German’s descendants and telling their stories. I am here now. Listen to the story and judge for yourself. What I know is that from other people you are going to listen to a lot stories about successful families living happily in São Paulo or in small towns in the south of the country, everybody is happy living together, eating sausage with sauerkraut, chucrute as is called here, and eisbein all the time. It is all right, most part of the German families here have this very good life and I like to think this way. But I believe I am going to show you a different and unique story about German descendants.
- I see. Okay. Let me give a brief explanation. Previously, some research was done about German immigrants in the United States, and the project helped us understand their contribution to that country. It also helped us to better understand contemporary American culture. Our intention now is to do the same thing here in Brazil, with the hope to achieve the same kind of understanding. Then, after the project, we’re going to compare both countries from this immigrant perspective, to see what new conclusions we might make about cultural differences between the two countries.
- And why did you come to Brazil to study about Germans and all the people of your team speak only English? In your college didn't you find anyone that speaks Brazilian Portuguese or German for translations? Listen, I didn't know that when I arrived here. So I am going to speak the English I know and if you don't understand any part, it is your problem, I am not going to repeat or try hard.
- That’s fine. This is only the first group. Next year we will return with more people. We didn't expect that there is so many people that doesn't speak English here and don't even want to learn. By Internet we didn't have this impression.
- I think that my story can show how I felt apart from the society all my life and being German wasn't responsible for all but at least a small part of it. But this is only the way I see, it is my version of things. Nobody ever asked me to tell my story before or will ask me again. So this is a chance to share a life I believe that deserves to be told. But everybody believes that their lives could become a book, so maybe I am wrong. Even so, no names are going to be given, I know it is going to be confidential but this is the way I am going to tell this story. Only my wife's name and my own will be given. She knows I am here doing this and supports me about that.
- I understand. Okay, then. I’ll start recording now. You can begin from your childhood.... Are you ready? Okay... go.
