Diversity Ana De Sousa

"I was born on the banks of the Amazon River. Well, Brazilian birthplaces are limited to that, a soccer field, or a Carnival celebration, you know? What was my mom doing nine months pregnant on the banks of the Amazon? Well, she was seven months along; she wasn't expecting me yet. Ha, some native children are born prematurely and they must also do without incubators, you silly, technologically-blessed American. Unsanitary? I won't disagree it was likely unclean and chances are I am a dormant breeding ground of uncatalogued tropical diseases. Help? Of course, from a midwife - everybody's a midwife there, even the men. You know my middle names mean "inconvenient jungle child" in Portuguese? Ok, the inconvenient is implicit, but look up the rest. What were my parents doing there? Well you see..."

Were this story told before an ESL discussion group as I was clad in accessories and ceremonial scars alluding to some sort of rudimentary tribal heritage, it would unfold without too much interruption. However, because I do not look like I escaped from a history museum display and because it is told in fluent English, embellished with familiar mannerisms, and appropriately paused, rushed, and italicized to...