Tucanos is a Brazilean restaurant in Provo. My family and I love Tucanos and I felt bad that she had an awful time so I commented on that and mentioned that the only problem we ever had there was that once my husband and I saw a mouse there. Yep. It's true. We saw a mouse running back by the bathrooms. I mentioned that "this is Provo not Brazil" so they should clean it up a little bit.
The awkwardness is that a woman also commented after that and wrote to me that I was a "tad racist". You know when people post something on facebook and then everyone has commenting battles below it? I don't like that. I never do it. I just feel like it's slightly confrontational and weird. I mean if its something I really believe about I'll do it. Or...if it's my page I'll post whatever I want-that can be my voice. But it makes me uncomfortable to write or "battle" on anyone else's pages etc...I try to just say positive things. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". Now I don't always follow that-but I feel like when it comes to the internet I have done that.
Anyway... I realize that what I said can be taken badly. It just made me so incredibly sad that someone who knows nothing about me would say such a hurtful thing. 1. I've never been called racist and that was really hurtful 2. I LOVE Latin America so much! I love Brazil. I graduated in Latin American Studies. I know that there are some people out there who are fine putting people down on the internet because it's so anonymous and that they have no qualms about saying anything. I'd just never experienced it myself. Haha-this really is so silly. It wasn't even on my blog! I just feel weird about it though and needed to post it to kind of vent it out.
Afterwards I also apologized to Sarah because I became one of those people who gets into commenting conversations on other's venues and I didn't want to do that. I wish I could have emailed V. I found out that she is a Mexican woman living in Italy when I went to her site. I would email her in Spanish and apologize for unintentionally offending her and hopefully she'd realize that she is wrong about me.
Below are the comments. I hope I handled it ok. I've always been kind of hesitant to make comments and this situation kind of confirms that for me.
Megs said...- My family and I love Tucanos. I mean really...I love Tucanos. Such good food. But we've had a couple "iffy" situations there too. I haven't ever noticed a hair, but my husband and I for sure saw a mouse running by the back bathroom wall. Ok...that's the only bad situation I had there and although I still love Tucanos (I think I just love going with family and stuffing myself with the pineapple and teriryaki beef) they aren't in Brazil-they're in Provo-and they could clean it up a little.
- V said...
- Am sorry to hear you had a bad dinning experience, I hate when that happens :( @ Megs "they aren't in Brazil they're in Provo" that sounds a tad racist.
Megs said...- @ V-sorry that wasn't my intent at all! And I apologize if i offended you or anyone else. I graduated in Latin American Studies-I LOVE Latin America-which includes Brazil. I realize that does sound a little bad and I'm sorry you took it that way-but in fact the likelihood of seeing a mouse etc...is much greater in Brazil because the quality of life is lower just in general. I didn't mean that to be a negative thing against Brazil-there are so many wonderful things there, I just meant it wasn't something you'd expect to see at a nice/really popular restaurant in Provo.
- Megs said...
- Sarah-sorry to clog your comments. Again-also sorry that you had a bad experience. BLOG UPDATE-After those responses Sarah posted the below comment-it made me feel better.So now I can close the book (chapter/page/paragraph?) of this tiny, silly incident. saraH said... @megs, no need to be sorry, I love getting comments. :) and I know you didn't mean to offend anyone. That's scary that you saw a mouse, yuck! But yes, we're planning on going there soon to use my birthday dinner haha.
So awkward Megs! you are not a racist at all. Also, I hate things like that that get you all worked up for noooo reason at all.
ReplyDeleteMegsie!!! That was not even racist...seriously. That was just saying they don't have to be that authentic- as kinda telling her to laugh it off- whoever it was that had the experience. Don't worry bout it! Your were sweet to write back.
ReplyDeleteactually you are one of the most not racist people I know:)
DeleteJerr and Eesh! I love you two! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my silly shpeal and to make me feel better about it-you two are great!
ReplyDeleteLove you Megan! I hate it when people judge others when they obviously don't know their true intent. I had a situation like that once on my blog where someone attacked something I had written and it still bothers me to this day. (almost 3 yrs later?) It's so hard because some people take things on the internet so personally and others are the exact opposite.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I don't think what you wrote was racist and I think you handled it beautifully. :)