During my time in Denmark, I went to take a Spanish exam because they needed to confirm my A level of “Spanish.” I was received by a doctor in languages who suddenly asked me:

“And you, what tribe are you from?”

“Well, I was born in the land of the Huancavilcas, in Guayaquil – Ecuador, but I would have liked to be born in the land of the Shuaras; we are the only ones in the world who reduce crania.”

Finally, I could see his big blue eyes and his long white hands indicating that I should sit at the computer to take my written exam. At the end of the evaluation, the Danish citizen apologized to me for the question, telling me that “when South Americans are asked about their Indigenous origins, they get angry.

” To which I tacitly responded with my smile: “Well, I am the daughter of a graduate in Education Sciences, with a specialization in History and Geography, who taught me about our origins.”

This experience also taught me that one should never be ashamed of where one comes from or feel superior because one is racially taller, whiter, has blue or green eyes, etc. What is good and perfect is what is in the human heart, not because someone or many believe themselves superior for any given reason does that mean they are.

Superiority is determined by the way a human being reacts to the opinions of others; if your reaction is anger, it means you need to improve your emotional intelligence and your social intelligence.

When one decides to leave their country and integrate into foreign lands, their soul will always remain tied to the place where they were born and raised, without ceasing to enjoy what others are. From the Danes I learned to exercise my right to express my opinion, and I use it without offending others or feeling offended by what they think of me or of Ecuadorians or Latin Americans in general.

Hello, my name is Teresa Ruiz Pedersen from International Family Coaching.org

The best integration for an adult and their children is to take the best of both cultures: the one they left and the host country. If one cannot overcome sadness or difficulty adapting in a certain country or culture, the best thing is to leave that country, because wherever we are, it is never meant for us to suffer.

If you have integration challenges in the United States, contact us at +502-495-8444 or info@internationalfamilycoaching.org