With just three weeks to go before the start of the World
Cup, I began to think about how people who have never been here before are
going to react to various places and occurrences.
I still remember setting foot here in Brazil for the first
time—back in 1995 when I was working for Visa risk management. We visited Rio
and São Paulo on a tour of banks that were facing large amounts of credit card
fraud. I don’t much remember the banks except
for Bradesco and its so-called City of God, the enormous bank campus in
Osasco. It seemed bigger than my
American college campus, and BH just told me that it is still growing. It was
my first introduction to Brazilian coffee in its tiny cups. I didn’t realize
how dangerous it was and every time the uniformed coffee lady came by the
meeting room, I accepted another tiny shot. I ended up with blurred vision, a
wildly-palpitating heart and a room full of very amused Brazilians.
I also remember moving here in 1998 just at the beginning of
the telecom privatization. It is hard to believe but people here used to pay
thousands of dollars for a phone line—they were listed as household
assets. I would not call cell phones
cheap here now but they don’t cost more than cars either. I fell in love with Brazil and my Brazilian
and look where that’s got me (just kidding, BH!!)
During my first tour of duty here (1998-2001), my artist
uncle visited me. He is the closest brother to my mom, though not in distance.
He is the closest my family has to crazy-wonderful – he makes art out of found
objects, out of Styrofoam, out of paint and mylar and whatever. I am fortunate
to own a number of his pieces. James had
been invited here for an art show in Brasilia and stopped in for a few days in
São Paulo. I will never forget his visit because of the beauty he saw and the
beauty he shared.
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| This is as close as you need to get to a favela. From wikipedia |
Based on James’ lesson to me about how to see Brazil, here
is how I would do Brazil if I were seeing it for the first time:
1.
Expect the unexpected. Or don’t expect it--just
enjoy it happening. Say you get stuck in
a two-hour traffic jam. Look around. Don’t get on facebook and complain. Look
around at the geometry of that favela, the lady in the next car fixing her hair
and ignoring the kids climbing over the back seat. Watch the water rush out of
the many creeks and into the river. When the unexpected happens, take
advantage, not offense. And if someone starts talking to you at the local
bakery, participate. Be part of the country, don’t just visit it.
2.
Be positive. Brazilians will complain about
their country. A lot. My recommendation is to not jump on that band
wagon. It turns out that this will cause offense: while people from here may
say “the river is filled with garbage”, they don’t necessarily want the
tourists to agree with them. They want someone to say back “well, the trees on
the edge seem to like it—I noticed how many flowering trees were there.” Trust me, this is true. I have been here 6
years and I still sometimes step in the wrong place and people say “if you
don’t like it, why don’t you leave?”
And please be careful of politics if you
are American—the US, at the very least, does not have a sweet-smelling past
here. You may think they want you to
agree with their complaints about corruption, or Dilma or whatever, but then you might
find yourself on the receiving end of what the CIA did here during the military
dictatorship. My advice: smile and say “s*** happens everywhere.” Especially if you don't know what kind of democracy Brazil has or how justice works here. Listen, smile, and ask questions rather than
say statements. Keep those ears open and learn.
3.
Brazil is more expensive than you think. The
pervasive thought about the developing world is that it is cheap. Yes, your
dollar and euro is valuable right now but it still will be fighting against an
immensely overpriced restaurant industry (São Paulo and Rio), the tax structure
of imported goods, and of course the inflation that accompanies the mega event.
I suggest keeping it to yourself if you find something very expensive…or very cheap.
Unless you are negotiating for a US$500 hammock. Then that is VERY EXPENSIVE
and you should complain. PS You are not
necessarily being taken advantage of at every moment. Brazilians pay for stuff
through the teeth.
4.
Tip everyone. Okay, maybe not your friends you
are visiting. I remember talking about this with a Brazilian friend a couple of
years ago. Someone asked if you are supposed to tip the gas station guy for
checking the tires or the oil. My Brazilian friend was almost offended—‘of
course not! That is part of the service!’ But I always tip. I always go to the
same gas station where I have known the attendants for 6 years and I always
give them a $2 or a $5 for those services. And I get great service, usually a
fun conversation and people who know my car.
I also tip at the grocery store (not necessary), the taxi cab (not
necessary and not always—just if the guy has put up with evil twins on a bad
day), the waiter who has made my day. It works for me. And it’s not exactly
breaking the bank.
5.
If you are going to use your high school Spanish
to get by here, make sure you let people know that you realize that Brazil
speaks Portuguese not Spanish. Also our capital is Brasilia not Buenos Aires or
Rio de Janeiro. Personally I would highly recommend a quick peruse of Wikipedia
to know our population, our president’s name, the size of the economy, and the
name of our most famous soccer player (it is not Maradona). Hint: the latter played
for the NY Cosmos but is not in fact American as I thought when I was 7 years
old.
6.
Skip the favela tour. I hate the favela tour.
Why in the world would you do it? They are not animals in cages.
7.
Laugh. As much as you can. Smile at people in
the street and say “bom dia” or “boa tarde.” Shrug and let things rolls off
you. Let Brazil into your heart.
My two cents. Call it my tip to you.
