Why I Came to Brazil

When I first mentioned that my wife and I were moving to Brazil, I got a wide range of responses, from “cool” and “great” to “but the economy is so bad” and “WHY?????”  And that was just from Brazilians.  Others from elsewhere commented about how great it would be,  some asked whether it is dangerous (or in some cases “how dangerous is it?”) while an inevitable few became instant experts on Brazil and proceeded to tell me all about it (of course, most of the ‘facts’ were wrong…)  The truth is that I’m not living by the beach, spending my time surfing, nor am I swinging from tree to tree in the rainforest or only breaking up my keepie-uppie practise with games of football.  And I’m not having to scrimp and save for a scrap of food, nor am I dodging bullets in a drug war or wrestling snakes and alligators (sounds fun though!)  In this post, I’ll try to address the panicked “WHY?????” and show that I have not taken complete leave of my senses.

Family

This was the main reason for the move.  We had been living in the US for the past 4 and a half years, which meant that holidays were spent dividing our time between Britain and Brazil so that we could see our families.  Even so, given the costs of international travel and the time it takes to make these trips, we could only realistically hope to visit each country in alternating years, with any extra trips being a bonus.  By living in Brazil, trips to Britain could become more regular and visits to the Brazilian side of the family could be easily accomplished over public holidays, of which Brazil has many!

America’s not all that

As strange as it may sound to some people, we didn’t particularly enjoy living in the US.  I found that life seems to revolve around business (I’ve always believed in working to live, not living to work) and shopping.  A real me-first mentality seems to come forward in all areas of life, whether it’s fiercely competitive driving or the sheer revulsion felt when mentioning the idea of nationalised health care (“why should I pay for someone else’s healthcare?”  Maybe because someone else will later be paying for your healthcare.  I’m not going to dwell on the healthcare issue, but it’s something I feel very strongly about.)  Then there’s the bizarre, fevered military worship, nonstop consumerism and bizarre politics.  Some people like the American way of life, and to those, I wish the best of luck – go forth and be happy!  I don’t, so I opted for a change.  The options left are Brazil or Britain and I had the feeling that if we returned to Britain, we probably wouldn’t get the chance to try Brazil, so we went for it.  If it doesn’t work out, we’ll be moving back to Britain.

Lifestyle

It may have become a tired old cliché and the reality is often warped into a cartoonish stereotype, but the Brazilian way of life really appeals to me.  I have found Brazilians in general to be friendly and open, not averse to making friends.  Brits, by comparison, can be a bit more distant and reserved, often taking longer to build a friendship.  On the other hand, American culture (or at least in the San Francisco Bay Area) seems to revolve around networking.  In both countries, initial conversations tend to start with questions about what you do for a living, while Brazilians are more likely to take an interest in you as a person.  You’re more likely to be asked about your football team than your profession.

The Food

a selection of salgdinhos - small savory snacks

A lot of people asked whether there were things I'd miss from the US or Britain (in the Bay Area, it's possible to find a scattering of British shops with life-saving packets of Tetley tea and Hobnobs.) There are certainly foods that I'll miss over time, but there are so many foods here that are better than elsewhere.  I find it's better to enjoy what you have, rather than pine for what you don't have.  What I can find here is: Guaraná Antarctica, coxinhas, catupiry cheese, pasteis, rissoles, pão de queijo, Brazilian barbecue, feijoada, farofa, a huge array of fresh fruits, açaí, mandioca... the list goes on!

The Weather

This is the area where I encountered the most instant experts.  It’s going to be hot all year round, it’ll be sunny all the time etc etc.  In parts of the country, this may well be true, but I’m living in the South.  The summer here is generally warm, with sunny days, humid days and rainy days.  When it gets too hot and humid, it is generally not long before a heavy downpour cools everything down.  Of course, some places get too much rain, and summer can often be a time of floods, especially in parts of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. 

Summer in Curitiba

Winter, on the other hand, can be bitterly cold (or so I am told, I’ll soon see for myself.)  While temperatures might not plummet to the depths experienced in Northern Europe, Canada or the Northern states of the US, it came get pretty chilly in the South.  This is compounded by the fact that houses are built to let out the heat and are generally not centrally heated as in colder countries.  Fortunately the winter does not last that long.

Countryside

Brazil has a really beautiful countryside, covered with mountains, forests, rivers and waterfalls.  Taking a drive across the state of Paraná will take you over wide, rushing rivers, through dense forest, between scenic mountains and across hillsides and fields that remind me of the English countryside.  Everywhere looks green and alive.

The Beaches

I know I said I’m not living by the beach, but I’m not that far away!  Brazil has so many incredibly beautiful beaches with warm seas, it’s no wonder Brazilians love to go to the beach and that it is one of the few things that foreigners definitively “know” about Brazil.  Even in the South and South East of the country, there is a lot of choice available: do you want a surfer’s paradise with huge waves?  Do you want a quiet relaxed beach surrounded by forests and the nearest cars some distance away across a stretch of sea?  Do you want somewhere close to civilisation, with all the trappings of food and drink service, Havaiana sellers and fresh coconut water?  Do you want to squeeze yourself into a beach jam packed with people (not my thing, but whatever makes you happy…)?  All of these are on offer, plus many more.  I’ve seen so many photos of beaches in the North and Northeast that I’m itching to visit.

Football

Football is a big part of life here.  Even the few Brazilians I’ve met that aren’t interested in the sport generally have a team that they sympathise with while for real fanatics, the team is like an extended family.  It’s a great feeling to meet with friends at a bar before a big match, where everyone is happy and wearing the team’s colours, then proceed to the stadium where the atmosphere is nearly always electric (although this can easily change if the team is not playing well enough.  I’ll never forget one particular match between Atlético Paranaense and Maringá where our team was being outclassed by a far inferior team and the fans started chanting “time de merda!” (shit team.)  Don’t upset your fans!  The other reason I like football in Brazil is that it is for everyone, it isn’t considered just for the men as in some other places.  I met my wife in the hairdressers once, where she was discussing the team’s performance with another woman and you can always see families going to the game together. 

The Crisis

Brazil is currently in the grip of a recession, which has really put a dampener on the spirits of the population and often an air of pessimism sweeps through the society.  The problem with recessions is that they seems to become self-fulfilling prophecies: people lose confidence and tighten their belts, with the result that businesses make less money, the results get worse, people and businesses lose even more confidence and the cycle continues until gradually things improve and the country is pulled out of recession. 

Being born in Britain in the early 80s, I am accustomed to market scares, crises and recessions, the economy of a country always appears to be a roller coaster ride with rises, dips and the occasional loop!  But the Brazilian economy has been steadily rising since the 90s.  Under President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, the economy went from strength to strength and remained strong during the government of President Lula (I’m not going to get into politics here.)  Now the economy has started to slip, and it feels as though people expect that it’s just going back to dark times of high inflation. 

Recessions are never good news, but I don’t see it as a reason to panic and flee the country.  The end is not nigh!

Politics and Corruption

This is what annoys me about Brazil, rampant corruption and shady politics.  It seems too easy for people in positions of power to embezzle money and ensure that the rich get richer.  But I think that things are slowly changing.  Investigations have been launched into massive money laundering circles and corruption within Petrobras, the state petroleum company.  The investigators are getting close to the once-untouchable former President Lula, a Senator (as well as many company executives) has been arrested and an impeachment process has been initiated against President Dilma.  While some people see this as a national embarrassment, they should realise that it should be a source of national pride.  It is important that no one is above the law, and those to steal are held accountable.

It is my hope that through these investigations, the political systems can be reformed to make it difficult to steal money and that those corrupt politicians will not be able to drag down the economy and perception of this country that deserves to be great.

Protest against corruption in March 2015.  The protesters all wore national
colours to show support for Brazil, rather than political allegiance