Yes, I have been out of pocket. I took a business trip back to Sao Paulo, BR for about 9 days. As most of you know I lived there for about 7 months in 2007 and use to travel there often.
Brazil hasn't missed a beat. My friends at the Hilton Morumbi were nice as always and my bartender "Rodman" welcomed me as usual. A few staff members got promotions and now wear suits and I congratulated them with hearty pats on the back and some solid handshakes. It was nice to see the economic disaster did not devastate Brazil. A Brazilian friend reminded me that much of Brazil's goods are created and consumed within the country and they do not have huge dependencies on other nations. Therefore they can weather the storm a bit better.
Time for observations:
1) From the 26th floor Hilton Morumbi Executive Lounge I noticed a teenager with a young toddler and in seconds I could tell the teenager was the nanny. She was darker complected and not dressed as impeccable as other guests. Like clockwork the mother and father walk in and the father walks straight for the child. They tickle the child while the nanny looks on with a straight and tired face. Never once did the parents even look the nanny in the face. The father picks up the kid with gusto and mother and nanny bounce along in tow.
2) I noticed the same phenomonen at the Shopping Ciudade Jardims mall. This is one of the premier high end malls in Sao Paulo, BR and while I was having coffee at the bookstore I noticed the same situation. A young African girl was at the table with a child and the family. The kid jumps up and yells and nobody blinks an eye except for the nanny. He wants his balloon and when the nanny floats it over to him he snatches it with an evil eye on the nanny. That irked me.
3) I know why I love Sao Paulo, BR. If you are an American you can earn the respect and love of anybody. Brazilians love foreigners in general and it is truly a service oriented country. The currency exchange rate is in our favor and you can literally eat at different restaurant 365 days a year. Most importantly you are always greeted by over zealous workers looking to make sure you have a great time whereever you are. They want you back Mr. American.
4) The city is dangerous, full of smog and a maze of motorbikes but it gives you that edgy feeling that makes it all real. I was talking to a Brazilian friend about how I think the people in Sao Paulo are overly alert or protective against violence. Everything is safety and security. When it gets dark you don't have to stop at red lights, just flash your lights and go. Why? You can get carjacked while at a red light. My friend said you have to keep your guard up because it is so random. I had to agree that it can happen at anytime to anybody for any reason. I recall asking a colleague why he was late to a meeting. He said 2 motorcycles pulled up to the car in front of his taxi and opened fire killing the person in the rear in what he assumed was a hit. I figured that was a good excuse.
5) The women. It is no secret I have been more partial to Latinas than any other species. But this last trip confirmed why I like them so. I do respect the gender roles in relationships. I was watching the soccer game in Sao Paulo at a friend's house and the men watched the game while the ladies prepared food popping in ever so often for the score. The ladies were laughing and having a great time in the kitchen and so were the fellas in the living room. The wives stood behind the men offering affection but not interfering with them watching the game and took joy in making sure their man's beer glass never fell below a quarter full. I would expect American's to view this as servitude but I did not. I saw the affection the men returned via hugs and holding hands while the wives knew to be quiet and listen intently when their man was speaking. Most importantly, everybody was happy and joyous. Did I mention these women are gorgeous? It reminded me of a quote I recently heard:
"There are no ugly women, only lazy ones" -Helena Rubinstein
6) There is not much respect for time. Much like Miami and other locations with heavy Latin populations people do not live or die by the clock. When work is done the day is still going on. In fact, most people say "Boa Tarde" which means "Good Afternoon" up to 6PM. Most restaurants that offer dinner do not open until 7:30PM and are not packed until 9:30PM. Life goes and goes. I feel like I live a full 24 hours in Brazil. In the states, after 5:00PM it is time to "retire" and start planning for the next day. In Brazil you raise children and sleep at home, that's about it. Entertainment is outside.
7) People go out not to drink, or eat or party but to talk to each other. Do you know why you don't have many Brazilian or Latin American friends on twitter.com or Facebook? Because they perform social networking in person. Dinners last 3 hours not because they are scarfing down beef but rather they are talking. Hours of talking without a worry about the time. It can be exhausting to a foreigner like me who just keeps eating and drinking and eating and drinking the whole time. This last trip I realized its not about the food, its about being with others.
8) People are with people all the time. Everytime I eat alone in Sao Paulo I feel weird since I am normally the only person in the restaurant eating alone. In fact, I have received some looks like "poor guy" when I am eating alone. People are always with people whether it be at work or at home etc. As a loner this is a cool concept which I think would force me to mingle a bit more.
9) Ummm, did I mention the women? Gorgeous. They may make $20K a year but their makeup is flawless, high heels, business suits and smiles. They make sure they look good if anything else.
10) In Brazil there is no taboo about sex. Sex is like a good meal. Period.
11) You are forced to be humble. Even if you do very well in the city you will have a very small apartment, a very small car and if you know what's good for you will not walk around with flashy clothes and jewelry. This makes you focus on making good friends as that is how they measure wealth. Beautiful.
So yes, I am still in love with Brazil and return to instant pouting once I return home to Dallas. My Portuguese lessons start this week. Who knows where this crazy world will take me...who knows.
DB
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