This is my new favorite bridge in the world, the JK Bridge (Ponte JK)named after former president, and visionary builder of the city Brasilia, Juscelino Kubitschek. It is a beautiful and graceful creation that is best viewed while driving over it at night.
My collection of interesting Brasilian culture tidbits is vast and will have to be spread over a few entries. My favorite topics are touching, personal responsibility, and the entreprenurial spirit.
The very first thing to strike me as different here is the personal contact comfort level and expectation. We Americans tend to like our personal space and draw a very specific line in the sand about what is acceptable invasion of our bubble. The Brasilian bubble is smaller and more flexible.
I thought I was prepared for the cheek kissing when I came; afterall, I had known Patricia in DC and spent time in Spain. Even so, the sheer quantity took me off guard. Everytime you come or go, it is expected to kiss all female friends and family or it is rude. Men get a hearty handshake and a pat on the shoulder, or a manly half hug. As a touchy person, I was very pleasantly surprised with all these people who seemed to share my affinity. The real surprise for me as a North American was in the pool at Caldas Novas. Patricia's family all stayed very close in the pool and I was often touched by peoples legs or grabbed on the arm or leg with no thought whatsoever. And I don't mean touched as in bumping against each other, I mean resting against one another up close and personal. It did not bother me, but my own cultural alarm bells automatically went off the first few times. The same thing in a pool at home would have been awkward. Brasil is definitely a good place for people who like physical touch and a nightmare for germophobes.
The Brasilians, luckily, have yet to discover the benefits and drawbacks of overly-efficient personal liability lawyers. Anywhere I go, I see accidents waiting to happen. Maybe it is only my building management experience talking, but I have seen many things that would be begging for a lawsuit in the states, for example: pool side tile at a resort that is so slippery when wet, it is nearly impossible to walk on safely without being very careful. I saw several people fall and dozens almost fall. Also, holes, open grates, sharp objects, and tripping hazards are normal for walkways and sidewalks at businesses. In general, people are expected to watch out for their own safety. After having heard of so many frivolous lawsuits in the states, I can really appreciate this difference, although, I think the best situation would be somewhere in between. There are a lot of negligently unsafe conditions here and there are a lot of negligently inattentive people in the US. Hopefully Brasil will go halfway and stop.
Do you need a cloth to mop your floor? Sunglasses? Newspapers, candy, water? What about cheese? These are only some of the items that are offered to you while you wait at stoplights here. People sell all sorts of items everywhere. All they need is a table and product. Sometimes not even a table--just a cooler and a chair--or in the case of the guys standing in traffic, just an armload of product. Notice I didn't say a "sign." This last part is the most perplexing to me as a foreigner; often I have no idea what they are selling or for how much. Take for example the minivan on the side of the road with the back open and a couple of plastic chairs and tables. People are gathered around eating something out of paper wrappers. I can't see what they are eating and there is no sign whatsoever. Or even better, is the guy with a chair and a cooler on the sidewalk. Everyone around here knows what these people sell and for about how much so they don't bother with signs. It turns out that it was hotdogs and fruit salad respectively.
Another fascinating example of the entreprenurial spirit running contrary to American sensibilities is the parking arrangement at Patricia's work. Ostensibly, it is a city lot in which it is free to park. In reality, there are five guys that manage the lot. They laid claim to lot and charge people to park there. I know my fellow Americans can feel their indignation rising in their throats at people with such unashamed audacity, but wait. The lot has spaces for about 60 cars. The payment arrangement is this; for 10 dollars a month you park where they tell you and you leave your keys with them. They double or triple park the cars, moving them as needed when people come or go and they can double the amount of cars that fit in the lot. With limited parking available this is a fantastic service. And not only that, for a couple dollars, they will wash the inside and outside of your car while you work. For a whole 20 dollars a month, you get to keep your keys and they always give you a good spot (because they cannot move your car). The whole arrangement is smooth, benefits everyone, and is completely against everything Americans would expect. Here it works very well.
