Coming from a culture where labor is expensive and technology is cheaper, it took me a while to understand the cultural implications of cheap labor in Brasil. The huge division between the people with money and those without creates a labor market that makes services, that only rich people can afford at home, accessible to middle of the road people like me. It affects many aspects of their lives here that I never have considered.
For example:
Most middle-class and higher people with children have live-in maids, even in apartments, and sometimes drivers. It is around $200/month for a maid that cooks, cleans, does laundry, and cares for your children. The impact this has on the lifestyle of working parents is huge: your meals are waiting for you and your children on the table and you leave the mess for someone else to clean up; no making beds, vacuuming, wiping counters, moping floors, cleaning windows, or doing laundry; if you are late from work or want to go out, someone is there to care for the children; and you have someone watching your house during the day. Basically, you get more quality time and peace of mind with your children. However, maids usually get the weekend off so you are on your own for a couple days a week. Oh, how rough! Having a driver for your children is also cheap and a great idea. He can take the children to and from school, wash and vacuum the car, and also do things around the house, including serving and cleaning up at dinner parties.
A side effect of this affordable luxury is that since cooking is relegated to someone else, the kitchen is not a focal point like in America. The kitchen is frequently hidden and purely functional. Food preparation is often only a communal event at family gatherings. It is needless to say that this is strange for me, coming from a culture that entertains in the kitchen. They actually use their living and dining rooms here! I don’t want to give the impression that they don’t like gourmet food, they just go out to eat rather than making it themselves. That said, I have to say that I have only seen half a dozen homes/apartments and have had limited exposure on which to base my observations.
Another effect of cheap labor is the lack of a do-it-yourself attitude here. Why would you want to fix things for yourself when it is so inexpensive to have a skilled person do it for you? Even things that, to me, are incredible easy to fix are left for the “appropriate person” to do. This is good and bad. It frees up people’s time and creates employment, but often things are left in need of repair because they have not gotten around to getting someone to fix them. Not surprisingly, there is a much more relaxed acceptance of broken or damaged things here. They don’t have a driven task orientation and need for perfection as Americans do. If something does work correctly, that is okay, it will get fixed…eventually.
Time is not money here; relationships are more important.
Here in Patricia’s parent’s house we have two maids, a driver, a gardener, pool guys, and other people that come as needed. All this and they are not wealthy people. It is a lifestyle to which it is delightfully easy to grow accustomed. Now I am off to take a dip in the pool while thinking about how cold and rainy it is back in Portland. Life is good!
