Before one can truly say that a city, state or country is indeed paradise, let us take a look at what Rio has to offer. We arrived on Sunday June 24, and although we had just stepped off the plane, after a 10 hour-ride, I was completely taken aback by the landscape we could see from the airport as we waited in a winding line to pass through customs.
 |
| Ipanema Beach, the view toward Copacabana |
We arrived at the hotel where we unexpectedly received our first cultural lesson. Other than the experience of suddenly being immersed into a new language, we also had to patiently wait for things to get settled which was a bit of a challenge considering our long flight. We quickly understood the difference between our fast-pace, always on the clock way of life and Brazil's more laid back way of life. Since we had to wait, we went to get some food and headed to Ipanema beach.
Now the beach, it’s definitely not like any beach I have been to before. The sand, if you avoid a few places, is finely ground and very clean. There were not many large and sharp rocks or sea shells. It really is a beautiful beach loaded with people from all sorts of backgrounds. Although the number of people seemed high, they were actually low due to Brazil's winter season. Even though this is winter, the presence of division on the beach is visible at the life guard posts which each attract different groups of people divided by things such as class, race, and sexual orientation. However, a tourist may not be aware of such a division. This class has taught me that the beach can be divided by life guard posts that span along the beach. Each post attracts a different group of people, but there still remains a mixture of different groups within Brazilian society.
 |
| Ipanema Beach at night |
I have yet to experience anything in the realm of public transportation within the city, except for our bus. Brazilian motorists have the right of way and demand respect on the roads. Busses and cars alike drive relatively fast within the city and are usually only stopped by red lights. While talking with Janet, she pointed out two things that I had not remembered: motorcycles are the exception to almost all of the rules of the road, and the difference between drivers in the U.S. and drivers in Brazil.
The difference is merely that when somebody gets cut off, it seems they let it happen and they are okay with it because they do not honk and frantically yell every time. If they did that in the United States, there would be lots of serious crashes and it would contradict the laidback lifestyle that Brazilians are known for. The Brazilian carefree way of life was mentioned in Brazil on the Rise by Larry Rohter. The way that Brazilians drive seems to reflect that lifestyle. The only time that it is not proven true is when the pedestrians get in their way.
What I think is the most important thing to finding paradise is the mentality that I previously mentioned. My goal before I left Nebraska was to learn about it through observation and comparison. Although there is an added bonus of the location and features that this country has to offer, there are of course negatives as in any major city, but in a place with such beauty, I cannot stop myself from drinking it all in and wanting more than ever to find that carefree spirit and embrace life and its speed bumps along the way.
The difference is merely that when somebody gets cut off, it seems they let it happen and they are okay with it because they do not honk and frantically yell every time. If they did that in the United States, there would be lots of serious crashes and it would contradict the laidback lifestyle that Brazilians are known for. The Brazilian carefree way of life was mentioned in Brazil on the Rise by Larry Rohter. The way that Brazilians drive seems to reflect that lifestyle. The only time that it is not proven true is when the pedestrians get in their way.
What I think is the most important thing to finding paradise is the mentality that I previously mentioned. My goal before I left Nebraska was to learn about it through observation and comparison. Although there is an added bonus of the location and features that this country has to offer, there are of course negatives as in any major city, but in a place with such beauty, I cannot stop myself from drinking it all in and wanting more than ever to find that carefree spirit and embrace life and its speed bumps along the way.
 |
| The group at PUC |
You are right that Brazil has been an eye-opening experience when it comes to cultural differences! As an American who has always lived by the *Time Is Money* mantra, the Brazilian perspective of time—much more laid-back than our own—was definitely a surprise to me, as well. At first, my instinct when encountering this difference was something along the lines of: “This person was supposed to arrive 20 minutes ago...doesn’t he/she respect us and our time?” I very quickly realized, however—due to our preparatory readings and my observations of the interactions around me—that the difference was not due to a lack of respect. Rather, the lack of timeliness merely reflected vast cultural differences on punctuality.
ReplyDeleteAs I adjusted to this difference, I found that I almost began to enjoy the more laid-back approach to time...it really helped relieve the stress that accompanies following tight daily schedules! Unlike in a culture that is tightly bound to deadlines, here (in general), one can take the time to do any last-minute preparations without worrying that the other party will take offense at possible tardiness…indeed, the other party is likely doing the exact same! At the same time, there are also drawbacks to such a perspective, such as replacing precious “activity time” with the less-than-ideal “waiting time.” (Then again, flipping through my pocket Brazilian Portuguese phrase book has been a good use of waiting time!)
Learning about cultural differences is one thing, but actually experiencing them first-hand is another. I could see how someone who isn’t aware of such cultural differences could easily misinterpret a situation that was never meant to offend, leading to cultural misunderstandings. This has truly been an excellent opportunity to put our adaptability to the test and to learn to view time through another culture’s perspective.
I agree with your comments about the Brazilian way of life being laid back. Even their personalities reflect that they are even tempered. Driving here is also a great comparison to the US. In New York they have to put up signs that say "No honking, penalty." If there is anytime that real frustration can surface, it is on the road; even there they are calm.
ReplyDelete