I feel a bit lightheaded. Maybe you should drive
Wednesday, May 11, 2005 • Posted by jcb
The editors regret to inform you of our imminent return to the first world.
Have we packed our bags, tucked our tails and bit adieu to mother Brasil? Clearly the Nordic winter you folks suffered through is playing havoc with your reasoning skills. So, for nothing more than posterity … let’s review some highlights from the past semester. Incidentally, we’ve not been under a rock lately, just a bit more preoccupied with our own navels. After all, you are reading the blog of two self-exiled vagabonds, consistency and predictability are not our strong suits. Plus, it rained for two weeks straight and the coffee-maker broke. Did I mention Witzy has a rash?
For all the late night machinations and disjointed pipe dreaming before arriving, we never imagined the manic nature of what we were about to undertake. We always assumed moving to Brasil not knowing anyone, not knowing the language and having the slightest clue as to what we were getting ourselves into would be an adventure. However knowing it and living the reality are two separate animals. Imagine every single detail of the reality of your life changing. Forget the language barrier which is obvious. Imagine relationships, social, business, even everyday customs changing. The rules are completely different here in subtle but important ways. Every time we think we have it down, something changes. Remember the parking habits we laughed about. We actually learned later that everyone parks cars in neutral and the ever present parking attendant simply rolls cars around all day. An easy fix to a crowded city. Brasilians rarely leave phone messages. Why? I still don’t really know. Service is slow but usually very good and always friendly. The gas station attendants still clean your windshield and top off your water. Taxi drivers help with luggage without asking. I have yet to feel rushed by a waiter to turn over a table. Most stores and restaurants are staffed with triple the amount of staff you would find in the States. I went into a small one room bookstore the other day and counted no less than 10 employees. Efficiency is not the name of the game in Brasil, it’s all about the ride. By all appearances, getting business done is not a priority. It’s almost as though it were an after thought. Salesmen rarely return a first telephone call…. and never hound you with followup calls (this is definitely a plus) We tried for a month to get the rental price on the apartment one floor above us. The owner called us back once! … while we were out. Time is of little concern here, and appointments are flexible. People are generally quite friendly even in such a crowed city with such a great wealth disparity. I have yet to be bumped once on the street by anyone.. EVER. This sounds like nothing, but trying living in New York for 10 years… hell ten minutes… without getting a stiff shoulder from a powersuit street walker just as you take a sip of your morning cup a joe. All of this learning comes at a price. In six months we’ve only managed to find a more permanent home, get our business set up and get ourselves legal. Seems like nothing until you try and do it alone… without the aid of a large multi-national corporation moving you, or the military or a brasilian spouse. We were so naive. I guess we still are. But as we start to trade old habits for new habits, we are slowly finding ourselves falling in love with our adopted country, its people and culture. Don’t fear the change, Witzy is still Witzy speaking portuguese, even if he sometimes feels depressed that he can’t get his jokes out quick enough. Don’t sweat it Witz, we can barely understand your english as it is. Get ready for the second chapter starting in late June. Phase 2 of the Pines at Boca del Vista.
Anyone in Paris? I’ll be there with my better half and favorite Brasilian Carolina, next week. Wanna hang out? Looking for a blog update? People! Come on…. again with those flawed reasoning skills. Romantic spring week in Paris with my girlfriend. Beat it.
Seeingfurther.com does a little looking behind as we head home to New York for six weeks. Hopefully the NYC Brasilian consultate turns over our permanent visas without a fight and we have time to enjoy the nuptials of former Forbes cover boy, Sergey Milhouse June 4th. Drinks on us after the wedding at McSwiggans. The editors are making stops in Philly, Denver, Arizona, Miami. Catch us if you dare. See you in July.
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I was a fighter, I could turn on a thread. Now I stand accused of the things I've said.