12.17.2010
For Kate
So….. What are the differences between America & Brasil?
· If we were to go out specifically for a beer, we go to a bakery. The little bars are a bit scary here.
· If you want to go to a movie, you would watch it in Portuguese and the seats are raised perfectly so you don’t have to see someone’s head in front of you.
· You take the bus everywhere and it is made by Mercedes Benz.
· Almost all of the cars are really little here and when you see a standard sized car, you think could I really fit in there?
· People here don’t believe pedestrians have the right of way. And no one drives in the actual lines. You always assume someone is going to be parked on the right side of the road.
· Every day it is Beans and Rice for lunch and Dinner. I never feel like I am going to miss out on anything if I decide to skip a meal.
· Breakfast is French bread with the spread of your choice and strong coffee that even I have to put milk and sugar in. When you get the occasional ham and cheese the ham tastes like mo rtedella.
· Fans cost minimum $59.00 for the cheapest version.
· Everything is Ceramic tile and granite, and cement.
· Portuguese is the 4th hardest language to learn in the world.
· People like foreigners here.
· Fresh Milk comes in a bag or you can buy a case of boxed that expires in a year.
· If you want a snack you eat little fried potato dough cakes stuffed with chicken called CoxinhasOr cheese bread balls called Pao de quejo.
· Brasil is getting their first Welfare system.
· The economy is stimulated.
· People have to be overqualified to get good jobs here.
· Women feel comfortable in their own skin.
· Cell phones cost $91.00 a month for 100 minutes. Free nights start at 12am. So, you will never be able to call me.
· The banks and government will not let you make copies on premisis, but there is a fax, copy and print store on every corner that you can use.
· You have to take a number to be taken care of at the bank.
· It is a good surprise when you find a store with air conditioner.
· Soccer is called futebol.
· Here auto insurance is $120/ month and you have a $1600 deductible.
· If you don’t have a co-signer when you want to rent a house, it will cost a non-refundable $3000.00 for an insurance co. to do it for you.
· There is a thick book called Phrasal Verbs. It is a book of English slang that students learn when studying American English.
· When you buy juice you buy fresh made juice. There is Pineapple, mango, passion fruit, orange and many others.
· Christmas is celebrated here like Thanksgiving is in the United States. People spend money on Carnival here.
· The ocean is luke warm.
· You could sell anything here without much problem.
