Desafios

Generally I like Brazil and enjoy Brazilians, especially the Christians, but there are some challenges.(desafios) One is the cultural imperative of almost constant eating. When Tolkien described Hobbits he said of them that they ate six times a day. Many Brazilians would make good hobbits. Normally I only eat breakfast and lunch.Try doing that in Brazil without offending or concerning your hosts. Another challenge is "troca" or change, which in eight visits I still haven't fogured out. In the US if I purchase something for $8 and give a,$20 I receive $12 in change with no problem.In Brazil except for larger grocery stores this is an issue. For some unknown reason the central bank, which issues the currency doesn't print very many smaller denomination bills so everyone wants exact change. A third is "barulho" or loud noise whether from people or dogs. Brazilian culture is very expressive, animated and loud. Because there is no concept of personal space the ideal is to gather as many people as possible into as small a space as possible which fosters their relationships. Sometimes this is too much for a cranky old gringo. Normally the blessings outweigh the challenges.