For many people Brazil conjures up images of football, Carnaval and fine coffee, but it is much more than beaches and bossa nova. If you could choose only one word to describe Brazil, it would be diversity. The variety of racial types, lifestyles, wealth, landscape and climate is enormous. Jeitinho is the Brazilian means of dealing creatively with life’s everyday complications. Literally translated as a “little way”, in practice it means that regardless of the rules or systems in place, where there is a will there has to be a way around them. The jeitinho is so ingrained in daily life that you can see examples everywhere; managing to get a seat when all the places are booked up, traveling with more luggage than is allowed or successfully ordering something that is not on the restaurant menu. Culture Smart! Brazil is a concise guide to understanding the Brazilian people and illuminating the complexities of their national identity. Familiarise yourself with their customs, traditions and culture and experience Brazil authentically.
It's quite good for those who are trying to get over the cultural barrier. However, some small areas of Brazil tend to have specific behaviours that are not covered. For example, Paraty is a small fishermen village south of Rio de Janeiro. Plenty of people spend their free time here rather than in big cities, but the manners and behaviours of them changes at big festivals or cultural events. If you are more interested, please visit http://www.infoparaty.com and for accomodation at Paraty enjoy our hostel http://www.Gekohostel.com or our friends pousada http://www.chillinnhostel.com Have a nice trip to Brazil!
The guide provides a good overview of Brazil. It's not an easy task as the South American nation is one of great diversity. The book offers unflinching information about income inequality and social problems such as well as the many positive things about the country. I recommend this guide for anyone planning a visit to Brazil, be it vacation or business.
Great, accessible overview, as always with this series. Read before/during a trip to Brasil and it provided a helpful orientation to the culture and history.