Brazilian Culture | Live Inbrazil Live in Brazil

7 Reasons to Live in a Favela

Aug 12 2013

Ever consider living in a favela (slum)? Most people haven’t due to the stereotypes of lacking safety etc given by national media.

Allow me to present you to someone who thinks otherwise and is here to convince you of the same. Elliot Rosenberg is a man who has decided to go against stereotypes and look at a favela for what it really is, he has gone to the extent of deciding to live in one and is here to give you 7 reasons why you should considering doing the same.

Take it away Elliot!

If you believe everything you see in the news and movies, then you’d never want to set foot in a favela, let alone live in a favela. However, the reality is unlike what you’d imagine, to the point that hundreds of gringos are touring favelas every day and hundreds more are living in them right now. I’ve lived in Rio and Latin America’s largest favela, Rocinha, for three months now and know many foreigners who happily call the favelas their home. Definitely, there are challenges for both locals and gringos who live in these communities. Nonetheless, the favelas’ welcoming culture, inexpensive prices, good locations, and more make them excellent options whether you’re teaching English, studying on exchange, volunteering in non-profits, or starting a business. So, before you sign that year-long, R$2,000 monthly lease for a closet-sized cell in Copacabana, consider these reasons to live in a favela.

LIB 008: 3 Must Know Core Elements of the Brazilian Society

Jul 16 2013

There are 3 core elements within the Brazilian society that are so intertwined with it, that they are the backbone of all that happens: jeitinho, friendships and service.

And as a foreigner, one of the most important things you can do for your success is to understand these elements, how they function and how you can use them to your benefit and the benefit of others.

What you may not know, is that these three “cultural” aspects are very foreign to our way of life yet an important part of daily Brazilian life – the catalyst for many cultural misunderstandings.

So why is Brazilian “jeitinho”, friendships and services the core elements? let me show you in today’s podcast.

Brazil Gone Wild: #changebrazil and Why You Should Care

Jun 20 2013

Yesterday, the New York times posted a wild picture of a Brazilian woman getting hosed in the face with pepper spray.

It was shocking to see the police brutality towards a peaceful protestor and at the same time an eye opener to realize the monumental shift happening!

So today, this post will be a divergence from the usual on this site in order to introduce you to something very important: the 20 cent movement.

And don’t forget to check out Ilya over from brazilcareerblueprint.com and I’s Google Hangout recording at the end of this post, where we talk about this movement in detail and explain why we should care as foreigners.

Let me start this post by saying that it’s called the 20 cent movement but it’s about rights, and here’s why:

Finding a Dating Site Full of Brazilian Women – What to Know

Nov 06 2012

Today, I am going to show you where to go to find single Brazilian women online and give you some essential dating tips (I should have followed back in the day) once you find her.

If there is one thing that Brazil is known for, it’s the beautiful life-loving Brazilian Women. And if there is one thing that Brazilian women are known for, it’s that they love the idea of meeting foreign men (nudge, nudge!).

Lucky for you, modern technology allows you to find a possible Brazilian partner easier then ever.

A little warning: dating Brazilian women can eventually lead to a paradisiacal lifestyle in Brazil, so read with caution!

So what if you are not in Brazil and would like to find a lovely Brazilian to date, where do you go and what do you need to know?

Finding Brazilian Women to Date Online

Thanks to modern technology you can easily find a Brazilian woman online who is already looking for a foreigner.

I use a fishing metaphor for this (sorry ladies, it’s not meant in a sexist way).

If you would like to catch a nice big fish, do you put your fishing line in the middle of a clear lake where you can’t see any fish and where they aren’t biting?

No way…

You put your line in a place where you know they will be hungry and you know they will be hanging out.

This way you are sure that you attract out the pre-motivated ones that are ready for what you have to offer.

But where do you look?

5 Ways to Build a Friendship with Brazilian People

Aug 10 2012

This is an actual picture of some friends of mine in Florianópolis, Brazil.

When many people think “Brazil”, they think about amazing, open and all around friendly people who wish for nothing less then to show their huge smiles and hospitality.

I don’t disagree with that in any way, Brazilian people are some of the most amazing and caring people I have ever met in my life – and for me, one of the main reasons as to why I love the country.

They are an especially diverse group of people as well who can claim roots from all corners of the world. Check out this little video with a slide show, showing the diversity of Brazilians (it has some cool music too):

But Brazilian people are culturally very different to many of us (even if we identify with their culture) and if we don’t learn to see eye-to with them, this difference could cause a lot of unintended confusion, misunderstandings and conflict in the long run.

Category - Brazilian Culture