Culture Shock in Brazil
Culture shock comes in a number of stages. For expats moving to Brazil the honeymoon stage lasts a lot longer than usual. Brazilians are incredibly welcoming, they are friendly and regardless of social situation, Brazilians always seem to be happy and smiling.
Learning basic Portuguese before arriving in Brazil will ease your transition. English is spoken in the larger cities, but because Brazil has so many enclaves filled with expats from a multitude of cultures, Portuguese becomes the easiest way to communicate in a social setting.
Many male expats have reported that Brazil is a very easy country to adjust to while female expats find it considerably more difficult. Like many Latin American countries, Brazil is dominated by a machismo culture and Catholicism also plays an important social and cultural role. These factors tend to dictate that women take on quite traditional roles within society and even in business situations.
Brazil’s climate is quite different from that of most European and North American countries. The nation's extreme heat and humidity can tire a person very quickly. Allowing your body time to adjust to the different weather is important when moving to a new country.
Perhaps the biggest factor adding to the amount of culture shock expats experience when moving to Brazil is social inequality. Brazil may be a world economic powerhouse, but the disparity between rich and poor is blatantly obvious. Huge slums, or Favelas, are visible in most large cities. Expats in Brazil can generally afford to live particularly comfortably, domestic help is easily obtained and overseas and regional trips are the norm. Even private healthcare is easily accessible for expats in Brazil. This is not the case for a large percentage of Brazil’s population.
Another small thing that may initially take some getting used to is the many levels of bureaucracy in the many government institutions, this is particularly evident when applying for a residency visa.
Brazilians tend to eat later than many foreigners are used to. ‘Brazilian time’ is a more relaxed approach to the world. Taking time out to enjoy a siesta or spending hours at a social dinner are important aspects of life in Brazil.
Lastly, learning the correct way to greet and address people is a vital. A stereotypical Brazilian greeting is the air kiss – a kiss hello on each cheek – while this is a fun way to greet people, be sure to learn the appropriate contexts for this greeting. Brazilians are very body-conscious and as such expats often need to adjust to what may seem like overly forward or brutally honest comments about your health, weight and even hairstyle.
Brazilians try to maintain a balance in their social relations and general day-to-day activities: business meetings are important, but so is football and family time. Many expats will be impressed by the Brazilian people’s resilience, resourcefulness and ability to stay positive and greet life with a smile.
Learning basic Portuguese before arriving in Brazil will ease your transition. English is spoken in the larger cities, but because Brazil has so many enclaves filled with expats from a multitude of cultures, Portuguese becomes the easiest way to communicate in a social setting.Many male expats have reported that Brazil is a very easy country to adjust to while female expats find it considerably more difficult. Like many Latin American countries, Brazil is dominated by a machismo culture and Catholicism also plays an important social and cultural role. These factors tend to dictate that women take on quite traditional roles within society and even in business situations.
Brazil’s climate is quite different from that of most European and North American countries. The nation's extreme heat and humidity can tire a person very quickly. Allowing your body time to adjust to the different weather is important when moving to a new country.
Perhaps the biggest factor adding to the amount of culture shock expats experience when moving to Brazil is social inequality. Brazil may be a world economic powerhouse, but the disparity between rich and poor is blatantly obvious. Huge slums, or Favelas, are visible in most large cities. Expats in Brazil can generally afford to live particularly comfortably, domestic help is easily obtained and overseas and regional trips are the norm. Even private healthcare is easily accessible for expats in Brazil. This is not the case for a large percentage of Brazil’s population.
Another small thing that may initially take some getting used to is the many levels of bureaucracy in the many government institutions, this is particularly evident when applying for a residency visa.
Brazilians tend to eat later than many foreigners are used to. ‘Brazilian time’ is a more relaxed approach to the world. Taking time out to enjoy a siesta or spending hours at a social dinner are important aspects of life in Brazil.
Lastly, learning the correct way to greet and address people is a vital. A stereotypical Brazilian greeting is the air kiss – a kiss hello on each cheek – while this is a fun way to greet people, be sure to learn the appropriate contexts for this greeting. Brazilians are very body-conscious and as such expats often need to adjust to what may seem like overly forward or brutally honest comments about your health, weight and even hairstyle.
Brazilians try to maintain a balance in their social relations and general day-to-day activities: business meetings are important, but so is football and family time. Many expats will be impressed by the Brazilian people’s resilience, resourcefulness and ability to stay positive and greet life with a smile.
