I am a student at Mays doing an exchange at fundação getulio vargas’ business school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I absolutely love my experience so far in the country and think I got very lucky by choosing a place few other Aggies / Americans get to experience. I arrived in Brazil having visited once before, in December of 2024. I did not visit Rio on that trip, so when I arrived for my exchange I was already aware that Brazil was not the stereo typified Rio that I had seen in the movies. I knew the country had much more to offer and also knew to take the warnings of danger with a grain of salt.
A couple of things that I was pretty mystified with to begin my exchange:
– the necessity of giving my Brazilian “social security number” at the supermarket or restaurants
– the fact that showerheads are electric and often have loose wires hanging off them (electricity and water are a dangerous combination)
– the fact that it is completely socially acceptable to begin drinking cocktails on the beach at 8 AM on a Monday.
– the fact that the sun rises and sets so early because of the proximity to the equator (5 AM to 5PM)
Now that I am on break between quarters at FGV, I’ve gotten to see some other parts of Brazil that are fascinating. Rio Grande do Sul is like the “Texas” of Brazil, with many cattle ranches and barbecues. It is largely flat and hot, and the state was once independent (much like the Republic of Texas). São Paulo is like New York, a very cosmopolitan concrete jungle with world-class cuisine and museums. Santa Catarina is like a little slice of Germany or Switzerland, with the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany and plenty of people with blonde hair and blue eyes. I know Texas is a very diverse place, but never have I seen a country with such a variety of ethnic communities that maintain all of their traditions for centuries. I say this because many immigrants to the United States assimilate or maybe have arrived quite recently. Something that is also impressive here is the quality of healthcare. Universal healthcare without obscene wait times is something our billions in healthcare spending cannot seem to attain. The financial system in Brazil is light-years ahead of our country. Sending a payment to business suppliers, friends, or paying your taxes can be done with the simplicity of sending a text message. The infrastructure and insecurity can leave a lot to be desired, but Brazil is truly the future (in terms of an ethnically diverse population, advanced technology, and high-quality healthcare). The nature here is also rivaled only by the USA in terms of variety and beauty. The Amazon, beaches of Rio, “Swiss” mountains in the south, and tropical savannas are all so biodiverse and different. To conclude, I am so grateful for this experience and have a great appreciation for Brazil and its people.
