The People of Sao Paulo

The people of São Paulo, Brazil are like M&Ms.  They are extremely tough on the outside; staring you down as you walk past, expecting you to show them the respect that they feel they deserve.  However, if you stop any one of them in the street and helplessly mumble that you need directions, their shells melt away and a grin replaces their ironclad grimace.
            I originally wanted to call this post “The People of Brazil,” but that would be unfair. Brazil has a multitude of diverse cultures that are intertwined with one another.  Seeing how I have not ventured past the outskirts of São Paulo, this post will be about the people that I have worked and lived with during my time here thus far.

          The people here, I can safely say, are some of the most welcoming people I have ever met. Upon my arrival to the international airport, I was supposed to meet one of my new roommates who would show me the way to my house. However, Perícles, whose name is so cool, was nowhere to be found.  I discovered an internet café at the airport and emailed him.  I told him that I had arrived and could not find him outside of the arrivals terminal.  Although agitated, I tried to kindly let him know that I would wait for an hour or so but then would find my way to a hostel in the center of the city, until we could meet up.   Little did I know, but he had already made the hour and a half commute to the airport and had returned home.  It seems Delta did not display that my flight was arriving hours late.  How I loathe that airline.  

Perícles immediately emailed me back and traversed the extensive public transportation system (a bus connection, one subway line and a train) to get back to me, just so he could teach me the way to my new home.  After our extensive and bewildering commute, we ended up in the city of Santo Andrè.  A pretty beat up city outside of São Paulo. 

Walking from the train station as my backpack seemingly gained two pounds with each step, he pointed out where to avoid at night (everywhere) as he attempted to teach me the basics of the Portuguese language. 

Ive waiting for the train.

That night, my six new Brazilian roommates and I shared our respective cultures over some drinks, as they made my bed and cooked me dinner.  Is there a better way to say, “Welcome to our home?”    

Brazil itself is host to an incredibly diverse population.  It is the world’s fifth most populated country with approximately 203 million people, according to the CIA’s webpage.  20 million of those people live in the greater São Paulo City metro area, making it the seventh largest city in the world by population and the largest on the South American continent, according to the City of São Paulo’s webpage.  

São Paulo even has a “Little Japan” that boasts a decently sized Japanese population.  “GiGi” Suzuki, one of my room mates, is one of them.  He possesses many of our Asian-American stereotypes too; poor and erratic driving, bad English grammar.  One of my favorite praises he says is, “I go toka showa.” 

GiGi, before he goes to "toka showa"

Other than the Japanese population, many of the people I have associated with are of European ancestry.  This is thanks, in part, to the Portuguese and Spanish coming here at the beginning of the fifteenth century.  Also, after Brazil abolished slavery in 1888, the population boomed with immigrants from Italy, Spain and other European nations, according to www.Brazil.gov.

In addition to making me feel like I have lived here for years, the people of São Paulo are very hard working.  My roommates are all diligent students and have part time jobs as well; one of them, Ive, talks about doing calculus without a calculator. 

A coworker at the Press Agency I am currently working at works 10-5, five days a week and goes to class four times a week.  Camilla claims that it is not much, but really, that is ludicrous.

I am looking forward to traveling to the various parts of the country and having conversations with people of other Brazilian ethnicity's.  São Paulo is a very industrial city that I feel helps shape those who live and work here.  I am curious as to how people from Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro are different.  I’ll make sure to post my findings as I navigate the country.
              Stay tuned.....next time, the perils of public transportation....