When I was given this Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, I think it was in part because the Rotary Foundation believed that I was able to go further into other cultures than the average American. That being said, this month, I find myself at a crossroads where the words “To whom much is given, much is required.” I hope that my blog will in some way be able to bring you closer to a reality of Brazil and what I have seen and experienced here.
Andrea’s Visit and Salvador- I have recently had the pleasure of having Andrea visit for a couple of weeks. After spending a few days in Rio while she got over jetlag, we used some local holidays to board a plane for Salvador in the Northeastern state of Bahia. Salvador was the center of slavery in Brazil (slavery was abolished in 1889). Today, the city’s African roots are seen in local food dishes, heavy drum music like Ache, and the fight dance of capoeira created by slaves. In Salvador, we visited the historical center of Pelourinho, an old colonial square resting atop a cliff over the port. We ate heavily fried, spicy food made with a special oil called dende that comes from palm. My personal opinion on the city was that, though it has a rich culture, there are a lot of have-nots and few economic opportunities, leading to an unstable environment once you get out of certain tourist areas.
Rotary in Bahia- While in Bahia, we visited a local Rotary Club (Rotary Club of Bahia-Barra). We were well received by the small club of maybe fifteen members, and I gave a ten minute presentation on my local club, Georgia, and my experiences in Brazil. What was even better than visiting the Rotary Club was an invitation by Daryl, another Ambassadorial Scholar, to have dinner with him and his girlfriend (Sabrina) back at his house. Daryl is a Texan and is doing a Masters of Economics in Salvador. The four of us had a nice evening, and Daryl gave us a treat of Tex-Mex food. Luckily, after our return to Rio, I was able to return the favor by inviting Daryl and Sabrina out to dinner when they visited Rio.
Morro De Sao Paulo and Chapata Diamantina- After Salvador, we took two hour boat ride to an island called Morro de Sao Paulo. The beach town is so small that there are no cars, and “taxi’s” for your luggage consist of wheelbarrows pushed by locals. The beaches were nice, and it was nice to be able to let our guard down after being in Rio and Salvador. It rained, so we took the boat back the next day. The return was quite an experience and rocky seas nearly caused us to join the many people who lost their lunch over the side.
From Salvador, we took a six hour bus ride to Lencois. Lencois is a town of maybe 5,000 that sits on the edge of Chapata Diamantina National Park. The laid-back town itself was worth the trip, as the city is a great example of smart tourism with private and public partnerships. The downtown of Lencois received a grant by UNESCO to preserve and develop the area. Clean streets, an artisan fair, and an updated central square, complement a row of privately-owned restaurants serving Italian, Bahian, and even organic food. And then there was Chapata. Chapata is a nature reserve I would liken to a mixture of US West Coast mesas and East Coast greenery. We did a five hour hike that crossed over one of the plateaus to a view of the highest waterfall in Brazil (Cachoeira da Fumaca). The area was also littered with waterfalls and dark water pools where one can swim or wade. All in all, I think Chapata was the best part of the trip.
Back in Rio- Heading back to Rio, Andrea took sick and we ended up having to take her to the doctor who told her she had an intestinal infection. Luckily, after an IV, a couple of days of rest and antibiotics, she was a hundred percent, and we were able to enjoy our last couple of days before she headed back to New Jersey.
Other than that, a quick note on Brazilian Economics.
Brazilian Economics Pros and Cons- Brazil many strengths, and its jump to investment grade is a testament to this. A recent boon in commodity prices has made it a strong exporter of agricultural, mineral, and petroleum products. It has a large internal consumer market ballasting external investment. The country is energy self-sufficient and has the largest reserves of fresh water in the world. Labor is cheap. The country has paid off its external debt. The industrial and financial heart of Sao Paulo makes up about a quarter of the country’s GDP, and will continue to be in the list of world cities in the coming years.
That being said, the growth of the economy is not without weaknesses or negative results. Inefficiencies continue to plague the country. Outside of the southern cities, the infrastructure of roads, airports, and railways is non-existent at worst, and at best a pain to use. Graft and corruption infiltrate Brazilian government and business and have led to an unwieldy bureaucracy which discourages private sector growth. Often, who you know and not your merits are what get you the job. Taxes and tariffs are high, and because of this, a large black market of goods and services exists. Public education is weak, and though labor is cheap, it is also uneducated and unable to move up a stratified society by hard work. As the country continues to expand agriculture sector to keep up with demand, much of the rainforest is being cut down to make room for soy and cattle farming. The country’s ability to deal with these weaknesses over the next decade will truly define whether Brazil can enter the “developed” world.
Andrea’s Visit and Salvador- I have recently had the pleasure of having Andrea visit for a couple of weeks. After spending a few days in Rio while she got over jetlag, we used some local holidays to board a plane for Salvador in the Northeastern state of Bahia. Salvador was the center of slavery in Brazil (slavery was abolished in 1889). Today, the city’s African roots are seen in local food dishes, heavy drum music like Ache, and the fight dance of capoeira created by slaves. In Salvador, we visited the historical center of Pelourinho, an old colonial square resting atop a cliff over the port. We ate heavily fried, spicy food made with a special oil called dende that comes from palm. My personal opinion on the city was that, though it has a rich culture, there are a lot of have-nots and few economic opportunities, leading to an unstable environment once you get out of certain tourist areas.
Rotary in Bahia- While in Bahia, we visited a local Rotary Club (Rotary Club of Bahia-Barra). We were well received by the small club of maybe fifteen members, and I gave a ten minute presentation on my local club, Georgia, and my experiences in Brazil. What was even better than visiting the Rotary Club was an invitation by Daryl, another Ambassadorial Scholar, to have dinner with him and his girlfriend (Sabrina) back at his house. Daryl is a Texan and is doing a Masters of Economics in Salvador. The four of us had a nice evening, and Daryl gave us a treat of Tex-Mex food. Luckily, after our return to Rio, I was able to return the favor by inviting Daryl and Sabrina out to dinner when they visited Rio.
Morro De Sao Paulo and Chapata Diamantina- After Salvador, we took two hour boat ride to an island called Morro de Sao Paulo. The beach town is so small that there are no cars, and “taxi’s” for your luggage consist of wheelbarrows pushed by locals. The beaches were nice, and it was nice to be able to let our guard down after being in Rio and Salvador. It rained, so we took the boat back the next day. The return was quite an experience and rocky seas nearly caused us to join the many people who lost their lunch over the side.
From Salvador, we took a six hour bus ride to Lencois. Lencois is a town of maybe 5,000 that sits on the edge of Chapata Diamantina National Park. The laid-back town itself was worth the trip, as the city is a great example of smart tourism with private and public partnerships. The downtown of Lencois received a grant by UNESCO to preserve and develop the area. Clean streets, an artisan fair, and an updated central square, complement a row of privately-owned restaurants serving Italian, Bahian, and even organic food. And then there was Chapata. Chapata is a nature reserve I would liken to a mixture of US West Coast mesas and East Coast greenery. We did a five hour hike that crossed over one of the plateaus to a view of the highest waterfall in Brazil (Cachoeira da Fumaca). The area was also littered with waterfalls and dark water pools where one can swim or wade. All in all, I think Chapata was the best part of the trip.
Back in Rio- Heading back to Rio, Andrea took sick and we ended up having to take her to the doctor who told her she had an intestinal infection. Luckily, after an IV, a couple of days of rest and antibiotics, she was a hundred percent, and we were able to enjoy our last couple of days before she headed back to New Jersey.
Other than that, a quick note on Brazilian Economics.
Brazilian Economics Pros and Cons- Brazil many strengths, and its jump to investment grade is a testament to this. A recent boon in commodity prices has made it a strong exporter of agricultural, mineral, and petroleum products. It has a large internal consumer market ballasting external investment. The country is energy self-sufficient and has the largest reserves of fresh water in the world. Labor is cheap. The country has paid off its external debt. The industrial and financial heart of Sao Paulo makes up about a quarter of the country’s GDP, and will continue to be in the list of world cities in the coming years.
That being said, the growth of the economy is not without weaknesses or negative results. Inefficiencies continue to plague the country. Outside of the southern cities, the infrastructure of roads, airports, and railways is non-existent at worst, and at best a pain to use. Graft and corruption infiltrate Brazilian government and business and have led to an unwieldy bureaucracy which discourages private sector growth. Often, who you know and not your merits are what get you the job. Taxes and tariffs are high, and because of this, a large black market of goods and services exists. Public education is weak, and though labor is cheap, it is also uneducated and unable to move up a stratified society by hard work. As the country continues to expand agriculture sector to keep up with demand, much of the rainforest is being cut down to make room for soy and cattle farming. The country’s ability to deal with these weaknesses over the next decade will truly define whether Brazil can enter the “developed” world.
