Loading
What is the Brazil family lifestyle for expatriates living in Brazil? Brazil is a large country with a diverse and very happy population. Brazilians hold some things very dear to their cultural heart including music (choro, samba and bossa nova are popular) and television. Globo is the largest TV network in the country and broadcasts sports, movies, local programming, news and of course tele-novelas.
You will find the people of Brazil to be very welcoming and hospitable, even more so than most other nations. The people of the land have often been called fun loving, particularly in the northern region of the country. Brazilians highly prize friendship and generosity in business and between neighbors. When a native learns your name, he will usually treat you warmly just as he would a best friend. Even tourists (yes tourists) are highly respected and served with Brazilian-style hospitality.
If you are from America, then you might notice a trend of a more Americanized Brazil, especially in urban areas. You might taste America in some of the urban architecture, consumerism and technology. Nevertheless, Brazilians pride themselves on being more European than American, and would not consider themselves Hispanic or even part of Latin American culture. Brazil is a land of heavily contrasted elements, from highly different weather to the separation of classes. There are also some areas of poverty as well as social modernism. This contrast as well as the attitudes of some classes can be startling to new expatriates.
What is the family lifestyle in Brazil? It is somewhat untraditional, especially compared with more religiously conscious countries. Brazilian families can be unorthodox, especially when it comes to following official norms. Therefore, it’s not surprising to see consensual unions, serial unions, remarriages, divorces and single parent families. However, the Brazilian family unit is a strong one and family values are widespread among a very hospitable people. Brazilians are fond of children and adults are usually always very attached to their parents and extended families.
Brazil is safe, besides misconceptions to the contrary. While street violence has occurred before (usually in large urban areas), millions of travelers manage to stay safe every year because they avoid trouble areas and use common sense. Public hospitals are said to be crowded and of low-quality care, while private practices usually offer better care for expatriates.
The generous Brazil family lifestyle is a contagious one. You can be assured that you and your family will be welcomed into the culture if you have respect for your new friends.