Things I learned while in Brasil

Don’t flush toilet paper Only turn the knob a little way on if you want a hot shower Traffic does not stop for pedestrians Don’t make coffee with faucet water Don’t let children peel and cut hundreds of bananas Don’t ever ride on a motorcycle in Sao Paulo If you don’t understand, smile, shrug your shoulders and give a thumbs up Americans stand out like a sore thumb The juice here is fantastic Look at the bottom of the carton – if it has a 4 on it, it means that it has been reopened and sealed 4 times Drivers don’t stay in the lines on the road Be aware, roads merge without warningIt’s impossible to be on time for anything Don’t put contact solution in your eyes Kids will swarm you if you have a camera You can hug any kid on the street Rotten fruit and veggies smell really bad It’s very hard to understand the concept of organization Sandwiches for breakfast? You can’t change your major at university or you start over You may not eat dinner until 10pm Traffic may take 15 min or 2 ½ hours And you thought soap operas were cheesy in the states… The glory of dubbing Pollution is terrible here Everything is gated Carrying suitcases up hundreds of stairs is a workout Just because they bring food/appetizers out without asking doesn’t mean it’s free What’s a meal without beans and rice? Most coffee is ¼ coffee and 3/4ths milk – but still tastes better than in the states Don’t buy a lot of groceries when you have to ride the bus Hang on for your life while riding the bus Don’t sit in the back seat of the bus – you’re most likely to fly out You don’t have a personal space bubble There is a mall on every corner Lines take forever – especially the post office You must be able to parallel park You always have dessert after dinner Fireworks are expected to be heard from somewhere every night There are bottles the size of a boat in the river? No matter how much you eat, you’re still hungry It can be 80 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the same day Don’t ever go to Rio if you don’t know your way around Speed bumps mean you should just go faster over them Pt Cruisers are luxury cars here If you wear a jersey, expect someone to boo you Kids seem to move around whenever they want in a classroom Kids are only in school ½ day Don’t go for the handshake it’s awkward Glasses are fashionable It’s really easy to make friends The have a sweet nursery area in the malls for moms who need to nurse There is great food here Brasil is a cool place