Not seen a lot of Brazil as I have only been here for a few days, but what I have seen has been spectacular and very interesting.
What Rio most reminds me of in terms of feel is Barcelona and Madrid in the 1980s. There's that same mix of absolutely decrepit and unbelievably opulent, and everywhere you go the smell of drains. But the promise is tangible - things are happening, there is building all over the place, people are optimistic. You can feel the investment flooding in and the opportunities being created. Obviously there are huge problems - endemic poverty (though nothing like the scale of India), corruption (ditto + China), major issues with primary and secondary education, poor healthcare, but - again, unlike India - you don't get the feeling that anything is intractable. The problems can be solved, even if it is going to take time. All like Spain in the 1980s - though clearly on a much bigger scale, but with lots more potential. And unlike China, Brazil has an independent judiciary, free movement of capital, people and informatin and democracy. It's a latin country so deal-making takes time, is convoluted and complex, but having never really thought about the place before, I am excited by what is here. The big test will be post World Cup and Olympics. If Brazil can ride that inevitable slowdown, the country's future is unbelievably bright. If you have not been down here, make sure you do. There's gold in them there hills. And it's just a great place to be.
How easy is it to get by without Portuguese?
Tricky. People speak less English than I expected, even pretty senior business folk. They are OK with Spanish though, thankfully.
Not seen a lot of Brazil as I have only been here for a few days, but what I have seen has been spectacular and very interesting.
What Rio most reminds me of in terms of feel is Barcelona and Madrid in the 1980s. There's that same mix of absolutely decrepit and unbelievably opulent, and everywhere you go the smell of drains. But the promise is tangible - things are happening, there is building all over the place, people are optimistic. You can feel the investment flooding in and the opportunities being created. Obviously there are huge problems - endemic poverty (though nothing like the scale of India), corruption (ditto + China), major issues with primary and secondary education, poor healthcare, but - again, unlike India - you don't get the feeling that anything is intractable. The problems can be solved, even if it is going to take time. All like Spain in the 1980s - though clearly on a much bigger scale, but with lots more potential. And unlike China, Brazil has an independent judiciary, free movement of capital, people and informatin and democracy. It's a latin country so deal-making takes time, is convoluted and complex, but having never really thought about the place before, I am excited by what is here. The big test will be post World Cup and Olympics. If Brazil can ride that inevitable slowdown, the country's future is unbelievably bright. If you have not been down here, make sure you do. There's gold in them there hills. And it's just a great place to be.
How easy is it to get by without Portuguese?
Tricky. People speak less English than I expected, even pretty senior business folk. They are OK with Spanish though, thankfully.
What's the weather like in Brazil for someone who has been raised in England?
I've been planning to go to either the World Cup next year, or the Olympics in 2016, but the weather is the major factor on whether I go.
Comments
It may be sinking in with some of the brighter of the PB Kinnocks that DUEMA is not a joke but an election-winning strategy.
I've been planning to go to either the World Cup next year, or the Olympics in 2016, but the weather is the major factor on whether I go.