Brasil is the only country to qualify for every World Cup since its inauguration. This edition of the World Cup will take place there, and both soccer fanatics and casual sports fans will soon turn their focus south of the equator, where the largest sporting event on the planet will take place, for the first time in Brasil since 1950. I thought this would be a good time to share my experiences about Brasil and soccer, both being part of my life. I've lived, worked, studied, and traveled extensively throughout Brasil since 1986 (arriving right after attending the World Cup in Mexico). As for soccer, I've played, coached, refereed, and followed the sport for about 40 years. As roughly 66,000 Americans will be converging on Brasil for the World Cup (more than any country outside of Brasil), I feel there will be a need to better understand the country by those making the trek, as well as others who will be alerted to Brasil as it will be in the headlines for an entire month. I hope my experiences can assist people in understanding, and I'd also like to let others share their experiences and open up this forum to exchanging thoughts and information. I'll loosely divide this blog into sections, including (JUST SCROLL RIGHT DOWN TO "FOCUS ON THIS WORLD CUP" IF YOU PREFER NOT TO READ MY PAST W.C. EXPERIENCES):
* My World Cup experiences
* Soccer and Culture in Brasil
* Language
* Getting around Brasil
* Other Brasil passions
* Brasil host cities for the World Cup
* Tips for making visiting Brasil enjoyable
* Things to know before traveling
* My prediction for the US in the World Cup.
I will give my personal accounts regarding these topics, as anyone can simply go to Wikipedia to get info. if they'd like, so this will be a first person account. As the World Cup gets closer, I'll keep the blog more current and dynamic. Don't hate on me if you don't agree with me, but I think it's important to be open on my viewpoints. I studied at the University of Arizona and graduated in December of 1985 (100th anniversary of the school). I had spent a semester prior to graduating from the U of A in Guadalajara, Mexico, and I also have a degree in Spanish. While in Guadalajara, I studied at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, where some of the games of the 1986 World Cup were to be held. There was a foreign student adviser who later helped me in securing tickets for the World Cup. So, I contacted my friend Jeff (who was to graduate from SUNY Geneseo in the spring of 1986) and invited him to the World Cup. It was to be the experience of a lifetime!
San Jose, C.R., 9/2013; US qualifier vs. Costa Rica I saw.
There was no way we were winning this game away; the
crowd was loud and obnoxious. In fact, they drowned
out our national anthem with their noise. Michael Bradley
injured himself warming up and didn't play, then returned
soon after to the MLS.
Jeff flew out to Tucson a few days before we were to leave for Mexico (we took the 'Hell Train To Paradise' from Nogales). I showed him around campus and prepped him for our adventure. As far as I knew Jeff hadn't traveled too much out of NY state and this was to be something beyond his wildest expectations. I was able to secure an apartment for us in Guadalajara, close to the university, through a very good friend of mine from Guadalajara, so we pretty much had all we needed: World Cup tickets in hand, a place to stay and all the time we needed to enjoy the spectacle.
Fortunately, Brasil was selected to play in Guadalajara, and there is a special relationship between Mexicans and Brasilians, probably going back to Brasil's and Pelé's dominance in the 1970 World Cup, where Brasil was considered by many to have the best team of all time. The 1986 World Cup was originally planned for Columbia, but switched to Mexico as Columbia was going through a difficult financial crisis. Thus, Mexico actually went through a span of only 18 years where they hosted an Olympics and 2 World Cups!
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| Jeff on his way to a World Cup Match |
One of the most dramatic games in World Cup history was played 21 June 1986 at Estadio Jalisco between Brasil and France. I was there. We were actually one of the first ones to enter the stadium, as we arrived in the early morning and had the lowest seats in the upper deck right behind the goal, the same goal in fact where penalties were to be taken to decide who would advance to the semi-finals. For further reference to the game, click on: Brasil vs. France
Zico came into the game late in the second half and missed a penalty kick which would have guaranteed a victory, but redeemed himself in the penalty shootout by converting his turn with a goal, though Julio Cesar would hit the post on Brasil's final attempt, giving the victory to France. The few French fans celebrated wildly, while the rest of the stadium was stunned, though at the same time in awe, realizing we had all witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event.
I barely remember the semi-final between Germany and France, with Germany winning 2-0. After our stay in Guadalajara, we took off for Mexico city, where the final between Germany and Argentina would be played. The day of the final, we took a bus out to Azteca Stadium, just to capture the pulse of the occasion. (This was Maradona's World Cup up to now, with his 2 amazing goals against England in the quarter-finals, one being the infamous "Mano de Dios" goal. This game was important for both countries on many fronts, being that only 4 years prior the Falkans war broke out. There was anticipation of violence and riots, given England's history with hooligans and Argentina's passion for their right to claim the Falkans. No violence occurred and this game, in my opinion, may have eased tensions between the countries.)
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| Photo I took in Buenos Aires Aug. 1986 |
While studying in Rio de Janeiro, one of my classmates was from Milan, Italy, where the next World Cup would take place. I kept in contact with her, and she was able to obtain tickets for me for Italia '90. Jeff again would also be there. I arrived in the UK and trekked across Western Europe with another friend, Mike. After he returned to the US, Jeff flew directly to Milan to watch some of the games with me. Columbia, as they do now, had a great team (Valderrama, Rene "El Loco" Higuita in goal, to name a couple). Germany was also in the group. The games we watched were all played at San Siro in Milan. We were able to travel around northern Italy a bit and enjoy the sites and the fantastic food. My reflections on Italy '90 revolve more around the cultural experience than the soccer experience, but just as in Mexico '86, the atmosphere with people coming together from different countries was incredible (I remember seeing a 'Trio Eletrico' at a game between Scotland and Brasil in Torino, and also the intermingling of fans from both countries, with some exchanging jerseys and kilts during the pre-game festivities outside.) |
| In Amsterdam for UK vs. Holland, 1990 |
Germany ended up getting revenge and beating Argentina 1-0 in the final (if you happen to be in Europe this World Cup and are traveling around, I found Amsterdam to be the best place to enjoy the games). Cameroon stood out as the biggest surprise, with 38 year old Roger Milla stealing the
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| Colombia vs. W. Germany 1990 |
Much like the United States, Brazil's history is tied to European immigrants who settled in the country, mainly in the south, from the late 1800's onward. Soccer took route in Brasil starting in the late 1870's, apparently introduced by a Scottish ex-patriate (I was always puzzled why soccer never caught on early in the US, with so many British, German, and Italian immigrants here, but I think it has to do with the idea that immigrants here perhaps distanced themselves more from their ancestors- many fleeing persecution- along with the free-spirited mentality here. Many of the early inventions of the world came from the US, highlighting our ingenuity, and in a sports sense, Americans prefer our own inventions: baseball, football and basketball, and for whatever reason, look down on many international sports).
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| Ilha das Frades, Bahia, Brasil |
FOCUS ON THIS WORLD CUP
"We Brazilians treat soccer like a religion, and we know how to throw a good party!"
---- Pele'
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| Carnaval in downtown Pelourinho, Salvador |
I traveled to Brazil a couple times last year, and to be frank, preparations for the World Cup seem chaotic and behind schedule. I'm sure things will come together, at the last minute, as they always do in Brasil (see "Jeitinho Brasileiro"). My friend Fernando (who is a private pilot and flies politicians around northern Brasil and to Brasilia) told me that there is a lot of corruption involved in the entire process, particularly the construction area. He said a lot of the projects were intentionally delayed so that they would have to be moved to an emergency status, thus the cost (and kickbacks) went up drastically. Corruption is one of the major impediments to Brasil's progress, and hosting the World Cup and Olympics will surely have its share.
The pressure for the Brasilian side to win the World Cup will be almost unbearable. In fact, anything less than a World Cup victory would be a disappointment in any World Cup, but this one in particular. And despite the fact that the team won last year's Confederation's Cup and has had some impressive victories in friendlies, their ranking (#10 on 18 Jan 2014) is a little disappointing but not particularly relevant. Hosting the World Cup is sometimes considered a disadvantage since the team automatically qualifies and is thus not battle-tested in qualifying matches. However, there have been a total of 6 host countries who have won:
Uruguay 1930
Italy 1934
England 1966
West Germany 1974
Argentina 1978
France 1998
The language of Brasil is Portuguese, which is spoken more in South America than any other language, which means the population of Brasil is larger than all the other countries combined! In addition, Brasil is larger than the continental USA. To be frank, Americans are somewhat ignorant of other cultures and reluctant to learn other languages before traveling outside the US. World Cups in the past few years have taken place either in countries where English is spoken (US or South Africa), or in Europe or Asia, where a lot of people speak English as a second language. Brasil, which receives millions of overseas tourists a year and is becoming a part of the international community, unfortunately is far behind in the area of English speakers. And if you think you can get by speaking a little Spanish, think again. There is a misconception that Portuguese and Spanish are almost the same- They are not!! Your best bet is to try to find a Brasilian who speaks Spanish (there are in fact many Brasilians who do speak Spanish in the tourist industry, as many Argentines and Spaniards vacation in Brasil). So, my advice would be, even if you speak some Spanish, save yourself some headaches and learn a few words of Portuguese- it will go a long way!
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| Indian hut along the Amazon River |
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| Passenger boat on Amazon, 1987 |
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| Historic section (Pelourinho) of Salvador, Bahia |
São Paulo, in addition to its strong Italian influence, is home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. As you head south, German influence is predominant and you may feel as if you are somewhere in Europe and not South America.
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| Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon |
Ipanema, where I first landed in 1986, had a beach which was the recipient of open sewage. The water at Copacabana was far too cold and the currents too strong for me to swim, or even stay in the water for any period of time. At the time, there was a lot of violence in the city, which spilled over to the beaches, and I remember sitting at a bar when a gunfight broke out on Copacabana beach and adults throwing themselves on top of their kids to protect them. I don't know if much has changed since the '80s, but I would exercise caution while there. However, there are some beautiful beaches and resorts just outside of Rio, such as Buzios, Cabo Frio, Ilha Grande, and Paraty
Most of my time in Brasil was spent in Salvador so I can give better advice about this location. I once read that for every slave brought to the US, 12 were brought to Brasil. In fact, 40% of all slaves brought to the Americas arrived in Brasil, and no where is this strong African influence felt more than in Salvador, the capital of Bahia state. You will feel this African presence as soon as you get off the plane. As for getting around Salvador, it might be best to stay away from the downtown area and head up the coast more, towards Itapoan (where I lived and stay when in Salvador). The traffic in Salvador, as in many Brasilian cities, is nightmareish, so time your outings accordingly. When traveling around the city- any major Brasilian city in fact- I would leave your place of origin after 9AM and return before 4PM, or wait until after 8PM. While in Salvador, you should visit the downtown historic area (Pelourinho), see Salvador . The state of Bahia, where Salvador is located, is roughly the size of Texas and enjoys the largest coastline in Brasil and is home to some of the most beautiful beaches and islands on the continent. Itaparica can be seen across the bay from Salvador and is easily accessible by Ferry Boat to Itaparica at the Sao Joaquim terminal. There are also many other islands in the bay, and a schooner which leaves from behind the "Mercado Modelo" in the lower section of town does an all-day excursion throughout the Bay, stopping at some of the islands. The coastline north of Salvador is dotted with pristine beaches, any of which would make a perfect get-away from the big city of Salvador. The most popular, "Praia do Forte", is home to a sea turtle sanctuary, but has also experienced tremendous growth over the past few decades and has lost the feel of a quaint Brasilian village. A little farther up the coast is my favorite beach, Imbassai, which is little more difficult to access, but worth the trip. While there, you can walk, or take a flat boat, to an area where a stream meets the ocean. Tables are placed in the water, and you can order fresh seafood and drinks. See Imbassahi
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| Imbassahi, Bahia (my daughter said they took out the barracas) |
Heading North from Bahia there are countless beaches, along with many beautiful cities such as Recife, Fortaleza, Natal, Aracaju, etc. Being that the US national team will be playing its games in the North/Northeast, it might be a good idea for Americans to stay up north and travel shorter distances by bus/plane/boat.
I will focus only on the host cities for the US games: Natal, Manaus, and Recife. Known for its beautiful coastline and beaches, Natal is the site of Team USA's first game against Ghana on 16 June. According to Wikipedia, Natal is the safest city in Brazil (I have been to Manaus and Recife, but not Natal, so can't give much insight). The weather in Natal for June can be summed up in one word: wet. In Northeastern Brasil, people refer to 2 seasons: summer and winter, summer being the dry season and winter the rainy season. The stadium was rebuilt a few years ago for the World Cup, at a cost of over US$7 million for the local taxpayers, quite a bit for the 6th poorest state in Brasil.
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| Picture I took on boat trip to Manaus |
Our team's next game is 22 June against Ronaldo and Portugal in the amazon city of Manaus. Manaus is a free-trade zone and a lot of electronic products sold throughout Brasil are made here. I remember Tim McCarver on WWOR telling his listeners of a theatre located hundreds of miles in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Well, this is it. Manaus has gone back and forth from boom to bust over the past couple hundred years, its economy tied into the rubber trade. When I first arrived there back in 1987 it reminded me of the scene in Apocalypse Now, where Marlon Brando is in his own little makeshift city in the middle of the river jungle. Manaus, at the time, was flourishing, with cargo ships and factories all around, only a few miles from where primitive Indians fished and hunted with rudimentary objects for food. If you have a chance to go by river, it is well worth it, but it can take at least 6 days, if your boat doesn't break down (as ours did barely after leaving port in Belem, with 1200 other passengers on board, all crammed into close living quarters and sleeping on hammocks). Bring a lot of cachaça and a good book with you, as it gets boring at times.
Manaus is obviously hosting games to boost its international exposure. Manaus is not a big soccer town, though there are local clubs here and heated rivalries. But the local government is interested in bringing tourists to the region and what better way than hosting world cup games? The weather should be dry for these games, as their rainy season is around December, but it is very hot and humid so be prepared! Also, it's a good idea to start using Malaria pills before you travel to the region. I have not heard of an outbreak in a long time, but it's good to protect yourself.
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The next US game, which could be decisive, is against Germany on 26 June, in Recife. Recife is an important city in Brasil's history and referred to as "Brasilian Venice" due to its many rivers running throughout the city. My friend Fernando told me that Brasil's misfortune came about when the Portuguese defeated the Dutch in Recife, and the Dutch abandoned Brasil in the middle of the 17th century. The US, on the other hand, was fortunate to be settled by the English. We are two very similar countries, but with different conquerors. The Portuguese pretty much saw Brasil as a wasteland, and sent their prisoners to Brasil to serve out their sentence. As for weather, June is the wettest month, though it's moderately warm. Recife is home to some of the finest beaches in Brasil, such as Porto de Galinhas and Boa Viagem, but with the rain and cloudy conditions, I don't think it will be beach weather. However, there is a lot of history and culture in Recife, so there should be enough to do during down time.
This is the second time Recife will host World Cup games- back in 1950 the US also played here, against Chile in a very important game (after having beat UK in one of the biggest upsets in soccer history). Chile eliminated the US from the World Cup with a 5-2 victory. To learn more about this game click on US vs. Chile (The writer would do well to find a different translation program and maybe use spell check, but you'll get the idea of the history of that game and the importance for Recife in the international soccer arena). Just a side note- one of the players on the team, Walt Bahr, who had an assist on the winning goal against the UK, is the father of former football players Matt and Chris Bahr. Matt and Chris were amazingly both fortunate enough to have played professional soccer in the US and also have Super Bowl rings as place kickers. Pls see Walter Bahr
If I were going to the US games, my strategy would be to stay somewhere in the Northeast. According to timeanddate.com, the distance between Natal and Recife is only 162 miles, which is fairly close in Brasil distance terms. The buses, as I mentioned above, are modern and comfortable, so this would be my means of transportation to these 2 points. The problem is Manaus, as the only feasible way to arrive there is by plane. You can be creative and fly to Santarem, which is halfway to Manaus, and catch a boat from there, which will take about 2 1/2 to 3 days total. However, after the game you have exactly 4 days to find a way to Recife! Good Luck and do your research (Lonely Planet, trip advisor, etc are good sources.)
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| Foz de Iguaçu, Southern Brasil |
- learn a little Portuguese first, the natives will appreciate it and your time there will be better spent.
- emerge yourself in the food and culture of the places you visit. Don't be shy!
- travel light- you can always wash clothes (and buy clothes) if you need
- keep an eye on your surroundings and try to blend in. Large metropolitan areas can be dangerous. Don't wear expensive watches and jewelry, and keep any credit cards and money in a money belt- keep small amounts of money in your pocket (there are a lot of petty robbers in Brasil, mainly street kids. Rio and São Paulo are more violent cities with armed robberies frequent). I don't mean to scare people, just to make them aware. You need to exhibit much more attention to your surroundings than you would in large US cities. I've had items stolen from me, but mostly petty stuff. On the other hand, I'm sure the police and even army will be out patrolling the streets (Brasil has both civil police and military police on the streets).
- make a copy of your passport and visa and carry it with you. Lock your passport in your suitcase in your hotel room, along with your credit cards. Don't leave anything of value lying around in your hotel room. If your hotel has a safe, use it (most the hotels I've stayed in don't have safes)
- Don't bring traveler's checks, you don't get good rates with them. I also wouldn't exchange money at the banks or "Casa de Cambio", as there is always a fee added. I've used ATM machines for money and this has always worked best (use the machines at the airports as soon as you arrive). Credit cards are also accepted almost anywhere.
- Brasil's urban areas suffer from incredible congestion so avoid rush hours when getting around. Traffic is unbearable, and this is due mainly to the fact that as the economy has improved, wages have increased over the past decade, so more and more people are able to afford cars and have access to credit. Unfortunately, the infrastructure has not accompanied this economic growth; Brasil is going thru some severe growing pains.
- If you're heading to the South, you'll need moderately heavy clothes. If you're staying in the North/Northeast, you'll need umbrellas and rain jackets (though you may not be able to bring umbrellas into the stadiums). Flip flops are good for walking the streets in bad weather. You probably won't need many formal clothes, especially in the North/Northeast. I guess my advice would be: travel light and travel smart.
- If you rent a car, don't drink and drive, as the 'lei seca' or zero tolerance, is now in effect. Having even one drink and driving in Brasil is considered a crime and penalties are stiff.
- You probably don't need health insurance in Brasil- I've used the "clinicas" for minor health issues and they are fine, and free! If you have a major health issue however, you'll want to try to get out of Brasil to deal with it, as the public hospitals are pretty bad. Medication is easy to get and usually much cheaper than in the US, in fact, you may want to bring back prescription drugs with you. See Lonely Planet Link
This is probably a good place to plug one of the services I work with, but it's not the reason I wrote this blog:) Brasil is a complicated country, and telecommunications can be nerve-wracking and expensive. I've been working with telecommunications since 1992; I started with IDT and their call-back services in Brasil (when their main office was one small building in Hackensack, N.J.). So I understand the market in Brasil. If you plan to make or receive phone calls while in Brasil, which most people will, beware and be prepared (if you wish to keep your US service while in Brasil, such as Verizon, it will cost you over $2/min to make and receive calls from the US, and you won't be able to use your service for calls within Brasil!!).
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| SIM card for use in Brasil |
You can also email us at ustrans@ustranscom.com or phone 1-866-422-4742
Summing up, my tips for traveling to Brasil are:
- do some research on Brasil before you get there, so you can fully take advantage of your visit. Try to learn some Portuguese, even if you already know Spanish.
- Make a list of hotels you'd like to stay at, and research other arrangements, so you can factor these prices into your budget. Look into different means of public and interstate transportation you may need. Most cities have special buses for airports, so get to know these before your trip. Taxis from airports are run by monopolies and very expensive. (in São Paulo, for example, I always take the bus from the airport to "Estação Tatuapé", which is located within the city, so from there it would be much cheaper to catch a taxi, or if you're more ambitious, the subway)
- Make travel plans as soon as possible. Also, look into flights within Brasil (BACC can help you with this, ask for Marcia and tell her Alan sent you). Depending upon where you are basing yourself, distances could be very large and thus prices as well.
- Always be aware of your surroundings. There will be crooks out ready to pounce on unsuspecting suspects. Don't flaunt jewelry, cameras, etc. You will draw attention.
- Don't use public transportation late at night and always try to move around in groups.
- Look into the weather where you will be spending your time. Brasil has distinct weather zones and the clothing you will need depends on where you will be.
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One of the better teams the US fielded in the history of the World Cup is the 1994 team, when we hosted the World Cup. Not having a professional league in the US at the time of the World Cup put our players at a tremendous disadvantage, but somehow we were able to field soccer icons such as Lexi Lalas, Tab Ramos, Claudio Reyna, Marcelo Balboa, John Harkes and Tony Meola. We were beat 1-0 by Brasil in the knock-out round, and Brasil went on to win the Cup (the winning goal was scored by Bebeto, who was raised by my neighbors- and who were also my son's babysitter- in Salvador, Brasil. After the World Cup victory, Bebeto stopped by our street with much fanfare). With the World Cup having been showcased in the US, and attended by more fans than any other Cup, you would think the game and our team would have taken huge strides in the past 20 years. Though many current players have international experience with club teams, we still have a ways to go to catch up to other countries, and right now, our best international player is Geoff Cameron of Stoke City, who is a decent player, but not great in my opinion. Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley both decided to return to North America after having performed well overseas, a decision which undoubtedly hurts their personal progress and competitiveness. And Jozy Altidore, who was doing well in Holland last year, transferred to the UK where he hasn't played up to his potential and is with a lower tier team in the EPL.
I wasn't overly happy when Jurgen Klinnsman was named the US coach, but I've grown to like him and think he coaches with a little more aggressiveness than Bob Bradley did. Looking at the big picture, beyond Brasil '14, I think our soccer federation did a good job by signing Klinnsman to a long-term contract. With both my feet on 'terra firma', it's hard to imagine the US side will get out of its group since our group is possibly the toughest, and to be frank I don't think the level of play in our country has kept pace with play around the world. Since we got back to the WC in 1990, the US has won a total of only 4 games!
So, my prediction is that we will not make it out of our group, not because I'm pessimistic, but because I'm pragmatic. We need to win at least one of our 3 games, and I have a hard time figuring out which team we will beat. Then we'd need at least a draw in one of the other games. Unfortunately, outsiders will see this as another hit on the US, but putting it into perspective, it is not. I just hope we can keep moving forward in our development of the team, and though we have a lot of very talented players coming up, I don't see any super stars, which is disheartening. But I do think we are definitely heading in the right direction.
If I have to make a prediction, I think Argentina will win the Cup. I feel it will be a team from South America, and I think the pressure on Brasil will be too much to handle. I think Colombia, possibly even without Falcao, may be a surprise winner, and Mexico will do well (they usually do in these tournaments). I think Belgium, though many people think they are over-rated, will be the best European club (my predictions will probably change hundreds of times before June:)
I will be heading to Brasil July 2 for two weeks (my son is graduating from high school the end of June so I can't go any earlier). I had applied for tickets online with the FIFA lottery, but came up empty (I don't trust FIFA anyway, so I should have known). I'll continue posting on the blog and share my thoughts up until the World Cup and while I am in Brasil. I look forward to this adventure and sharing it with other soccer fans.
Alan Macher
13 February 2014
Update: 6 March 2014
Yesterday the US had a friendly against the Ukraine and our team did not show much. Though there was no one in the stands, there was also no juice to the game and we looked lethargic. My point is this: we are not going to win the World Cup and we'll be very luck if we even get out of our group. Let's get our starters out there and let them play together and start gelling. We got nothing to lose as it is and I don't understand what we're saving it for. Please Klinsmann, get on the ball and show some guts!
Update: 7 March 2014
Last nite the friendlies were announced for the 'send off' series. I like the teams we're playing and the venues. My biggest hope is that our starters are out there playing. Don't hold back, we need to get some momentum before we start playing in the W.C.. The Nigeria game is interesting: Nigeria played very well against Mexico and plays a similar style to Ghana and are the only one of the 3 teams qualified for the W.C. I'll try to get tickets to the Turkey game. Anyone going?
Update: 14 March 2014
There is an article in the "Folha de Sao Paulo" that many of the training sites in the state of Sao Paulo are not ready, in fact, the facility for Bosnia has goats grazing on it (see photo)
Update: 17 March 2014
Just read a good article posted on one of the American Outlaw pages, about the fiasco involving preparations for the World Cup: W.C. Preparations
Update: 19 March 2014
I saw this interesting link on an American Outlaw page:
For those going to Rio, stay safe!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb1jdvkRWog&list=UUZaT_X_mc0BI-djXOlfhqWQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb1jdvkRWog&list=UUZaT_X_mc0BI-djXOlfhqWQFor Alexi Lalas' take on Julian Green playing with the USMNT, click on http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/relegationzone/id/1732?cc=5901
Update 22 March 2014
Fifa pulled an article about tips for fans going to Brasil for the World Cup, apparently because it disrespected Brasilians and their culture. However, most of the comments I saw from Brasilians state that FIFA is 'spot on':
Update March 2014
Prostitution, the English language and Soccer
I dealt with a Brasilian businessman once who owned a music instrument store. He marveled at the business philosphy in the US and told me there is an expression in portuguese which goes, "In Brasil, business poor, owner rich, and in the US, business rich, owner poor". Simply put, Brasilians tend to squeeze as much out of their business as possible and do not invest where they should, including in qualified employees. Thus, to teach workers to speak english, or employ higher qualified employees to work, is not seen as important. So where you'd think you'd be able to encounter someone who speaks basic english, you won't. But, in the city of Belo Horizonte, many prostitutes are learning english through their local union: Huffington Story This story came out last year, but I don't think many people have heard about it, and the joke on the street is that the criminals are even learning english so they know what to say when holding you up. So, now you know where to go to find someone who speaks english.
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18 April
Watch Your Manners!
If you’ve
never been to Brasil, you’ll find some of their manners a little unique and
others a little outlandish, and in some cases, their lack of manners will
surprise you the most. Before arriving
in Brasil, it’s best to understand how people comport themselves, so you won’t
stand out. So, here’s some key points:
- *
Brasilians
actually have very good table manners.
They rarely touch food with their hands, preferring to use a napkin to
hold a sandwich and toothpicks to eat French fries. When you order food at a street “lanchonete”,
you’ll usually find someone at a cash register who never handles food, and the
others only dealing with food and not money (so you’ll often see “ficha no
caixa”, where you would order your food, then take the receipt, or ‘ficha’, to
the food preparer).
-
*After
eating their meal, Brasilians often clean their teeth with a toothpick, which
they discreetly use by hiding it with the hand not doing the ‘picking’.
-
*Brasilians
eat with their fork in their left hand and knife in their right hand, and eat
at a rather quick pace.
- *
If
you need to call the waiter, don’t be shy- just snap your fingers or yell ‘hey’! They won’t come to your table if you don’t. Or do what they do, call out ‘pssst!!’
-
*The
tip (10%) is usually already included in the bill. Don’t leave money on the table for the
waiter- they will think you accidentally left it there. Or someone else may come
along and pick it up.
-
*If
you are standing in a line, don’t be surprised if other people casually walk up
and butt in front of you. This isn’t
really considered rude, and if you’re not aggressive, people will walk all over
you.
- *
Brasilians
are also very hygienic. If you are
taking a long bus ride, it is very common for Brasilians to take showers and
wash up at stops along the way. They
also usually wash their hands before eating and are good about taking care of
themselves, though their surroundings may be quite deceptive.
-
*There
are no open container laws in public, so feel free to crack open a can of beer
and walk around the streets or even get on public transportation.
-
*When
meeting people for the first time, it is very common to shake hands and kiss
women on the cheek
-
*Brasilians
are very uninhibited- you may see people talking loudly, arguing, kissing, and
crying in public. They pretty much wear
their emotions on their sleeves. They are
also very friendly and warm, and may go out of their way to assist you, though there
are many who would rather take advantage of you, so just be alert and cautious.
-
Don’t
be shy with members of the opposite sex if you want to flirt. Brasilians love flirting (paquerando). It’s
best in fact, to leave your girlfriend (or boyfriend) back in the states.
Bringing them along, as my friend Steve would say, is like bringing sand to the
beach.
========================================================================================24 April
The Ugly Side of Brasil
There is no way to sugarcoat it: crime in Brasil is bad,
very bad. Despite hearing a lot of
people say that you can get robbed anywhere in the world, at any time,
Brasil is at times similar to a war zone, or worse, since there is no safe zone
for shelter. The president of Brasil,
Dilma Rouseff, realizes the importance of this World Cup for Brasil’s image and
says that the country will not “tolerate any type of violence” during the Cup. In fact, she states there will be ‘heavy
security’, with armed forces on the streets (New York Time’s Article ). She’s even asked for the Brasilian population
to help out. But how bad is violence in Brasil? Rio averages about 6,000
murders/year. New York City had less than 350
last year. Brasil is ranked as the 7th
most violent country on earth, with a higher murder rate than Mexico. The top 50 most dangerous cities in the world
include an abundance of Brasilian cities, including Recife and Manaus, where the
US team will be playing. Rio is so bad
that while a lady was being interviewed about violence in downtown Rio a couple
weeks ago, she actually had her necklace lifted during the Interview According to NPR, “city authorities have
attempted to control crime before international tourists arrive but it has
actually spiked. Recently, a Brazilian newspaper reported that 14 ATM machines
in Rio’s main international airport were used to duplicate tourists’ debit
cards. NPR also notes that the city has seen a 118% rise in robberies on buses,
and a 121% increase in cellphone robberies in the past year”. My advice again would be to not wear a lot of
jewelry, wear a cheap watch, carry a copy of your passport and only enough
money for your outing, and LEAVE YOUR MOBILE PHONE HOME AND PURCHASE A LESS
EXPENSIVE ONE, such as 2G Smart Phone
===========================================
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