The Little Things

There are so many small things that I miss about Brazil. Some seem insignificant, some I can't even name. But together they add up to more than their parts. It is a full-body experience that I cannot reproduce here in my little corner of America.

• The big sky: I miss how big and blue the sky is in Brasilia. I am not making this up. Ask Bill, ask my boys. The sky seems bigger and bluer in Brasilia. The clouds are whiter and puffier. The air feels clearer.
• Kissing on the cheek: Brazilians greet each other with two kisses, one on each cheek - unless two men are greeting, in which case they use a handshake and some back slapping.
• I miss the smallness: Smaller homes, small coffees and drinks, smaller packaging, smaller cars. With this comes more a more innovative use of space. Hidden and organized spaces to tuck things away.  I think it also brings with it a certain appreciation of the thing itself, without it having to be venti-sized.
• Hearing Portuguese. Language is tied to culture. There is no substitute to hearing Portuguese all around. The language has more ways of expressing emotion and of expressing care. The diminutive lets you know just how cute a little bitty baby is, and the augmentative lets you know just how big a hug you want to send someone.
• The enthusiasm. Bill, the boys, some friends and I were returning from getting ice cream around the corner when the entire city block exploded in cheers, screams and fireworks.  People hung out their windows, waving flags.   Even our friends started screaming in solidarity. A favorite team had scored a goal on TV.  It was so funny to see my boys stop and look absolutely confused by all of the commotion.
• Bem-ti-vi. I love that little bird. I don't even know what it looks like, but I love it's little song first thing in the morning. Bem ti vi, bem ti vi. Roughly translated, it means "I saw you well." A nice way to start the day.
• The food. Enough said. I swoon, I drool, I sigh from the wonderfulness of the food. And the smells! At lunch-time, no matter where you are, you can smell good meals being cooked, as people take their two hour lunch breaks, often at home and eat the main meal of the day.
• Breakfast. Fresh baked breads from the corner bakery, cheeses, jams, fresh tropical fruit, yogurts and of course, some delicious cafe con leite.
• Down time. Brazilians know how to take down time. With at least a month of vacation yearly, my friends travel regularly, whether it be to Europe, another South American country or the vacations spot a couple of hours away, they do get away. And they are able to leave work behind.
• Laughter. I think Brazilians are quick to laugh. It makes life feel lighter.
• Thumbs up. That is the universal sign for "hey, I might be cutting you off in traffic, but I don't mean any harm. We do what we have to do, right?" Thumbs up.
• The smells. We Brazilians love nice smelling soaps and lotions and we take lots of showers. Of course you run into a person here or there who just has not mastered the art of smelling nice, going overboard with some awful perfume. But generally, people use light and refreshing products that keep them smelling yummy and fresh like they just emerged from bathing in a spring infused with Amazon fruits and flowers.
  
  

There are lots of things that I don't miss. I don't miss the ridiculous amounts of hoops there are to jump through for every little thing ... from getting a temporary pre-paid cell phone to letting my children use the pool in the condo we stayed in. Living that bureaucracy daily would drive me mad. I also don't miss the stark inequalities among people or the government that can't seem to rid itself of corruption. But I love Brazil with a fierce love and I miss it tremendously when I am gone. I cannot go six years without going back again. It is too long, too much time spent without breathing all of this in.