OK, I know it has already been 3 months so my first impressions may not be as accurate as if I'd posted them in late July or early August. But, I think I can do a fair job.
I already knew that Sao Paulo was the biggest city in South America and something like one of the 20 largest in the world. I knew that traffic was crazy and there were millions of people here. I still remember my first time ever in Sao Paulo 13 years ago when we landed at the Gualrulhos International Airport and took a taxi to the old Congonhas Airport to fly to Lages (where Murilo's family lives). All of us (my mom, Jess, Erez, Shachaf, and I) had big (tired) eyes and tried to take it all in.
I was pleasantly surprised to find our school apartment on a somewhat quiet street (next to a noisy street so we always hear traffic). The water in the pool was sparkling in the unusually warm winter sun and the view from our living room windows took my breath away.
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When I took Zizou for a walk down our quiet, condominium lined street, I discovered I was no longer in clean, organized Germany. People here in Brazil love their dogs as much as people in Deutchland, maybe even more. Dogs are allowed in the mall but not in grocery stores or in restaurants UNLESS you have a cute little doggie backpack with a dog as cute as Zizou inside! Everyday dog owners, dog walkers, and house cleaners are out walking the dogs along the neighborhood streets and park areas. BUT, it is not common practice here to clean up afterwards!
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People just let their dogs drop their load anywhere - street, middle of the sidewalk - and walk on. There are sections during my walk to work that are literal obstacle courses and I do not wear my outside shoes inside. I immediately made it my mission to teach people here about proper dog poop hygiene! I whipped out my plastic bags with a flourish every morning and held them up high for all to see. Um, the problem there is that usually there was no one else around and/or even paying attention to me. I'm sure the other condo security guys think I'm a total weirdo now. But, I persist with my mission and I think I'm beginning to have an impact.
I already knew that Sao Paulo was the biggest city in South America and something like one of the 20 largest in the world. I knew that traffic was crazy and there were millions of people here. I still remember my first time ever in Sao Paulo 13 years ago when we landed at the Gualrulhos International Airport and took a taxi to the old Congonhas Airport to fly to Lages (where Murilo's family lives). All of us (my mom, Jess, Erez, Shachaf, and I) had big (tired) eyes and tried to take it all in.
I was pleasantly surprised to find our school apartment on a somewhat quiet street (next to a noisy street so we always hear traffic). The water in the pool was sparkling in the unusually warm winter sun and the view from our living room windows took my breath away.
.JPG)
When I took Zizou for a walk down our quiet, condominium lined street, I discovered I was no longer in clean, organized Germany. People here in Brazil love their dogs as much as people in Deutchland, maybe even more. Dogs are allowed in the mall but not in grocery stores or in restaurants UNLESS you have a cute little doggie backpack with a dog as cute as Zizou inside! Everyday dog owners, dog walkers, and house cleaners are out walking the dogs along the neighborhood streets and park areas. BUT, it is not common practice here to clean up afterwards!
.JPG)
People just let their dogs drop their load anywhere - street, middle of the sidewalk - and walk on. There are sections during my walk to work that are literal obstacle courses and I do not wear my outside shoes inside. I immediately made it my mission to teach people here about proper dog poop hygiene! I whipped out my plastic bags with a flourish every morning and held them up high for all to see. Um, the problem there is that usually there was no one else around and/or even paying attention to me. I'm sure the other condo security guys think I'm a total weirdo now. But, I persist with my mission and I think I'm beginning to have an impact.
There is evidence that cleaning up is catching on! I just have to figure out how to convince people to actually carry the bags to the trash now!! I guess leaving the fecal matter for someone else to clean (bagged or not) provides a job for someone. Every few days the poo magically disappears and the cycle begins again.
It is a small thing really but it illustrates my acculturation process. Overall, the big things are getting along. It is just the innumerable small things that sometimes overwhelm when one least expects it. I was more prepared for this move after experiencing culture shock in Oberursel and recognizing the signs. Here, the main issue for me is living too far from family and friends in the U.S. and Germany (even more friends to miss now) and not living close enough to our Brazilian family and friends in Santa Catarina.
I'm adjusting, until I nearly step in dog shit and shake my fist in the air clenching a plastic supermarket bag!!
1 comment:
Pois é, Cary, para nós, só o gosto por desafios explica sua decisão de sair da Alemanha e vir para o Brasil. E ponha desafio nisso! Mas tomara que você também encontre coisas boas, para compensar as mazelas das quais nós ainda não nos livramos! :)
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