Update: Driving Edition

I would like to start this post out by saying that I absolutely love Brazil and feel 100% safe and secure, so don’t worry. That being shared, I’m going to tell you about the biggest culture shock I’ve experienced so far.

I figured that the language or the food or school would take me farthest out of my comfort zone, and although they most definitely do, they aren’t nearly as shocking as one other thing I’ve experienced since I’ve come to Brazil. What is it that has, you might be wondering?

The way people drive.

Now I am in no way, shape, or form someone to judge the way other people drive considering the number of red lights I’ve failed to see and the times I’ve made a bad turn down a one way street, but let’s just say Mr. Calquon would probably not approve of how they roll in Brazil…

When my host parents and two host brothers picked me up from the airport in Goiania, we all sqeezed into their small 5-seat Voltzwagon hatchback and took off to my host brother’s apartment in another part of the city. Before I could even experience the food, school, or even a full fledged conversation, I had a mini culture shock attack when I looked out the window and noticed just how many red octagons reading “PARÉ” we were zipping by. Everytime my host dad took a turn I would slide into my host brothers, who just smiled at look of shock on my face.

The next day, we left on host brother in his apartment in Goiania and headed off to Mineiros, the town where I’m staying. The highways in Brazil are nothing like the Dan Ryan or the Eisenhower. They are all small two-lane highways, and since Mineiros is not quite a “destination city” the roads leading to it are not always the best maintained. And even when they are, when your driving in a very tiny little stick shift car going 170 km/h each tiny bump lifts you out of your seat.

Now, Brazilians have a reputation for being very touchy feely people who don’t have personal space bubbles, a cliché that is very true. What people fail to realize however, is that this part of their culture is also relevant when it comes to driving. Never have I ever seen so many cars driving so close and so fast before. Brazilians also love to pass cars going slower than them, even if there might already be a car in the oncoming lane. Now imagine that with a dirt road and a spare tire.

I don’t think I know any words, in either English or Portuguese, which quite describe what a car ride here is like. All I can say is that I wish my host brother wouldn’t laugh at me when I put on my seat belt….