Observations

Where to begin... I learn something new every day here, so this list could go on for a while. Ha. But here are some general observations I have noted in comparing daily life back home in Georgia, to that of Itajubá, Minas Gerais.

• A/C- or there lack of. Fan needed!

• Motorcycles, Dirt bikes, and Bicycles- way to get around town.

• Stores close at 6pm on weekdays. Closed Sunday. (Not every place, but a majority)

• English schools on every corner

• Crowded banks, which isn't exactly new or different- but what is, is that people go to the bank to pay their bills and handle a number of other tasks. Expect long lines and waiting in the morning at 10am when banks open. I have experienced my fair share of this. 

• In official, legal-type establishments, (like banks) elderly people, pregnant woman, and those with babies have priority. While waiting at a bank one day, a Brazilian friend told me that locals abuse this system. For example, someone may just bring his/her toddler, an older relative or other family member (niece, nephew, cousin, son, or daughter) to the bank with them just so they can get in and out quicker.

• More walking. Fewer people have access to a car, so many more people walk about town.

• Space. Brazilians make use of their space well. Everything you need in town is with-in walking distance.

• Cars are manual. Every car I have been in so far is stick-shift. Cars are generally smaller. Fiat and Volkswagen are among some of the popular brands.

• Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. Lunch is. Dinner is just a snack.

• It's normal and I guess fashionable, for men to wear boarding shorts around town. Although the beach is miles away...

• University freshman students called bixo, have a type of initiation process where their heads are shaved and they are marked and painted on.