“This is a war. I learned to be afraid ": a Russian about life in Brazil
Many Soviet people dreamed of Rio de Janeiro at one time. The name of this city was associated with eternal summer, a warm ocean, palm trees, carnivals, and beautiful mulattos. When the “Iron Curtain” collapsed, fate didn’t bring the Russians wherever they could — in the United States, Western Europe, and Southeast Asia. Of course, some of our compatriots ended up in that very “country of eternal summer" of Brazil.
The engineer Vladislav from Moscow ended up in Brazil, in principle, quite by accident - he was invited as a good specialist to one of the joint companies. It was just to live and work in Rio de Janeiro. Vlad immediately realized that Rio is very different from the largest city in the country of Sao Paulo. If São Paulo is a business center, such a “Brazilian Moscow”, then Rio is much more multifaceted - it combines the features of a large metropolis, a resort town, and some provincial “hole” in which it’s scary to go outside.
By the way, about crime - as you know, Rio de Janeiro is considered the most criminal city in Brazil and is one of the most dangerous cities in this regard in the world. It happened historically. Rio attracted people with money, but here the social differences inherent in any country in Latin America are especially noticeable.
Rio favelas became famous throughout the world. Even the police are afraid to come here in small groups. Brazilian slum raids are reminiscent of mopping-up operations in “hot spots” - armored cars with machine guns, soldiers in full gear running from house to house. Although they live in poor favelas, almost everyone can find a “trunk”. State laws apply in slum quarters with a big stretch. The favela world lives by its own rules, which, if you fit into this strange social environment, are not so bad.
Vlad says that in Rio he felt himself in real danger, learned to be afraid. Indeed, in Moscow, in St. Petersburg, and even in some town beyond the Urals, there are no and cannot be areas similar to Brazilian favelas. Poverty, of course, is present, but such ubiquitous and uncontrolled circulation of drugs, weapons, constant skirmishes is difficult to imagine. On these streets there is a real war.
Although the colossal entertainment industry is concentrated in Rio de Janeiro, carefree walks will not work - the city is teeming with gopniks, pickpockets and other lovers to profit from other people's property. This is probably why some racist prejudices still persist in Brazil.
Although at the official level, racism is rejected and denied, but in practice, Afro-Brazilians have a slightly different attitude than “whites”. Indeed, they, for historical and social reasons, make up the bulk of the favela population and the Brazilian marginality. That's why they are trying to prevent the security of Afro-Brazilians in expensive shops or restaurants, especially if they are simply dressed. For people of European appearance, such a dress code does not work.
In this case, of course, life in Brazil carries a sea of positive. Warm weather all year round, beautiful girls, friendly and sociable people, entertainment for every taste - all this cannot but attract and bribe our compatriot in a distant country. But, going to the other side of the world, the ear must be kept open.
The engineer Vladislav from Moscow ended up in Brazil, in principle, quite by accident - he was invited as a good specialist to one of the joint companies. It was just to live and work in Rio de Janeiro. Vlad immediately realized that Rio is very different from the largest city in the country of Sao Paulo. If São Paulo is a business center, such a “Brazilian Moscow”, then Rio is much more multifaceted - it combines the features of a large metropolis, a resort town, and some provincial “hole” in which it’s scary to go outside.
By the way, about crime - as you know, Rio de Janeiro is considered the most criminal city in Brazil and is one of the most dangerous cities in this regard in the world. It happened historically. Rio attracted people with money, but here the social differences inherent in any country in Latin America are especially noticeable.
Rio favelas became famous throughout the world. Even the police are afraid to come here in small groups. Brazilian slum raids are reminiscent of mopping-up operations in “hot spots” - armored cars with machine guns, soldiers in full gear running from house to house. Although they live in poor favelas, almost everyone can find a “trunk”. State laws apply in slum quarters with a big stretch. The favela world lives by its own rules, which, if you fit into this strange social environment, are not so bad.
Vlad says that in Rio he felt himself in real danger, learned to be afraid. Indeed, in Moscow, in St. Petersburg, and even in some town beyond the Urals, there are no and cannot be areas similar to Brazilian favelas. Poverty, of course, is present, but such ubiquitous and uncontrolled circulation of drugs, weapons, constant skirmishes is difficult to imagine. On these streets there is a real war.
Although the colossal entertainment industry is concentrated in Rio de Janeiro, carefree walks will not work - the city is teeming with gopniks, pickpockets and other lovers to profit from other people's property. This is probably why some racist prejudices still persist in Brazil.
Although at the official level, racism is rejected and denied, but in practice, Afro-Brazilians have a slightly different attitude than “whites”. Indeed, they, for historical and social reasons, make up the bulk of the favela population and the Brazilian marginality. That's why they are trying to prevent the security of Afro-Brazilians in expensive shops or restaurants, especially if they are simply dressed. For people of European appearance, such a dress code does not work.
In this case, of course, life in Brazil carries a sea of positive. Warm weather all year round, beautiful girls, friendly and sociable people, entertainment for every taste - all this cannot but attract and bribe our compatriot in a distant country. But, going to the other side of the world, the ear must be kept open.
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