Brazil - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

by Sandra Branco, Rob Williams, Culture Smart!

Overview

For many people Brazil conjures up images of football, Carnaval and fine coffee, but it is much more than beaches and bossa nova. If you could choose only one word to describe Brazil, it would be diversity. The variety of racial types, lifestyles, wealth, landscape and climate is enormous. Jeitinho is the Brazilian means of dealing creatively with life’s everyday complications. Literally translated as a “little way”, in practice it means that regardless of the rules or systems in place, where there is a will there has to be a way around them. The jeitinho is so ingrained in daily life that you can see examples everywhere; managing to get a seat when all the places are booked up, traveling with more luggage than is allowed or successfully ordering something that is not on the restaurant menu. Culture Smart! Brazil is a concise guide to understanding the Brazilian people and illuminating the complexities of their national identity. Familiarise yourself with their customs, traditions and culture and experience Brazil authentically.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781857336894
Publisher:	Kuperard
Publication date:	04/01/2014
Series:	Culture Smart! , #52
Edition description:	Second Edition, Second edition
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	4.30(w) x 6.60(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Sandra Branco is a Brazilian-born writer now living in the UK. After graduating in Communications from São Paulo University she worked as a video and television producer and scriptwriter in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Bahia, and Ceará, before going on to gain an MA in Screenwriting at the Northern School of Film and Television in Leeds. She now lives and works in London. Rob Williams is a senior lecturer at the University of Westminster in London, running MA programs in Applied Language Studies and International Liaison and Communication. He has lived and worked in France, Spain, Germany, Romania, and Brazil. He is also a lead consultant for CultureSmart! Consulting.

Table of Contents

Key History - Politics - Economic Life - Values - Attitudes - Religion - Traditions - Taboos - Festivals & Holidays - Friendships & Family - Women in Society - Humour - Hospitality & Home life - Cultural Life - Cuisine & Dining Out - Socializing - Dos and Don'ts - Business Etiquette - Punctuality & Time Keeping - Meetings & Presentations - Negotiating - Bureaucracy - Communication & Language - Tips

Editorial Reviews

"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." —Sunday Times Travel

From the Publisher

11/10/2023

Brazilian-born Branco's book about Brazil doesn't just focus on the South American country's scenic attractions and how to see the sites; it offers great insight into the history, local culture, people, and way of life, as well as providing information about how the country has developed and changed over the years. The scope of topics is wide, covering everything from Brazil's colonization to modern life. The title also gives tourists warnings about how to blend in and be safe and provides some do's and don't's too—expectations when shaking someone's hand or making eye contact, for example—so that travelers are respectful of the culture. Plentiful black-and-white photos are included, but some readers may feel that color images would have more effectively showcased the country's amazing must-see sights. VERDICT A recommended purchase for its abundance of knowledge about Brazil, its people, and its customs.—Carol Sternenberg

Library Journal