Building Brazil

My last day on an audit with my current job. I am sitting in an office in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I spent just a week in this country but it showed me a world that is emerging and a nation that is very likely to be much more powerful and famous than it already is.

A super-power of the twenty-second century ? Possibly.

Brazil has great potential but also has many problems. It’s potential is that it is a young country with a young population. It has a sunny outlook on life but it has a drive that makes it want to be more than just a sun-kissed banana republic.

The people of Brazil are warm and welcoming. This sounds like a cliché but for once it is actually true. They are welcoming to foreigners but also not subservient to the current great powers. Brazil’s attempt to gain partial control of the internet from the US demonstrates a desire that one day it will be a great power also. President Lula’s refusal to roll-over at the WTO talks again shows this nation flexing it muscles.
Yet unlike some nation’s aspiring for greatness, I don’t think the world has anything to fear from a strong Brazil. It has no dangerous idealogy that threatens others. The writing on it’s flag is “Ordem e progresso”. Lula is an unlikely combination. On one hand a former metal worker and leftist. On the other hand the economic reality of Brazil is good. He has lead Brazil to pay off its IMF debts two years early.

My time this week has shown that it is quite difficult to point to a typical Brazilian. The uninitiated may expect a latino character but Brazilians may appear Japanese (the largest community outside Japan), Italian (more Italian descendents in Sao Paulo than current Romans), African, south American Indian, German and many more in addition to the language providing Portuguese.

Our host for this week’s audit was a Japanese Brazilian in his 50s. Let’s call him Pablo and say he’s a live wire, someone with constant curiosity, a comic but also someone good at his job. His job this week was to keep the auditors as happy as possible to soften up any report.
He turned out almost every evening to take us to dinners at barbeques, restaurants and similar.

He was keen for everyone to have as many “Caipirinas” while being mysteriously abstemious himself……

Pablo was no politically correct person himself. He whispered conspiratorially that the owner of a restaurant was “a black man”. He then described an older female member of staff as “fully depreciated”. Yet he conducted himself with such bon homonie that it would be difficult for people to take offence. Unique in my auditing career, I received a relatively serious job offer from Pablo. He knew I was leaving the company but "come and work for me in Brazil" he said. "Just let me know if you change your mind- your always welcome he added".

Brazil still has many poor, universal education is still an ideal not a reality.

Yet it’s spirit is hopeful and lively. This feels a land of opportunity and hope.

On this December summer’s day in Sao Paulo I am not over-excited to be returning to London, it’s safety and security and it’s cold winter. Yet that is where my love is and I want to go to her.
Still it is good to know that if London “burns” there is always a warm welcome to be had in Brazil……………..