I may have mentioned the brief encounter I had with the Brasilian work ethic. If so I would first like to mention that my oppion is extremely limited as I was only exposed extensively to one demographic of the population and geography of a vast and widely diverse country.
If not then let me elaborate on my experiences. Any holiday international, national, local, or imaginary is a great reason for a Carioca (native to Rio) to skip work and go to the beach also a futbol game (soccer match) is an unquestionable excuss to skip work, and any boss that is worth working for will close on game day. Any sunny day it is understood that board shorts and flip flops SHOULD be worn to work in case you can visit the beach before, during, or after work, preferably all three, at the same time as you can sleep in, go to the beach (technically before and during work simultaneously) then leave work a few seconds early to try to beat the "rush". Actually this became one of my fondest pastimes in Rio, observing people go to great lengths to spend time in the sun if only for a few brief minutes! Also to note flip flops are always acceptable work attire in Rio de Janeiro.
So there we were one blisteringly hot afternoon, clearing an old room which was full of lumber. Moving it by hand outdoors to be inspected and put to use so that we could then put the room to use. As I worked I noticed that it is 3:00, this is a time of afternoon which never goes unnoticed. At approximately 2:50 nearly everyone working in my favella would begin slowing their pace, and wrapping up anything that had to be accomplished. Starting anything new would be completely taboo. Here it was exactly 3:00 and everyone was diligently at work. Time slowed, my mind staggered, knees weakened, my world began closing in around me. Had everything I had observed and the steriotypes I forged been completely irrashional and circumstantial. Now I realize that there are very many hard working individual's in Brasil contributing to the growing economy, but I had worked with these guys for nearly four months now and this was completely atypical behavior.
I shrugged it off and grabbed another stack of lumber. Despite the heat I would not slow down! If these men were going to sacrifice their coffee break and continue working then I was determined to work harder. Finally, curiosity got the best of Austin, "No cafe?" he asked 'Shorty'.
"Que hora sou? (what time is it)" Shorty responded in muttering tones through his missing teeth.
"Trece y Des" I replied, as I was the only one wearing a watch (recall mine had not been stolen because it was so ugly and worthless that even theives snubbed it during each of the robberies.)
At this point without saying a word he drops his lumber in his arms, bolts the door, and while muttering curses and collocials under his breath begins moving faster than I had ever seen this 4' 10" Brasilian man move in my life. He had a bad leg and walked with a limp anyway, but today he seemed to teleport down the favella, and up two flights of stairs nearly before I could finish saying the time and turn from my project. I strolled casually to take a cup of coffee and as I picked out pieces of the conversation I kept noticing one major theme, "Maloca, Brinquerra!" (My watch is crazy)
And so my mind was put to ease, his watch had, "Gone crazy!" He had the wrong time, and now he would never get those 10 minutes of extra work back. Oh well guess my life and jokes can return to normal, crisis averted. There was however, a 15 minute window where I have never experienced so much confusion in my entire life!
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