HPR4347: "Of my country!" Brazil - in a Southern city viewing
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I’m glad I’m here with you! I'll tell my impressions on things of my Brazilian country.
Pardon me for some high-volume transitions
! Trying and testing the brickabrackis (
possibilities
). Pleasing or not.
Thanks!
Topics:
1- Sistema Único de Saúde (the national health system)
Works!
Any citizen, any person, has access to health treatment: no payment, no check if the person has payed taxes on anything, if is a worker or not.
Of course, waiting time might be a problem if it's not an urgency or emergency, and quality varies (as any service, paid or not), according to city (capital or country town, more structured or smaller cities), hospital, the specific doctor and support team etc.
2- Tap water
The water from the tap is safe, recognized as drinking water (in my city, and maybe in many if not most). The water treatment company ("Sanepar") here even sells their water bottled, and sponsors events that distribute them (sports events) to show the quality.
But people don't use to drink from the tap it directly. If they do not use a filter, it's common to buy water in 20 liters carboys
(big plastic bottles, 20L is a bit more than 5 gallons)
. I use this last option, but drink water under the shower also.
Most people (that I know, of course) simply
don't drink water
! I don't know. I don't understand how it is, but they don't drink water, not even a liter per day. Coffee and soda are the most common "substitutes".
3- Religion numbers
Statistics about religion are very misleading. You can find different numbers but it's generally: more than half identifying as Catholics. More than 20% evangelical, 10% without religion.
But those numbers say nothing about reality of what you find in the streets. Maybe because in some areas it's embarassing to identify as an atheist, as if you're immoral and cannot be trusted; so, people without religion simply say the religion of the family, or the generic "catholic, non-practicing".
4- Brazilian Law
Our law is written and detailed. Everything you could want to know about our judicial system, our rights and etc. are explicit in laws; and our Constitution, in force since 1988, with more than 200 articles, guides all.
The Supreme Court can make and change interpretations and, thus, issue binding decisions that are not seem in the law, but this is the exception.
Cover of the official edition of the Brazilian Constitution in the English Language. (Source: https://www.stf.jus.br/arquivo/cms/legislacaoConstituicao/anexo/Brazil_Federal_Constitution_EC_125.pdf. Accessed on February 2025.)
Most of the norms are federal and encompass the entire nation: it is a reason we are so "equal", in many senses, while living in a country with 212 million people (official estimation of IBGE, July 1st 2024
*
) and that represents 48% of the size of South America.
5- Now something very specific to my city, a capital city on the south of the country
It's not expected to say Good morning when you cross with a stranger on the street. No Hello or Good morning to the bus driver also. I mean, a lot of people greet, but many don't and it's common to not do so.
In many other parts of the country, of course, it's different. For example, I lived in a capital city on the north, and everybody expected you to say
Good Morning!
when entering an elevator in the morning, behavior that generally makes people think you're strange here in my southern city.
If I ask for the name of a seller on a store, to be more polite saying his or her name occasionally if I am making a lot of questions and demanding more attention time, they ask, you're not from here are you?
And I am.
If anything here sounds not good, please reject and keep the good. It's only impressions that I wanted to share. Thank you.
*
This news in English: From: Agência IBGE. Link:
https://agenciadenoticias.ibge.gov.br/en/agencia-news/2184-news-agency/news/41122-populacao-estimada-do-pais-chega-a-212-6-milhoes-de-habitantes-em-2025
. Accessed on February 2025.
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