The devil has all the best tunes; paradise is boring. We've been back in Blighty for a fortnight now and my mood and blogging continue to be inversely correlated: unhappy equals more blogging, and vice versa. As I wrote in my recent post, life here feels so much sweeter after the bitterness of Sao Paulo. I'd like to write a national newspaper article telling downbeat Brits that despite all the doom and gloom, "You've never had it so good!" "Bankrupt Britain" is still light years ahead of "Booming Brazil". As a shopper, I'm overwhelmed by choice, quality and value. Where's all this crazy food inflation everyone keeps talking about ? It must have flown south across the Atlantic.
Residing here on the periphery of Oxford, I'm able to appreciate the seamless blend of cityscape and landscape as never before. The barely visible minutiae of civilization, all quietly contributing to an enhanced life experience. And above all, the safety: the physical openness and lack of self-imposed prisons. But sadly all this is taken for granted by most Brits, including my former self.
It's endlessly fascinating how perception and reality are so often out of step. Exotic Brazil has a fun and sensuous image to most people in this part of the world. My downbeat assessment of life there generally seems to fall on deaf ears. That's in marked contrast to the many times Brits used to warn me that Israel, a frequent destination of mine over the years, was "dangerous". In fact, normal life there is safer than elsewhere, including Britain.
The woman who cleans my parents' house is Brazilian and married to "an Italian", according to my mother. But a quick inquiry confirms, once again, that her husband is just another Brazilian who acquired an Italian passport. As I wrote on my blog recently, the question of why such passports are awarded - what's in it for countries like Italy ? - is one that intrigues me and which I put to her, hoping for enlightenment. But all I got was the familiar refrain that she can earn more in the UK than in Italy.
This was closely followed by another common complaint: that she has had to reduce her status by working as a cleaner here when in Brazil she is a hairdresser. Why didn't she take advantage of her UK ticket-to-ride by perhaps re-qualifying as a hairdresser here, you might ask. Like many Brazilians abroad she doesn't seem to have expanded her horizons in line with the opportunities she has been given.
It has been enough simply to earn money to send back to Brazil - she and her husband have no less than three houses there - and look to return at some point. Of course it must help to know that you can pop back to the UK as and when to top up the bank balance. I'm all in favour of free movement of labour, just that it is applied equally and fairly.
As for this woman preferring "home" over "abroad", well obviously I'm in no position to criticize. We all have the inalienable right to decide where we call home, even if we end up not living there.
Residing here on the periphery of Oxford, I'm able to appreciate the seamless blend of cityscape and landscape as never before. The barely visible minutiae of civilization, all quietly contributing to an enhanced life experience. And above all, the safety: the physical openness and lack of self-imposed prisons. But sadly all this is taken for granted by most Brits, including my former self.
It's endlessly fascinating how perception and reality are so often out of step. Exotic Brazil has a fun and sensuous image to most people in this part of the world. My downbeat assessment of life there generally seems to fall on deaf ears. That's in marked contrast to the many times Brits used to warn me that Israel, a frequent destination of mine over the years, was "dangerous". In fact, normal life there is safer than elsewhere, including Britain.
The woman who cleans my parents' house is Brazilian and married to "an Italian", according to my mother. But a quick inquiry confirms, once again, that her husband is just another Brazilian who acquired an Italian passport. As I wrote on my blog recently, the question of why such passports are awarded - what's in it for countries like Italy ? - is one that intrigues me and which I put to her, hoping for enlightenment. But all I got was the familiar refrain that she can earn more in the UK than in Italy.
This was closely followed by another common complaint: that she has had to reduce her status by working as a cleaner here when in Brazil she is a hairdresser. Why didn't she take advantage of her UK ticket-to-ride by perhaps re-qualifying as a hairdresser here, you might ask. Like many Brazilians abroad she doesn't seem to have expanded her horizons in line with the opportunities she has been given.
It has been enough simply to earn money to send back to Brazil - she and her husband have no less than three houses there - and look to return at some point. Of course it must help to know that you can pop back to the UK as and when to top up the bank balance. I'm all in favour of free movement of labour, just that it is applied equally and fairly.
As for this woman preferring "home" over "abroad", well obviously I'm in no position to criticize. We all have the inalienable right to decide where we call home, even if we end up not living there.
LOL. I think the same. I look at all the Brits complaining and think they should be sent to earn a living in Thailand. They'd soon stop complaining about how bad Britain is. It's one of the world's richest countries and they're still not happy. I think some people are born to complain.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Manfred. Sometimes I think I was born to complain and maybe that's why life sent me to Brazil. Relativity is a wonderful thing ! Hope you're well despite the challenges in Thailand.
ReplyDeleteGood comment Manf, I really don't think Brazil will have half of the lifestyle Britain has in a century if corruption and ignorance of people don't come to an end. The country is dirty in corruption but majority of the population doesn't have a clue of what's going on and elect clowns, bad singers ahaha
ReplyDeletePri x