GLOBAL PARTNERS MBA
Living the Carioca Life…
Rio de Janeiro has the perfect mix; from beautiful beaches and tourist attractions to great businesses districts and industrial parks. Also, Rio differs from most Brazilians cities regarding the different social classes. In Rio, the Favelas are located in the middle of the city whereas in other places Favelas are usually in the suburbs of the city.
We, GPMBA students, have had the privilege of seeing all these different areas in Rio de Janeiro. On January 12th, we visited Bio-Rio. Bio-Rio is a technological park that was created in 1988 with the purpose of helping with the development of innovative ideas. We visited a company that builds tanks to recycle water to re-use it, another one that stores stem cells for parents as an insurance option. The picture above shows the freezers that store the stem cells.
The GPMBAers also have had the amazing opportunity to see how the Brazilian economy is growing and how the people are having more and more disposable income. In a shopping mall, one of the students mentioned to me: “Dago, I have never felt this energy in my life. People want to buy, and they are getting mad because they can’t find what they are looking for. The demand is enormous.” According to Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), from to 2003 to 2009, 30 millions of Brazilian went from the poor classes to the middle classes. This is a consequence of the economic growth that is pushing the people to higher social classes. More on this next week…
From the upper classes neighborhoods to the Favela, this is what a group of 6 GPMBAers chose to do on a Monday. This favela has about 25,000 people. It was a fantastic experience. We went up to the highest point of the favela, ate their food, sat at the same bar they spend their time; they were very welcoming people. The owner of the bar and the building showed in the pictures below is a entrepreneur. He built 10 little kit nets that he rents for 400 reais each. With the money he receives from the rent, he is building more places to rent in the same Favela. This was a lesson to us. People there are as smart and willing to strive as all of us, but with much less opportunity to do so. A lifetime experience…
Four of the adventurers…
The view from his barbecue area…
The kids are always happy and playing…
I can’t believe the day has finally come. I have waited four and a half years to be back in Brazil, and here I am. Rio de Janeiro hasn’t changed much. Still the same ‘ol coastal beach city with the tiled sidewalks, the delicious corner cafes and juice stands, the crazy driving, and (may we not forget) the abundance of people strolling in bikinis and speedos… This is Rio, baby!
I have to admit, it was a fine first day back in Brazil for me as I have had enjoyed all of my favorite memories once again: a caipirinha (Brazil’s signature cocktail made with limes, sugar, and sugarcane rum) with the girls, a can of Guarana (Brazil’s signature soda), walking along the beach in my Havaianas, eating a few brigadeiros (the best way to eat chocolate on earth, and finally, a rodizio de carne (all you can eat red meat!). Life is good.