People always ask me why I moved to Brazil, and it’s…it’s not a difficult question to answer, but it’s difficult to give a short answer.  I usually end up just gesturing toward whatever the surroundings are,  like, “Just look…”

But to get a bit more specific, one thing I love is that everyone here is so complimentary. I mean, it goes beyond just the friendliness and warmth that Brazilians generally embody.  Brazilians will go out of their way to tell you they like you, or what they like about you…  It’s just such a positive culture.

It’s very common, when greeting or speaking with someone, to hear, “lindo (beautiful)” ,”bonito (pretty)”, “gostoso (tasty (yes, they use it that way))”, “amor (love)”, “amigo (friend)”, or any of a host of others I can’t even think of right now.  I don’t think I could count the number of times in a day you will hear one of the above compliments or expressions of affection if you live here.  And being immersed in it, you soon find yourself responding in kind.

It’s wonderful.  It’s one of those little things we’ve forgotten in the U.S. that just makes you feel good, raises your spirits, helps you remember what really matters in life–which, IMHO, is the people you share it with and the quality of your time together.  It costs nothing, it’s always free, and freely given, and yet it spreads such joy.  It makes whatever you may be concerned about at the time disappear–or seem not nearly so important.  It’s just a simple way of always expressing your appreciation of each other, your fondness for each other, and it’s so casually and completely integrated into their way of life.

It’s such a small thing, and yet it’s such a pervasive joy–and such a huge lesson for me personally.

So, there’s that, for starters.