The Beginning

I left Brazil in August 2013 to live in the United States. The government of Brazil offered eighteen months in the US. I was and I am very happy for this opportunity. Almost everything in the US is new to me. There are a lot of different things here. Let’s begin at the part that I think is most different for new people here, the food. The first day I came to New Orleans I was anxious to try new foods. But the first time that I tried the food in Kernay, the taste of pepper in the food was so strong. My eyes filled with tears and I swallowed the fish. After some seconds I thought with myself “I will never get used to it”.  Well, I am glad that I was wrong. Today I can eat everything and I like it for the most part. I’m accustomed with pepper, rice without salt, sugar beans, skin potato, and many others things. I think everyone who live here love a meal called gumbo. Gumbo is a typical meal that I dislike.

An interesting thing about U.S is their cars, motorcycles, and buses. Usually the cars and motorcycles are new, and here a lot of people can buy Chevrolet Camaro that cost only $23,000 and others “dream cars” for people from Brazil. Cars here do not need tag in front and in some states who driver motorcycle do not need a helmet! The buses in of New Orleans are very different than brazilian buses. In Brazil buses usually are crowded and people do not respect the priority seat. Here the bus have air conditioning and the bus lowers so that you can enter. The first time I saw it I thought to myself “it is really a country of first world.”

A curious thing I found here is the coin of one cent or called penny. In Brazil when you go to supermarket and you go to pay your purchases and the price is $9,86 you will pay $9,90. In U.S when your purchases is $9,86 people from shops give back to you the four cents!

And here you pay tax after you buy your things. In Brazil the tax is inside in the price of product. Some days ago I found almost 30 cents in pennies coins, it was on the floor near my house. I gave all my pennies coins to my friend Igor. I think he found more than 200  pennies coins.

If you want an alcoholic drink  in the US you must have more than 21 years old. There are many bars that you just can enter if you are older than 21 years old. But usually people under 21 drink everything. In Brazil after 18 years you can drink everything and in everywhere without problems.. If you are under 21 years and want to drink an alcoholic beverage in U.S you need be careful because you can be arrested the police.

People from the US can get a driver’s license at sixteen years old. When I was sixteen years old my dreams was to live here. In Brazil you just can get the license driver after you turn eighteen years old. A curiosity about US traffic. For instance, here you can turn right on red light.  If you do it in Brazil you will probably need to pay a traffic fine.

Finally, I think that New Orleans city is very good place to live. The US can be better at many things. But I really like Brazil and I want to go back to live there and sometimes come back to the US for tourism. I recommend to everyone to visit U.S, here you will can find friendly people and nice places to go.

Gustavo Goncalves,

February 4, 2014