Last Wednesday I attended the Rose Café lecture on Brazil with Andre Rozemberg Peixoto Simoes, a doctorate student at Federal University of Vicosa studying modern economy and society. Mr. Simoes’ talk was interesting. I knew Brazil was one of the most populated countries in the world, but I didn’t realize it was the fifth largest country in the world. I was also surprised to learn that Brazil has many diverse environments including a vast wetland known as the Pantanal which is home to some of the world’s most unusual flora and animals. Brazil’s Northeast region is one of the poorest regions in the country. I was surprised to learn that this area also has a lot of dry land and boasts some of the most beautiful beaches and resort areas including the Praia da Barra da Tijuca near Rio de Janeiro. This helps the economy because it boosts tourism, but the area is still home to many of Brazil’s poorest residents. This is just one example of the wide gap between Brazil’s rich and poor that has plagued Brazil in the last decade. It was interesting to learn that one of the reasons for this gap is because Brazil has only been a democracy since 1985. Since democracy took hold in Brazil, its government has had two impeachments which have led to corruption and economic hardship. Mr. Simoes’ research focuses on another economic problem, the fluctuating price of milk. It was interesting to learn that the price of milk is not controlled by Brazil’s government as it is in the United States. Instead, if too much milk is produced, the price drops dramatically and farmers starve. Mr. Simoes suggested that in order to boost the economy, the government should make it easier for more people to get an education. I did not realize that a college education in Brazil is actually free, but only wealthy students can afford to take the necessary classes and tests to gain admission. Overall, I found the lecture very interesting because I have never travelled to Brazil so it was exciting to see pictures of the beautiful country and learn so much about it. My favorite pictures were of the Amazon Rainforest. One day, I would like to see it in person and see if the pictures do it justice.