Watching the 2016 Summer Olympics, I was fascinated by the culture and landscape of Rio de Janiero, Brazil. The beautiful coastlines, colorful art, and the tropical climate showed the vibrant and warm atmosphere of Brazil’s people and their surroundings. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world by area and population and has one of the largest economies in the world. The country’s rich history and breathtaking natural reserves make it the ideal tourist destination and one of the most popular countries in South America. Even though I was aware of the Brazil’s contribution to world tourism, I was more interested in learning about Brazil’s economy and the lifestyle of its citizens. Andre Simores’s talk about Brazil opened my eyes to the modern economy and society in Brazil and how land and climate affect day to day living in the country.

Andre started out by mentioning that the work culture in Brazil is slightly different that in the US. People usually get a two-hour break for lunch during which they go home to have a heavy meal full of rice, beans, and meat, and then return to work. The hot and humid climate in Brazil is not conducive to working outdoors for long periods of time, therefore workers usually take long lunch breaks to cool down before starting work again. Andre works in the agriculture industry mainly with dairy production. His area of expertise deals with dairy supply chains and the diffusion of innovation among dairy farmers and technology. Andre showed us different images of regions across Brazil. The terrain and landscape varied through each of these regions and I was surprised to see how the climate and environment changed from one region to another. While Andre and his family, reside in a hot and humid region, there are wetlands, deserts, and tropical lands scattered all over Brazil. The diversity of Brazil’s land truly makes it one of the most desirable places to visit in the world.