One of the first pieces of information we were given through EAP (our abroad program) was a warning about Brazilian bureaucracy. This warning came in the form of a 15 page long packet with instructions detailing how to apply for a visa. Including a step-by-step guideline of how to fill out the form online exactly, warning us that we would face dire consequences if our parents names were not written exactly as how they are on their birth certificates.
After two nervous breakdowns and three trips to San Francisco over the course of a week to get my visa, I foolishly figured the worst was over.
When I was given my visa, the woman at the consulate warned me to guard the two papers she had stapled to my passport with my life. It turns out, there was another step in the process of making sure I was staying legally in Brazil, only this part could only be completed while in Brazil.
During our first orientation we were told that we'd be sent in shifts to register with the Federal Police. We were told to expect an all day affair, leaving campus at SIX AM, and they could make no guarantees as to when we'd be back. My first thought was, wow, the Federal Police must be out in the boons and take a while to get there. Of course not. It's at the airport (?), a mere twenty minutes away. All day to register with the police? Welcome to Brazil.
After enduring the 6 am shuttle ride (I don't think I've been on a bus here that has any shocks to speak of, I've been known to catch some air if the driver is feeling particularly aggressive while making turns or speeding over potholes) and spending a solid five hours waiting for my turn to get my papers stamped, I figured it was over. Great!
So now I'm registered with the police, because, naturally foreign exchange students are the ones that Rio should be worrying about.
Only that's not all - we're now expected to go to a bank, fill out some paper work, and then go to the one store in Rio that can give us our "CPF" (and I don't even know why we want or need a CPF, except that apparently without it we can't get the equivalent of a Safeway card at the local grocery stores. Ok...)
Brazilian bureaucracy exists in almost all forms of daily life in Rio. If you go down to the local suco (juice) stands, there are approximately 45 barriers between you and your delicious suco de abacaxi. First you pay at this strange register located in a remote corner of the store, then you're given a receipt, then you hand that receipt to someone who hands that receipt to someone, who maybe brings you your suco. If you're lucky.
It's not to say that I don't totally love it here, and appreciate Brazil for it's little oddities, but sometimes I just want to talk to one person instead of explaining to four in pidgin Portuguese that I'd like my drink "sem açucar."
dude, bad call posting this. the 1% daily increase i usual have of my sureness that i'm coming dropped by like 10% today. but i mean, it makes sense that they would do all of that, you're pretty damn sketch. also a sem acucar suco de abacaxi sounds absolutely delicious. i was at whole foods today and there was a thing of acai for like $20 (SO over priced) and i thought of you and the acai you were telling me about. that im sure is much less than $20. you're good at blogging (im sorry, i dont know if i just insulted you) do it more. LOVE YOU, themefiend (bahahah).
ReplyDeletehahaha noo, you just have to register with the federal police if you're gonna be here for an extended period of time! and the visa drama was because you also have to bring hella stuff if you're doing a student visa. stop making excuses for why you shouldn't come!
ReplyDeleteOH and you can get a giant cup of acai for the equivalent of about $1.50. so there's that too.
told you sura! or, i told my self because i didn't want to belive 2 days of a ten day trip would be spent at the feds.
ReplyDeletealso, you are good at blogging. and it is providing me with a LOVELY excuse not to study. also, more pictures please.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteWow. I actually just Google'd the name of my blog "The Adventures of Brazilian Bureaucracy." Never knew I would see so many blogs with the same name or posts that shared a common name. I just started mine recently because I felt EXACTLY the way you did. Check it out sometime - "http://brazilbs.blogspot.com"
We still live in two different worlds (standard of living) but the same insane bureaucracy!