This is a bit out of the blue but something I have been thinking about for months. I just want to share how nice Brazilians are, that is to say, the majority have manners and are considerate of others. It's as though chivalry is not dead and the average person tries to look out for others, especially the old, the young, the sick, and yes, women. This is still in stark contrast to the inability of Brazilian society to truly care for those in need (heart-breaking poverty and homelessness), but this doesn't negate what people do try to do to be kind.
Rio had a local hero known as the Kindness Prophet who was reputed to be crazy and went around painting murals everywhere - freeway underpasses, empty walls, etc. The Prophet walked around in a white tunic, had a long beard, and had renounced material goods in his mission to promote kindness and simplicity. His murals are mostly words in green and yellow, phrases imploring people to be kind to eachother, embrace nature, and peace. The most famous, "Gentileza Gera Gentileza" means "Kindness generates kindness". After he died, many of the murals were painted over by the city, to the outrage of citizens, but an NGO has since repainted some of them. Lots of people in Rio have shirts with this saying on it.
So this gentileza shows itself in many ways, and does seem to be to have an infectiousness. People here are quick to thank you, say good morning, beg pardon, etc. Whenever you are forced to stand on a bus (they're crowded), people sitting will offer to hold your bag for you so it doesn't flop around while Sr. Busdriver takes turns way too fast. Colleagues at lunch will actually sit down to eat lunch together and wait for one another to finish. There are special espress lines at supermarkets for the elderly, mothers, etc. I could go on, but will go to bed instead. Just wanted to recognize the gentileza that's all around.
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