In May this year I touched down in Brasilia, Brazil’s purpose built capital comprised of multi-lane, winding road networks and curving, concrete building. Having spent 5 weeks doing Portuguese language training in Campinas, this marked the start of my first posting and also my first time in South America.
6 months in, and it feels a good time to reflect on my thoughts so far on life and work in Brasilia.
First things first, I like Brasilia. I’d got used to Brazilians telling me how sorry they were that I wouldn’t be living in Rio, and warning me about the endless roads, scorching sun and soul-less streets. It may not be the post-card image of the pao de acucar that most Brits imagine when thinking of Brazil, but after London, the futuristic architecture, blue skies and alternative entertainment options make a welcome change. It’s a new city still defining itself and a melting pot: first, second and third generation Brasilienses, government staff from around the country as well as a host of diplomats make for an interesting mix.
Brazil also feels further away than I expected. Not only because of the 14 hour travel time back to the UK, but also because of location, size and the issues that people care about. In the UK, most European capitals were reachable on a 2 hour flight, beyond that West Africa and the Middle East could be reached in under 6. UK news is often dominated by events and threats in near-by countries and the impact that they have on the UK – including migration and extremism. In Brasilia, most other Brazilian cities are reachable by a 2 hour flight. The news here covers affairs in faraway places, but often without immediate domestic implication and associated fear.
Finally, understanding the Itamaraty, the Brazilian equivalent of the FCO, has helped me to learn about the UK diplomatic service. Corporate intricacies, such as recruitment, postings and training, define the way in which a foreign ministry works, creates policy and projects itself abroad. In the UK, we sit several competency tests to enter the diplomatic service – examiners analyse behaviours and innate abilities to identify future diplomats. We then start jobs after a two week induction and after two years move abroad. Here, future diplomats pass an extensive and detailed test which requires significant preparation and undergo intense training before entering jobs. Neither way is right not wrong, but produce different diplomats as a result.
I’m still on a steep learning curve, Brazil is not an easy country to understand. So far my work has been Brasilia centric, focussed on Brazil’s foreign policy. Over the next few years I hope to learn more about Brazil’s culture, history and geography through travelling to as many States as possible, getting to know Brazilians from different walks of life and learning to make a perfect caipirinha.