Migration from Brazil to Europe…ain’t what it used to be
A new kind of Brazilian migrant faces their own kind of culture shock
The usual Brazilian migrant used to move abroad to places like Europe or the United States for economic reasons and often illegally. A lack of education was one of the main incentives for these moves and sending money back was the goal. However, recently we have seen a new kind of migration from the South American nation. Highly educated people, who do not subscribe to what the government is doing, are leaving for more open-minded environments. But can they create a new home in the heart of Europe, which often feels too cold for their southern temperaments?
Bolsonaro turned up Brazil’s brain drain by quite a notch after freezing about half of the government’s spending on scientific research in April. “The previous left leaning governments used to run more programs that attempted to stimulate the increase of doctors, engineers and academic research,” Juliana argues. She is a Brazilian woman who moved to Belgium about five years ago to pursue an academic career in the architectural field. Even though Juliana does not consider herself part of this new wave of migrants, she feels their pains. “Europe is equipped with a strong welfare state and emphasizes equality and solidarity more than Brazilian politics, which I value a lot. But I have a different relationship with Europe than other Brazilians. For example, my grandfather felt more connected with Italy than with Brazil,” she explains. During the world cup in 1994, the man was barred from spectating the finals between Italy and Brazil. His family and friends feared any outcome would cause him to suffer a fatal heart attack. “It’s hard to tell whether this connection with Europe made my integration easier,” Juliana says. “I was determined to have an academic career in Belgium. This personal ambition probably had a bigger impact. For most immigrants, they still move because of economic reasons,” she concludes.
For most immigrants, they still move because of economic reasons
The culture shock that these new migrants experience takes place in the little details and nuances of Belgian society. “In Brazilian academic life, we are taught to be extremely critical, to give constant feedback and take harsh criticism as well. It’s a very normal process in the architectural studio to put your work on the wall and receive the input from the community around you. People here present their work in progress as if it’s already a finished product,” says Juliana. “They also have a harder time dealing with remarks,” she adds, “Making comments during someone else’s presentation; that is what made me excel in Brazil. People here were weirded out by that and it created tension. When the time came to present my masters project, no one had any questions or feedback. I felt disrespected.”
Language is the ultimate way to convey culture
“Spontaneity is very valued in Brazilian interactions and people here can be very formal. I talked about this to a few other Brazilian migrants and everyone has different reactions to it. At the same time, we can get offended when new arrivals criticize Belgium in an ignorant way. It shows that we are moving past the shock and are starting to create a new intercultural synthesis. After a while you recognize that you need to adapt and find yourself in transformation limbo. I’m starting to get Flemish culture but I still need a firmer grasp on the language. Language is the ultimate way to convey culture. Until I master Dutch, I can never claim to be fully integrated,” Juliana concludes.
