Some ideas...

http://www.cruisingtips.info/brazilianculture.html

Brazilians like to hang out and live near their family, they favour close proximity of they family or extended family (by extended, I mean, in-laws). So, many wouldn´t take a job in another state, let alone move to another country. Others would, but if they were short of money.

Brazilians aren´t so room-conscious as the American people, so you could be easily "accosted" when talking to someone eles, sometimes uncomfortably close. Not to generalize, though.

Tips in restaurants and other commercial places are usually 10%, and this is stated in the bill. If it really goes to the waiter... well, let´s leave it at that!

The cult of the body, as seen in Rio, isn´t seen in other regions of the country. There are people that goes to the gym, etc, but they don´t get worried-sick about losing weight etc.

Brazilians “talk a lot” by way of body, yes, and hand gestures. To the point of sometimes saying something aloud, and other thing (by a wink, for example).

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By some sort of contrast, I will offer some hints to you, starting from the ideas of your Illinois teacher.

Brazilians tend to:
- emphasis on the process (of doing things) and many times the intention counts.

That is, if you do your best and in the best of intentions; even if the result is not a win, you may get some credit or half of it. But this is changing.

-priority on planning and setting goals, but you can adjust to the circumstances all the time, you even expect it to change. For example, in Sao Paulo and Rio expect traffic hinder your coming to work, your travel etc. A project cost will always be changed by inflation and others variables, such as protests, streets blockades, raining and overflowing of rivers, etc.

-tendency to be brief and businesslike

In Sao Paulo, it is like that. Yet, people of other regions may put a call to them, and after the brief conversation with the customer service person, they rung off with the feeling of having being valued as a person. They would want to talk about the weather, the bad back, etc...

In other words, being wholly businesslike is a bit of a put-off to most clients, they want to be called “a special client”, don´t matter if this is true or not.