Ning CP#4

On 9/12/13, I met with Ulisses. I took him to a restaurant called Ted’s Montana Grill on Northeast Capital Circle. The last time we met, I told him about a burger that was used bison as the ingredient, as opposed to regular beef. He seemed interested in this so I decided to take him there. Prior to our departure (when I messaged him to confirm our meeting), I told him about the price range, to which he agreed on. Once we arrive at the restaurant, he notices the difference in atmosphere between the restaurant and Brazilian restaurants. If you have never been to Ted’s Montana Grill before, in terms of the atmosphere, a good comparison might be Macaroni Grill on Apalachee Parkway. It seems that in Brazil, restaurants are generally a bit more casual.

When we sat down, I ordered a bison burger. Much to my disappointment, after building up the hype of the bison burger, Ulisses decided to order beef instead. Understandably, the price is a bit high, but the whole point was to experience a bison burger. Anyway, moving on.

We discussed the differences between cities in America and Brazil. Specifically, there were comparisons between Sao Paolo and New York; his hometown and Tallahassee. Growing up in America, it has become commonplace to think you cannot go anywhere without a car. Sure, depending on where you live in the city, there are different buses that have different routes. However, this bus service does not extend itself throughout the city. Our public transportation is not the same as it is in other countries. In Brazil, places are within relative walking distance. If it’s too far, there are buses that will take you across town. In Sao Paolo, there is a metro system, much like New York. Of course, their metro system is not as extensive as New York’s.

We also talked about living costs and conditions of Brazil in comparison to Tallahassee. It seems over in Brazil, minimum wage is about $1 USD. Given an 8 hour workday, you would make only about $8~9 per day, assuming you were given minimum wage. That’s barely enough to buy food. It’s amazing to think how Brazilians are able to live off of minimum wage. When compared to Americans’ minimum wage laws, you would think that perhaps the living costs are much lower. However, that does not seem to be the case. Medical services, such as clinics and hospitals, are only available to those who can afford the premium on the insurances, which are definitely not cheap. Entertainment systems, such as the XBOX 360, are about 2-3 times the amount. When I asked if it was easier to live over there or here, he responded that of course America has better living conditions, but home is home. Also, he lives in Brazil, where everybody is friendly.