Today was a change in scenery as we commenced the technical visits. We spent a significant in the Sambadrome, learning about one of the top schools that participate in the Carnival. Frankly, I only thought of this festival as pretty costumes and amazing dance moves but the intricacies and level of dedication required to bring this event to life is astronomical. Not only are the participants volunteers, people are traveling across states to develop the costumes by hand!! Their business model of recycling or repurposing materials is a huge undertaking but this certainly saves them a significant amount of money. Another aspect I never considered was the broadcasting, which represents a huge source of revenue as millions tune in. Although this is not on a scale of the World Cup, I can imagine how much ad revenue could be generated during this time period. However, thinking past this as a business, the consistent execution and dedication that has preserved Carnival over the years is only I would wish for every nation.
After the tour, we dined at a buffet and the moose dessert was the die for! Definitely a highlight of this trip so far. Afterwards, we went to the UNIFESP campus, which was largely deserted due to the ongoing strike; however, we learned about the construction for a new facility (fingers crossed it opens on time). We then learned about Brazil through various topics ranging from health care to public policy. In terms of similarities to Canada, both countries boast about their universal and public healthcare; however, with long wait times for procedures, I would be interested to see if there's an increase in private-public partnerships offering citizens more options. Another interesting fact were the different social programs aiming to boost participation in education. Similar to Canada, young people who may not view higher education as a viable option are provided a chance to change their living conditions. Although the numbers in terms of wealth and health are vastly different, Canada and Brazil may not be that different after all.
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