Brazil's Jeitinho

In a country larger than the continental United States, and in many ways almost as diverse, there is one common thread that ties all true Brazilians together: The ability to “dar um jeito.”
   
“Dar um jeito” translates to something along the lines of “find a way” in the sense of finding a shortcut or just a way to get something done.  The more Brazilian you are, the better you can “find a way,” and in Rio de Janeiro in particular the “jeito” is a way of life. 

“Everyone in Brazil knows exactly how to ‘dar um jeito’,” said one Pan Am volunteer to me the other day.  “But we in Rio have elevated the ‘jeito’ to a whole new level.” Whenever you find yourself in a sticky situation, it usually is worth your time to suggest that rather than pay that pesky traffic ticket, or wait for four hours for the next bus, perhaps you could “find a way” around the problem.
   
My theory that the jeito—or jeitinho as it’s affectionally called—was born out of the real necessity to cut through the miles of ridiculous red tape installed by the socialist government and instead find a back channel and do things in a roundabout, semi-legal or sneaky way.

My favorite example involves the ridiculous rule barring one from wearing shorts in the federal police building.  This is a very informal country, where flip flops with heels are considered upscale attire.  But for some reason in exactly one building in the city of Rio de Janeiro, you may not wear shorts.  This is also a tropical country, where the temperature often cracks 100 degrees in the summer and shorts are de rigeur for all but the fussiest of dress codes.  

But this is also a place with delusions of grandeur that date back to their colonial roots (think classical music on public buses--it’s actually quite nice.)  Anyway, the no shorts rule really trips up the tourists who have to go to the federal police building to renew their tourist visas.  In the three months they’ve been in Rio their Portuguese has progressed beyond “give me another beer, please,” but even a native would be stumped to hear the guard deny you entry for your cut offs.  But never fear, this is Brazil. Yes, you can “find a way,” and if you look at the guard closely, she’ll nod you in the direction of the man on the corner, doing brisk business renting long pants out of a shopping cart for $2.50 a pair.  See?  There’s always a way.
   
I experienced tons of these little victories when I was down here last time, usually dealing with saving money. A friend of mine once got out of a traffic ticket by giving the police officer his can of coke.  Why pay your annoying electricity bill when you can just splice your electric cable into the main line that serves your neighborhood?  Heck, there’s even a ladder resting against the telephone pole waiting for you to climb it. Sick of paying for long distance or international calls?  Never fear, some fellow from the phone company probably rigged a phone in your neighborhood to call the Amazon—or even Australia—for free a few hours a day—you just need to find out which one and when it’s working (here’s a hint- look for the phone with the line.)