Iowa native: Life in Brazil filled with joyous disorder
Everywhere you turn, criticism of Brazil’s preparations for the Olympic Games abounds.
From the handling of the Zika virus to faulty infrastructure, crime rates or political instability, these themes dominate the news.
As someone who lived in that country, I can attest to the chaos, the frustrating pace and lack of order. Yet at the same time, and perhaps because of it, the people of Brazil display a wonderful sense of spontaneity, community and a joie de vivre that I have not witnessed elsewhere.
Thirty years ago this month, thanks to the help of Lute Olson, my basketball coach at the University of Iowa, I contracted to play for the pro team in Rio Claro, a small agricultural city two hours outside of Sao Paulo. Despite the Southern Cross adorning the night sky, whirlpools spiraling in the wrong direction and the presence of very large insects, I found similarities to Iowa.