Yep, that’s right: the year 2014 is already over. Actually, it never had a chance.
Let me explain: the year in Brazil – as in working year – starts once Carnival is over. University courses start, you get work done again, administrations function normally. Kind off…
2014 however is different. First, Carnival was late – only in the first week of March and as it lasts till Wednesday, people spent the remainder of the week on the beach or recovering from hangover. So technically, the year should have started on March 10th.
Only now is the perfect moment to strike (a greve). The federal police is striking and the post, the workers in the harbors, train conductors and hospital workers are joining them in one part of the country or another. Striking – you have to admit it – is an excellent way to spent the time till the Easter holidays in April.
After Easter, it’s already time to prepare a copa – the World cup. Nobody of the right mind down here is expecting to get any kind of work done during the world cup. The days a seleção – the Brazilian team – plays have already been declared public holidays. For all other games, the city in which they are played can also declare a public holiday.
Then comes the winter holidays and afterwards it’s already time for the general elections in October, during which Brazilians are called to vote for the members of parliament in the states and the federal state, senators, governors and of course, the president.
Till the newly or re-elected governments really take effect – fim do ano – end of the year which starts right on time the 24th of December and lasts till Carnival 2015. Or more precisely the Monday thereafter.
I’ll let you do the count.
La puce, die Welt and everything else 