Buenas Tardes a todos! As an introduction to the blog, I would like to talk a little bit about Latin America and a little summary into my experience in this region. I d like to invite people to make comments, share information in either Spanish or English. I intend on writing in Spanish as well in order to appeal to a greater audience, and of course because both languages are fundamental to the topic of the blog.
I spent over ten months living in three Latin American countries including Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Sometimes it is easy to assume that Latin America is all the same, however I believe it is very distinct – the way of life, the values, how people are psychically, accents and the economy. I lived in the chaotic sprawling city of Mexico DF, traveled through Brazilian cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and stayed in the heart of the most European Latin city, Buenos Aires. My favorite? This is difficult. Each had their unique beauties, the cheerfulness and colour of Brazilian people, the nonstop energy and noises that infiltrate Mexico City 24 hours a day, or the beautiful architecture and people in Buenos Aires…
All of Latin America is comprised of 21 countries, from North America (considered Mexico), to central, south and the Caribbean including Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The majority of the countries speak Spanish, however Portuguese (Brazil( and French is spoken in the region. There are approximately 568 million people, living on an area of approximately 21, 069, 500 km2 (almost 3.9% of the earth’s surface or 14.1% of its land surface). Economically, combined GDP is at $4.26 trillion US, and expected growth is forecasted at 4% this year. Industries include mining, tourism, agriculture, services and manufacturing however the economic divide is serious. Latin America is considered to be the most unequal region in the world, the World Bank declaring that 25% of the population lives on less than $2 US a day. When I read that, I thought about the modern sky rise buildings situated within walking distance of favelas (slums) that I saw in Sao Paulo.
Many studies show Brazil and Mexico are going to be two of the leading world economies in decades to come. I think it is a great possibility, especially with the growth rates and the announcement of Brazil hosting the World Cup and the Olympics this decade. It brings a lot of attention to Latin America, and that is why I believe it’s a time to focus and invest in the region. Try to build new things, reduce impoverishment and bring a greater good for Latin people.