The Brazilians don't have a reputation for being all that intellectual though they're by no means dumb - it's more that their spontaneous nature inclines them more to express themselves through dance, laughter and small talk. Don't expect to get into conversations about philosophy when hitting the town in Brazil.
Brazilians are very comfortable in their bodies and their sexuality and one result of this is the exploding birth rate up and down the country. Whereas the tourist postcards always show a line up of sexy Brazilian girls, the real picture should show teenage girls with babies on each arm. Brazilian guys don't believe much in condoms.
Brazil has some terrible economic and social realities to contend with but the Brazilians themselves are amongst the happiest, most positive people on the planet. They're always ready to laugh or help out and no one can say they take life too seriously.
If they have their beach, their beer, their barbeque and some football or a telenovela on the television then the meaning of life is close at hand. The latter form the bulk of most Brazilian conversation so if the small talk dries up you can always start a conversation about bikinis or tv stars.
The main thing to understand in Brazil though is that the distribution of wealth is one of the worst in the world. The rich live behind guarded walls in gated communities and the poor get by any which way they can. The easiest ways to do that are to turn to banditry, prostitution, drug dealing or even selling their own body organs.
The rich couldn't give a shit for the most part, though you do get some conscientious Brazilians who go to volunteer in the favelas, slums squatting on hills or on the edges of the city. It gets a bit much to be talking about some rich Brazilian's new poodle when there's an old woman three times her age picking up cans on the floor to recycle them for a few extra cents.
Brazilians are a lot of fun but not the most reliable people in the world. They have no concept of punctuality whatsoever and will keep you waiting for hours, something the average gringo in Brazil never understands. People in Brazil also have a hard time saying what they really mean, they're too afraid to bring anyone down by explaining their true feelings.
So whilst it's easy to go out in Brazil and pick up a girl or guy to kiss all night, actually getting to know them cold take years. Mainly because they're not encouraged to know themselves all that well.