A gold medal for … partying
[00:00.11] Brazilians certainly know how to throw a party –
[00:04.36] but will Rio be ready to welcome over 10,000 athletes and all the international visitors to the 2016 Olympics?
[00:13.88] At the moment, some natives of Rio (known locally as 'Cariocas') aren't too enthusiastic about the Games.
[00:23.90] They know they'll be putting up with a lot more roadworks and infrastructure building before the Olympic torch is lit in the Maracanã Stadium next August.
[00:35.42] Delays in venue construction gave the International Olympic Committee a fright in 2014.
[00:43.18] The government has since cleaned up its act and was praised recently for being ''on the right track'',
[00:50.19] although the challenge of cleaning up the highly polluted waters of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and Guanabara Bay –
[00:58.46] venues for the sailing and rowing competitions – remains.
[01:02.96] Fortunately, Brazil has learnt a lot from hosting the World Cup in 2014.
[01:08.97] Some businesses realised they were missing a trick by not communicating well with their international customers.
[01:16.48] Restaurants now know that using the internet to translate the menu isn't always a good idea: 'bife a cavalo' isn't really 'horse steak' – it's beef with a fried egg on top!
[01:31.01] Security was a key challenge in 2014 – and during the Olympics, the police will be working hard to prevent street crime.
[01:40.53] As with other developing countries, crime rates are high, and visitors will be encouraged to keep their wits about them so as to avoid falling victim to pickpockets or muggers.
[01:52.30] So while the Cariocas are already becoming athletes – by jumping and running across construction sites on their daily commute –
[02:01.56] they know that the Games have the potential to be a great spectacle, they will be able to let their hair down, and international visitors will have a good time in their company.
[02:12.59] Even those Brazilians who have their reservations, know deep down something that others don't.
[02:20.10] An old local saying goes: 'Deus é Brasileiro' ('God is Brazilian'). They hope he will give them a hand to make the games a success.
[02:30.62] And you can be sure that whatever happens – or doesn't happen – Brazilians will show the world why they have such a reputation as party people!
