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Brazil Through Foreign Eyes
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January 22, 2011
Meet Marcus Lockwood who has spent several months in Brazil. Read the following interview in which he tells us about some of his most memorable experiences and gives some useful advice to newcomers.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from, what do you do etc.?
My name is Marcus Lockwood. I am originally from Hamilton, New Zealand and am currently working in Administration in Brisbane, Australia, and hope to return to Brazil soon for Rock in Rio 2011 and the Olympics.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I travelled to Brazil in August of 2009, and stayed for 3 months. My main motivation was to learn Portuguese.
3. What were you first impressions of Brazil?
Big. Beautiful and a bit confusing.
4. What do you miss most about home?
The safety and less extremity.
5. What has been your most frustrating experience in Brazil?
Communication. Fortunately I can understand just enough Portuguese to survive
6. What has been your most memorable experience in Brazil (specific incident)?
The kindness of strangers who don‘t have much, but are willing to offer a lot. Lost in Sao Paulo one day I walked into a restaurant in an area I was told specifically not to go to. Within 5 minutes of talking to the staff, and them of course straight away figuring out I am a gringo, they were all begging me to come back and eat there. They explained to me that some of them work 2 or 3 jobs just to survive, and they would love to be able to do what I do. It was a magic day.
7. What do you most like about Brazil (in general)?
The friendliness of everybody, even if they don't understand English.
8. What is your favorite restaurant/place to hang out here?
There are a lot of good restaurants. I was spoilt for choice, especially in Sao Paulo.
9. Do you have any funny stories/incidents to tell about your time in Brazil?
Talking to people who live very simple lives in the favelas.
10. What difference between your homeland and Brazil do you find most striking?
Extreme beauty, and extreme poverty.
11. How is your Portuguese coming along? What words do you find most difficult to pronounce/remember or are there any words that you regularly confuse?
It is what it is. I don‘t stress that I cant speak it fluently. My Brazilian friends who don‘t speak English like me a lot more because of this I think. They also know they can hold a basic conversation with me, as long as they don‘t speak too fast!
12. What advice do you have for newcomers to Brazil?
Learn Portuguese! Without this I don't think you will enjoy yourself, and remember Portuguese is a different thing to Spanish. Also come with a very open mind. You will see a lot of things that are very different than where you are from.
13. What are some things that you would recommend for a visitor to do in Natal?
Don‘t stay in one place the whole time. Every Brazilian from all across the whole country will tell you their part of the country is the best, and they are all correct. Every place has its own charm.
You can contact Marcus via marcuslockwood@hotmail.com.
Are you a foreigner who has lived in, or is living or travelling in Brazil? Are you a Brazilian who has a lot of contact with foreigners and/or lived outside of Brazil? Are you interested in telling your story? If you would like to volunteer for our interview series, or if you would like to recommend someone, please send a blank email to gringoes@gringoes.com with "Interview" in the subject. We will send you the interview questions by return email.
To read previous interviews in the Brazil Through Foreign Eyes series click below:
Mike Smith - UK
Jonathan Russell - USA
Jan Hillen - Belgium
Jeff Eddington - USA
Arne Rasmussen - Denmark
Rod Saunders - USA
Don Fenstermaker - USA
Ken Van Zyl - South Africa
Angus Graham - UK
Anne Morddel - USA
Jessica Mullins - Switzerland
Evan Soroka - USA
Mary de Camargo - USA
Brendan Fryer - UK
Aaron Sundquist - USA
Jay Bauman - USA
Alan Williams - USA
Derek Booth - UK
Jim Shattuck - USA
Ruby Souza - Hawaii
Stephan Hughes - Trinidad and Tobago
Louis van der Wiele - Holland
Drew Glaser - USA
Barry Elliott - Canada
Joel Barsky - USA
David Drummond - Canada
Liam Porisse - France
Jim Kelley - USA
Max Ray - USA
Jeremy Clark - Canada
Don Fredrick - USA
Jase Ramsey - USA
Ben Pearce - UK
Nitai Panchmatia - India
Johnnie Kashat - USA
Jeni Bonorino - USA
Eric Jones - USA
Bill Martin - UK
Bernard Morris - USA
John Graves - USA
Deepak Sapra - India
Alison McGowan - UK
Brent Gregory - USA
R Dub - USA
Tara Bianca - USA
Jack Hurley - USA
James Woodward - Canada
Tony O‘Sullivan - Ireland
Anna Belavina - Russia
Jim Kirby - USA
Linda Halverstadt - USA
Michelle Monteiro - USA
Chris Mensah - UK
David Sundin - USA
Stephanie Glennon - USA
Julien Porisse - France
Hans Keeling - USA
Jim Adams - USA
Richard Murison - USA
Will Periam - UK
Jan Sandbert - Sweden
Jim Jones - USA
Mike Stricklin - USA
Edward Gowing - Australia
Adrian Woods - USA
Kevin Raub - USA
Pierpaolo Ciarcianelli - Italy
Zachary Heilman - USA
David Johnson - Bermuda
Cipriana Leme - Argentina
Timothy Bell - USA
Patti Beckert - USA
Timothy Bell - USA
Paul James - USA
David McLoughlin - Ireland
Pat Moraes - USA
Richard Dougherty - USA
James Weeds - USA
Tom Sluberski - USA
Peter Kefalas - USA
Sylvie Campbell - UK
Kathleen Haynes - USA
Matt Bowlby - USA
Alan Longbottom - UK
Eric Karukin - USA
Eddie Soto - USA
Kieran Gartlan - Ireland
Bryan Thomas Scmidt - USA
Emile Myburgh - South Africa
Bob Chapman - USA
David Barnes - USA
John Milan - USA
Chris Coates - UK
Matthew Ward - UK
Allison Glick - USA
Drake Smith - USA
Jim Jones - USA
Philip Wigan - UK
Atlanta Foresyth - USA
Lee Gordon - USA
Carmen Naidoo - South Africa
Lee Safian - USA
Laurie Carneiro - USA
Dana De Lise - USA
Richard Gant - USA
Robin Hoffman - USA
Wayne Wright - UK
Walt Kirspel - USA
Priya Guyadeen - Guyana
Caitlin McQuilling - USA
Nicole Rombach - Holland
Steven Engler - Canada
Richard Conti - USA
Zak Burkons - USA
Ann White - USA
Monde Ngqumeya - South Africa
Johnny Sweeney - USA
David Harty - Canada
Bill McCrossen - USA
Peter Berner - Switzerland/Brazil
Ethan Munson - USA
Solveig Skadhauge - Denmark
Sean McGown - USA
Condrad Downes - UK
Jennifer Silva - Australian
Justin Mounts - USA
Elliott Zussman - USA
Jonathan Abernathy - USA
Steve Koenig - USA
Kyron Gibbs - USA
Stephanie Early - USA
Martin Raw - UK
Sean Coady - UK
Hugo Delgado - Mexico
Sean Terrillon - Canada
Jessie Simon - USA
Michael Meehan - USA
Thales Panagides - Cyprus
Tammy Montagna - USA
Samantha Tennant - England
Ron Finely - United States
Bob Duprez - United States
Peter Baines - England
Youssef Bouguerra - Tunisia
Van Wallach - USA
Lesley Cushing - England
Alexander von Brincken - Germany
Hank Avellar - USA
Ed Catchpole - England
Penny Freeland - England
Yasemin de Pinto - Turkey
Amy Williams Lima - USA
John Naumann - England
Marsye Schouella - Eygpt
Rita Shannon Koeser - USA
John Fitzpatrick - Scotland
Liam Gallagher - Northern Ireland
Lorelei Jones - England
Adam Glensy - England
Tommie C.B. DeAssis - Japan
Aaron Day - Canada
Graham Debney - New Zealand
Silke Tina Tischendorf - Germany
Tanya Keshavjee Macedo - Canada
Frank de Meijer - Holland
Carl Emberson - Australia
Kim Buarque - Wales
Damiano Pak - South Korea
Jonas Helding - Denmark
Pari Seeber - Iran
John Milton - England
Ken Marshall - Australia
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1/22/2011
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