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Brazil Through Foreign Eyes
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March 8, 2011
Meet Meredith Noll who has spent over a year in Brazil. Read the following interview in which she tells us about some of her 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.?
I am a project manager and a DJ from New York City. Currently, I live in Sao Paulo. I contribute to a blog call www.thenewsgallery.com, DJ at bars and clubs occasionally, study Portuguese and may begin teaching English soon while I look for something more permanent in the online marketing/web advertising field.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I arrived last February. I was working as a Project Manager in NYC for a financial news company and was very happy when my partner (who is Brazilian) found out that she would be relocated to Sao Paulo. I quit my job and packed our bags!
3. What were you first impressions of Brazil?
My very first impression was that Brazil is very sensual; visually and emotionally stimulating... most of the time in a good way! You will never flatline here.
4. What do you miss most about home?
I miss my family and some friends and the fact that real Ray Ban sunglasses are only 150 bucks as opposed to 600 Reais. The mark-ups here really kill me. I‘m shocked that anyone would pay that much money for a pair of shades, but I guess some people might find it unnecessary to pay $150 to begin with.
5. What has been your most frustrating experience in Brazil?
I hate to sound cliché, but I really dislike the transit situation in Sao Paulo. I think it‘s asinine not to have a train to either or all of the airports if you include Viracopos (Campinas). I‘m astounded that I need to take two buses from Jardins to Berrini/Morumbi and the traffic and pollution created by cars and then the expense of having a car completely confounds me.
I am also uncomfortable with certain elements of classism. It‘s very ugly in my opinion.
6. What has been your most memorable experience in Brazil (specific incident)?
I was in Belo Horizonte a few years ago with my girlfriend. We were staying at her parents house and decided to go to the central market with her siblings. Afterwards, her brother brought us to the coolest street party I‘ve ever attended. Everyone was decked-out, we were buying beer from guys in 3-pieced sequin suits who were carrying Styrofoam coolers and doing an occasional head spin and the street wasn‘t even closed. (And it wasn‘t Carnival, just an average Saturday.) So whenever cars came, everybody danced out of the way and then back! Great vibe. Long story short, when the party ended, we invited a few of our new found friends home with us for cocktails and more dancing. In the end, we realized one guy lived really far away, so we let him sleep over. The next day we woke up with enormous hangovers, thinking the parents might kill us and sort of hoping he might have left. Instead, he was waiting for us to say goodbye and thank you and helping my father-in-law reprogram the remote control for the TV. Sweet guy. He still asks about us and we think of him fondly.
7. What do you most like about Brazil (in general)?
I like the joviality of the people here and the weather. I like that it‘s huge and exciting and it seems like there is always something exceptionally different to do.
8. What is your favorite restaurant/place to hang out here?
I like a small bar in Jardins called Director‘s Gourmet especially when DJ Ulisses is playing there. Oddly, my other favorite place is my gym. It has one of the best views of Sao Paulo. It‘s on the 28th floor of the Hilton hotel in Morumbi and you get a great sense of feeling like you are in an incredibly interesting and thriving metropolis, with helicopter pads on every roof, lots of helicopters flying by, lots of construction an overview of major traffic arteries, the river, the vibrant yellow bridge. You can see for miles/kilometers. It‘s inspiring.
9. Do you have any funny stories/incidents to tell about your time in Brazil?
Lots. can‘t decide which one.
10. What difference between your homeland and Brazil do you find most striking?
I am amazed by the level of patience people have here. I haven‘t been to the DMV (department of motor vehicles) yet, but in the US, bureaucratic places like this are generally a bit hellish - especially in NYC. I‘ve been to plenty of ‘cartorios‘ with lines as long and requirements as many as the DMV, but people are surprisingly nice to you and it makes all the difference. Even my experiences with the Federal Police have been cool.
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?
My pronunciation is good, but I get confused with the gender of nouns. There‘s lots of room for improvement, but I get around pretty easily. Brazilians are tolerant in the sense that if you ask for something incorrectly, they politely correct you and then you learn.
12. What advice do you have for newcomers to Brazil?
Be positive and be open. Most things you encounter here will be much different from what you are accustomed to, but that is not to say they are necessarily better or worse. You will figure it out.
13. What are some things that you would recommend for a visitor to do in São Paulo (or anywhere else in Brazil)?
In the state of Sao Paulo, I recommend a trip to Ilhabela. In the city, I would suggest chopp in Vila Madalena during the afternoon or chilling in Jardins during the day or night. The museums in Sampa are interesting as well. Praca Benedito Calixto in Pinheiros on a Saturday afternoon is generally fun. Also, Trancoso, Bahia is awesome. Rio becomes better and better after every time you go and get to know people there. I love the Mercado Central in Belo Horizonte, and highly recommend a trip to Serra do Cipo. Macacos (Sao Sebastiao das Aguas Claras) in MG and Ouro Preto are also impressive! Riberao da Ilha in Florianopolis is cool, specially if you like oysters. Rent a boat in Paraty! I‘m dying to go to Lencois Maranhenses (Northeast) and Bento Goncalves (South) to take a wine bath and various other places. Lots of great options here!
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:
Marcus Lockwood - New Zealand
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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3/8/2011
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