Introduction

Welcome to the Gringoes.com email newsletter!
This newsletter pulls together some of the articles, photos, polls and other information that has been published on the Gringoes.com web site over the last week or so. Don't forget to visit the Gringoes.com site to checkout our article archive, information pages, classified ads, services, forum and other pages. So read on and we hope you enjoy the newsletter. As always if you have any comments don't hesitate to contact us at gringoes@gringoes.com. Also if you're interested to know the origin behind the site name, then read the "Dear Gringo" article here by Dr. G.


Article Writers

As an added incentive to article writers we are offering books (in English or Portuguese), courtesy of Booklovers.com.br, to be distributed to the authors of the best articles we receive in the next month. Note that the articles must be exclusive to Gringoes.com, so cannot be published on other sites. Also note that the prize must be collected within São Paulo city.
Are you a "Gringo" (foreigner) living in or travelling around Brazil with experiences you would like to write about, or with advice to offer? Are you a Brazilian who would like to explain about Brazil to foreigners, and help give advice on what to do, and where to go? Perhaps you just write a frequent blog about Brazil, and would be interested in publishing some of this on our site. If you are interested in writing an article, or series of articles, or posting your blog content on Gringoes.com we are interested in hearing from you! Don't be shy! All we ask is that the articles are focused on Brazil, will be of interest to foreigners either travelling or living here, and are written in English. If you are unsure about a topic then drop us an email or a draft article. Unfortunately we can't offer payment for any article, but if you offer a service or have a website we can give you a free plug within the article. Send your articles or any questions to gringoes@gringoes.com with "articles" in the subject.


Brazil: São Paulo Entertainment Guide

This week's entertainment guide for São Paulo features a restaurant in Jardims, an art exhibition in Luz, this week's recommended film release, and a roundup of some other upcoming events.
If you have been to a restaurant, club, park, museum, or anywhere else in São Paulo that you would like to recommend to other readers in future Entertainment Guides then don‘t hesitate to contact us!
Also if you are a bar, restaurant, or night club owner (or hosting any other form of event that might be of interest to foreigners) that would like to be reviewed by Gringoes.com, as well as appearing in our entertainment guide, please contact us to arrange a visit. If you would like to submit a weekly entertainment guide for your city we‘d be interested to hear from you also.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: St. Andrew Society Quiz Night

What? Quiz Night
When? Wednesday, June 28th at 8:00 pm
Where? Drake´s Pub, Brazilian British Centre, Ground Floor, Rua Ferreira de Araújo 741, Pinheiros. São Paulo.
Why? Come and join us for a beer and some trivia. We´ll have lots of great prizes for the winning teams, but most of all, it will be an evening to visit with friends and meet new people. There will also be a raffle with proceeds to go to children´s charities in São Paulo.
How much? This one is totally free, so everyone can afford to come. No excuses!! No reservations needed, just show up on the 28th ready to play.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: A Recycled City Part 1

By Mark Taylor
A recent programme in the National Geographic series Megacities focused on São Paulo, and some of the surprising efforts underway to not only save the city from all the rubbish it produces, but in recycling, and recycling research. For those who haven't had a chance to see this interesting programme here's a summary of some of what goes on around the city.
When you have around 20 million people, depending how you define São Paulo city, in one of the largest cities in the world a never ending problems is going to be rubbish, and where to put it. Everyday the city generates 14,000 tonnes of garbage. For many years this was just placed in open dumps which became magnets for rats, disease and of course people. People who made their living from groping through other people's garbage.
Bandeirantes Landfill
That which motivated the growth of São Paulo, money, is what is now proving a motivation for doing something worthwhile with the rubbish. Bandeirantes is one of the world's largest landfills, but also a power plant. Prior to being a landfill Bandeirantes was an empty valley, the size of around 175 football fields. Now the valley is filled with layers of trash, around 5 to 8 metres high, sandwiched by layers of soil (currently a total of around 30 million tonnes). The layers of trash produce a nasty and foul smelling byproduct, leachate. To prevent contamination of the underlying soil by the leachate the whole valley is lined with a vast polyethylene blanket, 5 millimetres thick and impenetrable.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: The Romance of the Copa Brasil Part 2

By Tim Cowman
Here is part 2 of Tim's article. To read part 1 click the relevant link at the end of the article.
A decent sized crowd had turned out for the tie, though were dwarfed by the overpowering concrete structure. The lack of fans could be explained by the fact that Gremio can be found in the state of Rio Grande do Sul a seven hour flight south of Teresina. That‘s some away trip for a domestic competition and Brazil is definitely not a place for Dennis Bergkamp to play his football. Premiership sides in the UK still don‘t fancy traveling to lower league grounds for fear of a giant killing but imagine having to cover over 4000 km to play against a side never previously registered with the CBF(Brazilian FA) in a city famed as the hottest in Brazil. Due to the distances involved an innovative approach has been introduced to the competition with the bigger team always having to play away first and if they win by two clear goals then a replay is not required. So Gremio had a large incentive to get the job done and Piaui, if they kept it respectable, could earn themselves a big day out.
Whatever rules were in place the local side looked up against from the moment the draw was made but matters were made ten times worse when five players withdrew the day before the start of the match due to a disagreement over finances. There was a rumor racing through the terraces that the subs bench was made up entirely of local lads picked up off the streets. In the week following the game this was reveled to be true as it turns out on the morning of the game local trials were held across the city and the lucky players selected.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Interviews

A big thanks to those who responded to our request for interviews, which has restocked the queue for the next few weeks. We are always interested in more though, so if you would like to be in our Brazil Through Foreign Eyes, or Foreigners Through Brazilian Eyes series please send us an email. As you can see it doesn't matter if you're a foreigner to Brazil, or Brazilian, we're still interested to hear from you. The interview series is a fascinating look at how real people are enjoying Brazil, and equally how Brazilians really see foreigners. They also give various tips on what to see in Brazil, and how to survive here.
The interview itself is a set of around 15 easy-to-answer questions, and ideally we like a digital photo of you as well we can place with the interview.
So if you're interested, don't be shy, send a blank email to mark@gringoes.com with "Interview" in the subject. We will then send you the questions, and instructions on how to complete. We'd love to hear from you!

A gentle reminder to those who have been sent questions. Please don't forget to complete and return them!


Book Donations

If you are leaving Brazil and/or have any unwanted books, and are happy to donate them, then Gringoes.com would be glad to receive them! We are considering setting up a book club for Gringoes.com readers.


Gringoes Poll

This week's poll, continued from last week, is on that difficult to avoid topic of the football World Cup. Which team do you think will win? Will it be the perennial favourite Brazil, or will another team make it to the fore? No great surprise that far ahead in the lead so far is Brazil, with 66% of the vote. In second place is Other with 12%, and third is England with 10%. If you haven't yet voted go to our homepage and look for the poll in the left-hand column.
If you can't stand our poll ideas and have better ones, or are curious about some aspect of the Gringoes.com readers, then send your ideas to us at mark@gringoes.com with "Poll Idea" in the subject. If we choose your poll you will get a credit in the newsletter, as well as the satisfaction of seeing what the answers are!

Please send this email to anyone you think might find it interesting. If you have not yet registered with gringoes.com and would like to receive future newsletters click here. If you mistakenly received this message and would no longer like to receive mail from us please respond to this message with the word 'take out' in the subject line.

Weekly Quiz

Last week's quiz question, again from Steven Engler, was: what type of orange is commonly given to Brazilian children, and why? Congratulations to Sônia who replied with: the type of orange usually given to children here is called "laranja lima". This kind of orange is very good for children as it has no acidity and consequently does not hurt kids´ stomachs.
This week's quiz question, again from Steven Engler, is: what is the name of the famous Brazilian sweet, made from sweetened evaporated milk, butter, and chocolate powder melted together? And why is it called that? Don't forget to answer all parts of the question!
Send your answers to mark@gringoes.com with ‘Weekly Quiz’ in the subject line.
Also if you have any ideas for a Weekly Quiz question (help, we need them!), and you think you can stump the Gringoes.com readers, then please send them to mark@gringoes.com with ‘Weekly Quiz Ideas’ in the subject line. Don't forget to send the answer to the question also! Remember it needs to be relatively difficult, and not something that can be found from a simple Internet search.


Photo of the Week

As an added incentive we are offering the book "Fernando de Noronha, Ilhas A Fortunadas" for the best photo, judged by Gringoes.com, received between now and July 15th. "Fernando de Noronha, Ilhas A Fortunadas" is primarily a photo book covering the islands, and has both English and Portuguese text. The book is provided courtesy of Booklovers.com.br. The photo of the week is Fruity and was taken by Jack at the Mercado Municipal in São Paulo. Click here to see the photo. If you have a funny or unusual photo depicting life in Brazil please send to gringoes@gringoes.com with ‘Photo of the Week’ in the subject line.


Brazil's Big Spender

By John Fitzpatrick
It‘s easy to spend other people‘s money as you will know if you have ever had an expense account. However, it‘s a different story when someone else is spending your money. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been doing a lot of this recently and leaving the taxpayer and future generations to foot the bill. He has just approved wage increases ranging from 5% to 20% for 160,000 public service workers at an estimated extra cost to the public purse this year of R$1.4 billion (about US$636 million). Lula‘s generosity may stem from his deep-seated feeling that these workers and pensioners deserve their increases. On the other hand, it may be connected with the upcoming presidential election and be nothing more than a massive bribe to win the votes of those who benefit from his generosity at other people‘s expense.
When Lula makes speeches, he often mentions the days when he was still a metal worker and how he and his wife had to scrape by. They could only buy things when they had saved enough money to do so, he claims. He then says that the country should do the same and spend within its means. This was how Margaret Thatcher, another politician with a simplistic view of the world, used to talk but Thatcher actually put her words into action.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

Meet Ann White, from the USA, who has travelled to Brazil several times over the last few years. Read the following interview where she tells us about her most memorable experiences from Brazil and gives some useful advice to newcomers.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from, what do you do etc.?
I'm from the United States, a native Texan but schooled in Oklahoma. My degrees are in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and the Bible. After I graduated from college, I lived in Japan for a year teaching English in their public school system. I'm transitioning out of that and testing the waters to see if the next chapter of my life could be in Brazil.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I first went in summer (May-July) of 2001 with a mission group that teaches English. I spent the majority of my time in Campinas, SP. In 2002 I went on the same program, again to Campinas. In 2004 I spent a month visiting friends and working with churches around the state of São Paulo. I'll be returning in June for several months to do language study and visit friends.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: The Stunning Abstracts of Renata Rosa

By Sol Biderman
The art of Renata Rosa is inspired by the sea, the palms, the lush vegetation of the islands and the colonial setting of Parati without any of the da kitsch that can be seen by amateur painters on Sundays in the Trianon Park in front of the MASP.
Renata Rosa chose Parati for its inspiration, its calm yet sophisticated life, its historical treasures, declared an international heritage by Unesco, a town that is charming without being quaint. And quaintness is a term that can never be applied to the stunning art of Renata.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Blog: Fishing Trip Part 2

By Gringo Blogger
By way of introduction I'm a foreigner who's lived in São Paulo city for a few years. I came here for romantic reasons with the hopes of finding a job, like many gringos (only to find out that getting work in Brazil is a near impossible task). So I'm not your typical wealthy gringo. Thankfully I am now working part time in a great job, but am still on the Holy Grail-like quest of finding full time work. I married my girlfriend early last year, so have some idea of the highs and lows of a multicultural relationship.
In my blog I'm just documenting some of the day-to-day events that happen to me, amusing or not, to give an impression of what it's like for a gringo living in the bustling metropolis of São Paulo, and Brazil in general. It's at times also meant as a tongue in cheek look at gringo life, so shouldn't be taken too seriously.
To read part 1 click the link at the bottom of the article.
So we had our early start, and I noticed some food and drinks were being packed. Presumably it wasn't going to be such a short trip. Then we picked up my father-in-law's brother and friend on the way, which I wasn't expecting. Ah, so I wasn't going to get the chance to bond so much with my father-in-law. Also, there was more preparation to be done. First we stopped at what appeared to be an allotment, that is a special area for people to grow vegetables, away from their own house. The brother's friend, I'll refer to him as Mr. Loud, was very chatty and by far the most animated of the group. When he found out I was English of course the questions started. It's a double edged sword being a foreigner, as you become an instant source of interest once your gringo-yness is announced, but it can often lead to you becoming a source of amusement as well (they're laughing with you of course, not at you).
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Teaching English In Brazil Part 7

By Joe Lopes
Here is the seventh part of Joe's article about teaching English in Brazil. To read the previous parts click the relevant link at the end of the article.
First Class of the Day
The bus ride to the Centro (downtown) is a long but uneventful one, and that‘s always a welcome sign. I walk over to the PriceWaterhouse building, register at the reception area, grab my crachá (visitor‘s badge) from the security desk, and go upstairs to my classroom, which is on the fifth floor.
It‘s 7:30 a.m., but no one‘s showed up yet. That‘s no surprise. It was as early for the students as it was for me, but I usually tried to arrive for class before they did. It doesn‘t look good for teachers to be late as it shows a definite lack of respect or seriousness of purpose on their part. Students, however, can always be fashionably tardy.
Ten minutes go by, and then Lúcia appears. She‘s a teaching colleague of mine who lives just minutes away by subway, but can never seem to get to class on time. As she stifles a yawn, we talk about our respective weekends. After another minute or two, a few stragglers finally come forth to fill up the classroom, which is really more of a conference area.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Discussion Forum

If you've not had a chance yet then pop over to our web forum, register, and start joining in the discussion about Brazil. There are many forum areas such as Living in Brazil, Teaching English, Visas and Documentation, and even a place to Vent Your Frustrations! There's also a forum which allows you to comment on Gringoes.com, either with your views about past articles, areas of the site, or to make suggestions for future articles and content.
Each week in the newsletter we will choose a Post of the Week to give you some idea of what's happening in the forum, and a good thread to visit and read. This week we recommend the post "Sick of the World Cup already " started by the user slrman in the "Vent Your Frustrations" forum. The post is about the Brazilians and football, and how it can be a little frustrating.
If you have a recommendation for the best Post of the Week then send an email to mark@gringoes.com with "Post of the Week" in the subject. On a serious note, foul language and abusive posts made in the forum will not be tolerated. The forum is intended to be a constructive and lighthearted place for discussion about Brazil.

Forex

The US Dollar has risen slightly again against the Real this week, trading at R$2.28, compared to R$2.26 last week. The Euro has dropped slightly against the Real, and is now at R$2.87, down slightly from R$2.89 last week. The British Pound has risen slightly, and is now at R$4.20, up from from R$4.19 a week ago.