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. Please note that although we are based in São Paulo, the site and newsletter are intended to be for all of Brazil. If you live in an area other than São Paulo, and would like to write about your experiences there, then see our request for "Article Writers" below. Also if you're interested to know the origin behind the site name, then read the "Dear Gringo" article here by Dr. G.


Brazil: São Paulo Entertainment Guide

This week's entertainment guide for São Paulo features a restaurant in Jardims, an art exhibition at Museu Afro Brasil, 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 an entertainment guide for your city we‘d be interested to hear from you also.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Gringoes.com October Meet Up (São Paulo)

Thanks to all those who replied with their interest in a meet up! We've now set a date for it on October 14th, at 7pm, at the famous pizza restaurant Margherita, in Jardins (www.margherita.com.br for the resaurant's details). Margherita is famous for its great pizza of course, and it also has plenty of space, isn't expensive, is relatively easy to get to, and somewhat central to the city. We'll meet in the restaurant lobby, and I'm sure it will be easy to spot the group of foreigners! As mentioned before, partners and friends, Brazilian or otherwise, are welcome. If anyone has any queries drop us a line at mark@gringoes.com.
If you'd like to organise a Gringoes.com readers meet-up in your town or city then just drop us an email and we can advertise it for you.


Brazil: Free Scottish Country Dance Lessons

Colin Pritchard, member of The St. Andrew's Society, will be giving FREE Scottish Country dance lessons to all. This is in preparation for the St. Andrew's society Caledonian Ball 2006, but all are VERY WELCOME even if you are not going to the Ball. We would love to see you!
Dates:
Wednesday 20th September
Wednesday 27th September
Where:
Drake's Bar & Deck (http://www.drakesbar.com), at the Brazilian British Center (BBC). Rua Tucambira 83-111. Pinheiros - São Paulo
Time:
8pm - 11:30pm.
Open Bar.
Hope to see you there!
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: St. Andrew's Society Caledonian Ball

The St Andrew's Society of São Paulo will be holding their annual Caledonian Ball on Friday September 29th, at Rosa Rosarum in Pinheiros. The Ball is one of São Paulo‘s premier occasions - a wonderful Scottish event with something for everyone. The evening will include pre-ball canapés and drinks, plus a four-course dinner accompanied by first-class wine, whisky and other beverages. There will be Scottish pipe music and Scottish country dancing to Iain MacPhail and his Scottish Dance Band, flown in especially from Scotland. Additional music for dancing will be provided by a DJ throughout the evening.
When: Friday, September 29, 2006 - 8:00 pm
Where: Rosa Rosarum, Rua Francisco Leitão 416, Pinheiros, São Paulo
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: The American Roots Trio - Happy Hour Show

The American Roots Trio will be playing a free show this Friday, September 22nd, during the Bar Martins' happy hour, starting at 6:30pm.
The American Roots Trio is formed by Nashville-trained musicians Rodrigo Haddad and Thiago Farah, and American writer Jason Bermingham. The set list includes the best of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, and other American artists. For more, visit http://www.jasonbermingham.com.
Friday, September 22nd, at 6:30pm (Happy Hour)
BAR MARTINS
Rua Henrique Martins, 483
Jardim Paulista - São Paulo
To reserve a table: (11) 3889-0010
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Democrats Abroad Get-Together (São Paulo)

On Friday, September 22, at 6:00 p.m., Democrats Abroad will hold a get-together in Jardim Paulista to discuss the November mid-term elections for the House and Senate. This will be a fun and informative event with live music by the American Roots acoustic trio after 7 p.m. (no cover charge).
Venue: Bar Martins
Rua Henrique Martins, 483
Jardim Paulista, São Paulo
www.barmartins.com.br
www.democratsabroad.org
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Mossoró‘s Biggest Play on Earth Heads for Guinness Book of World Records

By Lance Bellville
One doesn't immediately associate the Northeastern town of Mossoró with culture, let alone theatre, let alone very big, big theatre but you will if you visit there any time soon. Right now they are headed for the Guinness Book of World Records on 23 September when they premiere Auto Da Liberdade (The Procession of Liberty) the largest community-based theater production in the world - the enthusiastic folks in Mossoró would probably claim in the universe - with an all-paid cast of 2,000, backed by a 600-member chorus. And those numbers don't include the thousands of hands backstage building everything from an outdoor stage - football field sized - to several thousand costumes.
But this is far from the only ambitious venture going in this very ambitious town of about a quarter million. They already lay claim to having the biggest, brightest and best Junina festival in Brazil and they just missed being designated the official "Capital Brasileira Da Cultural" (Brazilian Cultural Capital) this year and don‘t bet against them snagging it next year.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Doing Business In Brazil: Part Three - Starting Your Business

By Robert Eugene DiPaolo
I‘ve learned many things from spending time and doing work in Brazil, most importantly that Brazil is not the USA. While this is obvious, I say it because it‘s easy to forget. If you spend all you time comparing things in Brazil to how things are in your own county, you‘ll end up feeling frustrated most of the time, rather than enjoying the things that are truly great about Brazil. So, while dong business in Brazil can be hard work, the rewards can be great if you are willing to take the time to understand how things work there, and learn to adapt to a different set of rules.
Let me give you an example. Driving in Brazil is nothing like driving in the USA. In fact driving in Brazil can be down right chaotic by comparison. Sometimes it seems as if there are no generally accepted rules of the road by which you are expected to drive. It‘s like playing a video game. It‘s an adventure in which you never know what is going to happen, and which requires your complete attention and absolute vigilance. But, having learned to accept how things are, and to adapt, rather than being frustrated by the reality that driving in Brazil is not the same as driving in the USA, you can come to appreciate the experience of driving in Brazil, and to treat every drive as an adventure, which it usually is.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Article Writers

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.
We are particularly interested in hearing from people who want to write about areas other than São Paulo. If you are unsure about a topic then drop us an email or a draft article. Send your articles or any questions to gringoes@gringoes.com with "articles" in the subject.


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 if we can get sufficient interest. For details of how to donate your books then please contact gringoes@gringoes.com with "Book Donation" in the subject.
A special request: we've had an offer of around 200 books from a Gringoes.com reader in Belo Horizonte, but we are unable to get the books to our office in São Paulo. If any readers are travelling between São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, and are able to help with transport, then please contact us at gringoes@gringoes.com


Gringoes Poll

Unfortunately there's no change in the poll this week until we can resolve if there is an issue with the database system.

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 have mistakenly received this message, or would no longer like to receive mail from us, then please reply to this email with the word 'take out' in the subject line. If you are unsubscribing because the newsletter doesn't meet your needs then please let us know how we can improve it.

Weekly Quiz

Last week's quiz question, from John Fitzpatrick, was: Irishman Sir Roger Casement was hanged by the British authorities as a German spy in 1916. He was knighted for his activities in Brazil. Why? Congratulations to Angel Juarez who was the first to reply that it was for work with the British Foreign Office that highlighted exploitation of the Putamayo Indians in Peru.
This week's quiz question, again from John Fitzpatrick, is: which archetypal Englishman who made his fame as a cricket commentator began his career in Santos? Send your answers to mark@gringoes.com with ‘Weekly Quiz’ in the subject line.
Thanks to all those who've been sending quiz questions, we've built up our reserves a little but more are always welcome! Do 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

The photo of the week is Travelling Bar and was taken by James Campbell at Canoa Quebrada, Ceara.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. Please make sure your photos are of something a little different, not normal shots such as beaches and sunsets (although we do know we posted one this week!). Please also make sure they are relatively high resolution images (0.5 Megapixel / 640 x 480 or bigger). Also make sure to tell us where you took the photo and if you have a title for it.


Tip of the Week

This week's tip again comes from John Milan. If you're planning to live in Sao Paulo, you might consider going "car-less". My wife and I managed to live "car-free" for nearly 10 years while we were there. We chose apartments close to the metro (subway) and relied on taxis to get us to more distant places, as well as rental cars for the weekend. This actually proved to be both environmentally friendly and economically feasible.
Is there something you wish you had known while travelling, or something that makes life easier while living here in Brazil? Then share it, and let our readers know. Don't worry about the subject, it can be either a big or small piece of useful information. Send your tips to mark@gringoes.com with ‘Tip of the Week’ in the subject line. This was the last tip we've been sent, so please send more!


Brazil: Adventures in Portuguese

By Ed Catchpole
I can really sympathise with the writers on this website like Stephen Latham and their struggle to learn Portuguese.
I can now speak Portuguese fluently (except on Friday nights) but it was a long hard slog to learn and fraught with disaster, and now after 7 years I‘m ready to share some of these faux pas with all you Gringos.
One of my most memorable blunders with the Portuguese language took place in a busy shopping centre. My Brazilian wife Sandra and I were out Christmas shopping and she asked me for suggestions about what to buy her father.
I happened to know that he really likes a Portuguese wine called Periquita, so ever the helpful husband I shouted up to Sandra on the busy escalator.
"Eu sei! Seu pai gosta muito de Periquita!"
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Election Time! Part 2

By Mark Taylor
We contine with the second and final part of Mark's article on the election in Brazil. To read the first part click the link at the bottom of the article.
The PRONA party's advertising arguably falls into the more ridiculous category. Due to the small size of the party their advertising time used to be just seconds in length, so their party leader in an attempt to do something different and catch attention would just shout his name "Meu nome é Eneas!", which was about all he had time for. This tradition has followed, although the time allocated has increased, and more party members have got television time. One of their party members appears to be a rather sweet and attractive young lady, at least for the split second before she emulates her party leader and starts screaming "Meu nome é...!", and continues with the rest of her spiel. Her particular advertisment seems to end with a stifled giggle, and you wonder how many takes it took to capture. Another politician using the shock technique, Havanir, has had several giant busts made of herself, which are being driven around the streets of São Paulo.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Cachaça and Tubaínas

By Steven Engler
On the one hand, I miss a good bagel and cream cheese...
On the other hand, you‘ve got to love the arroz e feijão (this is the most basic Brazilian dish: as an excellent Brazilian restaurant in Boston notes on its menu, "All dishes are served with rice and beans" - well, most dishes, in certain parts of the country, especially in lower and middle-class homes), farofa, couve a mineira (kale or collard greens), bolinhos de bacalhau (Codfish Balls), mandioca frita, pão de queijo, the doces, feijoada, churrasco, the many northeastern dishes like bobó de Camarão and acarajé (deep-fried black-eyed pea dough balls) with vatapá (spicy shrimp puree).
And, of course, a nice caipirinha (cachaça and lime), Cachaça is made from sugar cane juice (garapa), which is fermented and distilled. You can find excellent aged cachaça, but most Brazilians drink it unaged and straight. It is third in the world in terms of consumption, after vodka and shoju: well over a billion liters are produced each year and almost all of that is consumed here in Brazil.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

Meet Laurie Carneiro, from the USA, who has a Brazilian husband and has travelled to Brazil many times. 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 grew up in Pennsylvania and lived in the northeast for several years. I met my husband (Brazilian) in New York City and we married in 1993. We moved to Florida in 1994 where I currently teach high school English and my husband works for the administration of a community college.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I first visited Brazil in 1993 after my marriage (a sort-of honeymoon) but with LOTS of family! (My husband is the youngest of 12 children!)
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Teaching English In Brazil Part 17

By Joe Lopes
Continuing from last week here's part 17 of Joe's excellent guide to teaching English in Brazil. To read the previous parts click the relevant links at the bottom of the page.
Put It in Writing
The history of the teaching profession is littered with tales of pupils who were either the class pet or on permanent detention. Indeed, not every student you accept will turn out to be a Hermione Granger, or even a Harry Potter, for that matter. Some of them can even be downright ornery at times - and behave more like a Draco Malfoy - while others help make the session pass ever so slowly with their bad manners and disruptive antics (see "Lesson 2" for the gory details).
Since your primary aim will be to teach adult learners, you will need to protect your rights with regard to giving classes. Having a written contract between you and your student is one of the best ways to do this.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


How to Hire a Lawyer in Brazil Part 3

By Jose Santiago
Here is the third and final part of Jose's article, with advice on hiring a lawyer in Brazil. To read the previous parts click the relevant link at the end of the article.
Once I had a client who contacted me to review some title documents provided by his realtor and I noticed that the house, the edification, had not been registered in the Real Estate Registry. Later on, I found out that the some of the construction workers were suing the seller and trying to place a mechanical lien in the house due to lack of payment. Not only that, but the governmental fees were not paid by the seller and one of the workers had suffered an accident during construction. Consequently, the seller had not been able to get the proper documentation to register the house and will never be able to do so, until these matters are completely resolved. My client was promptly advised of that and we were able to get their deposit money back after a few threatening letters.
Not only is the property search necessary but also seller‘s searches are a must in Brazil. Once I had a client who was purchasing a mountain house that was registered to a corporation. Seller and realtor provided the buyer with the documentation from the jurisdiction where the house was located, all seemed fine, but when I requested the seller‘s documentation from the jurisdiction where his corporation does its regular business, to my client‘s surprise, the corporation had many lawsuits and was on the brink of bankruptcy. My client was then notified and after filing a lawsuit, the seller returned the deposit money to the buyer.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Postcards from Brazil Part 5

By Stephen Latham
This is a series of articles written by Stephen which date back to May 2005, and recount the transition of his life from the UK to Belo Horizonte, Brazil. To read the previous parts click the link at the end of the article.
Since returning home, bookshelves have become a recurrent theme. First, I needed to make some simple ones to store my books and other things that arrived just before Christmas. Having finally put everything away, we discovered we have completely run out of storage space in the apartment. Currently there is no room for anything else so we have decided to investigate a remodelling of Eneida's study. In order to have something to show the carpenter (our intentions are way above my carpentry skills), I decided to model it in 3D.
The 3D model building was interesting as it is not something I've done much of recently, and was excellent practice. Although perhaps not the greatest of renders you'll ever see, I am quite pleased with them. I am also hoping to use this 3D modelling as another area I can pursue work in. There are lots of architects and engineering practices in and around Belo so I am hoping that one of them will find my CAD, modelling and lighting experience useful.
…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 "Vaccinations, anyone?" started by the user cjd10 in our "Travel in Brazil" forum. The post is discussing which vaccinations are really necessary when travelling to Brazil.
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

Despite a drop in the last couple of days the dollar has recovered slightly and is now trading at R$2.16, versus R$2.17 a week ago. The Euro has followed a similar trend, now at R$2.74, against R$2.76 a week ago. The British Pound again dropped slightly earlier in the week, but is now at R$4.08, unchanged from a week ago.