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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, useful information pages, classified adverts, services, forum and other pages. So read on and we hope you enjoy the newsletter. As always if you have any comments, such as what you'd like to see more or less of on the site or newsletter, 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 for the whole of Brazil. We are particularly interested in hearing from people outside of São Paulo city, so if you would like to write about your experiences or any topic related to Brazil see our request for "Article Writers" below.
If you're interested to know the origin behind the site name, then read the "Dear Gringo" article here by Dr. G.
Learn, Develop and Succeed with the University of Pittsburgh in Sao Paulo
Ranked #1 in South America and top 5% in the world, the University of Pittsburgh offers an Executive MBA Worldwide Program in Brazil. With 10 modules of study in São Paulo, one in Europe and one in the U.S., the program helps turn high-level professionals into global players. For more information, please email BrazilMBA@katz.pitt.edu or call (011) 5180-3639.
Website: www.emba.pitt.edu
Gringoes.com October Meet Up (São Paulo)
The Gringoes.com São Paulo meet up is only three days away, on Saturday October 14th, at 7pm, at the famous pizza restaurant Margherita, in Jardins (www.margherita.com.br for the restaurant'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 at 7pm, and I'm sure it will be easy to spot the group of foreigners! If not keep shouting "Gringoes! Gringoes!" and we'll find you!
Partners and friends, Brazilian or otherwise, are welcome. Attendance is open to anyone who wants to go along, no tickets or pre-registration are required. You are responsible for what you eat and drink.
Apologies to those who are travelling and can't make it, due to the Nossa Senhora holiday on October 12th. Don't worry though as we're sure to host another meet up soon. 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: São Paulo Entertainment Guide
This week's entertainment guide for São Paulo features a Greek restaurant in Bom Retiro, a modern art exhibition in Ibirapuera Park, 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>>
Teaching English In Brazil Part 19
By Joe Lopes
Continuing from last week here's part 19 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.
Welcome to Chaos!
Going back home after not having taught class really irks me - especially since I have yet to get started on this dumb HBO video. But I really can‘t complain, since I now have the rest of the afternoon to do the transcription.
Hey, what was that? Oh no, the subway has just stopped between stations, and all the lights have gone out! Now the overhead fans have stopped circulating!!! Boy, it‘s really getting hot in here after only a few minutes. What the hell is going on now, anyway?
I feel the subway car lurch forward, and several people are thrown together by accident. Well, we‘re moving again. Must have been one of those five-minute, energy-saver breaks I‘ve heard about - you know, where the city‘s subway lines just sit there on the platform, with no lights, for minutes at a stretch. This is São Paulo‘s radical new solution for energy conservation. Huh, good thing it was only for a short spell.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Brazil: Kite Fighting
By Laurie Carneiro
My husband (Brazilian) and I have traveled to Brazil several times over the 13 years of our marriage and this summer we finally coaxed my parents to come along. I had been talking about my in-laws, the people, the food, the beautiful mountains and coastline, etc. for years and it was a pleasure to introduce them to all things "Brazilian." We started our trip in Sao Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, visiting my husband‘s mother and some of his family. After a few days in the São Paulo area, we drove south into the state of Parana, amazed at how many banana plant-covered mountains we observed along the way. We stayed in Curitiba over night and stopped at the beautiful coastal town of Penha for lunch the next day. In this town we were amazed by the prices of beach-front property (compared to US prices!). We then drove further south into the state of Santa Catarina and visited the city of Blumenau (founded by Germans) and some neighboring towns.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Postcards from Brazil Part 7
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.
It's been a long time since I last wrote about things here, mainly because not a huge amount has changed. In truth life has been starting to settle into a routine.
First, news on the work front. Since the start of August I've been working much more. It has come as something as a shock to the system after a year of doing very little paid work. Currently, I have 3 private students: a university lecturer/want to be UK PhD student, a dentist and an engineering student. The last two were courtesy of a friends of a friend that used to teach here in Belo Horizonte before he decided to move to the city of Vitoria. Many thanks Bruno.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Brazil: Upcoming Events at São Paulo's Grand Hyatt
Here are some of the upcoming events at São Paulo's Grand Hyatt hotel:
Dia Das Crianças
On October 8th it's Dia Das Crianças, that is Children's Day. The Grand Caffe restaurant allows the adults to leave the children celebrating in a special supervised programme, while the adults can go and have brunch. The activities for the children include films, chocolate lollipops and milkshakes, use of a recreation area, games, colouring, and video games.
R$75 per person, not including drinks. Children between 0 and 5 years are free, between 6 and 12 years have a 50% discount.
www.grandcaffe.com.br
Festival de Ostras
Fan of fresh oysters can't miss this: between October 24th and 29th the Kinu restaurant will have various dishes based on fresh oysters. The chef Adriano Kanashiro has created various options for the menu during this week.
R$110 per person, not including drinks.
www.kinu.com.br
Piano in the Upstairs Bar
The Upstairs Bar, starting this month, has live piano music during Happy Hour, and the nights at the bar (from 7pm). Open also on Sundays, the Upstairs Bar offers a menu with many different drink options, aperitifs by the chef Max Casu, and a pleasant atmosphere!
www.upstairsbarlounge.com.br
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Understanding Brazil - The Shower
By Ricky Skelton
One particularly noticeable cultural difference between Brazil and Europe is in the bathroom. As you enter the room for the first time in any Brazilian dwelling bigger than a shack, the first things that catch the eye are the naked electrical wires protruding from a big hole in the wall. The first thought is always "Ah, they must be having some work done in the bathroom". You see a jagged hole with some loose plaster around it and one metal pipe coming out to a (usually) white plastic cylinder. There is at least one of the three wires that doesn‘t seem to be attached to anything, just coolly hanging around, drifting in the breeze, waiting to be soldered onto the cylinder somewhere. There is also another rubber tube extending from the cylinder and varying from 3 inches to 10 feet in length. It has a mini-showerhead at the loose end. It takes a long time and a few visits to different bathrooms to become accustomed to this sight and realise that, no - they aren‘t waiting for the big plastic box of an electrical shower to be delivered and fitted, this is what showers look like in Brazil.
…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
Our interview queue is running dry again, 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.
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Weekly Quiz
Last week's quiz question, from David Long (not David Longman, apologies David!), was: Barra da Tijuca is built up now. In the 1950's you took a country road across a small bridge to get there. What was sold from the bridge? On the Barra there were automobile activities (learning to drive, racing, and loving) and of course beach activities. There was one more activity, later to become famous under JFK. What was it? Clearly a hard couple of questions as no-one had the right answer. The correct answer from David is as follows: Oysters were sold from the bridge. The activities on the bridge were launching
rockets - by our "future scientists" from Escola Americana.
This week's quiz question, from the Gringoes.com staff, (and presumably a very easy one!) is: why was Brazil named "Brazil"? Don't forget to answer both questions! 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 Salvador Boy and was taken by Jason Bermingham (you can see more of Jason's photos at http://www.jasonbermingham.com/photographs.htm). 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. Ideally we are after photos that are of something a little different, not normal shots such as beaches and sunsets. Try to send relatively high resolution images (0.5 Megapixel / 640 x 480 or bigger), and let us know where you took the photo and if you have a title for it.
Tip of the Week
This week's tip comes from Jeremy Clark. Keep duplicate copies of tickets/passport/other important documents. Keep one set in each bag. Also scan the documents and place them as hidden documents on your website, if you have one, so you can access them that way if required. Never lose the entry form that's given to you at the airport when you arrive! When you go out keep a xerox copy of your passport and hotel pass. You can keep this in a small plastic cover to fit in your pocket. Keep some loose Reais in case someone is insistent on a loan!
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.
Brazil: São Paulo Bans Outdoor Advertising
By James Turner
Depending upon who‘s talking, São Paulo‘s new law to ban or heavily restrict most outdoor ads is either a major step to a more attractive city or one that will destroy a thriving business sector and leave the city colorless and grey. The new law takes effect January 1, 2007 and bans the majority of outdoor ads, including billboards, giant video screens and electronic panels. Even the giant Itaú electronic sign atop the Conjunto Nacional on Avenida Paulista is not exempt, though the huge companion digital clock would live on. All offending signs must come down by the end of the year.
The law is part of Mayor Gilberto Kassab‘s "Clean City" campaign. While the city stands to lose approximately R$3 million annually in tax receipts as a result of the ban, Mayor Kassab told the Folha de São Paulo that the "income is small and we‘ll let it go in order to have a prettier city." The outdoor advertising and associated industries see it differently. Raul Nogueira Filho, president of the trade association Central de Outdoor told the Folha that businesses connected with outdoor media are evaluation their options. "We are being pushed toward the courts," he said.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
The Kyoto Protocol: A Brazilian Opportunity? Part 1
By Tim Cowman
"The USA didn‘t sign so we shouldn‘t do anything"
This is the response that I most commonly encounter when discussing the Kyoto Protocol with the average Brazilian businessman. It is a fact that Mr Bush‘s petroleum fuelled political regime did not endorse the International agreement but for Brazilians to present this as reason for their non-involvement in the process is to misinterpret the aim of the protocol.
Research carried out on the exact content of the much discussed treaty will rapidly unveil the presence of various mechanisms that are in place to theoretically assist this country on its stuttering path towards "development". One such method is the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) which in principal is aimed at attracting state of the art clean technology, large scale financial investment and environmentally friendly business philosophy to countries such as this one.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Brazil: Alckmin Hits Lula but Lands No Killer Blow
By John Fitzpatrick
It was good to see President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva facing some tough questioning by his opponent, Geraldo Alckmin, in the first debate between the two candidates for the presidency. Lula had refused to participate in earlier debates and paid the price for dodging his responsibility to the electorate by narrowly failing to win in the first round as he had expected he would. The debate brought Alckmin - skinny, specky and balding - against Lula - stocky, gimlet-eyed and hairy - together in a live televised confrontation. The clinical Dr. Alckmin proceeded to take Lula apart without giving him the benefit of an anesthetic. Alckmin was disrespectful, aggressive, incisive and forceful while Lula was defensive, ill-prepared and uneasy. However, despite his surprisingly vigorous performance, Alckmin failed to land any fatal blow. His style was wooden and his script read as though it had been written by a correspondent to the "Estado de S. Paulo" newspaper, the mouthpiece of Brazil´s moaning middle class.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Brazil Through Foreign Eyes
Meet Carmen Naidoo, from South Africa, who has been teaching English in Rio de Janeiro for the last few months. 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 a 27 year old South African from Cape Town and I have been travelling for the past 4 years. I´ve taught English in South Korea, worked and lived in London for two years and now I am here, hence I don´t actually have a real job as yet! LOL. But I graduated with Business Science Marketing in 2001.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I arrived in Brazil on the 6th April 2006 and am leaving (infelizmente) on the 6th October.
I have always had a fascination with Brazil and wanted to experience the culture of this great country, so I decided to do a TEFL course in Rio and have stayed on teaching ever since.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Brazil: Portuguese Tip - Tudo vs. Todo
By Teacher Claudia
Dear students, first of all, thanks to your comments on my last tip regarding Independence Day. One of them was particularly interesting because of its content and origin. "What is independence anyway?" my Irish reader asked me. Well Erin, I still don‘t know, but I do hope someday I‘ll learn.
About today‘s tip, I have often heard English-speaking students saying things such as:
"Eu fico parado no trânsito tudo dia" and "Tudo comida brasileira tem bastante sal".
Literally translating, these sentences would be:
"I‘m stuck in traffic everything the day" and "Everything Brazilian food has much salt".
Therefore, the proper sentences are:
"Eu fico parado no transito todo dia" and "Toda comida brasileira tem bastante sal".
Perhaps the mistake is due to the many terms in Portuguese related to all and everything. Today I‘ll try to teach you how to differentiate tudo from todo.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Brazil: The House of Coffee Comes Home
By Mark Taylor
There's often the complaint by foreigners visiting the "home of coffee" as to where all those big comfy-armchaired coffee houses are? Presumably it's the thought that the likes of Starbucks developed from some Brazilian trend for kicking back in some relaxed environment while drinking from a coffee cup of epic sized proportions. Whereas the reality in Brazil is that folks tend to sup their coffee in a "padaria" (often a combination of baker, mini-supermarket and coffee bar) while perched on a stool, and usually in a caffeine fuelled rush. That's aside from the coffee here typically being served black, in small quantities, and strong enough to both stand a spoon up in as well as having the ability to strip the enamel from your teeth, if the sugar content doesn't do that first.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>
Brazil: Annual Procedures to Keep Your CPF Number Valid
By Jose Santiago
Every person who holds a CPF number, regardless of whether they are living in Brazil or not, and was dispensed from presenting the regular Income Tax or "Declaracao Anual de Ajuste de Imposto de Renda" in April of this year is required to file a "Declaracao Anual de Isento" known as DAI. This is needed to keep the CPF number in good status, otherwise it can be suspended.
If you are a CPF holder and do not file any of the above declarations for two (2) consecutive years, your CPF will be suspended. For those who missed last year‘s period for the DAI, their CPFs will be marked as "pending regularization". If that is your case, you can have it regularized by paying a fine and presenting some documents at any "Receita Federal" branch office. That can be done personally, although for non-Portuguese speakers, I do not recommend spending the day at a "Receita Federal" because it requires a lot of talking, so go with someone that speaks Portuguese. Nonetheless, the easiest way to solve this issue is having your CPA or your Attorney do that for you.
…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 "What do you miss most about home?" started by the user Alohahoneypie in our "Living in Brazil" forum. The post is discussing the what you miss about your home country.
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
There's been a very slight drop over the last week, and the dollar is now trading at R$2.16, versus R$2.17 a week ago. There's been a more significant drop with the Euro, now at R$2.71, against R$2.75 a week ago. Similarly there's been a more substantial drop with the British Pound, which is now at R$4.00, versus R$4.09 a week ago.
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Classified's
Seeking Brazil Writers
We are looking for writers to write articles for a website focused on
Brazilian real estate in the North-east. The articles are to be about life in Brazil, such as food, culture, destinations, etc. To apply please email your CV and a sample of your work. robh@stantonmarketing.com
Computer Support & Consultancy
Problems with your home computer? Need computer support or consultancy for your business? I can help with IT strategy, hardware selection, install and upgrades, wireless/wired networking, computer crashes, broadband, virus/spyware removal, email problems, ongoing maintenance and more. No call out fee - competitive rates - confidentiality respected - no job too small - no fix no fee. 11 years professional experience. English and Portuguese speaking. Within São Paulo city. Tel. 8505 6428. Email marktaylor@uol.com.br
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