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, specifically Rio de Janeiro and the Northeast, 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.


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

A special interview this week with Kieran Gartlan, the owner of Gringoes.com. Kieran has lived over a decade in Brazil and has plenty of experience of what it is to be a foreigner in Brazil, particularly from having owned the web site. Read the following interview where he tells us about some of his 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 Co. Monaghan, in the Rep. of Ireland. I was bitten by the travel bug right out of college and lived for periods in New York, London and Paris, before making my way to Brazil and settling in São Paulo. I graduated from University College Dublin with a Masters degree in Economics in 1990, but have worked at everything from builder to banker, whatever pays the bills. In Brazil I started out teaching English, moved on to translating, worked in banking before finally becoming a financial reporter. I founded Gringoes.com in 2001, but continued in journalism to pay the bills. I currently work for a US agricultural news agency called DTN, reporting on Brazil‘s soybean sector.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I arrived in Brazil in 1994. I had been living in Paris for a couple of years when a friend invited me on a round the world trip. After crossing Europe, Asia and Australia I had planned on spending a few months in Buenos Aires to learn Spanish. I wasn‘t impressed with BA (it was like a poorer version of Paris) and decided to see more of South America. I packed a small bag, leaving most of my luggage in Argentina, and headed for Brazil. Twelve years later I am still here.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: The Great North Road Part 1

By Tamashin
For many readers, the Great North Road relates to the old A1 in England. Here in Brazil, many would see it as the BR101. Its very mention brings shivers to the spine. Men huddle in corners and tell dark stories of pot-holes; of roads like Swiss cheese, bandits and ten kilometre long queues of three trailer trucks stacked high with scrap cars or tyre slicing sugar cane.
"I want to drive North" I said innocently to my Brazilian friends and I was pulled to one side as if I were a child been pulled from the path of a raging bull.
"Taken leave of your senses, have you?" Well no says I. Its just the airports are in turmoil and really I thought it was a good way to get to know Brazil.
I approached several people including those who had driven from Fortaleza and Natal to São Paulo and Rio on a monthly basis. I also looked at all the websites that came up after entering "BR101" into the search engine. Not encouraging. Not a good word to be found and horror stories abounded, enough to put off the faint-hearted.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Choosing a Lawyer in Brazil

By Fabiano Deffenti
Law is one of the oldest professions. Just like medical doctors, lawyers are in a special position vis-à-vis their clients. They are generally told their clients' secrets and invariably are granted powers to act on their clients' behalf.
The beauty of the workings of a market economy is that the supply and demand curves generally dictate price and quality of goods and services. Brazil has over 500,000 lawyers, in an economy the same size as Australia's (which has approximately 35,000 lawyers). So, you would expect to receive great service for an affordable price.
Not so. Intense competition has led to desperation and fighting for any client a lawyer can find (the recent Gol Airlines crash provided a good example of how lawyers can go to any length to get a client). Except for the "high end of the street" lawyers - those who act for large companies and high net worth individuals - many lawyers here are struggling to make a living.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Heitor Villa-Lobos: The Brazilian Bach Part 4

By Joe Lopes
Here is part 4 of Joe's article about the Brazilian composter Heitor Villa-Lobos. To read the previous parts click the relevant links at the end of the article.
Broadway Bound
The sparse operatic content of Brazil‘s foremost musical apologist was indeed cause for much consternation among lovers of great music for the lyric stage.
Apart from his preoccupation with the national consciousness, this absence was likely due to the composer having spread himself thin across the musical landscape through his total involvement in, and complete dedication to, multiple educational and extra-musical projects, such as the Superintendency of Artistic and Musical Education, or SEMA, in 1933; the organization of the Conservatório Nacional de Canto Orfeónico (National Conservatory for Choral Singing) in 1942; and the Presidency of the Brazilian Academy of Music, which he founded in 1945 and served until his death in November 1959.
All this non-stop activity, however, did not hinder Villa-Lobos from composing, which after all came naturally to him, and was considered as normal an everyday function as dining out with friends, smoking Cuban cigars, or shooting pool, his favorite hobby.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Renovating Your Property in Brazil Part 1

By Boris Goldshmit
Most people would much rather go to a dentist then get involved with a renovation project. Yet, the reality often places us in situations where taking on a renovation is inevitable. This article is designed to serve as an introduction to the property renovation practices and prices prevalent in Brazil. We will also look into prices and learn some tips that would allow you to accomplish your goals in time, within budget, and with intact sanity.
Punch through this
Before I came to the United States and had a chance to experience myself the shabbiness and defects of dry wall slap-it-together type of construction prevalent there, I was often amazed by how easily mighty American movie characters were able to punch and crash through the walls. Of course, the mystery had been quickly resolved during my visit to Houston after a run in with furniture piece in my bedroom that when accidentally moved, pierced the wall as if it were made of butter.
Well, it isn‘t going to happen with you in Brazil. Brick and mortar construction with hand-plastered walls is not exactly conductive to the super-human tricks practiced in American movies. While dry wall construction is starting to take off down here, most of the older buildings in Brazil can withstand hurricane-force winds or a all-out brawl involving an American Football team inside without incurring substantial structural damage. The three little Piggies couldn‘t have found a safer place to hide then your average older Brazilian apartment building.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil vs. Argentina: The Buses

By Ricky Skelton
My first long bus journey in Argentina, from Puerto Iguazu to Buenos Aires, was a revelation, especially after seeing some of the local buses, and after having travelled through much of Brazil by bus. Brazilian buses are a plain old long distance coach ride - four seats across, a toilet, stops every few hours, and things stolen (but only with São Geraldo). I‘ve also had plenty of experience of Bolivian buses which is (and perhaps will be) a tale in every journey.
The first shock is the size - double deckers! With only 3 seats across! Despite booking last minute tickets, we bagged the pair of seats at the front upstairs. Fantastic. Settle down, spread out, enjoy the view with your feet up, watch a couple of dodgy films, ah, very civilised. As well as the films, they provide coffee, cold & hot water, sweets, blankets and a pillow. At the pit-stop, there was a three-course meal and ‘champagne‘ laid on, all ready immediately we sat down.
…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, specifically Rio de Janeiro and the Northeast, although other areas as well. 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

Thanks to those who responded to our request for interviews. We've almost run out 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!


Gringoes Poll

Last week's poll was on spending, and what your single biggest monthly expense is e.g. property (rent/mortgage), insurance, or are you lucky enough to spend most on entertainment? It's no great surprise that the biggest cost by far was property, with 47% of the vote. In a distant second and third place are Food (17%) and Entertainment (12%).
This week's poll is on the newsletter itself, and what section you most enjoy; do you prefer the articles, photo of the week, or something else? Of course if you feel something is missing from the letter you can always drop us a line. 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 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.

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Weekly Quiz

Last week's quiz question was from Amy Lima and was: what shape is the layout of Brasilia designed to represent, who designed the shape, and who designed most of the government buildings there? Congratulations again to Michael J. McHugh who was the first to reply with the correct answers of: airplane, Lucio Costa, and Oscar Neimeyer.
This week's quiz question is again from Amy Lima (thanks Amy!) and is: who painted the famous Brazilian modernist painting Abaporu, what does the title mean, and for whom was it painted? Don't forget to answer all parts of the question!
Do you think you can stump the Gringoes.com readers? If so then please send your quiz questions 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 Fish on Ice and was taken by Adua Teresa Benedetti at the Fish Market in Ubatuba, São Paulo state. Click here to see the photo.
Thanks to all those who've sent in photos based on our request, but we can always do with more. So if you have a funny or unusual photo depicting life in Brazil please send it 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 traditional shots of beaches and sunsets. Please 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 Alan, and relates to banking in Brazil: all expats, at least those from the UK, know that banking in Brazil is a rip-off! We are used to free banking, no taxes, no charge for credit cards, and even interest paid by banks if we stay in credit! Well, I am a retired teacher from the UK, and my pension has to be paid into a UK bank. I have to have a banking address in the UK, so I use my son's address and I have a debit card and credit cards from the UK - all using his address. With standing orders etc. he has just to receive statements from the bank and my credit cards, it really looks after itself! I use the Nationwide Building Society as my bank, as their Flexiaccount pays interest, and the card can be used anywhere in the world to withdraw cash without a charge, its unique selling point!. I usually pay for shopping, petrol and restaurant meals with my credit cards - a mix of Visa, MasterCard and Diners, all of which are widely accepted here in Brazil. I have cards which give rewards for using them, and these I give to my son as a thank you for helping me. So, it is possible to bank for free, if you have cash in, or are receiving a pension from the UK, and you don't have to pay a penny - sorry centavo!
We've run out of tips, so a special request to Gringoes.com readers for more! 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.


Around Brazil: I Left My Heart in Arraial D'Ajuda

By Sol Biderman
Arraial D´Ajuda may play second fiddle to Trancoso in terms of jet-set celebrities, but when it comes to cuisine and scenery, there‘s nothing like it.
One of the best places to eat is at the Arraial d‘Ajuda Eco Resort located on one of the best sites in the country, a narrow strip of land between the mouth of the Porto Seguro harbor on Rio Buranhem and the ocean. As a result all the rooms have a splendid view of the palm fringed ocean or the palm fringed mouth of the river. The Eco resort is surrounded by remarkable scenery, in my opinion one of the most relaxing venues in the country. Located 10 minutes from the international airport of Porto Seguro, between the Rio Buranhem and the Atlantic Ocean, one arrives by a small ferry boat. The region provides easy access to Trancoso, Caraiva, Praia do Espelho, golf courses, ecological sites and adventure trips.
The Eco Resort restaurant at the tip of what appears to be a tiny peninsula of land has views wherever you sit - either of the lights of Porto Seguro reflected in the mouth of the river or the palms swaying in the ocean breeze. Carne seca, which is not dry, is a northeastern delicacy, while the filet mignon is enriched with several delicious sauces.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Around Brazil: Adventure in the Pantanal and Bonito Part 2

By Marilyn Diggs
Here is part 2 of Marilyn's article about the Pantanal and Bonito. To read part 1 click the relevant link at the end of the article.
Bonito offers adventure, nature and leisure After a day of hiking, climbing to the top of the highest waterfall in the state (465 ft. or 156 m.) and a savory buffet lunch with typical hearty dishes, we pulled into Bonito, a city of 15,000 that receives tourists from all over the world. Happy with my choice of Zagaia Eco-Resort Hotel, I relaxed in the sauna, jacuzzi and heated pool before relishing a mouth-watering dinner buffet with regional and international cuisine. The hotel‘s open-air architecture gives a light, unobtrusive-to-nature presence. Dining is in glass-sided pavilions with a view of the immaculate grounds - home of toucans, Angolan chickens and other birds whose fancy plumage look like they are playing dress-up.
Ambiental Expedições, my touring agency, was efficient, informative and punctual. I was sure that my 3 days would be as well spent as in the Pantanal. The affirmation came with a feast for the eyes: a visit to the Blue Lake Grotto (pictured left, by Ricardo Rodrigues) whose interior is gothic cathedrals formed by stalagmites and stalactites that ends in an aqua blue pool. Later, I hiked around a 328ft/100m deep sinkhole, alive with its own emerald vegetation, where red and green Macaw parrots returning at day‘s end, swoop and glide in the open abyss.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Understanding Brazil: Sworn Translations Part 1

By José Henrique Lamensdorf
Almost Everything You Wanted to Know About Certified/Sworn Translations in Brazil
1. What is a sworn translation in Brazil?
It is a translation that is legally valid for presentation to Brazilian public sector authorities. In other words, it officially mirrors in Portuguese the contents of the original document it was translated from. It can be called either a Certified Public Translation or a Sworn Translation.
A sworn translation is issued by a professional duly certified as "Tradutor Público e Intérprete Comercial" (Public Translator and Commercial Interpreter) by the "Junta Comercial" (Business Registering Agency) of his/her state of residence in Brazil, in compliance with the rules and guidelines established for such a translation. Such professional is popularly called a "Tradutor Juramentado" (Sworn Translator), though the term is not official in some Brazilian states.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Press Release - Alexandre Schwartsman Interview

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva´s long-awaited package of measures aimed at boosting Brazil´s sluggish growth rate to 5% a year is unlikely to succeed, according to Alexandre Schwartsman, the former international director of the Brazilian Central Bank and chief economist for Latin America of ABN AMRO. In an interview with the Brazil Political Comment site, Schwartsman described the package as "much ado about (almost) nothing" and criticized it for relying too much on government spending. Schwartsman thinks Lula should put more faith in the Public Private Partnership program which involves the private and public sector. "Congress spent a good couple of years putting together the Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework to deal precisely with this sort of problem. The consensus is that the project finally approved does offer the required guarantees for both public and private sectors, which reduces the need for direct government intervention. Moreover, when it comes to infrastructure investment, there are also considerations about regulatory uncertainty that, if addressed, could raise the perceived return for these investments without any need for direct intervention."
Schwartsman also reveals that he is more confident than the market consensus over prospects for GDP growth this year but less optimistic on interest rates. He also believes Brazil may obtain investment grade by the end of 2007 or early 2008 and discusses his time as a voting member of the monetary policy committee, the Copom, and how he helped Brazilian companies overcome bureaucratic obstacles to invest abroad.
Read the full interview at www.brazilpoliticalcomment.com.br
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Weekly News Roundup

Northeast River Diversion to Go Ahead
Plans to divert the São Francisco river are likely to start next month, according to officials. The R$4bn project has courted controversy, including a hunger strike from a Catholic bishop, over significant environmental damage. The promise is to bring drought relief to around 12 million poverty struck Brazilians, although there have been cries of corruption due to support of wealthy farmers.
Final Body Found in Metrô Collapse
The final body has been found and removed from the collapse of the São Paulo Metrô station construction, 2 weeks ago. This brings the total number of deaths to seven. The collapse also damaged several local homes beyond repair, and these have been demolished. A victim's family have already agreed compensation for an undisclosed amount from the construction consortium (Via Amarela), although no other deals have been reached. The construction consortium are still blaming heavy rains for the collapse, although the São Paulo state attorney's office has cited possible issues with the construction quality.
…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 "Why am I still alive in the bathroom (2)" started by the user Cary in our "Living in Brazil" forum. The post is discussing the messy topic of toilet paper usage in Brazil.
If you have a recommendation for Post of the Week then send an email to mark@gringoes.com with "Post of the Week" in the subject.
Note that foul language and abusive posts 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 dropped slightly again this week, and is now at R$2.12, down from R$2.13 a week ago. The Euro has dropped slightly also, currently at R$2.76, versus R$2.77 a week ago. The British Pound has also dropped over the week, and is currently at R$4.17, compared with R$4.20 a week ago.