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.


The American Society of São Paulo

Are you an expat - American, British, German, French, or other - living in São Paulo? Join the American Society and enjoy our expat get-togethers (pub nights, hiking trips, eggnog parties, etc.) as well as our monthly 16-page Forum magazine, while helping contribute to the Society‘s community assistance programs in the city. AmSoc is great way to meet new people: families and singles. We are a civil, non-profit association with no political or religious affiliations. To join, visit www.amsoc.com.br.


The Scottish Country Dancing Club

The St. Andrew Society of São Paulo cordially invite you to join their Scottish Country Dancing Club which meets on a selected Monday night each month. This month the meeting is at 8pm, 16th April, outside Drake's bar.
Where: Brazilian British Center - Foyer outside Drake's Bar. Rua Ferreira de Araujo 741, Pinheiros. When: 8pm 16th April
Dress: Casual. www.standrews.com.br


Cricket World Cup at Drake's

If you're in São Paulo and want to catch up with the Cricket World Cup you can do so at Drake's Bar, Rua Ferreira de Araujo 741, Pinheiros.


Brazil: Nova Jerusalem‘s Passion Play

By Lance Belville
A Great Experience If Your Faith And Your Feet Are Up To It Like just about everybody else in Brazil who reads, or watches TV news, I have been hearing about the Passion Play at Nova Jerusalem, Pernambuco, for years. And like all but about two million Brazilians-give or take a few thousand foreigners-I had never been. This year I went and discovered it‘s worth the trek 180 kilometers west of Recife to see this spectacle. In its 40th year, it lives up to its hefty reputation and maybe even exceeds it.
Since this is a lot about spectacle, let me go over the numbers. The Nova Jerusalem Passion play runs from the Saturday before Holy Week to the Saturday before Easter. Each night an audience of between 7,000 and 10,000 pour in. This year President Lula, Pernambuco Governor Eduardo Campos and 2,000 of their most intimate friends and hangers-on, saw a special pre-run performance, basically, a final dress rehearsal. Reportedly, the President was moved to tears, although who is to say whether a politician‘s tears are emotional or electoral.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Understanding Brazil: The National Anthem

By Ricky Skelton
Brazil has the world‘s worst national anthem. It is official. After exhaustive research (involving watching World Cups and international football for a lifetime), I can declare that the Hino Nacional Brasileira is the worst. Even worse than the Star Spangled Banner of the USA. There is such a thing as a good national anthem - the French have La Marseillaise, the Scottish (unofficially) Flower of Scotland, both almost tear jerking, even for a foreigner. When a stadium of Welsh sing Land of My Fathers, it makes the the back of my neck shiver. These ones, and others, tell you a little about the people and their culture. But the Hino Nacional Brasileira is terrible, even worse than my own place‘s God Save The Queen.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Press Release

Brazilian ADRS are the most traded on the NYSE says Reginaldo Alexandre of the Association of Capital Markets Analysts and Investment Professionals, APIMEC
SÃO PAULO: April 9, 2007
Foreign investors´ interest in Brazilian companies has not only stoked the current boom on the São Paulo stock exchange, the Bovespa, but has also increased interest in ADRs traded in New York. Reginaldo Alexandre, vice president of the Association of Capital Markets Analysts and Investment Professionals (APIMEC) says Brazilian companies are now leading the ranking of ADRs and that Petrobras is the highest traded ADR of all companies. In an interview with the Brazil Political Comment site, he said: "Two years ago Brazilian ADRs came fourth but they have risen in the ranking. Between January and October 2006, a volume of US$214.9 million in Brazilian ADRs was traded compared with US$195.4 for UK companies and R$106.360 for Chinese companies. By comparison, Japanese ADRs were in ninth place. That´s a pretty impressive achievement." Alexandre also discusses the success of the Novo Mercado, which highlights better corporate governance practices, and provides some tips on promising sectors.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

Meet James Weed, from the USA, who works in Brazil. 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.?
My name is James Weed, I live in São Paulo. I'm from Philadelphia, PA, USA. I'm the Lead Mechanic on the Goodyear airship, frequently seen above São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I first came to Brazil in November 2000 to work as an aircraft acceptance inspector for my then employer, Mesa Airlines, at the Embraer Factory in São Jose dos Campos. Basically I made sure that my company was not buying a defective aircraft, from chipped paint to leaking engines. I did this for two years, inspecting approximately 15 airplanes. I decided that I liked Brazil enough to move here and give English lessons in Vitoria, ES. I began working here in São Paulo in December 2005 with the Goodyear Airship.
…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

This week's poll, continued from last week, is on flying in Brazil. Have you been affected by the strikes over the recent months, or been trouble free? So far 36% of you have been affected once or twice, with 30% unaffected, and 10% many times. 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.

Competition! Submit a Poll Idea

There's another chance to win our regular fortnightly competition, with a prize of a R$150 voucher for the Tabu Restaurant located in the Sonesta Hotel, in São Paulo.
To win the prize this fortnight you need to submit a poll idea for our fortnightly poll by 25th April, from which we'll select a prize winner. Make sure to choose something imaginative and/or interesting. Next fortnight we'll change the competition topic to something else.
Send your photos to mark@gringoes.com with "Competition" in the subject.


Weekly Quiz

Last week's quiz question was from Laize de Lima and was: when was the first official football game in Brazil, and who were the teams? Laize's answer is again at odds with some of our replies, and is in São Paulo on 18th October 1901 in Rua da Consolacao. The teams were São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Thanks to Jacques Allain who replied that the first football game in Brazil was played by teams formed by Englishmen living in São Paulo on 14th April 1895. The Brazilian national football team played its first game against the Exeter City English club, in Rio de Janeiro, and won 2 nil, on 21st July 1914. In its first official game (against another national team), Brazil lost 3 nil to Argentina, in Buenos Aires, on 20th September 1914.
This week's quiz question comes from Luciane Conceicão (thanks Luciane!) and is: name the writer of children's stories and the TV programme shown in the 1980s adapted from his stories. Don't forget to answer both parts!
We've run out of quiz questions, so a special request for some more! 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 our competition winner from this fortnight, titled Keep on Truckin' and taken by Martyn Wells. 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

Our tip of the week comes from Ethan Munson (thanks Ethan!) and is: getting cash out of ATMs in Brazil can be a challenge for foreigners. Most bank's ATM machines are not connected to the international bank networks, even when they have stickers with international logos like Cirrus. For example, 3 years ago in Porto Alegre, I had to visit 3 different Banco do Brasil branches in order to find an ATM that had both an international connection and some cash inside it. I have found that the machines at HSBC (a British bank with branches throughout Brasil) are consistently on the international networks. Citibank is also good, but has few branches even in the biggest cities. ATM withdrawals also give the best exchange rate. My credit union only charges 1-1.5%.
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: Weekly News Roundup

Flight Chaos Caused by Strike
More chaos affected air travellers starting at the end of last week with a 24 hour strike by air traffic controllers. All 67 of Brazil's airports were affected and closed for take offs, although flights were allowed to land. It took several days for the delays to clear and airports to return to normal. Air traffic controllers were protesting against a decision to transfer top workers to other cities, and military commanders wanted the protestors arrested. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva intervened though and asked for a deal to be brokered, although later described the strike as "irresponsible".
Military to Relinquish Control of Air Traffic
The Air Force issued a statement last Saturday that it would release control of the air traffic control system to a new civilian agency, allowing higher salaries and more flexible working arrangements. The air traffic control system has suffered from various problems in the last few months, including controller strikes and equipment failure.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Portuguese Tip: Regularity of Verbs

By Teacher Claudia
Dear readers, today we‘ll see a delicate topic, the regularity of verbs in Portuguese. When my first Australian student asked me about that, I wasn‘t prepared to answer. He and his question were the first sparks to guide me in a new and challenging journey: the study and comprehension of my mother-tongue, in order to be a real teacher. His doubt made me a student again, learning about my work, my teaching and my goals. He changed my life.
If I may give you a tip, this is it: ask. Ask teachers, friends, family, co-workers. Ask everyone, all questions you may have. Who knows, you might change someone‘s life, too.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Theater, the Brecht of Life: The Influences on Chico‘s "Modern" Street Opera, Part II

By Joe Lopes
"The Play‘s the Thing!"
The significance of Bertolt Brecht‘s groundbreaking theories from the twenties and thirties on the burgeoning Brazilian theater of the mid-fifties to late sixties cannot be overestimated.
Indeed, his works have had a lengthy history and influence in the land of samba long before Chico ever wrote a note of the song form.
As well, his dynamic views on the art and substance of the theater have spread across most fields of human endeavor, beginning of course with the European stage.
As one of the acknowledged architects of "epic theater," Brecht‘s revolutionary ideas about his craft-put into practice worldwide upon his early death in 1956-revolved around, among other things, the complete destruction of all pretense and illusion.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Cida - A Brazilian Entrepreneur

By John Fitzpatrick
Most workers in Brazil work in the informal sector. The country´s leading expert in labor issues, Professor Jose Pastore, estimates that 60% of the workers in the private sector earn their living informally. This amounts to 46.5 million people. This system means that workers have no social security or basic rights and that the state is deprived of revenues. These informal workers cover a wide range of jobs and situations. Some, such as domestic maids, have fixed hours and pay and may spend decades with the same employer but, as they are not registered with the Labor Ministry, they are outside the system. Others, such as farm laborers, frequently work in such miserable conditions that the law regards them as being akin to slaves. Others live from day to day, selling snacks or pirated CDs or even themselves on the streets. Of these informal workers, Professor Pastore estimates that 45% work for themselves - that is around 22 million people. This article presents one of these self-employed people, a woman called Cida whom I spoke to as she was working on a busy bus route in São Paulo´s Avenida Nove de Julho. I doubt if every word she says is true but I am inclined to believe most of her story
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Around Brazil: João Pessoa Part 5

By Tamashin
Here is part 5 of Tamashin's article about João Pessoa. To read the previous parts click the relevant links at the end of the article.
We didn‘t spend all our time in restaurants. In fact, we stayed in a self catering apartment which means we had to use the local supermarkets. The nearest to us was a Pão de Açucar, which I found to be incredibly expensive, not offset by the huge range of food available. I put this down to the fact that we were in the tourist area. However, I found two other "Pãos" and noted the 24 hour supermarket was even more expensive.
Nose to the ground, I found a Bom Preço which advertised a comparable weekly shop as R$65 cheaper than Pao de Açucar. It was indeed cheaper but it depended on what you were buying and of course it could be R$65 cheaper here in JP but how would it compare to our little town in Minas?
…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 "American Employment in Brazil" started by the user orangevip in our "Queries on Brazik" forum. The post is discussing about finding employment 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 risen slightly despite a dip earlier in the week, currently at R$2.04, compared with R$2.03 a week ago. The Euro has shown a slight rise to R$2.73, from R$2.71 a week ago. The British Pound has shown a similar trend to the US dollar, and risen slightly to R$4.02, against R$4.01 last week.