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.


Forum Update

Just to let our forum users know that we believe the forum is now working correctly, as the database has been migrated and the software updated. If you encounter any problems then please let us know. Thanks for your patience!


The Great Brazilian Fruit-Off Part 1

By Ricky Skelton
June 12, 2007
Here is a list of some of the common and not so common fruit you will find while out and about in Brazil. Not all are uniquely Brazilian, but those that aren't I've listed as a comparison with what I'm used to from "home". I've given my own personal score for each fruit as well.
Warning: Those who have visited Brazil will find their mouths watering and feelings of saudade appearing while reading this article. Do not be alarmed.
Cupuaçu 31%
Looks like a huge raw potato hanging from a tree. Tastes worse than one. Comes bottom because I associate it with someone being sick after drinking the juice for breakfast.
Abacate 40%
I love avocado but I don‘t like the way it is eaten in Brazil. As a fruit (imagine that!) with sugar. Better left on the tree for another week or two until it softens, then put it in a salad or make guacamole. Que delicia!
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


How to Know You Are in Brazil Part 2

By Steven Engler
June 12, 2007
Here is the second part of Steven's article, which examines what is uniquely Brazilian. To read the first part click the relevant lick at the end of the article.
There are a number of things that strike me as particularly Brazilian. Many are found in other countries, but the combination is uniquely Brazilian.
The first thing that strikes me about Brazilian restaurants and coffee shops is how people choose to seat themselves. As a Canadian, I like space and I like a view. If I go alone into a coffee shop, I will choose a table that provides a certain space away from other people. Also, if given the chance, I will choose a seat that allows me to stare out a window into the street, people watching, looking at plant life (or snow drifts), checking out the general state of movement... Brazilians go the other way. Whether alone or in a group, they will choose to sit right beside other people, even if that means crowding together when the rest of the restaurant is empty. No one wants to be the first to sit in a room or section that is currently unoccupied (where I would consider that something of a triumph or distinction back home in Canada).
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Walking the Walk

By Bernard Morris
June 11, 2007
The current concern in Brazil, as it is probably everywhere, is crime. Anyone who visits, or lives temporarily, in Brazil therefore should be alert to the sad fact that safety is not guaranteed. Wonderful experiences are virtually guaranteed in Brazil, glorious sights are, experiences of foreverness in a far away place are, but they should be accompanied by commonsense, at least. If one is to believe the people who live in the areas where one is likely to go, one must take sensible precautions. What may those precautions be? What can the foreigner do, or not do, to remain safe, happy, and fulfilled by fabulous Brazil? Here are my common sense precautions:
1. Stay well away from the slum neighborhoods (favelas).
2. If it is convenient, shop, walk, travel with a group, ideally friends familiar with the area.
3. In traffic, keep automobile windows rolled up, doors locked. Never roll the windows down when strangers are nearby or when someone accosts you.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazilian Desert Country

By Hal
June 11, 2007
My first trip into the interior of the state of Rio Grande Norte (RN) was to Caicó, a desert town of about 50,000. For reference: Natal, my brazilian hometown, is on the Atlantic Coast where the country bulges toward Africa; it is the capital of RN.
Twas the Friday before Christmas. My friend Edilma and I travelled from Natal to Caicó in a micro-onibus which seats 14 plus driver and provides door-to-door service; think a FedX for warm bodies. The bus picked us up on the dot of 2:30 and scooted around Natal picking up other folks going home for the holiday. It dropped us off about five hours later at Edilma's mother's casa in Caicó.
Crammed with 7 bulky brasileiros, 5 medium sized ones, a skinny americano and one delightful pregnant mother in her seventh month the bus was cosy. This was holiday time. Where there was no flesh there was luggage and gift packages. These were shoved under seats, piled five bags high in the aisle, and on laps up to chins.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Portuguese Tip: Sounds Part 2 - De & Di

By Teacher Claudia
June 11, 2007
One of my dear pupils has asked me why we pronounce "Denise" differently from "dinheiro", that is the sounds "de" and "di". I did my homework, looking for words with the "di" syllable, and not only did I find that his remark is true, but that it also happens with the "ti" syllable as well! It‘s as if there were a "j" pronounced in words with "di" and "ti". The closest example in English would be "Did you.?" If you join these two words, you may hear the sound my student has cleverly noticed.
Activity 1 - Introduction
Read some common sayings in Brazilian Portuguese.
1. Um dia é da caça, o outro do caçador.
2. Pelo dedo se conhece o gigante.
3. Água mole em pedra dura, tanto bate até que fura.
4. Dinheiro na mão é vendaval.
5. A cavalo dado, não se olham os dentes.
6. Quem não tem cão, caça com gato.
7. Quem ri por último, ri melhor.
8. Quem ama o feio, bonito lhe parece.
…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 corruption in Brazil. Have you ever experienced corruption firsthand, seen it secondhand, or never witnessed it? An interesting result, varying slightly from the previous week's results, with 31% of you not having experienced it personally but heard the stories, and in equal second place with 25% both regularly firsthand and infrequently firsthand.
This week's poll is on medical insurance, a dull but necessary topic. Have you opted for a complete policy, or something no frills, or simply not bothered? 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 Photo

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 question and answers for our fortnightly poll by 27th June, from which we'll select a prize winner. The most interesting topic will win the prize. Next fortnight we'll change the competition topic to something else.
Get a copy of the interview questions by emailing mark@gringoes.com with "interview" in the subject, then make sure to submit your answers before the 30th to mark@gringoes.com with "Competition" in the subject.


Weekly Quiz

Last week's quiz question came from Jacques Allain: The Itaipu Dam on the Paraná river on the Brazil/Paraguay border was finished in 1991 after 17 years of construction, with one of the world's largest hydroeletric plants. Who was the composer so impressed with Itaipu that he wrote a piece of symphonic music with that name? What does the Guarani word ´Itaipu´ mean? Congratulations to Dennis Malone who was first with the correct answer, that is the composer who wrote Itaipu is Philip Glass, and Itaipu means "singing stones."
This week's quiz question comes from David Foot (thanks David!): What was the first cartoon and comics magazine in Brazil? When was it first published? Don't forget to answer both questions! Send your answer to mark@gringoes.com
with ‘Weekly Quiz’ in the subject line.
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 the last fortnight and titled Horizontal Parallels, taken by Leann Good in Paraty. 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 Pat Moraes and is: the recent tip in regards to using your bank debit card or a credit card for purchases in Brazil was correct as far as it went, but the ever wary traveler needs to delve much further into the subject. I didn’t last year when I was in Brazil for three months and when I got home and starting comparing my credit card and bank statements I was upset to find that I had spent quite a bit of money in bank and credit card charges. The following link has very valuable information about the subject, so I won’t try to explain it myself. I will say that this year I made phone calls to my bank, three credit card companies and my investment broker in order to figure out the best deal and I have managed to be here for four months and stay almost free of the charges. I use a debit card from my investment broker for cash advances from the ATM machines and get charged the commercial exchange rate. The investment broker reimburses me all ATM charges assessed by the Brazilian bank and does not charge me any fees. The debit card is a VISA card and they absorb the charge from VISA as well. For my in store purchases, gas, groceries, etc I use a VISA credit card from a company that does not charge a conversion fee and also absorbs the fee that VISA itself charges. It really pays to shop around. Be careful not to get confused and use your credit card in the ATM machine. Cash advance fees run as high as five percent and interest is charged on the amount from the date of withdrawal, with no grace period. http://www.indexcreditcards.com/internationaltransactionfees/
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 Through Foreign Eyes

June 8, 2007
Meet Timothy Bell, from the USA, who has travelled to Brazil several times and is currently working here. 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 an American, from Texas (Dallas). After finishing my master‘s degree in 1983 I went to Europe on an old-fashioned "grand tour" and ended up staying in Germany. I studied for a while at Goettingen University, worked for a number of years as an orchestra musician (violinist), then went freelance as a translator and journalist. In 1992 I landed my present job teaching practical English and American studies at Erfurt University in the German state of Thuringia.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I first came to Brazil in 1995 for three weeks, at the invitation of my Brazilian friend Ricardo, who operates a language school in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. I had a great time and he invited me to come back and teach at his school if I were so inclined. I was, but it took a while. So last October, when I embarked on an 18-month leave of absence from my job in Germany, I went first to Australia and then headed straight for Brazil. I arrived at the end of January, got off to a good start with several days in Cabo Frio, and am now settled in for two semesters in Juiz de Fora. I knew instinctively that it was time for a change, and that Brazil would provide just the kind I needed.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Weekly News Roundup

June 8, 2007
São Paulo Gay Parade
Currently the largest Gay Parade in the world takes place this Sunday (10th) along 4km of Avenida Paulista in São Paulo city. The parade started in 1997 with around 2000 people, grew to over 2 million people in 2005, and 3 million last year. The parade includes a mix of both homosexual and heterosexuals, both involved in the parade and as an audience to it, protesting against racism, homophobia and male chauvinism. Around 1 million evangelical Christians have tried to steal some of the parade's thunder by marching on Avenida Paulista this Friday protesting against homosexuality.
US Pilots Cannot Be Forced to Travel
The two US pilots, who have recently been indicted over the worst air crash in Brazil's history, cannot be forced to travel to Brazil to face proceedings according to the Brazilian Supreme Court Chief Ellen Gracie Northfleet. Northfleet stated that the cooperation agreement between Brazil and the USA does not allow a congressional committee to summon Americans to testify in Brazil. Northfleet suggested that an appeal is made to the Foreign Ministry of the Brazilian embassy in Washington to request the pilots travel. Four Brazilian air traffic controllers have also been indicted over the crash, one accused of intentional manslaughter.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Bringing People Together: Electronic Voyages to Brazil Part 4

By Joe Lopes
June 7, 2007
Here is part 4 of Joe's article, recounting some of the stories he has had resulting from articles he has written. To read the previous parts click the relevant links at the end of the article.
The Fabulous "Feather Game"
Speaking of cultural commentary, I was solicited last June 2006, via e-mail (what else?), by the program events coordinator of Exploris, a local interactive museum devoted to world cultures, to give a lecture on, and show my long-dormant "skills" with (ha!), something called peteca, as part of the museum‘s focus on "inspiring interest in our ever-evolving global society and how it touches [our] lives here at home."
The peteca talk and live demonstration would be concurrent with that of a visiting capoeira troupe, the Abadá Capoeira Raleigh, run by a large, muscularly built fellow called Fabiano Cunha (nicknamed "Mago," in accordance with capoeira tradition), a native of Paraná State in southern Brazil.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Popular Brazilian Expressions Part 8

By Tamashin
June 7, 2007
Here is part 8 of Tamashin's article on popular expressions in Brazilian Portuguese that he has been collecting. To read the previous parts click the relevant link at the end of the article.
141. Nao se deve por o carro na frente dos bois.
142. Quem come polenta, nao arrote peru.
143. Nao se de o passo maior do que as pernas.
144. Quando o gato sai, os ratos dançam.
145. Quem se mistura com porco, acaba comendo farelo.
146. Onde há fumaça, há fogo.
147. Cada caso é um caso.
148. O mundo é dos espertos.
149. O Deus escreve certo por linhas tortas.
150. Um cego nao guia outro cego.
…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 "Buying land close to the beach" started by the user Frazer in our "Investing in Brazil" forum. The post is discussing the issue of buying beach property.
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

Despite a rise earlier in the week the US Dollar has dropped and remains unchanged over the week, at R$1.95. The Euro has dropped to R$2.59 from R$2.63 last week. The British Pound has also dropped over the week, from R$3.89 to R$3.83.