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.


Understanding Gringoes: Drinking

By Ricky Skelton
June 26, 2007
For those Brazilians who have ever wondered why your gringo friend is usually the drunkest person at a party full of locals, I‘m going to try to offer an explanation, as I know I‘m not the only one to experience this phenomenon. As well as the obvious cultural differences that we gringoes drink to embarrassing levels as a matter of course, there are other factors to take into account.
Important Factor #1 is that we generally like to have a drinking buddy along to accompany us and are never happier than finding some like-minded person to hide in the kitchen and share a bottle with at a party full of strangers. When you are the only gringo at a house party, this can be a little more difficult, especially when speaking Portuguese is still a work in progress.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Dining in Brazil

By Bernard Morris
June 26, 2007
When my Brazilian-born wife and I are in Brazil, dining either with friends or family or in restaurants has always been a pleasure. Our restaurant choices have included expensive and inexpensive ones, those in the food courts of shopping malls in São Paulo, or small ones in small towns. We had one of our best dining experiences in a restaurant along the highway to Ilhabela, one that we learned later is famous for its food and service. It specializes in meats of all kinds prepared in many ways, barbequed and served on a skewer or roasted or fried. Since my wife and I are vegetarians, we could enjoy only the aromas as we feasted on their rich and varied dishes of vegetables, pastas, and fruits, all served with several kinds of bread.
The story of our dining has not been free of some disappointment on my part, I must confess, but only because I become impatient when made to wait long for my meal. In an Italian restaurant in São Paulo, a very fine one, the service was so slow that I asked more than once whether we had been forgotten. No, the orders are coming, I was told. I left the restaurant and walked the neighborhood while my wife and our friends conversed and sipped mineral water. I returned and waited some more. Finally, the dishes arrived, they were delicious, my hunger was satisfied, and we all left satisfied. Patience, I learned once again, is a virtue.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Conquering Cape Horn

By Marilyn Diggs
June 25, 2007
My Chilean Patagonia cruise on the Mare Australis had surpassed all my expectations. We had trekked the glaciers, seen ice slabs disengage and slide into monster fjords, and been almost close enough to hug Magellanic penguins and sea lions. Our inflatable zodiacs had navigated through iceberg-ridden waters on adventures we would someday tell our grandchildren. Even the November weather had cooperated with just random snow flurries and some overcast skies. For me, only one anticipation remained: to step foot on the southernmost island in South America, Cape Horn.
The captain had told us four days earlier when we began our expedition from Punta Arenas, Chile, that landing on Cape Horn depended entirely upon the weather and sea currents. The last three expeditions had not been lucky. It would only take place if Neptune was kind and the captain felt sure of our safety. This would be determined 30 minutes before the scheduled embarkment.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


My First Business Failure in Brazil Part 2

By Stephen Thompson
June 25, 2007
Here is the second and final part of Stephen's story about his business adventures in Brazil. To read part 1 click the link at the bottom of the article.
Another mistake I made was to assume that my mother-in-law would be a good restaurant manager. Doing business with your relatives is always risky, and I found out why: my mother-in-law turned out to have a wicked temper and treat the staff with disdain; as a high-class Brazilian lady, she found their manners disgusting, and frequently cursed them, which did not go down well with our customers.
This led to an argument with my wife; my first instinct was to get my mother-in-law out of the restaurant and hand over management to an experienced member of staff; but my wife did not back me up on this, and she reminded me that under Brazilian law, even though I had put money into business, it was legally half hers. So I had to put up with my mother-in-law as manager until I could find a way to get rid of her.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

June 22, 2007
Meet Katja Zarco, from Germany, who moved to Brazil over a year ago. Read the following interview where she tells us about some of 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 am 31 years old and have been living with my husband Max Zarco, and my son Markus Alan Zarco and my son Christopher Keith Zarco in São Paulo since March 2006. I am from Berlin, Germany, my husband is from Mexico City, Markus is from Mountain View, California, and Christopher is from São Paulo, Brazil. So everyone in the family has a different nationality. It's fun. My husband works for Intel and I started a maid agency here (www.maidinsaopaulo.com), especially but not exclusively, for new incoming foreigners, taking advantage of the 5 languages I speak and of having lived in 4 different countries so far. The rest of the time I spend with my kids and international friends, on service projects (www.onemakesadifference.com) and enjoying the great weather and beaches around here (well, most of the year, not so much at the moment, obviously).
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
March 2006, 7 1/2 months pregnant, and a quick move because my husband accepted a local job here in São Paulo.
…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 medical insurance, a dull but necessary topic. Had you opted for a complete policy, or something no frills, or simply not bothered? Similar to last week's snapshot it seems the majority are risk takers with 43% of you not having a policy, 32% have opted for an expensive policy, and 25% a moderate one. This week's poll is on Brazilian dances. Are you a samba champion, a shuffler, or do you hide in the corner? 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! Interview

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 completed set of interview questions for either our Brazil Through Foreign Eyes or Foreigners Through Brazilian Eyes series by 11th July, from which we'll randomly select a prize winner. To get the question set 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. Send the completed set to mark@gringoes.com with "Competition" in the subject). Next fortnight we'll change the competition topic to something else.


Weekly Quiz

Last week's quiz question came from Michelle Monteiro: there is an expression “warm and comforting like milk from a black mule”. Why a black mule as opposed to a white mule or one with spots? We didn't have any correct answers that tallied with Michelle's which are (a) black mules roast in the sun or (b)there is a famous black mule somewhere in Brazilian history.
This week's quiz question comes from Bevin Power (thanks Bevin!): according to Brazilians, which Saint decides if it will rain or not? 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 titled Marginal in Twilight, taken by Manfred Teubner in São Paulo. 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.


Brazil‘s Catholic Parties in June

By Teacher Claudia
June 22, 2007
Dear readers, should you be in Brazil in the month of June, there are two things to be noticed. One is the color of the sky, of a vivid blue, due to our position in relation to the sun. It‘s winter time here, and this view is just a present, even more beautiful than the summer sky.
The second thing is our typical parties, called "Festas Juninas". Juninas because they only happen in June. They are popular celebrations of three important saints in Brazil: St. Anthony, St. Peter and St. John, and involve several cultural aspects, such as the rescue of homemade foods, old folklore songs, square dances and all sorts of games for children. People usually dress up as if they were from the countryside, wearing a wide straw hat and boots.
Because June is the month of the harvest of corn and peanuts, many of the foods are based on them, and because it‘s Brazil, most are sweets: curau, canjica, pamonha, pé-de-moleque, paçoca...
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Weekly News Roundup

June 22, 2007
More Airport Problems
Problems surfaced again for air travellers this week, reaching a head yesterday when issues with the air traffic control system caused around half of Brazil's flights to be delayed or cancelled. Extra security was required at airports to protect staff from angry passengers. Defence Minister Waldir Pires was forced to return early from Paris air show to deal with the problems.
Monkey Biologist Jailed
Dutch biologist Marc van Roosmalen has been jailed and faces 14 years in prison due to not having applied for a license to keep monkeys. Roosmalen, who was hailed by Time magazine in 2000 as a "hero for the planet", has kept orphaned monkeys in a refuge in the Amazon for several years, along with campaigning to protect the rainforest. It is believed that Roosmalen is a victim of his campaigning activities against logging and soybean companies, who in turn reported him for keeping the monkeys.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Senate Chairman Upholds Tradition of Treating Brazil with Contempt

By John Fitzpatrick
June 21, 2007
At the time of writing we are watching a familiar scene - the chairman of the Brazilian Senate on the verge of resigning after being shown to be unfit to hold the fourth highest constitutional position in the land. Renan Calheiros is fighting to the last to hold onto his power and prerogatives and showing not a shred of shame or guilt for the contemptuous way he has treated the office he holds and the people he is supposed to represent. He is going the same way as some of his predecessors - Antonio Carlos Magalhães and Jader Barbalho - who stepped down over scandals. Since this is Brazil where no politician ever need fear punishment, both these politicians are still active, as is another former Senate chairman (and President of Brazil) Jose Sarney, some of whose activities have also been questionable. Another former President, Fernando Collor, who resigned as he was about to be impeached by the Senate in 1992, is now a member of that very body.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Tamashin‘s Tales - The Rat

By Tamashin
June 21, 2007
I have been asked by several contributors on the Forum to get together a few of my true experiences of living in Brasil and put them on the home page and/or newsletter. Here's my first story.
It was 3.30am in the morning when, all of a sudden, there was an almighty crash from the BBQ area. Talk about a rude awakening!
With thoughts of recent kidnappings and break-ins not a million miles from my mind, I raced through the house to the kitchen area, where I peered through the glass door into the darkness of the BBQ area.
I was confronted by a large rat sitting next to the fridge on its haunches, looking not unlike an old armchair.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Bringing People Together: Electronic Voyages to Brazil Part 6

By Joe Lopes
June 21, 2007
Here is the sixth and final part 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.
We're All Connected
While Fabiano and friends were getting the boys and girls together to join in the capoeira chants and ritual "baptism," I seemed to recall a recent TV special broadcast in my area not too long before this live exhibition. That special, which was shown on the Discovery Channel and transmitted in wide-screen High Definition, was part of the "Discovery Atlas" series of programs devoted to different countries and their respective cultures.
The show I had in mind, "Brazil Revealed," was an excellent two-hour excursion into various aspects of the country's life, among them an all-girl soccer competition in Manaus, an elaborate Carnival presentation in Rio, one of the few women helicopter pilots in São Paulo, a Brazilian-style Easter parade in the North, and, of course, a local capoeira school in Salvador da Bahia.
…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 "Am I cynical or is my gut feel right?" started by the user Gringolatino in our "Romance" forum. The post is discussing whether a relationship is for real, or a gold digger is at work.
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 dip earlier in the week the US Dollar has pulled back a little, at R$1.94 compared with R$1.93 a week ago. The Euro has followed suit and is slightly up over the week at R$2.61, versus R$2.59. The British Pound has also risen over the week, from R$3.85 to R$3.88.