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: You Can't Go Home Again... Or Can You?

By Rita Shannon Koeser
August 14, 2007
You can‘t go home again said Thomas Wolf in his famous novel, and many have found this to be true, especially if you have left your land of birth and gone to live in a foreign country. Living in another country can be a broadening and enlightening experience. You leave home and become a different person. But, coming home can be more difficult than the original culture shock you felt when moving to a foreign culture. According to Solange and Fernando Scorsetto, two Brazilians who lived and studied in Princeton, New Jersey, USA for five years, and then returned to Brazil last year, you can go home again, but it isn‘t easy. It takes some adjustment, and you can suffer from "Reverse Culture Shock".
Now, after they had been back in Brazil for a year, I wanted to catch up with them, and see how they were doing, if they were fully adjusted to their new lives in Brazil, and if they had suffered any effects of reverse culture shock.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Judith Lauand - 50 years of painting

By Sol Biderman
August 14, 2007
Individual art show by Brazilian concrete artist
56 paintings from the ?s to 2007
August 3 - September 9, 2007
Curator: Celso Fioravante
Galeria Berenice Arvani
Address: Rua Oscar Freire, 540
São Paulo, Brazil
Telephone.: (55 11) 3082 1927
Gallery hours: 10 AM - 7h30 PM, Monday - Friday
www.galeriaberenicearvani.com.br
Anthological Retrospective
Galeria Berenice Arvani is a bold innovative gallery at Oscar Freire 540 that exhibits the finest quality national and international art. The owner Berenice Arvani has a special knack for selecting leading concrete and other abstract movements including works by Vasareli. In the same quality the Galeria e Arvani is very pleased to present Judith Lauand - 50 years of painting, the gallery‘s first solo exhibition of the Brazilian concrete painter Judith Lauand. Curator Celso Fioravante selected 56 artworks covering her production from the first figurative experiences in the ?s up to her most recent works in 2007.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: What's in a Name?

By Stephen Thompson
August 13, 2007
If you are a gringo and about to have a child with a Brazilian partner, you want to choose a name which sounds good in both languages and in both cultures. This is easier than it sounds, especially for men. Most male given names are used exclusively in one country or the other, and those which are common to both of them have very different historical and social associations in the two countries. To complicate things further, my wife also comes from a Jewish background, so we had to find a name which was acceptable to all three cultures.
Six years ago, when my wife was pregnant with a boy, we lived in Rua Benjamim Egas, and assuming that Benjamin was a popular Brazilian forename, I thought it would be a nice name for our son. It abbreviates well in English and does not belong to any particular social class, whereas children with names like Shane and Wayne are several times more likely to be involved in criminal prosecutions. On the other hand, it blends well into all social classes. I suspect that the reason why Benjamin does not have class associations is that it is old Testament, and therefore a Jewish name, which was one of the attractions to my Jewish wife.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Around South America: Bariloche, Argentina

By Ricky Skelton
August 13, 2007
It was love at first sight. I knew immediately that this was one of those places that will always have a place in my heart, like the Costa Verde, Chapada Diamantina or Lençois Maranhenses in Brazil, just from arriving at the bus station. Even Rio, with all of its treasures, cannot boast a stunning bus station. Not many places can, and certainly not many can compare with Bariloche. On one side of the road you have the terminal and on the other a line of solid, tall pine trees, which help the place to smell as good as it looks. Through the trunks you can see the train tracks, then some more trees and Lago Nahuel Huapi, with an ethereal mist rising from the surface as it reflects the winter sun. The lake is a beautiful dark blue dotted with pine-green islands, while the surrounding Andes point at the sky, showing off their winter coats. What an entrance.
It only gets better too. Snowboarding in the Andes was one of the things that I really wanted to do in South America, because life must be going ok as a gringo away from home if you find yourself snowboarding in the Andes. Sadly, having to work as well kept me away from the slopes too much but I‘ve never worked in a place with a better view than the cabaña on the road to Llao Llao. If I thought Bariloche was special, then Llao Llao even trumps it with the big hotel looking out over two lakes at once. That area of the Andes has distinct weather systems that change drastically from the high desert of the eastern end of the lake to the lushness of the forests just 30km to the west, brought about by the clouds that sit on the highest mountains and spill the rain.
…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, relates to the recent terrible air crash at Congonhas airport. Following this crash, and that a few months ago over the Amazon, do you feel safe flying in Brazil? It's a close race so far, with 37% having voted "Yes, completely", 35% "Yes, more or less", 21% "No, Not really", and 7% "I avoid flying!". 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.

Weekly Quiz

Last week's quiz question came from Jacques Allain: on Sept. 2, 1893, the Santos businessmen Elias Chaves and his cousin Dr. Elias Fausto inaugurated the magnificent 'Grande Hotel Le Plage' in Guarujá, made entirely from imported Georgia pine (it later burnt down and was rebuilt with bricks and mortar). Which memorable event happened there on July 23, 1932? Congratulations to Guy Brown who was first to reply correctly with Alberto Santos Dumont's suspected suicide.
This week's quiz question again comes from Jacques Allain (thanks Jacque!): what did the 17th century Brazilian explorer and 'bandeirante' Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva and a pterodactyloid pterosaur fossil found in Goiás have in common? Send your answer to mark@gringoes.com with ‘Weekly Quiz’ in the subject line.

We've run out of quiz questions so a special request for 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 titled Old Check Point, taken by Taken by Andrea Molnár Szegö in Salvador, Bahia. 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: Weekly News Roundup

August 10, 2007
Airbus Says No Fault in Crash
Following the crash in Congonhas last month, Airbus have analysed the data recorder and said that there was no fault with the A320 plane. Data showed that the brakes functioned correctly, but that a throttle was in the climb position. Both Airbus and the French government have filed a complaint about leaks from the investigation, including the transcript of the voice data recorder from a government commission. It also emerged this week that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's plane is not permitted to fly with a deactivated reverse thruster, although TAM airlines cited it as safe for their planes based on recommendations from Airbus. The government announced plans to replace the head of the airport authority next week.
TAM Post Loss
TAM airlines posted a second-quarter loss of R$28.64 million, against a profit last year of R$133.69 million. It was believed to be caused by an increased operating cost, fuel increases, and increased personnel spending.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Economic Boom - Political Gloom

By John Fitzpatrick
August 13, 2007
I recently went into a big supermarket in a down-market shopping center in São Paulo on a Sunday afternoon to buy a laptop computer. The place was teeming. On one side, families were queuing up at the cash desks with trolleys filled with food and other items. The electronics section, where I bought my computer, was so busy that I had to wait 45 minutes to get a receipt as sales staff were literally queuing up to type in their orders in the sales system. Looking around I saw that customers were buying large, expensive items like televisions and DVD players and smaller things like toasters and irons. Most were paying in installments, taking advantage (if that is the right word) of the credit which is so widely available these days. In fact, if you walk down some streets in São Paulo you will practically be assaulted by people offering credit on behalf of Brazilian and foreign banks. Indicators show that unemployment and interest rates are falling while real income is rising and people are benefiting. Car sales rose to record levels in June and July, for example. On the other hand, the country is stagnating politically and, once again, we are bogged down in corruption scandals which are holding back reforms that need to be made in other areas, such as improving the infrastructure and reforming the political system itself.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

August 10, 2007
Meet Pierpaolo Ciarcianelli, from Italy, who has lived in Brazil for over 20 years. 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 am from Rome, Italy. I am a Real Estate Broker by profession. My hobby is motorcycle mechanics. I am married to an American and together we enjoy cooking, traveling, and studying each other‘s native languages. My wife and I are now selling lots on the coast of São Paulo and building custom homes. We also have several guest apartments at our house that we rent for weekend visitors.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
I moved to Brazil 24 years ago. Needless to say it was very different then. I came here with my father who worked with a large investment company. I was only 18 at the time, and started working in Real Estate almost immediately.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Tamashin‘s Tales - The Chicken

By Tamashin
August 9, 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.
The Chicken
In the 1990s I was working in a favela in Baixada Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro. The streets in the area were all estradas de terror and the drains ran open on either side of the "road". This particular day I had to catch a bus in to the city. As I waited at the bus stop, I watched the chickens running in and out of the open sewers, occasionally pecking at something in the dark, smelly liquid. I watched them for a while and thought "I wouldn‘t like to have to eat one of those, skinny as they were". I ruminated on the point that some people don‘t have that luxury, thinking about what the eggs would taste like etc when the bus turned up.
That evening, when I got back home, I noted that the familiar rice, beans and sausage were conspicuous by their absence. "You‘re going out tonight" said Mamae, a family from the Church had invited us to their home for dinner.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Ask a Brazilian: Flashing Lights

August 9, 2007
I have been to Brazil a dozen or so times, on both business and pleasure. Can you tell me, why do the police drive around with their lights always flashing? I asked a local this one time, and was told 'it is to warn the criminals they are coming'. Please clarify this for me.
Thank you, Frank
Frank, Frank...
This was something I wondered myself until I actually asked a cop about it. He frowned at my question and told me 'only' the cars on duty have permission to drive around with the lights flashing; which means the ones on a 190 call.
Beijos pra você,
V. Bauer
Are there any burning questions you have about São Paulo or Brazil in general, or other issues that you‘re curious about, such as Brazilian culture? If so, send your questions to gringoes@gringoes.com with "Ask a Brazilian" in the subject. We will forward to our Brazilian experts, and publish the best questions (and replies) on the site.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


The Brazilian Beat Goes On: My Own "Best-Of" List of Present-Day Bossa Nova Classics Part 1

By Joe Lopes
August 9, 2007
Usually around the close of the old year, or near the beginning of a new one, top ten lists are eagerly drawn up by writers and critics alike (let‘s not forget the bloggers, please) detailing everything from the best of this or that blockbuster movie to the worst of this or that ludicrous fashion statement.
The pop-record business is no stranger to these hypothetical stocking stuffers, which may or may not include the old "desert island" gambit, i.e. which song or artist would you take with you if you happen to find yourself stranded on a desert island somewhere?
But instead of pushing my own laundry list of items onto the standard format, let me offer a variant to this popular theme: the top ten or more songs, over the course of the last 20 years or so, to have reflected the pervasive influence of the classic bossa nova sound in their makeup or design.
…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.
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 sharply, and is currently at R$1.99 versus R$1.89 a week ago. The Euro has also risen, up to R$2.68, versus R$2.60 a week ago. The British Pound has also jumped, from R$3.84 to R$3.97.