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.


Brazilian Music in Translation

By Stephen Thompson
October 2, 2007
One of the best things about learning Portuguese is that it opens up a whole world of the most beautiful music; far more than you could imagine if you don't speak the language. Years ago, when I was studying Chinese at University, a Mexican friend lent me a tape of Brazilian songs and I remember thinking there was a certain sadness in the melodies, but that was all. Now I can understand the words, it as if a door has opened to me and a trove of musical treasure is unearthed. Brazilian singer song writers such as Chico Buarque, Ceumar and Ze Cabeleiro to name just a few are so creative in the way they work with the language.
Anyway, Chico Buarque is one my favourites, and arguably Brazil‘s greatest lyricist. One day I came home from work and my wife was singing a song by him, called "A gota d‘agua", which means literally the last drop of water, but which we would normally translate as "the last straw". The lyric loses it‘s beauty translated that way, so I have tried a literal translation. Here are the original lyrics:
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Around South America: Montevideo, Uruguay

By Ricky Skelton
October 1, 2007
I had a weekend in Montevideo recently, having decided to go on a visa run from Buenos Aires. The ferry over the Rio de la Plata stops at Colonia, which has a lovely little historic part to it, and cobbled streets where you can eat paella under trees in the square, or eat calamari by the river. Colonia has the air of a church or a museum, the kind of place where everybody walks around with their hands joined behind their backs and nobody ever shouts. It‘s a relaxing day away from the big city across the brown water but not much more than that. So having been there twice before, we decided that we had to go to Montevideo this time.
It was a Saturday. It was raining. It was grey. There wasn‘t anybody else around. The first stop was the Solis Theatre. Signs outside mentioned opera, we had visions of a cultural weekend instead. There was nothing on. Nothing. Saturday night. We went for lunch across the road. The café was empty of customers, a bit of a surprise as it was the only one open. Nobody passed the windows either. The rain didn‘t ease. The old centre seemed to be so old that nobody lived there any more. The Iglesia Matriz was open though, so we paid some money to an old woman and wandered inside. A service was taking place in the little chapel to the right so we wandered around the church in the dark until we were politely asked to leave. It was closing.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Finding the Money to Find a Job Part 2

By Matthew Ward
October 1, 2007
Here is the second and final part of Matthew's article about the problems with jobhunting in Brazil. To read the first part click the link at the end of the article.
After being asked to rewrite my CV on their form (another tedious practice that irritates me - why bother producing a carefully-crafted CV in the first place, then?), I was informed that there were three companies interested in my services. I felt a surge of energy course my weary body (actually, that might have been the third expresso coffee). When my "consultant" reviewed my qualifications and my modest starting salary expectations, she stated confidently that I could expect to demand at least double the figure I had put on the form, due to my fluency in English and notions of French, Italian and Spanish. At that point I almost asked her to be godmother to our, as yet unborn, first child.
As if this wasn‘t enough, my "consultant" listed the services I was entitled to. I would be advised every step of the way by a professional workplace psychologist, my CV would be available on their site, sorry "portal", for companies to consult for one year, I myself would have access through the same "portal" to job vacancies - the list was long and tempting. Then came the rub.
…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

We currently have problems with the poll, so unfortunately it's not accepting votes correctly.

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 was from Gail Rogers: what was the name of the most famous casino in Rio during the 1930s? Congratulations to Dennis Malone, who was first to reply with the correct answer of Urca.
This week's quiz question is from Karen (thanks Karen!): What is the complete name of Oscar Americano's father and whom was he named after. Also, who was his famous uncle, whom was he named after, and what was he famous for. Don't forget to answer all parts of the question! 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 World Cup, taken by Brian L. Masiello in São Paulo during last year's World Cup. 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 Through Foreign Eyes

September 28, 2007
Meet Mike Stricklin, from the USA, who has both worked and lived 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.?
Our history with Brazil and Brazilians spans four decades. Born and reared in Texas, I am an emeritus professor of journalism and mass communication studies at the University of Nebraska, with degrees from Baylor University, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of Iowa. I had been a newspaper reporter, editor, and publisher before becoming a teacher for 31 years. Chere, born in Louisiana, is a retired blood-banker, having run the laboratory in Lincoln, Nebraska. We live, since January 2005, in Teresina, Piauí, where I am a visiting professor in the Department of Social Communication and Journalism at the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI). I write an occasional column for "O Diário do Povo" here. Chere works with educational exchanges, mostly as liaison between schools across the world and piauienses. It is not uncommon for her to telephone three or four countries every day! We have two adult children, Woods and Robin. Both studied Portuguese in Brazil. Woods Stricklin, 37, is a language and ESL teacher in Portland, Oregon, and father of Rubin and Penelope Jane. Rubin, 16, will arrive in Teresina in January to study Portuguese and Brazilian culture. Penelope, 9, proudly wears the colors of the Brazilian select team and plays soccer, along with other sports. Robin Stricklin, 30, an accomplished equestrian, lives in New Orleans and has a rock and roll trio with a very complicated name -- the Leah Quinella All Stars, Featuring Happy. Robin plays drums, guitar and sings (sometimes the music of Caetano!) Happy plays guitar, slide whistle, recorder and kazoo. Asia, the third member, sings, plays guitar, and writes most of their songs.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Around Brazil: A Clean (but Sandy) Break From Life Part 1

By Katie O'Hara
September 27, 2007
A desert oasis on the shore of northern Brazil's warm turquoise waters, Jericoacoara is the place to be in Brazil-to relax, enjoy life, and get back to the basics.
Alain de Botton teaches us in his novel, The Art of Travel, that frequently when we travel we are blind to the sights because we are caught up in what we should see. Taking a break from the daily rigor of life and decision making, we find ourselves in foreign places questioning what to do and trying not to miss anything by squeezing it all in. Sometimes, we need to just let go and allow our natural desires and impulses take over.
Jericoacoara, a few structures scattered around streets made of sand, lost in a sea of dunes, is constantly being blown and shifted by the endless wind. It's the kind of town you leave feeling fulfilled, or rather filled full of sand. Up your nose, in your ears, stuck to your scalp, and inside other crevices of the body. It's a wonder they have any sand left in that town after I left with half of it in my pants.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: "Opera" in the Amazon - Werner Herzog‘s Fitzcarraldo, or The Madness of Foreign Men Part 1

By Joe Lopes
September 27, 2007
There is an old adage your mother may once have taught you about the neighborhood weirdo - commonly referred to in English Literature as the "village idiot"-which goes something like this: "poor people are crazy, rich people are eccentric."
For the purposes of this discussion, though, we should add the following caveat: "local people have good ideas they never seem to act on, while outsiders all have crazy ideas they always act on."
Remarkably, most times we remember the crazy ideas best - and, equally remarkable, they‘re usually the ones that "work out" in the end.
One of many such ideas is the focus of German director, writer and producer Werner Herzog‘s fantastic jungle opus Fitzcarraldo (1982). Fantastic, that is, in the dictionary sense of the word, as in "strange," "freakish," "odd," and totally "farfetched." Webster‘s New World Thesaurus even lists "foreign" as a plausible substitute.
…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 dropped again slightly this week, and is currently at R$1.84 versus R$1.85 a week ago. The Euro has also dropped slightly over the week, from R$2.62 to R$2.59. The British Pound remains unchanged, at R$3.74 over the week.