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: João Pessoa Meet Up

January 8, 2008
After the huge success of the last meeting where over 40 people turned up, a new meet up has been arranged for Saturday 23rd February 2008, at 12.00 NOON/MIDDAY. It will be at CASA GRANDE, Rua Professora Maria Sales no 705, Tambau. (83) 3247-1101. domgustavog@hotmail.com
For a restaurant review see here at the Gringoes.com forum. The menu is excellent and includes Salmão na Brasa, Picanha Argentina amongst other things. The portions are very generous and cost, reasonable. Plenty of parking is available in front of the restaurant.
The new restaurant is only a short walk to the famous Tambau seafront. This time, the restaurant has been booked for 100 people including children. There will be monitors on hand for the play area.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Meet Ups

Don't forget to visit the meet up section on our homepage, over on the righthand side. If you have a meet up within Brazil that you would like to advertise then feel free to email us and we can help advertise it.


Other Places to Speak Portuguese (Apart From Brazil): Macau

By Stephen Thompson
January 22, 2008
Brazil and Macau were once two extremes of the vast Portuguese Empire, the history of which you can read in Charles Boxer‘s book: The Portuguese Seaborne Empire 1425-1825.
I recently went to Macau for a day trip, hoping it would make me feel like I was back in Brazil, or, as they say in Portuguese to matar a saudade. Macau was until 1999 a Portuguese-administered colony in China. The Chinese government on assuming sovereignty promised to maintain the political system unchanged for 50 years, which means that Portuguese is still one of the official languages of government. And this has helped to keep the language alive. the government is now enthusiastically protecting and promoting the Portuguese heritage for trade and tourism. Although most of the Portuguese bureaucrats have gone home, about 5000 Portuguese speakers continue to make Macau their home; some of them are from families which have lived in Macau for 400 years. There is a Portuguese language school, four daily Portuguese newspapers, and several Portuguese language bookshops. There is a Department of Portuguese at the University of Macau with over 30 university professors; the department offers a four-year course in Portuguese for foreigners.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Jacked in Joao Pessoa, Robbed in Rio

By James Denison
January 22, 2008
In 2007 Cassia and I traveled extensively throughout Brasil. We made two trips: one to the Northeast, where we visited Natal, Joao Pessoa and Recife after spending some time in Sao Paulo, Curitiba and Brasilia. Our second trip took us to Rio and then up to Belem do Para to visit her family there. Unfortunately, on each trip we were targeted by sophisticated thieves who got our credit card and ATM information and proceeded to charge up thousands of dollars on each account.
The first trip was challenging enough because of the air-traffic controllers‘ strike that we were caught in, which I wrote about in a previous Gringoes article. We were actually able to salvage much of that trip and had a good time exploring the Northeast. Joao Pessoa was the place we enjoyed the most, with its lovely promenade along the beach filled with laid-back locals walking, mingling and eating outside, taking advantage of the sultry evenings. But, it was not pure pleasure to be had in Joao Pessoa. Our brand new rental car broke down at almost midnight after a long day of driving to and from Recife. Over and over again we tried pushing the car, with some young men who helped us, after an hour of trying, we were able to get the car started. The rental car company was no help at all at that late hour. The next day when we drove back to Natal the car again broke down at the airport, which caused another small nightmare of stress. The car rental company, Avis, was not very helpful or sympathetic and gave us almost no discount for our troubles. If this had happened in the USA, I am sure that the company would have given us a huge discount for our troubles, if not waived the bill entirely.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


The Gringoes.com Incomplete Guide to Surfing in Brazil - The Nordeste

By John from Cincinnati
January 21, 2008
Welcome back, surfistas! Time to shake off the Floripa chill, put away the wetsuit and head north for the "real" Brazilian experience (if such a thing exists).
Bahia
Arguably the capital of Nordestino surfing, you‘ll encounter plenty of wave magnets here. In fact, we probably shouldn‘t even lump Bahia in with the Nordeste, but hey, it‘s all the same to a geographically-challenged gringo, right?
Of course, Salvador and Ilheus have some standout spots, but the real prize would have to go to Itacaré. It is here, meu rei, that you will undergo your long anticipated metamorphosis from stiff, uptight gringo to warm and fuzzy surfista baiano, overflowing with tropical stoke. Mellow vibes, deserted breaks accessible only by foot, excellent chow, festas every night, capoeira professors named "Bem-vindo".
Enter George Bush, exit Barack Obama. O Itacaré, I can‘t quit you!
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Around Brazil: Amazon Swarms and Amazon Storms

By Ricky Skelton
January 21, 2008
After a three day trip had turned into 7 drunken nights, 8 breakdowns, 9 towing booze cruise of 10 remote Amazon towns, we rocked up in Santarem in a different boat to the one in which we set off. We might still have been marooned downriver, sitting ducks for the mosquitoes that can bite through hammocks and clothes. I guess in that empty part of the river, humans don‘t stop too often so they have to make hay while the sun shines. Their bites hurt so much we had to go swimming to hide. The thought of another Mosquito Dawn had us begging every boat that passed. One finally stopped at dusk, but only under duress. Saved! We boarded with all our gear and hundreds of boxes in a frantic mid-Amazon sunset swap. It‘s not easy to climb between two decent-sized boats with backpacks.
We waved goodbye to our boat, the crazy chef, the captain who was going down with his ship, and the crew who were probably going down with malaria if they stayed there much longer. They might still be there for all I know.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


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 New Year. Did you get in the Brazilian spirit and dress in the appropriate colour of underwear/clothes, ignore the supersititon, or were you not aware of it? The final results were that most of you went for "White - Harmony & Peace" with 31% of the vote, followed in second place with 23% "I didn't know!" and third place "I don't believe in it!" with 19%.
This week's poll is on places you've yet to visit in Brazil, but that are next on your list. Are you set to visit the northeast, the Amazon, Rio, the Pantanal, Sao Paulo, or somewhere else? 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.

Photo of the Week

The photo of the week is titled Embu Cat taken by Andrea Molnar Szego at Embu in Sao 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.


Around Brazil: Amazon Swarms and Amazon Storms

By Ricky Skelton
January 21, 2008
After a three day trip had turned into 7 drunken nights, 8 breakdowns, 9 towing booze cruise of 10 remote Amazon towns, we rocked up in Santarem in a different boat to the one in which we set off. We might still have been marooned downriver, sitting ducks for the mosquitoes that can bite through hammocks and clothes. I guess in that empty part of the river, humans don‘t stop too often so they have to make hay while the sun shines. Their bites hurt so much we had to go swimming to hide. The thought of another Mosquito Dawn had us begging every boat that passed. One finally stopped at dusk, but only under duress. Saved! We boarded with all our gear and hundreds of boxes in a frantic mid-Amazon sunset swap. It‘s not easy to climb between two decent-sized boats with backpacks.
We waved goodbye to our boat, the crazy chef, the captain who was going down with his ship, and the crew who were probably going down with malaria if they stayed there much longer. They might still be there for all I know.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

January 18, 2008
Meet Michelle Monteiro, from the USA, who recently relocated to Recife in Brazil, and is married to a Brazilian. 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 Michelle Monteiro. I am from the USA where I met my husband Beto. He is from Recife but lived in the USA for 20 years - he‘s a 50/50 split now, so I get the best of both worlds. We relocated from the USA about a year ago now to give Recife a try for awhile. We brought our companies with us and operate dually in the USA and here in Brazil. Fortunately for us, one of our businesses is Cabovox, which is a VoIP company so our business phone calls are cheap. We are our own best poster children for the system. My husband has surfed since childhood so we do that a lot. I am learning. Badly.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
15 months ago we arrived. The story of how we came is funny. We flew here for Carnival and we saw a house for sale. He said to me, "Hey that would be a cool house to buy." I said, "okay." He said, "no, I‘m serious." I said, "yeah, me too." He said, "okay, let‘s do it. Let‘s move here!" I said, "bora!" Yes, it was just like that. 6 months later, we moved our furniture, our office, 1 dog and 2 cats from Florida to Recife. The move alone was an adventure, let me tell you... but that is another story...
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Days in Heaven

By Teacher Claudia
January 18, 2008
"Heaven, I‘m in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly breathe."
Dear readers, here I am, finally in the place I belong to: Massaguaçu, Caraguatatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. A tiny beach, known by fishermen mostly, where the sea is rough and steep. There‘s a deep canal when you step into the ocean, so you better know how to swim and dive, at least to overcome that part. Once you move three or four meters, you‘re safe and sound. Enjoy.
A local fisherman has said that Massaguaçu means small sea. It may be. He‘s not a Native America, so he doesn‘t speak the Native languages such as Tupi-Guarani. But it‘s all right, we‘ll take his word. In fact, we can‘t see much sea out there. Ahead of us is Ilha do Tamanduá (anteater island), Ilhote (little island) and, at the far back, Ilhabela (beautiful island). We‘re not going to the latter one. Too many bugs and people.
We‘ll just stay here, doing nothing, watching the sky and making up stories about the clouds passing by. Where are the people? Where are the tourists? There aren‘t. It‘s just us. What are we going to have for lunch? It depends on the fisherman. Has he caught any abadejo? That‘s the typical fish from the costões, the rocky formations and islands of the area. And for dinner? Pastéis de siri, naturally (crab pastries).
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: "Tristeza Não Tem Fim" ("Sadness Has No End") Part 7

By Joe Lopes
January 17, 2008
Beware of Greeks and Gauls Bearing Gifts
We now come full circle, to return to the point in our drama where Vinicius de Moraes met the Eastmancolor® widescreen - and the widescreen won.
Every indication we‘ve seen so far should have prepared the film‘s producers for the defiant stand the inflamed Carioca poet took with respect to the premiere of Black Orpheus at the presidential palace in Laranjeiras. (It did not.)
Some of the more insightful commentaries regarding Vinicius‘ willful behavior there range from his "ideological" opposition to, rather than the aesthetically "visual" and/or "narrative" aspects of, the story, in Professor of Art History, Dr. Stephen Wright‘s more studied interpretation; to singer-songwriter Caetano Veloso‘s personal take on the matter, framed by his own extensive movie-going experience, wherein he criticizes director Camus‘ view of his countrymen as "inauthentic," "unreal" and "outrageously fanciful," even by Brazilian standards.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Ask a Brazilian: Swimming, Showers and New Year‘s

January 17, 2008
This is our regular column called "Ask a Brazilian", the idea being that you can quite literally ask a question of a Brazilian for those issues you aren't sure about but perhaps dare not ask someone else. It is meant as a bit of fun and answers should not be construed as expert opinion or the definitive reply on the matter. For that reason we ask you to please send comments and experiences in order to add to our replies. There are two questions this week, mostly to see if anyone can help with the first question. Our resident expert Vanessa Bauer is on hand again this week to help with your questions.
Hello,
I have been told by a number of Brazilians that it is not good to shower right after you eat. The people I spoke to said that you could die if you shower right after eating and went on to say that this is common knowledge in Brazil, and that there have been a number of cases in Brazil where people have died from showering too soon after eating. In the US some people say it‘s not good to swim right after eating for fear of getting a cramp and drowning; I have never heard of any problem with showering after eating. Is this really a common belief in Brazil and if so what exactly do they believe to be the cause of death?
…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! If you've got some burning question about Brazil, or just want to discuss a particular topic, then you're bound to get an answer there.
There's also a forum which allows you to comment and give us feedback 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, abusive posts and certain types of advertising in the forum will not be tolerated. Make sure to check the Read This First area first before posting. The forum is intended to be a constructive and lighthearted place for discussion about Brazil.


Forex

The US Dollar has risen since last week, from R$1.76 to R$1.80. The Euro has also risen, from R$2.59 to R$2.61. The British Pound continues the trend, rising from R$3.46 to R$3.50 over the week.