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.


Fortnightly Newsletter

Just to let readers know that from this week onwards the newsletter will be switching from a weekly to a fortnighly issue, to give you a larger number of articles and more content overall in your newsletter!


Reflections on Brazil

By Carol Prentiss
March 18, 2008
Living in Brazil means having to make adjustments. Adjusting attitude, ways of doing things, and lifestyle. I certainly didn't come here to be the "ugly American". But I can tell you that learning to be Brazilian is no easy project. My friend Ana, who is Brazilian, even finds it difficult at times. Dealing with the government and government services can be very frustrating. I suppose a lot has to do with still being new at the democratic process. Being part of the evolutionary process is certainly a new thing for me. I don't know if you think about it, but I was born into a fairly completed process. Right now, I have to admit, the USA is at some kind of cross roads and even the ones "in the know" are having a hard time predicting which way the country is going to go. Most everyone seems to think it all hinges on this coming presidential election. From my chair I don't necessarily see that as the deciding factor. The deciding factor will be that elusive "silent majority". A silent majority that needs to enter the debate. However, American politics is another story for another day. Coming here from a country where "Fast" is the operative word to a country that is much more relaxed means an attitude adjustment. This is what I consider "relaxed". Local business men at a Kiosk on the beach promenade on a break for an afternoon cappuccino. Lunch breaks are usually two hours long, from noon until 2 pm. The Post Office on the promenade is closed from 11am to 2pm. Most Brazilians eat their main meal at noon. Two hour lunch breaks then make sense. There are many kiosks on the beach which are open from 9 or 10 until midnight or longer and some of them have live music during the afternoon.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Understanding Brazil: Funerals

By Ricky Skelton
March 18, 2008
The title is a little misleading, being based on the only one that I‘ve been to, but my experience may help those thrown in at the cultural deep end of a Brazilian funeral, as I was recently.
The first noticeable difference with a Brazilian funeral is that you had better be prepared to drop everything as soon as you hear of a death. Probably as a consequence of the heat, if somebody dies one day, the funeral legally has to be the following day. Unless the family wants to pay expensive refrigeration fees. No time to spend hunting around for a black suit and a black tie, which may be why nobody wears them. Shorts, havaianas, anything‘s good.
Having received notice of the death, we hastily got our things together and headed off to the nearest relative‘s house. The funeral was due to start at 2pm, an hour‘s drive away. We set off at 8.30am. The first, and possibly last, time that I‘ve ever known Brazilians to arrive somewhere early. More than 4 hours early. We weren‘t alone, even then, with most of the close family having been sat up all night in the cemetery chapel with the deceased himself. One of the sons preferred to spend the night waiting outside. Never having met any of them before, the introductions were a little red-eyed, and it didn‘t seem like the right time for gringo smalltalk. There were some comedy moments though, such as the daughters introducing me to the man himself for the first time, lying in his coffin. He didn‘t have much to say to me. I stood around for a while, chatting to other family members who hadn‘t been seen for years, trying to resist the urge to use one elbow to lean casually on the coffin. It was at the perfect height.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Article Writers - Gringoes.com Wants You!

Are you a "Gringo" or Brazilian interested in writing for our site? Have you...

Photo of the Week

The photo of the week is titled Glider Park taken by Andrea Molnar Szego in Pico Agudo, near Campos de Jordão. 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: Hidden Pousadas - Santa Clara, Boipeba, Bahia

By Alison McGowan
March 17, 2008
Here is the first in a series of reviews by Alison covering "hidden pousadas", that is pousadas (bed & breakfasts) that are off the beaten track but definitely worth a visit, or not.
I first came across the Pousada Santa Clara a few years ago when I was looking for a place to stay where I could de-stress on a deserted beach. I didn‘t expect to find anywhere quite as wonderful as this, - the original "hidden pousada". Santa Clara has 11 rooms, scattered amongst tropical gardens - all basic, but en-suite, with verandas, mosquito nets, hammocks and good showers. There are no telephones, cable TV or any reliable internet connection, but people that like this place best don‘t come for that. What makes Santa Clara really special is the atmosphere created by the owners, Mark and Charles, the superb restaurant, the relaxing massages, the "library" of books, where you can walk off with a new one to read in return for your old one, and the interesting people you always seem to meet. If you add that to walks along deserted beaches to eat freshly caught lobster and caipirinhas on the beach at sunset, for me that‘s about as close to paradise as you can get.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

March 14, 2008
Meet Tara Bianca from the USA who first studied in Brazil and has subsequently moved here. Read the following interview in which 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‘m from the Philadelphia area originally but I lived in California for 12 years so I consider myself a California transplant living in Brazil. I‘m teaching English right now and translating a book on Capoeira, Black body knowledge and Education, I worked as a massage therapist for 12 years and occasionally as a health educator and social scientist researcher. I got my degree from UC Berkeley in Anthropology at the ripe ole age of 29. I spent a lot of time studying dance, yoga, herbalism and various spiritual traditions. I‘m kinda a cosmopolitan bon vivant who has landed in Brazil for love, this time around that is.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
Well, I arrived to live here on Dec 31st 2006 because of a relationship but my first trip was in 1998 to study folkloric dance in Bahia. Then I traveled to Rio in 2002 to study human rights and back to Rio in 2003 and 2004 to do research with sex workers in the Campo de Santana for a senior honors thesis, back to Rio in early 2005 to do a religious obligation in Candomble, and again in early 2006 to just party in Bahia and Rio‘s carnival and travel a bit. It was my Orixa, Oxala that brought me to Brazil over and over but it was a man that actually got me to move here.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Album de Família - When Brazil Began

By Teacher Claudia
March 14, 2008
Dear readers, although Brazil was discovered by Portugal in 1500, this year we complete 200 years as a country. How so? Some days ago the French newspaper Le Monde published an article which headline read "Thanks to Bonaparte, Brazil exists".
That's completely true. At that time, the French emperor was literally knocking on Portuguese doors, ready to take Portugal under French power. Dom João 6th, a rather lazy Portuguese prince, was famous for his delay to take important decisions, and, by pretending he wanted the best for both sides, fooled the fearless adversary. Meanwhile, Portuguese ministers planned the royal family's escape to Brazil, just in time to save all Portugal's possessions.
Why Brazil? Among the many Portuguese colonies, we were the most peaceful, and possibly the richest, in terms of natural resources. Besides, there was an ocean between us and Europe. Bonaparte would surely have other countries to invade before even thinking of Portugal again.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Ask a Brazilian: Gestures and Toys

March 13, 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.
Hi,
Where I work we have a few Brazilians working with us. but the other day I saw one of them do a what looked to be very intimidating finger gesture to someone else.
It was basically standing in front of another person and pointing two index fingers directly into the other persons eyes at point blank range.
Can you tell me what this would mean?
Many thanks
Karl
Oi Karl,
Pointing both index finger to someone's eyes seems something terrible to me, Karl.
…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 slightly over the week, from R$1.69 and R$1.70. The Euro has risen, from R$2.62 to R$2.66. The British Pound has dropped, from R$3.42 to R$3.37.