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.


Sao Paulo: Peyote at Finnegan‘s

October 28, 2008
Join fellow São Paulo expats for a Thursday evening of classic rock and Guinness on tap, October 30, at 9pm.
Finnegan's Irish Pub
Rua Cristiano Viana, 358 - Pinheiros
R$9.00 - Call (11) 3062-3232 to reserve a table.
For future gigs refer to JasonBermingham.com.



Ask a Brazilian: Saying No and Punctuality Revisited

October 28, 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.
I just know you're not going to agree - and would be interested to see other gringoes comments, but I have a couple of burning issues.
1) why can't Brazilians say no! I would much rather be told the truth! So many occasions have passed during the past 2 years of knowing this amazing country, people say yes to something, for example, so you will be here at 11:30, that's great thanks! When the outcome is they meant no, I had no intention of being anywhere near your address on that day, and will knock on your door in the future and appear to have not an ounce of apology for letting you down! It is so frustrating, it has left me with a rather giddy feeling of wondering if they mean it - yes that is! Next...
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: São Paulo Mayoral Election - a Foretaste of the Presidential Race?

October 28, 2008
By John Fitzpatrick
The humiliating defeat of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva´s candidate in the São Paulo mayoral vote is being treated with glee by the anti-Lula media which is painting it as a setback for him. This is wishful thinking as Lula still enjoys massive popular support and the defeat was more of a rejection of the Workers Party (PT) candidate, Marta Suplicy, who is detested by a large section of the electorate. The real winner was not the incumbent, Gilberto Kassab of the DEMs, but the state governor, Jose Serra, who backed him against the wishes of a section of his own PSDB party. Kassab´s victory paves the way for Serra to target the Planalto Palace after Lula steps down. In fact, the São Paulo contest may well have been a forerunner of the 2010 election with Serra pitted against another woman candidate backed by Lula, Dilma Rousseff.
Another victor may have been the DEM party which used to call itself the PFL and originated in the ARENA party which backed the military. When democracy was restored, the PFL tried to position itself as a center-right party which supported free market policies. It failed in ideological terms since there is little appeal for this message in Brazil even among right-wing parties which are strongly nationalist and in favor of a strong role for the state. The party was also closely identified with Senator Antonio Carlos Magalhães who died last year and the northeastern state of Bahia which he dominated for almost 50 years as an old-style autocratic boss. Despite this background, the PFL has always had a good relationship with the PSDB which is a social democratic party. The PFL even provided Fernando Henrique Cardoso´s vice president during his two terms in office - a Northeasterner called Marco Maciel.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Ask a Brazilian: Gender Stereotypes

October 22, 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.
I am curious to know more about traditional gender roles in Brazil - particularly the responsibilities and qualities of husbands and wives. Also are these traditional roles still observed or have they changed with time and cultural shifts?
-- Heather
Heather,
I haven't get married yet, but in general the roles are:
Husbands make the money (men generally make more money.)
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Gringoes Poll

Last fortnight's poll was on the beauty, or not, of Brazilian people. Brazilians are often cited as being the most beautiful people in the world, at least by Brazilians. Do you agree, or disagree? Well it seems most of you agree, or a lot of Brazilians have prejudiced the vote, with 41% voting "Definitely!", 28% "Perhaps", 20% "Not really", and 12% "Definitely not".
This fortnight's poll is on Brazilian made films/movies. Are you amazed by all the films made in Brazil, less than impressed, or somewhere in between? 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!


Interviews

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!

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 Forked Coconut taken by Raymond Smith in Baixio, 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.


Sao Paulo: Thanksgiving at Graded School - Event Open to All

October 22, 2008
The Holiday season is approaching, and no matter what nationality we are, we all have something to be thankful for. This year you have the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving at the annual Graded PTA Thanksgiving Celebration, an event open to all within the international community of Sao Paulo.
The Thanksgiving Celebration will take place on Saturday, November 29, 2008 at Graded School in Morumbi, from 11am to 4pm. The day's activities will include musical performances, a traditional Thanksgiving meal, games and activities, and a mini-praca of artisans and vendors. This is a celebration not to be missed!
The festivities will begin at 11am with an Opening Ceremony introduced by the US Marines. The Ceremony will feature a patriotic holiday musical program by talented Graded students. The Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies will lead a Flag Ceremony, followed by the National Anthem of the United States of America and the National Anthem of Brazil. Richard Detwiler, Graded's Superintendent, will also give a welcome address. Then it will be the turn of the Graded School Band and the 4th and 5th Grade Choir to perform a program of songs, and finally some students will lead a reflection on what we have to be thankful for.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Hostelling in Sao Paulo

By Alice Woolliams
October 18, 2008
Tips for Visiting Sao Paulo on a Budget
One of the largest cities in South America, the important financial center of Sao Paulo sits inland at the southern edge of Brazil. With a cosmopolitan cuisine and lively culture, it‘s a bustling, modern metropolis that is home to many of Brazil‘s richest residents - as well as more helicopter traffic than any other city in the world!
Sao Paulo‘s restaurants and hotels include some of the most expensive in South America and, with a reputation for being somewhat rough around the edges, it‘s perhaps little surprise that some backpackers are deterred from visiting the city.
However, unlike many places in Brazil from Rio to Iguazu, Sao Paulo is not geared towards a tourist trade. Instead, it offers travelers an intriguingly authentic - and rewarding - taste of Brazilian life that is hard to find elsewhere.
Go
It‘s easy to get to Sao Paulo on the cheap thanks to the decent bus networks in this part of the country. The regional Electrobus operates throughout Sao Paulo state, while tourist-orientated companies such as Tres Amigos run services between the city and other major destinations.
The sheer size and scale of the city can be somewhat overwhelming for visitors but it‘s nonetheless easy enough to navigate via the metro system. Taxis are also plentiful and, unlike many places in South America, are licensed and use meters, proving a safe (and relatively cheap) way to get around, particularly at night.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Ask a Brazilian: All Souls Day and Halloween

October 18, 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.
I am interested in the extent to which Halloween is celebrated.
Also, if Brazilians celebrate Día de los Muertos, or if that's strictly Mexican.
-- David
David,
El Dia de Los Muertos, Dia de Finados for Brazil, is not celebrated as a party like it happens in Mexico. Finados is a day to pray for the dead. Some people, especially Catholics, go to the cemetery and offer flowers to their dead relatives and friends. Some people go to churches, due to the religious connection.
For most people it´s only a holiday, mysteriously always clowdy and rainy. I like to call Finados: Nublados.
…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 again over the fortnight, from R$2.08 to R$2.12. The Euro has dropped though, from R$2.81 to R$2.74. The British Pound has also dropped, from R$3.61 to R$3.47.