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.


Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Gringoes.com!

We'd like to wish all our readers that celebrate a Merry Christmas, and also a Happy New Year. We'd like to thank everyone for their support in 2008, and look forward to seeing you again in 2009!



Brazil Through Foreign Eyes

December 22, 2008
Meet Louis van der Wiele who first travelled to Brazil in 2007, and recently moved to Brazil to live. Read the following interview in which he tells us about some of his most memorable experiences and gives some useful advice to newcomers.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from, what do you do etc.? I was born in a tiny village near Utrecht, Holland and my profession has been Audit Manager lately. I am a Chartered Accountant. My hobbies are cooking, photography, travelling, soccer and skiing.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here? I arrived in July 2007 just after I got married in Holland. My wife is from Brasilia and we also had a wedding there. Then we moved to São Paulo. I am staying in Brazil because we had decided to stay together and it was possible to arrange both our jobs here. So what brought me here? Love.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil 2009 - The Year of Living Dangerously

By John Fitzpatrick
December 22, 2008
The year 2009 will be the penultimate of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva´s term in office and looks like being the toughest of his two mandates. The favorable international situation we saw not so long ago, which boosted demand for Brazilian products like iron ore, soybeans, sugar, coffee and beef, has gone. The "decoupling" theory that developing economies would be unaffected by the problems of the advanced countries, thanks to China´s ongoing growth, has lost credibility. The decline in oil prices has ended the euphoria over the discovery of huge offshore petroleum reserves. Even the enthusiasm over the prospects for ethanol as a renewable fuel to replace fossil fuels has fizzled out. The international crisis has still not hit Brazil with full force and Lula has acted to mitigate its impact. However, how he reacts when things get worse will be critical and Brazilians can only hope that any frustration he feels that his achievements will be thwarted by what he sees as an external contagion will not lead to hasty decisions.
So far, Lula has remained restrained and his approach has won widespread support. A recent survey by the CNT/Sensus organization showed that Lula´s personal popularity rating was an astounding 80.3% - up from 77.7% in the previous survey three months earlier. The poll also shows that people are still fairly optimistic, with 37.9% feeling Brazil would overcome the crisis and 41.9% believing it would emerge stronger afterwards. At the same time, a hefty 40% felt Brazil was not prepared for the full impact of the crisis.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Brazil: Capoeira, A Must See

By Paul Scottyn
December 22, 2008
Capoeira is undeniably the spirit of Brazil. It is a passion of expression which is both a Brazilian martial art and dance. It is a sport, a ritual, a dance (that actually inspired the American break dance), a musical expression, a martial art and a philosophy. Visitors should include in their shopping list of interests when they visit and book their stay in Rio de Janiero hostels.
The game is marked by fluid acrobatic play, feints, and extensive use of sweeps, kicks, and headbutts. Less frequently used techniques include elbow-strikes, slaps, punches, and body throws. Its origins and purpose are a matter of heated debate, with the spectrum of argument ranging from views of Capoeira as a uniquely Brazilian folk dance with improvised fighting movements to claims that it is a battle-ready fighting form directly descended from ancient African techniques. To a native Brazilian, capoiera is many things. It is not just martial art and dance. It is much more. To know more about this art is not a problem for first time visitors. Information and guides to travelers abound in all Rio de Janiero hostels.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Gringoes Poll

Last fortnight's poll was on the festive theme; apologies to those that don't celebrate it! Given the choice where did you prefer to spend Christmas? Would you rather stay in the Brazilian summer, head home to your own country, or a Caribbean island somewhere? The majority of you, 60%, have chosen to stay in Brazil, with 35% "In my home country", and 5% "somewhere else".
This fortnight's poll is on the proposal that will start in the middle of next year, to add a tracking system to all new and imported cars. Do you think this will have a significant effect on car crime, or none at all? 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 Amazon Parrot taken by Andrea Guimaraes in Avaré, 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.


Ask a Brazilian: Treatment of Animals

December 19, 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 your own comments and experiences in order to add to our replies.
I'm just writing to say how much I enjoyed finding the gem that is "Ask a Brazilian", on your site. I was having a bad day and particularly liked the "Saying No and Punctuality Revisited" as almost all the same things (including the pathetic but typical school story) have happened to me. I've lived in Brazil for about 1 year, learned to speak "good" but not quite fluent Portuguese, mix with almost 100% Brazilian people only and try to understand and appreciate the culture and life as best I can.
I have to admit that Brazil has defeated me.
I'm quite young (in my early 30s), I consider myself very tolerant and reasonably well educated and polite; I've lived and worked in several different countries (including one African one in full civil war, for anyone who suspects I have a golden spoon hanging out of my mouth) and always appreciated the differences, but I've never disliked things in a country, the way I do in Brazil.
…click here to read the rest of the article>>


Journey through the Fjords of Patagonia

By Marilyn Diggs
December 19, 2008
Ahoy, nature lovers and adventurers. How about an eight-day boat trip guided by experienced explorers into one of the world's last untouched ecosystems? Cruise inside sea passages, fly-fish secret coves, kayak waterways, trek lush forests and gaze at hanging glaciers one day; then pamper yourself in a luxurious thermal spa the next. Chile´s Northern Patagonia, a wilderness begging to be explored, is on its way to becoming a world-class ecotourism destination. Even so, it is still off-the-beaten-track, perfect for those with wanderlust who relish solitude. Navigating deep into calm ocean passages and through a maze of islands is many a water-lover´s dream. The wish comes true in Chile, where mainland Patagonia fractures into a myriad of islands formed by millennium volcanoes, geographical shifting and melting glacial ice.
The trip begins in Puerto Montt, Chile, where a private charter plane flies travelers to Melinka port in the Guaitecas Archipelago, declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2008. Next, you board the comfortable, 8-passenger motor yacht Noctiluca named after Patagonia´s luminous plankton. Made from Patagonian cypress wood, it combines traditional craftsmanship of the region with the latest technology. Chile´s best wines accompany the delicious meals served on board.
…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 dropped over the fortnight, from R$2.43 to R$2.38. The Euro has risen, from R$3.17 to R$3.34. The British Pound has dropped, from R$3.61 to R$3.48.