Brazil - Compass.com

O que pensam os britânicos sobre o Brasil!

2012-11-13T14:20:00.000-02:00

Por curiosidade, perguntamos a um pequeno grupo de britânicos residentes na chuvosa cidade de Londres, o que lhes vem à ideia quando pensam no exótico Brasil.

Top 10:

Carnaval do Rio
‘Sexy’ Samba
Caipirinha
Capoeira
Cristo Redentor
Praias de areia branca
Filme ‘Cidade de Deus’
Amazónia
‘Favelas’
Cirúrgia Plástica

British perceptions of Brazil

2012-11-13T14:16:00.000-02:00

We ask some pale British people in the rainy city of London what they think about exotic Brazil.

Top 10 things:

Carnival
‘Sexy’ Samba
Caipirinha
Capoeira
Cristo Redentor
White sand beaches
‘City of God’ film
Amazon
‘Favelas’
Plastic surgery

Life in World Cup Host Cities

2012-11-05T08:00:00.000-02:00

What city do you think of when you hear someone say Brazil? Chances are you said Rio de Janeiro. With its pristine beaches, beautiful people, delicious food and an infectious culture, it is understandable why so many people think of Rio first and why the city seems to symbolize the soul of the country. Rio was even the capital of Brazil for a while. Even on this site, the majority of city-specific material centers on Rio and its many wonders. São Paulo comes in at second for most, especially to business-oriented minds and those that like that "melting pot" of culture all in one city. Although many do not know what lies beyond these cities, there is plenty to explore in Brazil's lesser-known regions.

The beauty of an event like the World Cup is that it brings the focus of the world beyond just one city to a bunch of them and provides more exposure to the diversity that the honored host country contains. Brazil is one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world when it comes to culture, nature and heritage. Its cities reflect the incredible opportunities that exist there and those planning to attend should absolutely consider matches outside of the typical Rio and São Paulo and branch out to meet the incredible people and experience the lifestyles of those in other states.

In the host cities, most of them large metropolises, daily life is fast-paced and constantly moving. Hectic schedules and heavy amounts of traffic everywhere make life lively but also cause what appears to be controlled chaos on a regular basis. The preparations and expectations for the World Cup only serve to amplify the sense that the upcoming changes will make the daily routine even more complicated. It has also spawned a number of cultural phrases and colloquialisms, one of which is "imagina na Copa," in the sense of "if it's this crazy now, imagine how it will be during the Cup." Brazilian beer company Brahma even made a commercial about this idea, masterfully using the irony to promote the Cup's massive inflow of visitors as a contribution to the celebration and party of the event, rather than a hassle.

The following cities will all host World Cup matches and they will definitely be prepared, both physically and mentally, to display their generosity for the visitors that will flock from abroad to be a part of the greatest sporting event on Earth.

Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais

Brasília, Distrito Federal

Cuiabá, Mato Grosso

Curitiba, Paraná

Fortaleza, Ceará

Manaus, Amazonas

Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul

Recife, Pernambuco

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Salvador, Bahia

São Paulo, São Paulo

Over the coming weeks, I will be profiling these cities, and updating their profiles with more World Cup specific details as June 2014 draws nearer.

By Andres O'Donnell
Subject Matter Expert for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Watch this space for more updates on this subject on Brazil-Compass!

He is available for all inquiries, comments and conversations.

To contact Andres, send an email to andres@brazil-compass.com
Feel free to contact in English, Portuguese, Spanish or French.
All of Andres' articles can be found here.

Authentic Brazil in the United Kingdom

2012-11-04T22:00:00.000-02:00

An Interview with Jandira Silva

Steven: What is your professional background?

Jandira: I am a professional singer and I operate the Authentic Brazil with my business partner John McCarthy, who is responsible for the technology behind the website.

S: How did you discover your talent for singing?

J: Since I was a little girl, I was always singing. I always wanted to be a singer. Even though I didn't understand English at the time, I was good at imitating and replicating the songs. People didn't believe me, my family said I wouldn't make it as a musician. I didn't let that bring me down and I continued to follow my heart.

S: When did your singing career take off?
J: It was in Brazil, around when I was 18 or 19. Small parties, church, everywhere there was a chance to sing one or two songs. I met some people in my city, Guriri, in São Mateus. They worked during the day and performed at night. I was a secretary helping my family financially at that time. When we had time and a place to play - a bar, a restaurant, a small party, we played.

When I went to Portugal in 2000, I became a full time singer. There's a place known called Casino do Estoril. There's lots of bars, hotels and live music. I arrived at a time when lots of Brazilians were living in Portugal. I connected with people who loved Latin music. I did a lot of networking in Portugal, even more so than in Brazil. I even did a TV show for a couple of years.

S: What spurred your interest in emigrating to Portugal?

J: Back when I was in Brazil we did not have as many opportunities. I wanted to travel the world and simply do more with my life. I had a very strong desire to change. I followed my dreams. So I decided maybe I should try my luck overseas.

S: What made you decide on moving to London?

J: I met my husband while in Portugal. He had a job in England and we moved to London, and for me was a haunting for new horizons in the music business.

S: What inspired you to launch Authentic Brazil?

J: I saw an opportunity. We are not a united a community. The idea was to gather together the talents of Brazilian performers, business and projects and put them in direct contact with the English crowd.

S: What services does your company provide?

J: We don't work as an agency, we just help advertise the Brazilian arts here in England. We translate advertisements from Portuguese into English. We want to show them the Brazilian things that are readily available here. If a customer wants to watch a performance - music, singing, dance - we put them in touch with our performers.

We're not just musicians. There's more to it than arts and entertainment. We're adding more services. We also have a space on the website for charity works and education programs that relate to Brazil.

S: What advice would you give for aspiring artists?

J: Keep going and don't give up. Follow the way the world is going and innovate to bring new sounds for your work. Now you can listen to songs written a long time ago, we can alter it to make it sound new today. It becomes your special version.

To learn more about Jandira's story and her music visit her site. Her album, "Festa de um sonho bom!" is available her site, on iTunes, Spotify and SoundCloud Are you looking for some Brazilian variety in the U.K.? Check out Authentic Brazil.

About the Author

Steven Byrd is an Author at Brazil-Compass. He is currently enrolled at Arcadia University's Master's of Business Administration with a Global Perspective.

Steven graduated from Rutgers University School of Business-Camden, Class of 2012. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Management: Strategy, Entrepreneurship and International Business. He has an Associate's Degree in Business Administration from Camden County College, Class of 2009. It was thanks to Rutgers University that Steven discovered his passion for international business. From 2010 to 2011 he has studied abroad across eight countries: Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, England, France, Brazil and Cuba. Each country had its own set of remarkable stories. He began his writing career in May 2009. With the help of a staff member at Rutgers, he wrote a guidebook for students transferring from Camden County College to Rutgers University's School of Business-Camden. After his trip to Southeast Asia in 2010, he started writing for the School of Business's newspaper, Minding Your Busine$$ (MYB) as well as the campus wide publication, The Gleaner.

In the Fall of 2010, he dedicated his time to MYB. When he graduated he had conducted five interviews for MYB and written nine articles for both The Gleaner and MYB. It was thanks to MYB that he was able to develop his writing skills.

After visiting Rio de Janeiro in 2011, found the country that he loved most. He became Passionate About Brazil. To submit your article about Brazil or for book reviews on Brazil, get in touch with Steve on steve@brazil-compass.com or call him on 1-856-237-9984.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

As the World Awaits November 6th : Implications for Brazil

2012-10-30T04:56:00.002-02:00

President Obama and Mitt Romney, 2012 Presidential Debates. Photo Taken From: Policy Mic

Here in the United States we’re gearing up for our Presidential Elections in early November. Like any other previous presidential election, political tension is the U.S. is extremely high at this time, as citizens debate over the re-election of the current president Obama vs. the incumbent presidential candidate Mitt Romney. This time every four years, nearly every U.S. citizen is ten times more engaged in politics and perhaps ten times more sensitive in discussing any socio-political issue with friend or foe. Discussions about the simplest subjects eventually fester into a war of conservative versus liberal, and even topics supposedly as safe as sports eventually creep down that uncomfortable alley of red versus blue.

Eyes glued to television sets, fingers vigorously clicking away at keys updating Facebook, Twitter, and heated discussion boards concerning instantaneous reactions of the candidates’ comments, a reported average of 67 million Americans obsessed over the presidential debates in the last four weeks cheering on their presidential pick as if at football stadium; many barely checking the facts for themselves, while intuitively and confidently dismissing their opposition.

Yup! That’s about all of the campaign propaganda

I’ve received via snail mail in the last three of four days, urging me to ‘Vote Early.’

Photo Taken by Charoy Thurston

November 6^th is the deadline. And, until then, if you live in the United States, especially in a swing state like myself, then you will eat, sleep, and dream campaign ads. “I approve this message.” About five of every ten commercials is an urgent plea for you to preference one candidate over the next (more or less, depending on where you live of course), constantly bombarding undecided voters to vote and to vote early.

Foreign to many Brazilians and very popular in the U.S., is the option of early voting. In Brazil, everyone votes on the same day. Unlike the United States where voting is optional, the Brazilian Constitution obligates citizens to vote. So in Brazil, millions of people vote electronically on the same day and in a couple of hours, the final result is released. The voting procedures are done very quickly and it’s nearly impossible to have a fraudulent election. The electoral system of Brazil is one of the best, safest, and most efficient in the world. A friend explained the system to me like this, “So let’s say Obama is number 10. You type "10" in the machine and you will see his face appear on the screen, the number, his full name, his party, his vice president, and the position for which he is competing (president, in this case). Then you press, "confirm" to end the process or "null" if u want to nullify your vote. It takes 10 seconds to vote.”

In complete shock at the ease of the Brazilian voting system, I further consulted Tribunal Superior Eleitoral to read more about the process and obtain some visuals. The system for voting in the United States is far more complex with many more options for voting. Early voting is a common preference in the U.S. and can be done by mail or in person at designated polling stations. The availability of polling stations and voting hours are dependent upon each jurisdiction. Early voting was established to increase voting participation and to alleviate the overcrowding of voters at polling stations on Election Day.

Nice and simple!

Democrat, Independent, or Republican, this U.S. presidential election has skipped away from specific issues for the time being, and led to a focus on one essential question “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” This essential question has been the catalyst of every debate and political talk show, and for most Americans has been the determining factor in selecting a candidate. Many who answer this question affirmatively are choosing to re-elect Obama, while those who reject any observation of progress choose to vote for Romney. But, while we here in the U.S. are choosing teams, the rest of the world, of course goes on, but not without an inward glimpse of U.S. political wrestling.

Taken From: http://www.frugal-cafe.com/public_html/frugal-blog/frugal-cafe-blogzone/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/media-refs-obama-vs-romney-fight.jpg

Taken From: http://selfdeprecate.com/political-cartoons/2012-foreign-policy-debate-cartoons/

But, this website is about Brazil right? Of course it is! As my previous articles have revealed, Brazil and the United States share a special relationship and relations between the two administrations are improving progressively. The outcome of this U.S. Presidential election matters to Brazil for a myriad of reasons. Jenee Desmond-Harris of The Root agrees, stating that “It's just one reminder that while Americans are the only ones who can vote in the upcoming election, we're far from the only ones who care about what happens in November.” Harris illustrates improved relations between Brazil and the U.S. with a reference to Obama’s improvements in visa requirements and restrictions for Brazilian tourists and expresses her concerns for Latin Immigration under a potential Romney-led administration.

Extracted from: http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/views_on_countriesregions_bt/728.php?nid=&id=&pnt=728&lb=

In his article, “Obama vs. Romney: Should Brazil Care?” Dr. Oliver Stuenkel, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in São Paulo, Brazil, makes the argument that although the United States has declined, no country in the world can afford not to be concerned about its global strategy, and that Brazil is no exception. Brazil should be especially concerned with the U.S. as it is more important to Brazil than its fellow BRICS members. Rightly so, he references the World Public Opinion’s Global Poll produced by BBC that reports an average of 50% of the 21 countries polled, preferring Obama to Romney. In Brazil, 65% of the population supports Obama to Romney’s 6%. His article goes on to mention a few historic issues between Brazil and the U.S. and some hoped-for changes if Obama is re-elected, including the IMF quota return. Essentially, Stuenkel makes the claim that if Mitt Romney is elected for president next week, relations between the two countries are unlikely to experience significant change.

Both Harris and Stuenkel raise some important perspectives about the upcoming election and the fate of Brazilian-U.S. relations in the hands of each candidate. My experience as an American voter and policy/administration student has provided me with a responsibility for focusing not only on the candidates' rhetoric, but too their historical actions. November 6^th is undoubtedly a much-anticipated day for the U.S., but it is also awaited by the rest of the world. Will another four years of Obama improve the U.S. and Brazil’s relationship or could Romney be better for Brazil? Of course, these questions are always easier to reflect upon in hindsight.

Want More?

Next Monday, November 5th, FGV is hosting a discussion on this very topic. I wish I could be there, but thankfully it will be broadcasted live. If you are in the area and would like to attend, you can find more information about the event by following the link below.

http://www.postwesternworld.com/2012/10/25/debate-panorama-e-perspectivas-das-eleicoes-presidenciais-nos-eua/

Instructions for watching the event live are also included on the announcement.

Articles Mentioned

“Why Brazil Cares About Obama vs. Romney” by Jenee Desmond-Harris

http://www.theroot.com/buzz/brazils-stake-2012-us-presidential-election

“Obama vs. Romney: Why Should Brazil Care?” by Dr. Oliver Stuenkel

http://www.postwesternworld.com/2012/10/28/obama-vs-romney-should-brazil-care/

World Public Opinion Global Poll-Obama Preferred to Romney

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/views_on_countriesregions_bt/728.php?nid=&id=&pnt=728&lb=

Brazilian Halloween

2012-10-29T10:00:00.000-02:00

O dia do Saci

The Saci is a mischievous spirit is portrayed as a pipe-smoking young boy with dark skin, possibly a mulatto. His defining characteristics are the holes in the palms of his hands, having only one leg and his magical red cap that enables him to disappear. This vanishing act is usually accompanied by a dust devil as his signature proof of his mystical powers. Despite turning invisible the red glow of his pipe and his red hat are telltale signs of where he is hiding.

If something bad happened in the household, Saci was frequently the cause of the problem. If the milk spoiled over night, Saci was the one who ruined it.

Legend has it, anyone who can steal his red hat, Saci will grant one wish in return for his prized posession. What happens after the wish is granted is dependent upon how his captor treated him. If the person was nice Saci would no longer harass them. On the other hand, mistreating this spirit resulted in a curse of bad luck. Death was reserved for the truly wicked.

Today, many Brazilians dress up as Saci. Some practitioners curl up one leg and bind it as they dance in celebration.

Halloween in Brazil

Halloween did not make any significant appearance in Brazil until the late 20th Century. It was not a recognized holiday until 2005. It occupies the same day as O dia do Saci and has been christened Dia das Bruxas, "Witches' Day." Even in 2012 it is still outside the norm. However, it is gaining popularity amongst children up through young adults especially in the bigger cities. Some schools celebrate with parties. The Portuguese equivalent of "trick-or-treat" is "gostosuras ou travessuras!"

Happy Halloween!

About the Author

Steven Byrd is an Author at Brazil-Compass. He is currently enrolled at Arcadia University's Master's of Business Administration with a Global Perspective.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

Brazil with Michael Palin

2012-10-20T13:55:00.000-03:00

Michael Palin is one of my favourite writers. He is funny and he loves travelling. His observations are to the point and out of context. I wandered through the Himalaya and the Sahara with him reading his books and also embarked on a journey to the two Poles of the Earth - then due to our move I had to pass on this book to a friend, who I'm certain has enjoyed the trip! Michael is also one of the writers who has taken the interest in the Danubian countries, and even as a Hungarian, reading his book about my country he was talking about some things I've heard first hand from him - now that's a real talent!

I remember spotting him at Guarulhos airport queuing for passport control when I was just reading one of his books on the flight - unfortunately he was way ahead me and I couldn't get my book signed... But seeing him in Sao Paulo was a good signal - Palin is working on a book on Brazil! Definitely on my wish list!

Now it's out and I can't wait to lay my hands on it! Here is his summary about Brazil, from the Guardian's website:

"For a long time I thought of Brazil as a state of mind. A fantasy of sun, sea, samba and lots of other words beginning with "s". I partly blame Terry Gilliam, for in Brazil, his 1985 film, he uses the lilting samba beat of the eponymous song (known as Aquarela do Brasil in its native land) to accompany the final crushing of his hero by the mad, dysfunctional world around him. The song represents pure unproductive pleasure. Brazil as the ultimate escapist image.

The Latin American mind-set is one with which we north Europeans can't easily identify. China we can relate to because it's single-minded and industrious; India and the sub-continent is crazy and colourful and quite a bit English. Russia is dark and impenetrable but good at putting up with things, which we admire. The Brazilians on the other hand don't have to put up with anything. They have everything. Spicy seafood stews, fruits of the forest and luscious caipirinhas. Swaying music, sensual dancers and perfect bodies, wrapped in balmy warmth and enveloped in rapturous sex. As they say, what's not to like. Even as we read about drug gangs and watch violent films such as City of God, we give Brazil the benefit of the doubt. Bound to be some bad 'uns in a country that plays such beautiful football.

So, for me, Brazil's mystique grew, hot and steamy and lush as the jungles that I assumed to cover most of the country. Even its location seemed a touch other-worldly. Most of it in the southern hemisphere and not exactly on the way to anywhere, except possibly Peru or Paraguay. My early attempts to learn more about it only strengthened the mythology. Brazil's northern border was the setting of Conan Doyle's Lost World. The explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett who went deep into the rainforest to discover El Dorado, was never seen again. Peter Fleming, who went to find him, got lost too and just got out of the jungle alive. (Brazilian Adventure, Fleming's first book, is nevertheless, one of the funniest books about nearly dying.)

For whatever reason, despite having been to many countries these past 24 years, I'd been keeping Brazil at arm's length. Was it that I didn't want my fantasies to be destroyed? Could it have been that, little Protestant that I am, I was fearful of having too good a time? Of having all those layers of reserve, privacy, caution, discretion and self-doubt corroded by tropical hedonism?

Three things helped to convince me that there was no good reason for not going to Brazil. In 2001 Jim O'Neill, an alumnus of Sheffield University no less, and now chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, coined the acronym Bric for what he saw as the global super players of the future. Russia, India and China we might have expected to be included, but Brazil, the "B", really caught the eye. Less than 10 years previously, Brazil was suffering 2,700% inflation. Now we were being told by a highly respected economist that the sun was shining out of its backside. Suddenly the exotic paradise sounded a lot more like the rest of the world. Only more successful.

Then, in 2007, as I was completing a travel series called New Europe, which I fully intended to be my last, Brazil was chosen to host the 2014 World Cup. Two years after that Rio de Janeiro pipped Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago to win the 2016 Olympics. By now I knew there was another journey to be done. I had to expunge the fantasy and check out the reality of the country everyone would soon be talking about.

The fifth-biggest country in the world by land area, Brazil is roughly 3,000 miles from north to south and from east to west. Despite its extent, most of its 205 million people live in towns and cities on or within 100 miles of the coast. The vast and fertile interior comprises millions of hectares of farming land as well as the biggest rainforest and the biggest river system in the world – the Amazon pours into the Atlantic at the rate of 57 million gallons a second. To travel there means to somehow deal with this imbalance between the thin sliver of human Brazil and the gigantic natural splendours surrounding it.

For the series, I split the country into four episodes: the north-east, the Amazon and Brasilia, Rio and the important mining state of Minas Gerais, and São Paulo and the south.

The north-east coast is where the first Europeans set foot, by accident, in 1500. Here the production of coffee and sugar and cotton became so successful that it created a plantation system which eventually required some seven million African slaves to work it. This coast, from just south of the mouth of the Amazon to the state of Bahia, is steeped in African influence, in religion, music, food, dress and style.

São Luís's old town is slowly benefiting from a big restoration scheme. In those streets that have been made over there are shops, bars, internet cafes and restaurants. Calhau Praia is as clean, comfortable, walkable a stretch of sand as I've come across. And it's apparently endless. Around 200 miles south-east of São Luís is the Lençóis Maranhenses national park. Here is sand in its most majestic state. Dunes up to 50m high spread and billow over roughly 620 square miles. After the rainy season, in March, April and May, up to a thousand lagoons appear among the dunes.

Olinda, over 620 miles down the coast from São Luís, is a colonial town of some beauty, stretching up and over the hills. It still resonates with style and affluence, with many churches, including the church and convent of St Francis, the oldest convent in Brazil. The Alta da Sé cathedral has a breathtaking view over the city and across the water to the skyline of Recife.

Recife has become the scene of new and adventurous cultural work, especially in music. We lunched at the Pernambuco Yacht Club, out by the sea wall. The food is glorious: caldinho de peixe (fish soup), a moqueca of fresh shrimp, red mullet and beans, caju juice.

Further south is Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia and the biggest African city outside Africa. It overlooks All Saints' Bay, believed to be the second-largest natural harbour in the world after Hudson Bay. The Pelourinho (literally the pillory) is the centre of the old town, where breathtaking architectural beauty sits side by side with corrosive poverty and decay. A non-stop music track animates and deafens, and a life ethic rather than a work ethic dominates.

Amazonia is another distinctive and clearly defined geographical and economic unit. Apart from investigating a river system that is estimated to contain over 20% of all the freshwater in the world, it offered the chance to visit some of the indigenous tribes who had lived in the rainforest long before Brazil ever became Brazil.

In the wide, lake-like waters of the Rio Negro I swam with pink Amazon dolphins. They bounced off my body and came back for more sardines.

Anyone who visits Amazonia must at some point pass through its biggest city, Manaus. The internationally renowned opera house, Teatro Amazonas, is an ornate jewel in a rough and ready city.

The city of Belém stands at the southern portal of the Amazon delta and is home to the vast waterside Ver-o-peso market, selling fish, fruits and handicrafts. Belem's offshore islands offer a tantalising glimpse of rural riverbank life. Santarem, the third and most intimate of the Amazon's big cities, has a museum with a rich collection of pre-European ceramics, some dating back 10,000 years.

Fordlandia was Henry Ford's industrial dream town in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Now a ghost town, it was abandoned in the 1950s.

The state of Minas Gerais, on a high plateau north of Rio, has been a heartland of national wealth for over 300 years, and iron ore excavations as deep as volcanic craters scar the countryside around Brazil's fourth city, Belo Horizonte. It has few memorable sights. One is the graceful rectangular Praça da Liberdade, ringed by an esoteric collection of good-looking buildings. I'm told that Lourdes is the hip new quarter for smart clubs and trendy restaurants, but I must have got the wrong time of day.

The discovery of gold in the nearby mountains at the start of the 18th century transformed the balance of power from north to south Brazil and was the reason that Rio de Janeiro flourished.

Cardeal Mota is a long, thin tourist town within the Serra de Cipó national park north of Belo Horizonte. Brazil has no peaks higher than 3,000m and this corner of Minas is exceptional in having anything that looks like a real mountain range. It's a diverse and fragile ecosystem, with more than 2,000 species of plants.

This left São Paulo and the south. The southern and south-eastern states cover less than 18% of Brazil's land area but contain 60% of the population. And they feel different. If the north-east is African Brazil, the south is European Brazil. If the Bahians work to relax, the Paulistas work to make money. São Paulo, the biggest city in the southern hemisphere, is also the richest. There are billionaires all over the place, moving around the vast thrombotic city in helicopters. Further south is a string of affluent, progressive cities like Curitiba, Florianópolis and Porto Alegre, where you can think yourself in Bilbao or Bristol or Antwerp.

There's a feeling Curitiba is trying hard to be cool, though the Oscar Niemeyer Museum in the centre doesn't have to try. It just is. Around the museum is a park, one of many carefully laid out green spaces that dot the city, making Curitiba one of the world's greenest cities. Tourist trains run from Curitiba to the coast.

Inland there are towns that have gone out of their way to preserve their European roots. Blumenau, in the state of Santa Catarina, is so proud of its German origins that the town's sign reads Wilkommen, and the council offices are in a six-storey Alpine chalet.

You can find temporary refuge in a Brothers Grimm world of cobbled streets and tall brick-and-timber buildings. Steins of beer are available and accordion music chortles out. The big event of Blumenau's year is the Oktoberfest, the largest celebration of its kind outside of Munich. Nearby Pomerode, founded by Pomeranian Germans in 1861, is even more obsessed with its Teutonic heritage.

Where Brazil finally rubs up against Argentina and Paraguay, the Iguaçu Falls, one of the largest waterfall systems in the world was a spectacular climax to my trip.

I can say now that Brazil is more than just a state of mind and yet, after a year steeped in the country, I still haven't completely figured it out. In many ways the Brazilian way of life seems to live up to all the cliches. It is seductive and easy-going. The sun shines on mile upon mile of sparkling clean ocean-washed beaches. Delicious fruits grow in Eden-like profusion. Brazilians of every age and shape exercise in tiny slips of clothing, caressed by sea breezes. Music and dancing is hard-wired into the system. Drinking seems to make them happy without tipping them over into aggression. They are tolerant and informal, and live very much in the present. Socrates – the footballer, not the philosopher – described his fellow countrymen as "a shrewd, vain, happy people".

Yet Brazil is perceived by many outsiders as a dangerous place, where crime and corruption are high and there is every chance of being mugged as you walk the streets. These fears seem to be based on the image of the overpopulated favelas, some of which do have a fearsome reputation. In Rio, favelas accumulate on the hillsides overlooking Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, frightening people who live down below in some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Vik Muniz, one of Brazil's most celebrated artists, described it to me as "Saint-Tropez surrounded by Mogadishu".

But most of Rio's million or so favelados have nothing to do with organised crime. They are mostly people who work in Rio and keep the city running. The rehabilitation of the favelas is showing good results, but will it come fast enough for a World Cup that is only two years away, with an Olympics hard on its heels ?

Growing international stature could be the greatest threat to this happy situation. With Bric-led prosperity has come responsibility, not just for Brazilians themselves, but for a world looking desperately for strong economies to help the weak. A seat for Brazil on the UN Security Council is already being discussed.

After four months travelling the country my impression is that people are a little apprehensive about the global status being so swiftly thrust upon them. They will now have to compare themselves with other countries in a way they've never bothered to do before. They will find themselves increasingly assessed and judged by outsiders.

While I was there I made a not-altogether-serious list of English words and phrases that seemed to have no counterpart for Brazilians, such as "introvert", "early" and "turn the music down". One word at which they always shook their heads when I asked for a translation was "self-conscious".

I hope that, with world recognition, the essential, infectious live-and-let-live attitude that I so enjoyed in Brazil will not have to be reined in. Or "self-conscious" be added to their dictionary."

Win a copy of the book here

The Patron Saint of Brazil

2012-10-12T10:00:00.000-03:00

Our Lady of Aparecida

Author's Disclaimer

As with any article I write regarding the history of Brazil, there is always a few missing pieces when cross-referencing sources. A rather frequent problem I encounter is that one source may have a specific detail, such as the name of a certain individual, while another may not. I do my best to present the most accurate information.

As the story goes...

In October 1717, Dom Pedro de Almedida, Count of Assumar passed through the area of Guarantinqueta, a small city located in the Paraiba river valley. The people of the city wanted to honor the Count's presence and decided to host a feast in gratitude. Fishermen went out to collect fish for the feast, however it was not fishing season. Three of the fishermen, Domingos Garcia, Joco Alves, and Felipe Pedroso, had no luck in catching any fish to be served at the feast. In desperation, they prayed to the Immaculate Conception and asked for God's help.

After several hours of fruitless labor they intended to give up and return home. Joco cast his net once more near the Port of Itaguagu, but instead of fish, he hauled in the headless body of a statue. Uncertain as to what it was the three cast their nets again, and pulled the statue’s head to the surface. After cleaning the statue they found that it was a clay statue of the Virgin Mary. The fishermen named their discovery Nossa Senhora da Aparecida Conceição (Our Lady of the Appeared Conception). They wrapped it in cloth and continued to fish. Miraculously the fish were plentiful.

The Statue

Many believe the clay statue was imported from Portugal. As to who made it in Portugal, it remains a mytsery. Another widely accepted background is that the statue was made by Frei Agostino de Jesus, a monk from São Paulo reknowned for his artistic skills in making sacred images. The three foot tall (one meter) image was made around the year 1650. As to how it came to its underwater resting spot and for how long it was there no one truly knows. It is believed that the statue was once colorful and that the years of submersion wore away its paint.

The statue is a dark brown color and it is covered by a stiff dark blue robe of richly embroidered thick cloth with golden clasps. Only her face and hands can be seen. As strange as this is, no source mentions how the head was re-attached to the body. Today's replicas of Our Lady of Aparecida are black in color, in attempts to recreate what it may have looked like in original form.

Since then its discovery, Our Lady of Aparecida has been recognized patron Saint of mothers-to-be and the new-born, rivers and the sea, gold, honey and beauty. The statue's popularity grew as more came to learn of its mystical origins. It became particularly popular amongst Afro-Brazilians as it was perceived as a Black Madonna. Black Madonnas are also known as Black Virgins. From a religious and societal stand point, many Catholics accept the Black Madonna as the African equivalent of the Virgin Mary.

Pilgrims' Journeys

For approximately 15 years, 1732, Filipe Pedroso's family were the de facto caretakers of Nossa Senhora. As word spread throughout Brazil, pilgrims journeyed to visit. Pedroso's family built a chapel in response. As years passed, more miracles were attributed to the statue resulting in more people coming to visit. Eventually, the chapel was overcrowded.

In 1737, a larger chapel was built on the Morro dos Coqueiros (Hill of Palm trees) and opened to the public in July 1745. The number of worshipers increased dramatically. In 1834 work began to construct a basilica. This site remained the primary location until 1955 when an even larger basilica was needed to house the worshipers. Construction began in 1955 in São Paulo.

Recognition by the Holy See

On September 8th 1904, the Image of Our Lady Aparecida was crowned by the Archbishop of São Paulo, José de Camargo Barros. The "Papal Coronation" was a major event. A large audience of citizens and several civil authorities, including the President of the Republic, Rodrigues Alves. This was in spite of the separation of Church and State that had been instituted less than twenty years ago, when Brazil became a Republic. The gold used for the manufacture of the Crown was donated by the exiled Princess Isabel, then the Head of Brazil's Imperial Family.

On July 16th 1930, Pope Pius X proclaimed Lady Aparecida as the Patron Saint of Brazil. This caused a bit of controversy as Peter of Alcantara was declared Patron Saint of Brazil in 1826. Saint Peter of Alcantara was chosen as Patron of the new country because the Emperor and founder of the Empire of Brazil, Pedro I (born Prince Pedro de Alcantara), was named after the Franciscan saint. In the hierarchy of the saints, the Mother of God outranked Saint Peter.

Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida

The construction of the second basilica finished in July 4, 1980. Pope John Paul II visited the shrine in 1980 and dedicated the shrine to Our Lady of Aparecida on October 12th. The National Shrine can accommodate 45,000 people and is the largest basilica second to Saint Peter's in the Vatican.

About the Author

Steven Byrd is an Author at Brazil-Compass.

He is currently enrolled in Arcadia University's Master's of Business Administration with a Global Perspective graduate program.

Steven has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Management: Strategy, Entrepreneurship and International Business, from Rutgers University School of Business-Camden, Class of 2012. It was thanks to Rutgers University that he discovered his passion for international business. From 2010 to 2011 he has studied abroad across eight countries: Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, England, France, Brazil and Cuba. Each country had its own set of remarkable stories.

He began his writing career in May 2009. With the help of a staff member at Rutgers, he wrote a guidebook for students transferring from Camden County College to Rutgers University's School of Business-Camden. After his trip to Southeast Asia in 2010, he started writing for the School of Business's newspaper, Minding Your Busine$$ (MYB) as well as the campus wide publication, The Gleaner.

After visiting Brazil, Steve had found the country that he genuinely wanted to be involved with. By combining both of these aspects, he became Passionate About Brazil. To submit your article about Brazil or for book reviews on Brazil, get in touch with Steve on steve@brazil-compass.com or call him on 1-856-237-9984.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

The Best Breakfast in Rio Hands Down!

2012-09-27T06:00:00.000-03:00

Rio de Janeiro is not only famous for its Carnival, beautiful beaches, samba and salsa, but also for its amazing and delicious food!

It is a huge pleasure to eat there! Brazilians' have so many ingredients to discover and above all to TASTE!

There are so many good places to eat in Rio for a good breakfast, and some of them that you absolutely can’t miss!

CONFEITARIA COLOMBO:

This is a much revered place that must be mentioned! It is very well known by everyone who lives in Rio!

It is always filled with workers, regular people, cariocas (people from Rio), tourists, etc.

It is a huge brewery-tearoom that was founded in 1894. It is a very elegant, cultural and artistic place where you will find excellent hot drinks and Brazilian pastries! I strongly recommend that you try the cappuccino! It is with no doubt the best cappuccino that I have ever had! The decor is worthy of a luxurious place, with its incredible moldings, thousands of bottles on display and beautiful silverware!

You can have breakfast and lunch here. The restaurant has an amazing buffet for your stomachs! If you don’t have time, don’t worry because you can take away salads, pastries, sandwiches and the like. Do not be surprised if you must wait.

Address:

Rua Gonçalves Dias, 32, Centro
Tel: (21) 2505.1500

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

I still have another surprise for you!

You can also enjoy Rio's amazing food with a beautiful panoramic view of Copacabana beach! It is called the COLOMBO DO FORTE. You can eat outside on the terrace while admiring the view. The brunch is excellent and I recommend that you don't eat before as it's a very generous meal! Thousands of different breads, croissants, ham, cheese, pastries, jam, orange juice, and hot drinks are at your disposal. Once again, do not be surprised to wait!

Address:

Praça Coronel Eugênio Franco, 1, Arpeador

Tel: (21) 3201.4049

ESCOLA DO PÃO:

Located in Lagoa, this place is very famous for its amazing bread! Many cariocas and foreigners come to buy the best bread here. From outside you will never guess what it is exactly. But once you are inside, you can smell a mixture of bread, omelets, coffee, chocolate and decide to stay for the Café da Manha (brunch).

It is a meal with a lot of surprises! First, you don’t know what you're going to eat! Then, it is like a parade of food that is taking place right before your eyes! It never stops and you don’t know when the end is. It is a great experience! The waitresses are very nice and friendly and the ambiance is very warm.

At the end of your Café Da Manha you can see how they prepare the bread, thanks to a huge window. You also have the option to buy bread, pastries and pastas to take with you.

It is open during the week but the Café Da Manha is only on Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m to 1 p.m.

Don't worry, in the picture we don’t see a lot of food, as you could imagine after reading the previous description. I intentionally decided to only show the beginning of the meal because I don’t want you to see the fantastic breakfast that is waiting for you. It wouldn’t be a surprise anymore! Come experience it and you will see for yourself.

Address:

Rua General Garzon, 10,Lagoa
tel (21) . 2294-0027

INTERVIEW with Charléne, French Expert of breakfasts in Rio De Janeiro.

What are the essential ingredients of a real Brazilian breakfast?

Fruits, such as Mango, Pineapple, Papaya
Fresh Fruit Juices
Bread (pão francês)
Queijo de Minas
Coffee

Can you please list five restaurants that you think are very good to eat breakfast and tell us one detail that you like in particular:

A Casa Do Pão. I didn’t know what I was going to eat! It was an excellent Café Da Manha full of surprises!
Forte de Copacabana. The view is absolutely amazing! The breakfast is very good too and provides very generous portions!
Market Ipanema. Very healthy and tasty food. For breakfast, there are waffles, eggs, organic breads and a list of coffee and teas.
Balada Mix. A quiet, peaceful and modern place in a tropical ambiance!
Cafeina. Eating outside on the terrace is always very pleasant! It is a very traditional Brazilian breakfast.

I highly recommend that you to go to the Market Ipanema and Balada mix to have lunch or dinner. There are a lot of choices for healthy meals and the modern surroundings are very beautiful. The decoration is also very tropical, which is normal considering that you are in Brazil!

This article was written by Alison Moreaux, Brazil-Compass' Rio de Janeiro Expert. If you have a question about Rio, or you would like to read about a specific subject, please get in touch with Alison.

To contact Alison, send an email to alison@brazil-compass.com
All of Alison's articles can be found here.

Job Hunting in Brazil - Jason's journey

2012-09-17T13:21:00.002-03:00

Hi everyone,

For those of you who read my first blog I hope it was of interest. For those of you who are reading this blog for the first time. Welcome.

So far I’ve written a little bit about the background to my job search in Brazil and also some tips to think about before you even start the process.

However I believe the next important stage of this process is to create a CV tailored to the Brazilian market. I found that it was not as simple as just having my CV translated into Portuguese. The structure of a Brazilian CV is quite different to certainly my UK CV so below I will breakdown each section of the CV so that you can create your own.

The Beginning.

As normal you do need to have your name at the top of the CV as well as your address.
However in Brazil you are also expected to list your:

Age.
Nationality.
Marital Status.
Additionally you should also list your job objective. For example, Sales Manager, Account Manager.
Next should be…..
Resumo de Qualificações / Summary of Qualification

In this section of your CV you should look to list your achievements, most recent at the top working your way down. You can also look to list the details of some of the roles you’ve done.

For example:
A Career developed in the area of account management, with extensive experience in the marketing process, management of products and services, prospecting and portfolio management of customers and the mapping of business opportunities, focusing on excellence in service.

Extensive experience in providing customer support, meeting with prospective customers to discuss their requirements and presenting the companies strategies and solutions. Always available to provide information to questions and identifying needs, proposing the most suitable products, targeted at increasing profitability through maintenance and closing of new contracts...

It’s in this section you really need to sell yourself and tailor your CV to the specific role you are applying for. Normally Brazilian CV’s are no more than 1 or 2 pages so you really have to be concise and to the point.

The next section of your CV deals with:

FORMAÇÃO ACADÊMICA/ ACADEMIC TRAINING

Self-explanatory really. As it suggests this is the area to list your Education.

The next section however I found interesting.

VIVÊNCIA INTERNACIONAL/ INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

It seems that having international experience is currently very important to companies in Brazil so this is an ideal opportunity to list any experiences you have had working with (in my case) companies outside of the UK.

Luckily for me my job roles have allowed me to work with companies in Japan, Singapore, France, Italy etc. This is your chance to impress your possible employer by listing the countries you’ve dealt with and provide a brief description of what you were doing with/in them.

Although the economies throughout the world are struggling Brazil’s economy is currently stable and from my understanding there is a growing feeling that Brazil has an opportunity to open up more trade routes into the US/UK and Europe and businesses are looking out for people who have the skill set’s to do this.

IDIOMA/ LANGUAGE

Again language is an important part of your skill set and Brazilian CV’s like to have this clearly set out.
In this section you would normally list your mother tongue at the top.
Then list the languages you are fluent in next.
Then the languages you have an intermediate understanding of.
Then a basic understanding should be last.

EXPERIÊNCIA PROFISSIONAL/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Now we come to your working experience. However unlike many UK CV’s this is not an opportunity to list details of the companies you’ve worked for AND to provide bullet points of the various tasks you have done under each role.

This section I’ve found is very brief. For example:

10/2009 - Current Company A
British company working in the Telecoms market.
Account Manager

12/2007 to 09/2009 Company B
British company working in the IT and Hosting solutions market
Client Relationship Manager

And so on……

As you can see due to the limited amount of information it is very important that you sell yourself and your experiences in the Summary of Qualifications section at the top of your CV.

Next is…

FORMAÇÃO COMPLEMENTAR/ COMPLIMENTARY TRAINING

In this section you list and professional qualifications you’ve received or list any training you have had. You need to list the qualification/training and where you received it from.

And finally….

INFORMÁTICA/ ADDITIONAL SKILLS

As with a standard CV this is where you’ll list any skills you have such as knowledge of Microsoft Office/Word/Excel/PowerPoint and any other skills which you feel would be useful in the particular role you are applying for.

Well that’s it. As you’ll see Brazilian CV’s are simple and straight to the point. When I first looked to create my CV for the Brazilian Market I did use a UK format and asked for help to translate it into Portuguese. However my wife looked at a professional CV writing company in Brazil who she asked to create a CV.

It was only when I compared the two that I understood what information was more important and what wasn’t necessary.

So I hope you’ll find this breakdown useful and should help to save you a few pounds in paying for a professional CV to be done. However in my case I also asked the same CV writing company in Brazil to do my CV as they also understood the way to phrase certain things that would stand out to employers in Brazil.

Good Luck with your CV writing.

By Jason Conway

World Cup in the News: A Little Bit of Everything

2012-09-10T12:30:00.000-03:00

Over the last two months, significant progress has been made in the planning of FIFA's premier international event. Beyond the event foundations with city and stadium preparations, the organizational branches are now swinging into their initial stages of development, with full promotion taking place worldwide, calls for workers and support going out, and of course the commencement of World Cup qualifying matches. Here is the latest roundup of World Cup news.

In early July, the Stadium Operators' Seminar, promoted by the World Cup organizing Committee LOC, took place gathering together all of the leaders of Brazil's major football stadiums. The purpose of the event was to raise the quality of services provided to fans to a higher level that will live up to international expectations. The administrators from all twelve World Cup host stadiums and the stadiums used for the Brazilian Série A and Série B leagues attended, learning from experienced international stadium operators about everything from business models to stadium maintenance and workforce management, ensuring that every aspect of running the stadiums before, during and after the Confederations and World Cups goes as smoothly as possible.


The Stadium Operators' Seminar

Brazilian Tourism Institute Embratur started its fourteen-city World Cup promotional tour "Goal to Brazil" in July that will visit the Americas and Europe before May of 2013. Embratur, Brazilian government officials and representatives from the host cities and states all congregated in Santiago, Chile to give Chilean fans a first taste of the World Cup and more importantly of Brazil and its many wonders. Through the promotion of Brazil's culture and the plethora of tourist attractions at visitors' disposal, the country definitely established a good name for itself, displaying their hospitality and loving attitude in the Chilean capital. Embratur is smart to use the World Cup as a platform to bolster an already strong level of tourism and it is expected that they will repeat their efforts when the Olympics roll around two years later. Embratur's travels continue and will definitely reproduce the same enthusiasm from fans of the other thirteen countries during the promotional tour.


Embratur's "Goal to Brazil" in Chile

The Brazilian government has plans to invest 850 thousand Reais to strengthen security in the host cities during and after the World Cup. The system will incorporate security in the form of mobile vehicles with camera towers, all linked in an interconnecting network with command centers. The mobile command centers should facilitate more efficient crowd control and problem solving through the use of non-lethal means and the best observation methods available.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Brazil president Dilma Rousseff met in July at the London Olympics to discuss the progress and expectations for the World Cup. Blatter had nothing but positive comments about the progress being made in Brazil between the stadium construction, infrastructure in the roads and airports, and the organizational details. Of course, they mentioned the obvious fact that plenty of work still remains, but everything appears to be on track and that is great news.


Sepp and Dilma in a pleasant meeting in London

The Volunteer Program for the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup opened at the end of August. Interested parties can apply for a volunteer position for these events on the FIFA website. For now, the process seems to only be open for Brazilians, however it should open up to international applicants in the near future. A week after opening the process, a record 95,000 people applied for the program, up 25,000 from the number of applicants for South Africa and showing just how enthusiastic people are about Brazil.

Brazilian officials are set to crack down on fan violence at the World Cup. Soccer in many countries is well known for its associated hooliganism and Brazil has stated that it will have none of it. After an incident of fan violence at a match in Rio, the police made the logical decision and will no longer tolerate rowdy crowd behavior in this manner. Obviously, fans will still be able to support their teams with all the passion and love for the sport as they are accustomed, but there is no need for violence to occur as a result of a game that brings so many people together.

Last week, an exciting bit of news was revealed - the official match ball for the World Cup now has a name. As elected by Brazilian fans in the first-ever opportunity for fans to name the ball, the final decision was for it to be called the "Brazuca." Brazuca is a slang term that describes Brazilian national pride and patriotism to reflect their zest for life and their own unique culture. Although the ball has been named, it has not yet been completely finished, is still going through testing phases, and thus has not yet been seen by the public.


The Brazuca, overlooking Rio de Janeiro

An interesting tool, available at Valor's website, supplies those who understand Portuguese with a method to visualize the progress of each of the stadiums up until this point. Currently, Fortaleza seems to be in the best shape at 87% completion with Belo Horizonte coming in at second with 78% while many stadiums are still below fifty percent. Having a way to follow the developments and examine an "X-Ray" of the process is certainly useful to have and hopefully this will be updated in the months to come.

Rio's Maracanã stadium is at 62% completion.

Brazil has lots of work to do but everything is currently progressing according to plan so there is little to worry about at the moment. With the Confederations Cup now less than a year away, opportunities for employment and volunteering becoming available, and people's eyes turning towards the event during World Cup qualifiers, World Cup fever is slowly growing and will reach a boiling point of pure excitement when the World's most popular sport once again takes center stage. 2014 couldn't come sooner.

By Andres O'Donnell
Subject Matter Expert for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Watch this space for more updates on this subject on Brazil-Compass!

He is available for all inquiries, comments and conversations.

To contact Andres, send an email to andres@brazil-compass.com
Feel free to contact in English, Portuguese, Spanish or French.
All of Andres' articles can be found here.

Green is Good

2012-09-10T12:18:00.000-03:00

An Interview with Dennis Barber III

Steve: What is your professional background?

Dennis: I am an economist, hoping to complete my PhD mid-year 2013 at the University of New Mexico. I am also the President and lead consultant of TechFinance International, LLC. Our focus lies with international technology transfers with emphasis on bringing environmentally responsible technologies to Brazil. I work out of our office in Brasília, Brazil.

S: In layman's terms, how does your company operate?

D: That depends on who my client is. I could either work for someone in Brazil looking for a particular solution or I could work for someone trying to enter the marketplace here in Brazil. However, there are steps that are common regardless.

1) Evaluate the Brazilian marketplace

2) Evaluate the technology

3) Execute contracts to protect proprietary information

4) Determine which permits, approvals and licenses are needed here in Brazil

5) Locate investors and partners

6) Negotiate the purchase of the technology

7) License the technology for use in Brazil

These are some common steps, however, the process can be much less black and white.

S: What opportunities are now becoming available for businesses to take advantage of?

D: I can only speak for the opportunities that are in the industries where I have experience. The market for technologies, such as

1) Solid waste management solutions

2) Alternative energy production

3) Water and soil remediation

4) Industrial waste by-product remediation

5) Hospital waste management solutions

These are expanding rapidly, particularly due to the wave of environmental legislation in Brazil over the last 25 years.

S: What policies are being enacted that affects how businesses may be required to operate?

D: This wave of environmental policies started in the early 80s. For example,

1981--National Environmental Policy

This was a very general policy with hefty social and environmental goals, however, it lacked the specifics of enforcement to meet those goals.

1988--The new Brazilian Constitution included the concept of "the environment". It was the first Brazilian Constitution to do so.

1998--Environmental Crimes Law

This law gave more specific measures and created an infrastructure to reach the goals of the National Environmental Policy. It made the creators of pollution and industrial waste responsible for this production. This law is still being interpreted and it affects how businesses can operate here in Brazil. It regulates air, water and soil pollution. This was a federal policy and many states have since adopted their own version with even more strict requirements.

2010--National Policy for Waste Management

This policy laid out specific goals that municipalities had to become compliant with by the beginning of 2014. All mayors of municipalities were now responsible for what happens to the solid waste their city produces. Also, private hospital owners will be responsible for how their medical waste is treated. These responsibilities cannot be passed on to waste management companies.

Also, all cities must have a Waste Management Plan in place before 2014. This must include disposal, transportation, treatment, etc. and landfills CANNOT be part of this plan. This creates an opportunity for local and foreign firms to offer solutions for the municipalities.

Waste management companies must change the way they dispose of the waste and it will become nearly impossible to receive permits to dispose of waste in a non-environmentally friendly manner, at least that is one of the goals.

S: What sort of impact will this have on the consumer?

D: These policies do not necessarily affect "the consumer". In general, hopefully all citizens will become aware of the consequences of illegal dumping and ignorant disposal of waste. My hope is that these actions by the government will be taken seriously and that people's everyday lives will begin to reflect a higher awareness of the effects they have on the world around them.

S:What is your outlook for the future of environmentally friendly goods and services?

D: I believe the government has set a great example and is beginning to hold people responsible for the environmental damage they cause. If these policies are sternly enforced then I believe Brasil is on track to set an example for the world. If government officials become more socially and environmentally aware then I believe the market demand will increase for more responsible products. This, hopefully, will not be limited to the industries we have discussed but also will include all goods and services that are presented to the Brazilian consumers. The future is bright "green"!

About the Author

Steven Byrd is an Author at Brazil-Compass.

He is currently enrolled in Arcadia University's Master of Business Administration with a Global Perspective graduate program.

Steven has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Management: Strategy, Entrepreneurship and International Business, from Rutgers University School of Business-Camden, Class of 2012. It was thanks to Rutgers University that he discovered his passion for international business. From 2010 to 2011 he has studied abroad across eight countries: Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, England, France, Brazil and Cuba. Each country had its own set of remarkable stories.

He began his writing career in May 2009. With the help of a staff member at Rutgers, he wrote a guidebook for students transferring from Camden County College to Rutgers University's School of Business-Camden. After his trip to Southeast Asia in 2010, he started writing for the School of Business's newspaper, Minding Your Busine$$ (MYB) as well as the campus wide publication, The Gleaner.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

Dia da Independência, Part Two

2012-09-03T00:30:00.000-03:00

History of Brazil's Independence Day

We left off in Dia da Independência, Part One: The Wrath of Napoleon with the royal Portuguese court escaping to Brazil and the United Kingdom taking control of Portugal. Now after the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean, strange new events transpire in the colony.

From Colony to Country

Prince Regent John VI

A Colony Transformed - March 7, 1808

The court arrived in the Portuguese Royal Family landed in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil where the Prince Regent John VI (Dom João VI) would rule for the next 13 years. This is the only time in European history that a colony governed the rest of the empire.

The court, at first, was welcomed with excitement. The citizens were ecstatic to have nobility in the colony. The Prince Regent realized that if the colony was to function as the seat of the Portuguese Empire, it would need to be brought up to date. This included: the civil, religious, and military officials. were instituted and many other factors contributed to boosting the economy.

Upon arriving, the royalty needed a place to stay. The Court promptly took up residence in the Governor House (Casa dos Governadores). This was subsequently renamed the Imperial Palace (Paço Imperial) to reflect its new occupants.

The Governor's House prior to its change

The Imperial Palace today

Unfortunately, the Imperial Palace lacked the comforts and size the Court was accustomed to. This resulted in appropriating neighboring residencies. Some residents responded violently to the eviction. This had an even greater impact on the city. Rio de Janeiro's population at the time was approximately 70,000.

Paved with Good Intentions

The presence of the court changed everything. There was so much change that occurred so quickly that it disrupted the daily lives of the people. Rent skyrocketed, taxes climbed, and food became scarce. The shape of the city was changing with the construction of innumerable new residences, villas and other government buildings. Along with this came various improvements to services and infrastructure. New standards of etiquette and fashions were introduced. Most strikingly, a new social stratification developed. A combination of the Court's conspicuous consumption and battles against the French to preserve Portugal led to the national debt overflowing. As resources were diverted to accommodate the nobility, popularity amongst the commoners waned.

The court operated with the belief that Brazil would remain a colony and expected to one day return to Portugal. However, the policies that brought the colony up to date as a "temporarily" functioning seat of power became the basis for Brazil's future autonomy.

No End in Sight - 1814

Napoleon's warmongering ego led him to invade again Russia in 1812 with disastrous results. Europe had endured enough of the French Emperor's bullying. In response a coalition formed to end the megalomaniac's threat. Its members included: Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and Germanic States. Initially the coalition had over 800,000 soldiers. After Bonaparte's German allies defected, the Sixth Coalition had swelled to 1.2 million

From Prince to King - March 20th, 1816

Napoleon being the primary reason the court fled Portugal in the first place, as word spread the royalty began to make plans to return to the homeland. John's mother, Queen Maria died March 20th 1816. While he was not officially declared king until February 6th 1818, he did exercise governing powers.

Europe still regarded Brazil as a backwater colony and King John wanted to ensure that his colony was able to function after the royalty departed. His son, Pedro IV of Portugal, was nominated as heir apparent to function as Prince Regent of Brazil. The plan was to have Pedro oversee the colony until John VI passed away, granting him title of King of the Portuguese Empire.

Unfortunately for the aristocracy, this was not going to happen...

The Liberal Revolution - 1820

The defeat of Napoleon, "Governor" Beresford's stewardship of Portugal, economic depression and their king's prolonged absence became fuel for the fire that became the Liberal Revolution (Revolução Liberal). The Constituent Assembly, later shortened to Cortes, demanded the return of the king. John VI returned and nominated Pedro IV as his replacement.

Pedro IV of Portugal

In April 1821 King John VI returned to Portugal. The Cortes wanted a constitutional monarchy - a government under which a constitution of rights and regulations was codified and the monarchs' powers were restricted. The people would be governed by an elected parliament, not kings and queens of divine right.

The new government also sought to revoke Brazil's political autonomy thereby reverting the territory back into a colonial status.

The Birth of the Brazilian Empire - September 7th 1822

Brazilian statesman, José Bonifácio, like many other Brazlians, did not enjoy the possibility of his people being thrown to the wolves as the new Portuguese government sought to do. He became the most prominent voice to persuade Pedro IV's ear to not back down.

José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva

Pedro accepted the advice of José and declared independence from Portugal. In his speech to his Guard of Honor he said,

“Friends, the Portuguese Cortes want to enslave and pursue us. From today on our relations are broken. No ties unite us anymore. Armbands off, soldiers. Hail to the independence, to freedom and to the separation of Brazil. For my blood, my honor, my God, I swear to give Brazil freedom. Independence or death!”


Pedro's speech before his guardsmen

The Independence War

Pedro's declaration marked the end of Portugal's control of its largest colony and the beginning of Brazil's independence. What followed was the Independence War which began in February 1822 and concluded in November 1823. The Independence War was thankfully short lived - only 22 months of combat fought across approximately five provinces. It consisted of militias fighting one another. The Portuguese sent additional troops to bolster the loyalists still present in Brazil. No truly reliable evidence about the casualties have been recorded. An estimation of the death toll places the sum total between 5,700 to 6,200 on both sides.

The Dawn of a New Age

After the war, the colony became the Empire of Brazil, and that is a story for another day.

About the Author

Steven Byrd is an Author at Brazil-Compass.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

Dia da Independência, Part One

2012-09-03T00:00:00.000-03:00

History of Brazil's Independence Day

Each year on the Seventh of September, Brazilians proudly celebrate their independence from Portugal. This is a nationally recognized holiday, commonly referred to as Sete de Setembro. This is the history of Brazil's path to independence.

Author's Disclaimer

Sources mainly focus on the chain of events that occurred in the 1820's. However, there is much more to the history behind Brazil's independence in 1824. Because of the amount of information, this article has been split into two parts. This is the most complete historical account that I am able to provide.

The Wrath of Napoleon


Napoleon Bonaparte

The Continental Blockade - 1806

The First Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, had conquered and allied with almost every major European power at the time. He wanted revenge against the British and sought to punish the island nation by implementing a large scale embargo, known as the Continental System or Continental Blockage (Blocus Continental in French). This embargo called for all of France's conquered territories and allies not to trade with the United Kingdom. The foreign policy was enacted on November 21st, 1806.

Map of the Continental Blockade

The End of Divine Right - 1807

French Philosophers (prior to being squelched by Napoleon) disseminated the ideas of governance without feudal overlords. Many citizens sought to dethrone their kings and queen, but lacked the resources to do so. Commoners of Spain and Portugal believed the French would carry these ideals into their respective countries. These supporters of these "radical" ideologies were nicknamed "Afrancesados," literally meaning "Turned French."

Secret Alliances - 1807

Portugal and Sweden remained neutral and refused to comply with the Continental Blockade based on prior treaties with the United Kingdom. This would evolve into full fledged alliances between Portugal and the United Kingdom.

After a failed invasion of Russia, Bonaparte negotiated the Franco-Russian Treaty with Tsar Alexander I, on July 7th, 1807. This treaty was a secret mutual agreement where either side assisted the other in their disputes. Napoleon persuaded the Russian Empire to invade Sweden. Portugal and the United Kingdom rallied support for the Swedes. With Russia distracting the rest of the world, the French set their sights on Portugal.

Napoleon meets with Alexander

The Peninsular War - 1807

Godoy requested an alliance with Portugal fearing the French arrival. The Portuguese had no reason not to suspect any treachery. This became their undoing.

Napoleon met with Spain's Prime Minister Manuel de Godoy. Prime Minister Godoy functioned as the negotiator On October 27th, 1807 Emperor Napoleon I of France and King Charles IV of Spain signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau. This treaty was an agreement that Spain and France would join forces to decimate Portugal. After their victory, the nation would be split into three kingdoms.

Manuel de Godoy

The Portuguese army was positioned to defend the ports and the coast from a French attack. It had no warning of the Spanish betrayal, nor the incoming land troops. On November 29th the entire Portuguese Court fled. Maria I of Portugal and Prince Regent John VI (Dom João VI) sailed to Brazil. On December 1st Lisbon was taken without opposition.

On March 7, 1808, the court arrived in the Portuguese Royal Family established itself at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil where the Prince Regent would rule for the next 13 years.

The story continues with Dia da Independência, Part Two: From Colony to Country.

About the Author

Steven Byrd is an Author at Brazil-Compass.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

Além do Turismo

2012-08-31T02:52:00.002-03:00

Brazilians Buying The Big Apple & The Sunshine State

From Miami…

To New York City…

Wealthy Brazilians are purchasing real estate in these hot cities like it’s going out of style.

Marcos Cohen, a Brazilian broker at Prudential Douglass Elliman, claims he has contracted at least 15 deals for Brazilians purchasing real estate in Manhattan between $5 and $15 million! While these multimillion-dollar purchases are at the top of the list for New York brokers, according to Cohen, for Brazilians, “ Even New York can be seen as a bargain compared to Rio.” These city apartment enthusiasts favor residential locations in Central Park, the Upper East Side, and Midtown Manhattan. Following closing on their purchases, Brazilian buyers usually bring their architects and designers to remodel their purchase as the home they truly desire.

Jeisa Chiminazzo, a 26-year-old model, in the TriBeCa loft she bought for $1.65 million in 2009 (Marilynn K. Yee/New York Times).

The majority of these Brazilian buyers in New York are professionals in the finance industry between the ages of 30 and 40. They are experiencing the exciting rise of importance in their economy (Brazil is the sixth-largest in the world as of this year.), lower inflation and an increase in the value of the Brazilian Real, and much more stability. This time of prosperity has allowed many Brazilians to experience lifestyles, which they were not able to indulge previously. It has also allowed Brazilians more interaction and the ability to demand more attention from the United States.

As New York is a favorite for Brazilians, so too is Miami. South Florida boasts many amenities comparable to the likes of Rio and Brazilians are taking advantage of this. In many cases, it is cheaper for Brazilians to purchase homes and commercial properties in Miami than in Rio. At least 1 in 5 buyers at the W South Beach Hotel & Residences in Miami are Brazilians, contributing to a more than $50 million over 31 units purchased. And of the units rented in recent months, Brazilians also hold popularity.

Antonio Luciano, a 32-year old whose family owns a sugar cane and commodities business, “The prices are very cheap now. If you look for the same places in Rio, they would cost twice as much.” He recently purchased two homes in Miami (totaling $9 million) by using his smartphone and has cash handy, eager to make another purchase. Luciano was reportedly touring a house in South Miami for $17 million. He is just one among the large waves of wealthy Brazilians who started arriving in the past couple of years to take benefit from the United States’ plummeted real estate prices.

Cristiano Piquet, Luciano’s realtor, noticed that Brazilian interest in Miami homes was beginning to bubble several years ago. A native Brazilian who currently lives in Miami (as of 2000), he started networking and saw the competitive advantage that he had over other realtors who did not speak Portuguese nor had they been paying attention to the Brazilian market.

Buying is somewhat complicated in these cases due to delays in wire transfers and the bureaucracy that follows making purchases abroad. But, according to Alexei Barrionuevo of the New York Times, American brokers and lawyers see the value in doing business with Brazilians so much that they are more proactive in making trips to Brazil and increasing their marketing efforts to Brazilian society.

Unfortunately Brazilians are not able to come and go to the United States as easy as it is for Europeans, for example. The inconvenience of tourist visas causes more deferments than preferred. However, recent presidential discussions have already confirmed that the negotiations of easier travel restrictions between the U.S. and Brazil will be established in the future.

From Oranges to Apples, Brazilians are literally making their mark on U.S. territory. With stronger advances in the Brazilian economy and the Brazilians’ impact to make strong and lasting impressions in the American market, this is surely a sign that Brazil’s economic strength and influence continues on the rise.

Brazilian Food in All Its Glory

2012-08-23T00:00:00.000-03:00

Brazilian food is the result of an amazing marriage of the Portuguese, Indian, African and Arabic culinary traditions. The food staples for Brazilians are rice (arroz) and beans (feijão). Beans come in many varieties: black, red and brown. No matter what, there will always be arroz com feijão, rice with beans, an extremely delicious and balanced dish. There is also manioc flour that comes in several different forms such as farofa cooked with oil, mashed aipim (cassava), or also simply as an accompaniment with meat, fish or vegetables.

National dishes

Feijoada: it is the most important dish of Brazil! Everyone loves it! All Brazilian families savor it on Saturday at restaurants and at home, and you will see it is so filling that you won’t need to eat anything else for the rest of the day! The server comes with a huge pot full of beans, inspired by Indian and African cuisine, which are simmered with pork feet, tails and ears, sausage and beef, all mixed with onions and garlic. The sides are also very hearty. Portuguese tradition is present in the form of white rice (of course). The cabbage (couve) and oranges show the green and yellow color of the Brazilian flag. Farofa is also included to round out the meal. Brazilians are accustomed to mix all these ingredients together.

Delicious feijoada

Churrasco: who has never dreamed of eating unlimited quantities of meat? Well, in Brazil it is totally possible! It is even a tradition! Therefore, go to a churrasqueria restaurant to have a really good time with friends and an endless selection of meat! There are various grilled meats of all sizes and you can eat as much as you want! They are marinated and grilled on a spit over coals. It is a culinary delight for carnivores and is an experience that you cannot miss!


Churrasco on the street

If you don’t have a lot of time and you want to experience a relaxed atmosphere, just walk down the street around 6 pm and look for people who are doing a churrasco outside! One skewer costs only 3 reais.

One of the best street churrascos is located north of Copacabana, at Rua Adolfo Dantos.

Moqueca de peixe ou camarão: It is a dish of fish or shrimp that is cooked with onions, garlic, coriander and tomatoes in coconut milk. It is served with rice and cassava. It is very tasty and is famous in Bahia.

Empadão: This is a pie stuffed with shrimps or meat with various vegetables.

Pão de queijo: It is so good and you will only find this in Brazil! It is a small pastry ball stuffed with cheese. It can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack. They are available at the supermarket or in all snack bars and bakeries. They are best when hot.

Salgados: You can find these in every snack bar and bakery. Everyone eats them as a snack before lunch or dinner. For those who are in a hurry, they can be eaten as a real lunch. They are small salty pastries with various fillings: meat, shrimps, ham and cheese, chicken. I recommend the coxhina de frango catupiri, a chicken and cheese snack. They are excellent at the Farolhana Padaria. The pastel is a fried pastry stuffed with cheese, meat or ham and cheese. They are very tasty if you eat them at the Brazilian street market! The kibe is another fried pastry stuffed with meat and vegetables, with Arabic roots.

Sweets and fruits

Brazil is known for its massive supply of exotic tropical fruits coming from every corner of the country, as well as its many treats and snacks.

Brigadeiros: Simply amazing! If you eat one brigadeiro candy, you will eat all of them! They are delicious balls of chocolate and condensed milk coated with chocolate sprinkles. They are very easy to make at home.

Pudim: small milky flan.

Açaí: A fruit from the Amazon estuary. It is one of the most caloric fruits of Brazil! It is presented in a glass as a sorbet and is very rich with a distinct flavor! To try this in Rio, I recommend the lanchonete in Copacabana, at the corner of Rua Julio Castilhos and Nossa Senhora de Copacabana.


Enjoying some açaí!

Acerola: it is a small red fruit with a lot of vitamins! It is consumed as a juice. I highly recommend trying acerola-orange juice.

Caju: it is an orange/red fruit with a sweet and sour taste. The nuts of the fruit can be eaten raw, often as an aperitif, and the liquid of the fruit is often served as caju juice.

Maracujá: Known in English as the passion fruit, it is provides a great sensation in the mouth. It can be drunk as a juice and is also used to make caipirinhas.

Drinks

Guaraná: It is the preferred soda of all Brazilians. It is a plant from the Amazon and is prepared as a juice. It is best to drink it very cold!

Maté: This drink cannot be ignored! It is an infusion of maté herb, from the Iguazu region (South of Brazil). Maté in its liquid form is a kind of dark brown brew that can be drunk cold, as maté tea or hot maté chimarão. The most well known brand is called Mate Leão.

Coco verde/Água de coco: Coconut water straight from the coconut itself is available everywhere! From the restaurants to the streets, they open it for you and you can drink it peacefully on the beach! You can also buy them at supermarkets.

Caldo de cana is sugarcane juice crushed directly in a machine right in front of your eyes. The taste is sweet and can be mixed with other juices like pineapple or lime. There are a lot of caldo de cana stands at the open-air markets!

The Caipirinha is the succulent Brazilian national cocktail made with cachaça, sugar and lime.

It is best as an aperitif. Caipirinhas accompany all occasions where people share good moments in a happy atmosphere! It is the most famous cocktail of Brazil for a reason.


Caipirinhas all around!

Beers: Brazilian beers are very light when compared to European and American ones. A lot of Brazilians even drink beer instead of water because it is so light. The most famous brands are Brahma, Antarctica, Bohemia and Skol. Apparently, the best one is the Original Antarctica! Try it! It's worth it!

To contact Alison, send an email to alison@brazil-compass.com
All of Alison's articles can be found here.

Brazil's Olympic Story in London

2012-08-22T00:17:00.001-03:00

It may be a week late but it is still worth highlighting Brazil's accomplishments in London prior to the arrival of the Olympic flame in Rio de Janeiro 2016. The country did not perform up to expectations in some events that it was heavily favored in, however it did manage to collect seventeen total medals, including three gold's, five silver's, and nine bronze. Not achieving the medal haul that it was hoping for, Brazil now returns to home soil with the opportunity to take its efforts to another level and truly please in fronts of millions of compatriots. Mark my words, Rio 2016 will be an event like never seen before. London performed such a spectacular job as hosts that it will be hard to top, but if anyone can do it, it's the Brazilians.

Sarah Menezes won Brazil’s first gold in women's judo. After losing in the first round in 2008, Menezes made serious progress in her training, coming to London and defeating the defending champion, Romanian Alina Dumitru, to win the gold medal. Sarah was the first Brazilian woman to get gold in the sport.


Sarah Menezes with opponent Alina Dumitru and other competitors

Arthur Zanetti won the gold medal for men's artistic gymnastics in the rings exercise, being the first Brazilian, as well as the first Latin American, to win any gymnastics medal in the Olympics, which is quite an achievement. He even outperformed the favored Chinese gymnast Yibing Chen to do so. His routine was one of Brazil's events that I was able to watch here in the U.S. and it was very well executed.


Arthur Zanetti on the rings

Brazil's third gold was an expertly performed title defense, with the women's volleyball team reclaiming the gold medal for the second Olympics in a row. Beating the favorite United States team in the final was a glorious triumph for the Brazilian women, coming back after losing the first set to win. The team was so elated that its squad proceeded to party on the court in true Brazilian fashion following the match.

Women's Volleyball team celebrating its Gold

The men's volleyball team didn't do half bad either, winning a silver medal in a final match against Russia, however this result didn't sit well with Brazilians. Brazil was winning the match 2 sets to 0 and was winning 23-20 in the third set, but inexplicably succumbed to a comeback that was one of the largest upsets in the Games. Even worse, this was the last match of this particular squad. My friend Ivo Felipe, a journalist for Brazilian sports magazine LANCE!, put it very well: "The defeat of the men's volleyball team was the most painful loss of the Olympics for Brazilians. The team is considered the best sports team of the country and was well ahead of the Russians in the match, but it gave up the upset. It's a terrible way to say goodbye to the core of the team, that will probably retire." Principal players Giba and Ricardinho, among others, will soon retire, marking the end of an era for what was considered Brazil's best team of all time (excluding football, of course), having won many major tournaments and performing at the highest level again and again.

Brazil clearly has a talent for breeding skilled volleyball players, considering that both its men and women brought home medals in the court variety of the sport. Not only that, the country's strength in volleyball goes beyond the court and into the sand as well. One of the men's beach volleyball teams (Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego) took home a silver medal, and one of the women's beach volleyball teams (Larissa França and Juliana Silva) won bronze. Larissa and Juliana were favorites in women's beach volleyball but were beaten by the United States, leaving them with the opportunity for third place.

Boxer Esquiva Falção, swimmer Thiago Pereira rounded out Brazil's collection of silver medals (excluding one that will be mentioned shortly). Boxers Yamaguchi Falção and Adriana Araujo, Judo fighters Felipe Kitadai, Rafael Silva, and Mayra Aguiar, modern pentathlete Yane Marques, swimmer Cesar Cielo, and the Brazilian sailing team all won bronze medals, bringing pride to the country. Ranked by total number of gold medals, Brazil landed in 22nd place and provided more reason to train even harder for 2016.


Esquiva Falção is ready to fight


Yane Marques at the finish line

On to the controversy: I noticed throughout the weeks of the Olympics that many of my Brazilian friends and acquaintances were all mentioning the same thing; something along the lines of "at an Olympics where Brazil is winning very little, it seems now is the time for a first gold in football." It is logical for a country known for its world-class ability in football to expect something great from its national teams at all age levels. Despite being the most decorated country in the World Cup, with five total trophies, the country has never won gold in the Olympics, a rather sore subject depending on whom you ask. The Brazilian Under-23 squad that represented the country this time was full of ability and certainly not short of stars. Young superstar Neymar played extremely well alongside midfield wizard Oscar, Alexandre Pato, its three over-age exceptions Hulk, Marcelo, and Thiago Silva, and just about everyone else. Stunning the crowds and the world in every game throughout the tournament and racking up massive numbers of goals proved not to be enough however when costly mistakes (from lack of experience and poor decision making) in the final against a very strong Mexico squad were punished without hesitation. Much to the disappointment of Brazilian football fans back home, the team accepted its silver medals in complete silence with heads bowed in unhappiness and dissatisfaction. This is not the Brazil we know and love and it was a rare sight to see a group of Brazilians in such a state. Now they have the opportunity to make history and win their first gold in football at home and could potentially do so while on an extended high after winning the World Cup 2014 when it comes to their country two years prior. Now that would definitely turn things around.

The closing ceremony of the London Olympics was a long affair with a tribute to British music and culture consuming a majority of the event. Towards the end, the performance transitioned from the British to the Brazilians. A funny interaction between a British dancer and a Brazilian dancer teaching each other their steps moved into a full-on spectacle as samba dancers in costumes and singer Marisa Monte in an elaborate Carnaval-esque costume made things even more exciting. Singers BNegão and Seu Jorge then took the state with supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio and one of Brazil's most famous personalities, football superstar Pelé made an appearance. Brazil's eight-minute segment definitely took a U-turn from England's rock and pop music and rounded out the night well before the extinguishing of the Olympic flame. And so, the Olympic flag was handed off to Rio de Janeiro's mayor Eduardo Pães, wishing Brazil the best in their preparations on behalf of the rest of the world and looking forward to the next display of human greatness in the form of the Olympic Games.


Marisa Monte performs

Carnaval in London

Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio with soccer legend Pelé

Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Pães emphatically receives the Olympic flag

The Olympic flag has since arrived in Rio, marking the official start of preparations, despite many procedures being underway years in advance. Rio now must build its Olympic Park and other venues. This mountainous task is aided by the fact that many structures as well as the infrastructure projects that are currently under construction for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil can be used to accommodate the Olympics as well.


Arrival of the Olympic flag in Rio

Brazil has high expectations for the next Olympics and plans to increase its athletics budget, targeting a top ten position in the medals chart come 2016. It plans to spend $700 million in the four year lead-up to reach this goal, a number that is three times greater than their spending for London. Its strategy seeks to emulate other champion caliber countries in everything from methodology and training methods, to facility quality, to extensive studying of how its own past winners were so successful. Using these techniques and funding together, Brazil should make a strong run in 2016.

And as the countdown begins, the world says "Rio, here we come."

This article was written by Andres O'Donnell, our Subject Matter Expert for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Watch this space for more updates on this subject on Brazil-Compass!

He is available for all inquiries, comments and conversations.

To contact Andres, send an email to andres@brazil-compass.com
Feel free to contact in English, Portuguese, Spanish or French.
All of Andres' articles can be found here.

Jason Looking for a Job in Sao Paulo - Chapter 1

2012-08-12T16:38:00.000-03:00

Hi everyone,

Thanks for taking the time to read Brazil-Compass on my attempts to secure a new position in the buzzing metropolis that is Sao Paulo.

However in this first instalment it’s probably a good idea to give you a little background on what I have been doing and how I’ve got to this point in my journey.

So in my case this journey started by meeting my future wife at a friend’s leaving do and as they say the rest is history however it is important to note that my wife to be was in fact Brazilian and made it very clear to me in the early stages of our relationship that she would be returning back to Brazil someday. So I was warned. LOL.

Point No 1.

For any of you in a similar situation or if you are adventurous and really have a hunger to go and work in Brazil do one thing as soon as you can and learn Portuguese (more importantly Brazilian Portuguese). Although I have an intermediate understanding of Brazilian Portuguese I personally believe the more advanced you are the better your chances of finding a role.

See if your local school or college is running evening classes, In my case it was very difficult to find a Brazilian Portuguese class near where I lived or worked so it’s not always easy.

If you can’t get to a class then look at on-line learning classes. A friend recommended Babbel.com and you can sign up to a monthly service which is very interactive. I found it very similar to Rosetta stone’s techniques on learning and on our website is an article referring to Brazilian Portuguese Podcasts

http://www.brazil-compass.com/2012/05/brazilian-portuguese-podclass-highly.html

Also there are loads of books out there on learning Portuguese for example Portuguese for Dummies. However don’t do what I did and buy these books and just have them round the house gathering dust.

If you know a Brazilian then also take the time out and just speak Portuguese with them. It doesn’t have to be for hours but try to do it on a regular basis. However combine this with an online course or with the books you’re reading otherwise you will become impatient as your vocabulary will be limited at first.

Point No 2.

VISA

If you are seriously looking to live and work in Brazil you will be required to apply for a temporary residence visa. In my case due to being married to a Brazilian I was able to apply for a permanent residence visa here in the UK at the Brazilian consulate in Central London. It took a couple of Months to be issued which wasn’t too bad although all my documentation had to be translated into Portuguese.

However to obtain a temporary visa for employment purposes, you will need to secure a job offer from a Brazilian company or government department, or a foreign company based in Brazil; they should then apply to the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Labour on your behalf.

The criteria for approval of an employment visa include suitable educational qualifications or work experience, a secured employment contract in Brazil, proof of adequate means of subsistence in Brazil, police confirmation that you have no criminal record and a satisfactory medical examination. All official documents must be translated into Portuguese. The application-processing period is normally around 2-3 months.

Employment visas are issued for a specific job and are not transferable between employers.

CPF

In addition you will need a CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física), which is a database administrated by the Federal Revenue, that stores information of its registered people. It is a document for Brazilians, foreigners that live in Brazil and foreigners that live abroad but have assets or business in Brazil.

Without a CPF you cannot open a bank account, get credit, apply for public jobs, be up to date with taxes, being able purchase goods in some stores etc.

I have found that a number of Brazilian Recruitment Agencies will require you to have a CPF before you can even register. I really didn’t realise how important it is to have a CPF number before you start applying for jobs until I started to register my CV. Now not every website does require you to enter your CPF but it would be far easier to have one before you start your job hunt.

However I did actually look to apply for a CPF when I was in Brazil a few months ago. My Wife and I visited a local Banco do Brasil and had our BRL 5,70 fee ready. After completing the form in the Bank and after an hour wait we were told that my application could not be accepted as my Passport had to be translated into Portuguese. Frustrating does not cover it. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to have the passport translated and returned back to the UK where I planned to apply for the CPF in the UK.

Unfortunately it seems that applying for a CPF from the UK can take from two months onwards so be aware.

You will need to complete a form available on-line from

http://www.receita.fazenda.gov.br/Aplicacoes/ATCTA/CpfEstrangeiro/fcpfIng.asp

Additional information is required which is listed and you’ll need to take all the documents to the Brazilian Consulate in London to start the process.

So in Summary before you are serious about working in Brazil:

Do study as much Brazilian Portuguese as you can
Do apply for your CPF
If you are in a position to apply for a residence visa do. Otherwise be aware that the company employing you will look to arrange you’re working visa.

JOB HUNTING TIP OF THE WEEK

For any interview/meeting either face to face or over skype make sure you dress appropriately:

For men I would strongly recommend that you wear a solid colour conservative suit, with a white long sleeve shirt a conservative tie, dark socks and polished shoes.

For women again wear a solid colour conservative suit, coordinated blouse and moderate shoes.

“They say it takes less than 3 seconds for someone to evaluate you when they first meet you”

I have always found that you’ll never offend anyone by being well presented and dressed smartly even to the point of wearing a tie. Normally I now don’t wear a tie to work but if I’m meeting a new customer or contact I’ll always wear a tie. In Brazil especially formal dress is a must.

The Best Destination for French and Foreign Students: RIO de JANEIRO

2012-08-08T08:00:00.000-03:00

If you are planning to come to Brazil it is not an unconscious decision! And you're absolutely right; it is THE PLACE TO BE! Indeed, Brazil is always increasing its presence in the international scene! Many foreigners come here for vacation, to study or to work!

I am writing directly from one of the most beautiful cities in the world: Rio de Janeiro, with its sun, its warmth and its good humor! Life here is really different than most big cities, stress does not exist and people live in a "cool" and “relax” state of mind. They adore taking their time, talking and especially enjoying life. Brazilians are very welcoming, friendly and they love to receive French people in their country. I feel great here! If you need any help just ask!! They will be happy to help you.

It is a wonderful experience that you will never forget! The hardest thing to accept is that one day you will have to leave your Carioca life... People who come here, don’t want to go back to their country because they feel as if they are at home here.

Rio is a city in full development, it is not as modern as Paris, except the center (business district), but the city melds perfectly with the mountainous landscapes and the ocean. The 10 million people who populate it make it a worship place, in order to share Carnival, samba, favelas, and a happy atmosphere with people coming from all around the world to share the taste of their “carioca” lives.

In 2013, the city will host the World Youth Days, then in 2014 the FIFA World Cup and finally, in 2016, for the first time in the history of South America, the city of Rio de Janeiro will become the host of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Before leaving for Brazil

a) The visa

First, in terms of the "Student" visa, get ahead!! Remember that it takes one month for your visa to be processed by the Consulate of Brazil in Paris. In order to avoid the line, head there on Tuesday or Friday morning at 5am (as I did), make an appointment via the website, to be sure you have a scheduled appointment. To find out more information about the procedure, go directly to the website.

b) The flight

In order to find a good price for the ticket, buy it at least 2 months in advance. The most affordable one that you will find is likely to be with British Airways. It costs around 750 Euros with departure from Paris. Iberia also offers good prices.

c) The Portuguese

Make sure that you speak at least some basics words in Portuguese. If you don't, don’t worry. Brazilians speak quite well in English, especially at the airport, hostels, restaurants, and hotels. Anyway you will learn on the job by necessity.

Do not forget, in Brazil everything is negotiable! (From the bracelets to the room price!)

Arrival at the Galeão airport in Rio de Janeiro

Get off the aircraft as fast as possible to avoid the line for customs and stamping of the visa. You will be given several papers to keep for the rest of your registration in Brazil.

To reach your home you have three possible choices:

By bus (dark blue), 12 reais. Connection from the airport to the city (Central, Gloria, Flamengo, Botafogo, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Vidigal and Rocinha). It's up to you to stop the bus whenever you want.

By van (small white truck), 12 reais (if they request more, negotiate!), At first it looks like a van that is going to kidnap you but that is absolutely not true! You will find many of them in the city! They are fast and let you off when you ask them to.

By taxi. You can take either a taxi from official companies at the airport, such as "Azul" (they charge twice the normal price) or the normal taxis which are at the airport exit. As an example, the price for Copacabana will be from 40 to 50 reais (it depends if you are going to the North or the South). You can still negotiate upon arrival.

Regarding the driving style => expect to feel like you're in a video game!

Accommodation

a) Youth Hostels

If you arrive empty-handed in Rio de Janeiro, no worries! Spend a few days in a youth hostel and you will quickly find a room in an apartment during the week. Choose a hostel in Copacabana, as it provides a good base camp to be the center of your search. For more information, check out French Hostelworld.

b) Find a room

In general, students share an apartment, often with Brazilians and with people of other nationalities. There can be between 3 and 8 housemates in the same apartment, and this is common! You have the opportunity to learn not only Portuguese, but also Italian, German, Spanish, and more…. Even better! When looking for apartments here are two sites that are very useful: Easy Quarto and REI Rio.

Feel free to ask the receptionists if they know people that are renting a room, all is done by word of mouth!

Average room rates:

TYPE OF ROOM	PRICE
A maid's room "quarto de emprega"	500 - 750 reais.
A shared room with other roommates	750 reais
A private room in Copacabana	900 - 1000 Reais
One bedroom with double bed and ensuite bathroom in Copacabana	1300 - 1500 reais
A private room in Ipanema	1000 -1300 reais
One bedroom with double bed and ensuite bathroom in Ipanema	1400 - 1600 reais
A Studio in Copacabana	Around 1800 reais

When you ask the price of the rent (aluguel) ask if the utilities (contas) are included or not. Usually, they are between 50 and 100 reais, depending on the number of roommates.

Practical advice

a) The Mobile Phone

First, do not forget to unlock your phone. For the operator, I recommend TIM. especially if you stay for a period between 6 and 12 months. This is the cheapest one and the procedure to buy the chip is simple and fast. You only have to present go to the TIM store with a passport, an address in Rio and a few reais. It cost 10 reais to buy the chip. The internet is also available for 1 real per day, which is very cheap. You can recharge your phone whenever you want. Refills are available in TIM shops, kiosks, supermarkets (like Pão de Açúcar for example) and Lojas Americanas. People say that the network's coverage is not great, but I have never had any problems.

b) Transportation

There are 3 common forms of transportation:

The bus. The price varies between 2.75 and 3.10 reais. This is the best network of the city, although it is complicated. The best way to get through this is to ask to the driver which bus to take and he will respond politely and lead you the right way. Also feel free to ask others who are waiting. Don't worry, you will quickly understand the bus proceedings.

The van. The price is 2.50 reais. You can find them mostly along the beach or on the main streets (Barata Ribeiro in Copacabana, Rua Visconde of Pirajá in Ipanema).

The Metro. The price is 3.20 reais for one way. There is no special discount or combining tickets. It runs from 5 am to 11 pm. You will see that there are even train cars reserved for women from 5 to 8 pm, protecting women from the wandering hands of men.

Music and parties

Do not believe everything that you hear! Brazil is not as dangerous as people say! Just be careful, as in all countries, but not to a point where you check your purse 24 hours a day.

In Rio, it is possible to go out every night. The Rio Times and Rio Festa collect information about Rio's nightlife.

What I recommend: meet or live with Brazilians because they know all the best places in Rio, including those that are not mentioned on Facebook or the Internet!

a) The music and its associated locations

Funk: it is a purely Brazilian music. You learn to dance and go down low while moving the back! I guarantee that you feel pain in the thighs the next day. It's really worth it to see Brazilians dancing together, it's a real show! Do not worry, you only need to practice it a little bit and you will do as well as them! Just be flexible!

Go to the Lapa district, especially on Friday night. Feel free to enjoy caipirinhas near the "arcos" and meet people. Everybody talk to each other! If you want to see a good Funk dance, go to Alto Lapa after 1 am! The entrance costs 10 reais for women and 30 reais for men. Girls, do not hesitate to speak with the bouncers for 2 or 3 minutes (they love French girls!) and they will probably give you free tickets, ask Jackson!

There are also all the dilapidated houses on the side of the “arcos” street, which mix Funk and electro music. At the first sight, you are not very sure if you should go inside but it's worth it to know Brazilian culture.

The Barra area (in the south) is also a good place. Barra Music plays this style of music especially on Monday nights; it is an excellent place to go!

Do not be surprised if MANY Brazilians want to dance with you, especially for girls, and want to kiss you after the dance. Let's say that it's "normal!" I assure you that you can also refuse.

Samba: You can dance samba in several neighborhoods such as the Centro, in the early evening, especially in Rio Scenarium, which is well decorated and has a very animated atmosphere, providing a good place to have a drink. But it's pretty expensive.

In Lapa at the Circo Voador, there are even many concerts.

However, the best place to go is La Casa Rosa, located in Laranjeiras! Whether you are a fan of samba or not (personally I'm not a fan), you have to do it at least once on a Sunday night! There are several groups that play samba live (ao vivo) and you can eat feijoada, which is included in the price for 25 reais.

Forro: It is a ballroom dance. The majority of Brazilians love it and dance to it. It's not really my kind of music, but one day I was looking for a restaurant to eat with my Brazilian friend and by chance we went to one in Copacabana (Santa Clara n°110) where a group was playing forro. It was very pleasant to listen and eat a delicious picanha at the same time for 35 reais! I warn you this is definitely enough for two people!

Otherwise, according to my Brazilian friends, Asa Branca in Lapa is a great place to go. Address: Avenida Mem de Sá, 17.

b) Where to go out during the week?

Each day of the week provides a specific opportunity to go out somewhere. Good advice: join every group on Facebook to go out and put your names on the lists, it will be cheaper!

Monday: Go to Barra (south). There are many clubs to choose from but the most famous ones are the Barra Music, Nuth and 021.

Tuesday: The Melt in Leblon. Caipirinhas are free until midnight and a group is playing Samba. After midnight, go to the first floor to dance to electro music. Address: Rua Rita Ludolf, 47

Wednesday: Go to Guimo’s in Copacabana. It's a Latin music party. It costs 12 reais to enter with your name on the list. You can drink free beers until midnight with Samba music. There is even a samba teacher that is there especially to teach you samba! Then dance to international music! This is the place for foreign students (especially students from PUC). Address: Avenida Copacabana N.S., 1077

Thursday: Baixo Gavea. This is where "Gringos", meaning foreigners, meet up. Everyone comes to drink beers and beers and beers! You can easily get there by bus or van. Feel free to negotiate your beer price. In general, two beers cost 4 or 5 reais maximum! It's a lovely atmosphere that lasts until 1 am and then continues in a nightclub!

Friday: Definitely go to Lapa. It's packed with people! People drink caipirinhas and the best places are those located near the stairs “as escadas de celarum.” Ask anyone and they will tell you where is it. If you are hungry, no problem! You can eat everything (burgers, kebabs, chips). Everyone gathers near the Arcos to chat, drink, meet new people, and dance for hours.

Nevertheless, let me give you some advice. If there is an area where everyone needs to be careful, this is it. Lapa is famous for thieves! Leave your valuables at home and do not show your phone. It is best to come without a watch, necklace, earrings, etc. Go as simple as possible!

Saturday: anywhere you want! People generally go to Ipanema, Lagoa or Leblon. The nightclubs are very modern, chic, and a little bit expensive. It is the opposite of Lapa! The ambiance is also very animated and the music is excellent! Many famous DJ’s go to spin there (such as David Guetta, LMFAO). You should try to go to the Praia Club, the Mirror and the Boox. There are also parties organized in the favelas. These are absolutely great and unforgettable experiences! The view is just amazing and beautiful! You can see all of Rio! There is absolutely nothing to worry about as some people might imagine. The music depends on the type of parties and is indicated on the Facebook event. They usually take place in Vidigal (in the south), (there are two levels, “baixo” or “alto.” If you go to Alto, I recommend you take the moto or van for 3 or 4 reais) or check out Rocinha favela (in the south also).

Sunday: go to Casa Rosa in the area of Laranjeiras to dance samba and eat a feijoada! Address: Rua Alice, 550. Or I also recommend that you go to São Cristovão. There are many concerts from Friday to Sunday that start at 8 pm. This is a great popular fair where you can eat, drink, dance, and buy all types of things. Fun atmosphere guaranteed!

There are tons of places to go out, drink and dance. I will leave you with the pleasure to discover Brazilian nights at your convenience.

The beaches

Brazilian women go to the beach with their bottom exposed to the air! But never the breasts! It is forbidden! If you intend to sleep on the beach you can forget it! There are always people who are screaming asking if you want to drink mate, eat shrimp, watermelon, coconut, or buy a necklace. You'll get used to it! "Cariocas," inhabitants of Rio, take few things to get to the beach: thongs "chinelos," you will see that everyone wears Havaianas, a sarong "conga", cream and that is all!

Beware of waves, there are days when it's better not to venture out there.

In order to avoid getting lost on the beach, there are various "postos," which are numbered spots from 1 to 12. Each one has a specific group of people that frequent it. It is more noticeable during the weekend.

For example:

Posto 8 is frequented by gays.

Posto 9 is known for marijuana (you'll see that while it is not legal, it happens).

Posto 10 has the most beautiful girls and boys! This place is quite sporty!

Posto 11 and 12 are for families.

Cariocas say that if you want to see beautiful people “boas pessoas,” you have to go to the beaches of Leblon and Ipanema and it is true!

I recommend that you to go to the beach of Barra de Tijuca, Grumari and Prainha (south). They are very beautiful, quiet and the water is very clear.

Markets

There are regular markets to buy vegetables, fruits, fish and meat. If you want to buy fish, do it as soon as possible in the morning. If you have not eaten your breakfast, don't worry because the market has everything you need. Merchants offer you food to taste all the time! Do not forget to eat "pastel", for 3 reais. There are the mixed (cheese and ham), the meat, and the cheese varieties. Do not hesitate to taste the "caldo de cana" which is the juice of the sugar of cane. It is very tasty!

Monday: the market is located at the end of Leme

From Tuesday to Thursday: go to São Cristavão, it starts at 10 am.

Thursday: Rua Ronald de Cavalho in Copacabana.

Sunday: Rua Siquiera Campos in Copacabana and Ipanema General.

Go at the end of the day (around 1:30 pm) and you will be able to negotiate easily and the prices will be cheaper!

In terms of supermarkets (from the cheapest one to the most expensive one):

Mundial (rua Siquiera campos at Copacobana and Botafogo), Prezunic (Rua General Polidoro 260, in Botafogo), Extra, Ultra, Zona Sul and Pão de Açúcar.

In case of illness

If you get sick, remember that it is mandatory to go to the doctor in order to get a prescription for medicine. It is impossible to buy prescription drugs directly from the pharmacy. A visit costs between 100 and 150 reais. If you have more serious problems, go to the hospital Copador in Copacabana.

Products to bring (that are too expensive in Brazil)

Brazil is awesome but sometimes it is very expensive!

Girls bring ALL your cosmetics, from the mascara to the perfume! Cosmetics here are not cheap!

High-tech products (phones, computers, etc.) are a lot more expensive than in France (almost double the price). The only place that it is worth it to buy technology products is in the North of Brazil in Manaus.

About champagne: just forget it! The cheapest one costs around 120 reais but it does not taste as good as you would expect for that price! For a tasty Brazilian champagne, you need to spend at least 250 reais and for a French champagne 450 reais! We'll have to do without it, however I have a good plan for you!

Go to the Champanheria Bar, after work during the week (after Tuesday) and you will be delighted to fulfill your French habits! It is a very elegant bar, which offers only champagne. You can also taste delicious plate of cheeses, ham and salmon!

If you a fan of very good chocolate, you won't find it here, bring it! It is the same for grenadine; I say this from experience as I myself love grenadine-based cocktails.

Come and see how it is to respire freedom in Rio de Janeiro and you will never want to leave!

To contact Alison, send an email to alison@brazil-compass.com
All of Alison's articles can be found here.

THE NEW SISCOSERV IN A NUTSHELL

2012-08-01T11:32:00.000-03:00

Law 12546 of 14/09/2011, in Articles 25, 26 and 27, established the Integrated System of Foreign Service Trade, Intangible and Other Operations which result on variation on net worth of entities (SISCOSERV –Sistema Integrado de Comércio Exterior de Serviços, Intangíveis, e outras operações que produzam variações no patrimônio-).

The SISCOSERV is a system of the Federal government - the Department of Trade and Services of the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (SCS/MDIC) and the Brazilian Internal Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance (RFB/MF)-, which aims to subsidize the Public Administration with fiscal and commercial information, related to operations performed between resident or domiciled in Brazil and resident and domiciled abroad about services, intangible goods and other operations which result on variation on net worth of entities.

By means of MDIC Bill No 113 of 17/05/2012, the Brazilian government has set out the rules to submit the required information to the SISCOSERV integrated database system.

Here are the main points of this new bill.

• WHAT?

The scope of SISCOSERV’s obligation to submit information is very broad, since it includes ALL services taken and / or rendered abroad (import / export of services). The data shall be provided in relation to transactions which include services, intangibles and other operations that produce changes in the assets of individuals and corporations, such as engineering services, network management, photographic, licensing of patents and trademarks, technology and operations research and catering, leasing, etc.

However, there are some operations that shall be considered excluded from the scope of this regulation, such as the sale and purchase of goods exclusively, and transactions involving intangible goods and/or services, when those have already been registered in the Integrated Foreign Trade System (Siscomex).

• WHO?

According to the Law, the information required by the SISCOSERV shall be provided by the Brazilian party involved in the transaction. It is worth pointing out that, by Brazilian party, it shall be understood “Brazilian business unit” (e.g. branch, subsidiary, etc), and not only, “the Brazilian parent company”.
The MDIC Bill 113 foresees an exemption for the legal entities opting for the Simple National System, the Individual Micro entrepreneurs (MEI) and the individuals residing in the country, which do not regularly and professionally, undertake any economic activity of civil or commercial nature, provided that the operation/s does not involve values higher than USD 20,000 or the equivalent in another currency, per month.

• WHEN?

The individuals and entities affected by this obligation should note that the timetable for implementation of the SISCOSERV varies depending on the type of service or activity concerned (i.e. from August 2012 to October 2013)

The full timetable is contained in Annex I of MDIC Bill 113.

• HOW?

The information shall be provided via Internet, through the SISCOSERV database System, which is available at www.mdic.gov.br. Both the Digital Certificate and the CPF (or the Electronic Power of Attorney) are mandatory requirements to record the operations into SiSCOSERV.
Further details concerning the submission of information can be found in the SISCOSERV Manual, also available on the Internet site.

• WHY?

The government intends to use all data contained on SISCOSERV to create and enforce public policies which can cause economic and commercial impacts among parties involved. SISCOSERV might imply a more stringent control over international flows of services and transfers of intangibles from or to Brazil.

The SISCOSERV regulation foresees a set of penalties and fines for those entities and individuals that do not comply with the new rules of data communication.

For further information on this subject, please contact our Subject Matter Expert for Legal Queries:

Marta Arias Díaz
RONALDO MARTINS & Advogados
Av. Brig. Faria Lima, 2601 - 3. andar - Cjs. 31 e 32 - Jd. Paulistano
01452-000 - São Paulo – SP
Fone: 55 11 3066-5919 / Cel.: 55 11 9966-6234 / Fax.: 55 11 3066-4848
marta.arias@ronaldomartins.adv.br
www.ronaldomartins.adv.br

Follow the Journey of a Job Hunter in Sao Paulo - Welcome Jason!

2012-07-31T06:39:00.000-03:00

I am glad to welcome Jason to Brazil-Compass!! Jason is currently based in the UK and will be providing us with an insight into the trials and tribulations of trying to secure a new Job in Brazil, more specifically Sao Paulo while residing and working in the UK.

Jason had studied Product Design Engineering while at University but found his career path led to him working primarily in the IT Industry for the last few years in predominantly Account/Relationship Management roles. He has worked with a number of different sized companies from large multinationals to small start-up enterprises so has a broad range of experiences and roles which he hopes will help him to stand out among the crowd during his job search.

Jason’s blog will follow his attempts to find a job in Brazil via a number of different means and will also include helpful tips of what to do and what not to do in your own job searches.

Away from work however, Jason has a very strong connection with Brazil and Brazilians. To start with he’s been married to a beautiful Brazilian now for over 4 years and actually married in Brazil as well as having his Honeymoon in Rio de Janeiro and Paraty. Since that first visit Jason has returned on two occasions and spent the majority of his time getting used to the hustle and bustle of life in Sao Paulo as well as being taken with the open and friendly people and the architecture of one of the largest cities in the World. Over the last year he’s been learning Portuguese so that he can become immersed in the Brazilian culture even more. He’s loved what he’s found, so much so that he’s made the decision to move with his wife to Sao Paulo and start a new chapter of their life.

Therefore his plan is to re-locate to São Paulo in the next three months or so with the intention of working with a company that requires some of his unique skills and experiences. As it stands he is going into this search with an open mind and is looking forward to finding opportunities from different sectors and seeing what might be the best fit for him.

So please follow his journey and hopefully pick up your own tips on how to find your own job in Brazil.

Book Review of "How to Be a Carioca"

2012-07-30T05:34:00.000-03:00

What is a Carioca?

Carioca (kah rree 'aw kuh) is the nickname given by the native Tupi-Guarani Indians to the first white men who arrived from Europe. "Cari," meaning "white man" and "oca" "home," essentially translating into "white man's home." Today, it applies to both male and female citizens of Rio de Janeiro.

First Steps

After you've decided to journey to Rio, you must learn how to act the part. The author suggests buying the following at the airport: Hershey Bars, vodka or scotch, Crest toothpaste. A Carioca will always buy something imported. Being from the U.S., I found it easier to acquire "foreign" products brought them along for my trip.

A Carioca must visit Copacabana and Ipanema. It is a fantastic place to relax, tan, and more importantly, socialize. Everyone should see the majestic coastline.

Appearance

Brazilians are very conscious about appearances. How you dress will dictate first impressions of you. A Brazilian friend of mine once asked, "How come Americans dress like they are poor? Why do they wear torn up clothes? It makes them look like they are from the streets." I admit, I was embarrassed. I had to explain it was our cultural sense of fashion. Since you, the reader, are hopefully planning to visit Brazil keep this in mind. Dress to impress!

Want to know how to spot a tourist at the beach? They're wearing long swim shorts and singlets. Be advised, Brazil does not have nude beaches. In fact, it is illegal to go nude. The stories that circulate are because of European visitors. That being said, here comes the irony. Men wear speedos and women wear bikinis.

Vocabulary

Understanding how to blend in with the crowd involves speaking the local language and slang.

Olá (oh LAH) - Hello
Oi (oy) - Hi
Tudo bem? (too doo bayn) - Is everything good?
Obrigado (oh-bri-gahd-oh) - Thank you

Men say obrigado. Women say obrigada.

Valeu (vay-'leyoo) - Thanks
A gente se vê (ah 'gen tche see 'veh) - See you
Camburão (come boo' rrown) or cambura - police
Paulista (Pow 'leesh tah) - someone from São Paulo. Paulistas tend to be very business oriented. Where as Cariocas are more relaxed.

This regional rivalry is evidenced in the book's description of Paulistas.

Meeting Others

Women kiss men on the cheeks. In my experience, it was a kiss on both cheeks. Women also kiss women on the cheeks as well. Because Brazil has a masculine culture, men never kiss men. A handshake will do.

If your contact is late, don't get upset. Unlike many countries where punctuality is priority one, there is no sense of urgency here. (Unless there is a legitimate emergency). Everything runs on "Brazilian time." So relax and take your time - everyone else is!

Dining in Rio

One of the main attractions of Brazil is the steak houses, known as the the churrascaria rodízo. The steakhouses I was at, Carretão, had a an amazing variety of food. I recommend the picanha (spicy top sirloin).

Be warned, the waiters come by with lightning speed to serve everyone. Many places have small coasters that are red on one side and green on the other. Green for "yes I want more." Red for, "no thank you."

There are other hidden interesting places, ask your fellow Cariocas where to eat.

Beverages

Fruit drinks can be found almost anywhere in Rio. They're very inexpensive and taste great! It is common to see fresh fruit stuffed into a blender and be handed a fresh cup of the mix. One of my favorite drinks was açai (ah-sigh-eee).

Beer, just like fruit drinks, is widely available. especially on the beach. The top brands I had when I was there was Skol, Choppe and Banadaro (a dark lager) When ordering beer say cerveja (seh-vay-jah) or cerva ('seh-vah). One can also ask for a cold beer, "uma estupidamente gelada" (oo mah eh 'shtoo pee dah 'mayn tche jeh 'lah dah). Avoid confusing estupidamente, extremely, with estúpido (es-too-pee-doh), stupid. You can say bobo instead.

Cachaça (kah 'shah sah) is the most popular alcoholic beverage made from sugar cane. It is typically between 38% and 48%. It is the primary ingredient of caipirinhas.Variations are made by switching the cachaça out with other alcohols: caipríssma (rum), caipirovska (vodka) and sakepirinha (sake).

Num dá pra dá um Jeitinho?

Jeitinho (jay 'tchee nyoo) is the Brazilian way of working out a deal. It can be used in almost any situation, such as pleading with the police officer not to give you a ticket or persuading the bouncer at the night club to let you skip the line. Be aware, it may not always work and it can sometimes backfire as can be perceived as bribery.

In conclusion

Despite being a short read (145 pages), it is wonderfully entertaining read. There is so much useful content, it would be impossible to cover all of it in this review. The author covers transportation, dealing with money, romance, and much more. So now that you know How to Be a Carioca: The Alternative Guide for the Tourist in Rio, be sure to come and visit!

About the Author

Steven Byrd is an Author at Brazil-Compass.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

Sejam bem-vindos a Florida! - Brazilian Tourism in the State of Florida

2012-07-30T02:23:00.001-03:00

In my introductory post, I mentioned that Brazil has a very strong partnership with the state of Florida. Due mainly in part to low prices and exchange rates, but even more recently because of real estate and business exchange opportunity, Florida has been the top destination for Brazilians traveling to the states. Last year, more Brazilians than any other nationality traveled to Florida—a whopping 41%. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, 1.5 million Brazilians are projected to visit the United States by the end of this year. The majority of these anticipated Brazilian travelers will visit Florida.

Brazilian tourists have helped Florida sustain its economy, taking advantage of purchasing goods and services without the barriers of tariffs, taxes, and transportation fees, which are all normal causes leading to higher prices. Vice President of Pegasus Transportation (a tour company operated in Florida), Claudia Menezes, frequently witnesses Brazilians’ shopping craze in Florida, “We took about 15,000 passengers on shopping tours, and they on average spend about $300 to $400 each person” she quoted in a recent CNN article. This is big business for Florida! Just one trip of Brazilians at a shopping outlet contributed $6 million to Florida’s economy on basic supplies alone such as luggage, electronics, and clothes. This does not even begin to exemplify larger contributions of purchases like cars and real estate.

Brazilians are also big fans of Central Florida’s theme parks. Last year, Disney World hit record-breaking numbers and experienced its largest entry of Brazilian visitors. This also encouraged job creation in the state of Florida. Disney hired more than 50 Portuguese-speaking Greeters to assist Brazilian tour groups in the parks.

Obtaining a visa to travel to the United States is not easy for Brazilians. The average wait is between 76-90 days to get the initial interview and the largest consulate is in Sao Paulo, forcing many Brazilians to travel very far to complete just this first step of the visa process. Improving this procedure would create more opportunity for stronger partnerships between Brazil and Florida and essentially Brazil and the United States, one initiative that President Obama and President Rousseff are currently undergoing between the two administrations.

But, this lengthy progression isn’t stopping Brazilians from traveling to Florida at all this summer. While the wait is arduous, Brazilians are willing to endure the wait for the chance to hop on a flight to Miami and drop loads of money. July is peak time for Brazilian travelers and South Florida especially has noticed this and welcomes the influx. Just last Wednesday Miami International Airport unveiled Sem Fronteiras (Without Borders), a new Brazilian Art Exhibit. Also last week, Vogue Brasil reciprocated this Brazil-Florida fixation with its release of a special 66-page Miami issue.

In fact, beyond tourism, Brazil is Florida’s strongest trade partner. This year Florida experienced a significant amount of growth in exports to Brazil, up by 4.6%, which accounts for more that $5 billion. Imports from Brazil have increased to nearly 88% (more than $1 billion). Most of this trade between Brazil and Florida is executed in Miami. While the Brazilian Real has experienced a slight decrease from last year, its strength still holds up against the U.S. Dollar and encourages U.S. exports.

According to the Central Bank Governor, Alexandre Tombini, the Brazilian economy has slowed, but says that the good news for Florida is that the growth is expected to pick up during the second half of this year! Many organizations such as the Brazil Florida Alliance, Enterprise Florida, and the Brazilian American Chamber of Commerce—among others, are key facilitators in this exciting exchange of establishing initiatives with Brazil.

Stay tuned for my upcoming post on Brazilian’s Purchasing Real Estate in the U.S.

This article was brought to you by Charoy Thurston, our US-Brazil relations Subject Matter Expert. Get in touch with Charoy if you have any comments or questions on this subject.

Read a selection of Charoy's articles here

Wings Over Rio

2012-07-26T15:26:00.001-03:00

Matt Brooks joins us today with his hang gliding experience in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio is a place of many joys. The tourists and locals alike take in the beauty of the mountains that surround much of the region. However, not everyone decides to jump off of one as I did, along with some of my fellow classmates. That’s right, I decided for the first time in my life to try hang gliding.

Last year, I was lucky enough to be able to visit Rio for a ten-day trip that was done through my college. I enjoyed the days of sun, beauty, and adventure. I went on the Sugar Loaf, listened to professors at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), watched a soccer game, drank açai smoothies until my throat was frozen, enjoyed delicious meals, drank incredible coffee, toured Globo, saw historical sites, visited botanical gardens, bodysurfed in the ocean, traveled by foot/bus/taxi all over the place (day and night), and the list goes on and on.

Although I enjoyed the whole trip, one of my favorite things was simply jumping off of a mountain near Sau Conrado. One day while we were taking a break during a lecture at FGV, our guide came up to me with a big smile on his face and asked if I felt like going hang gliding after the lecture. “Of course I do,” I replied, “when can we go?” He said it would cost about R$250 (USD$125) and that we would be able to go in literally a couple hours. Those of us from my group that were interested quickly gave our names and the arrangements were made for us to go flying through the sunny skies of Rio.

It sounded like a perfect way to end the afternoon. After all, although there are places where I can go hang gliding in the U.S., I had never been able to do so before. Before we left for the adventure, I had a big decision to make. I had to decide whether or not I wanted to contact my family and inform them of what I was about to do. Although I really wasn’t worried, I decided that I should send a quick email just in case something happened.

When we arrived at the hang gliding location, I provided my signature, contact information, and my money. Then I was given something akin to a “license” allowing me to partake in this event. We made sure to get pictures of our classmates holding up their freshly signed health wavers in front of the mountain we were soon to jump off of.

After all the paperwork was done, we were given a ride up a winding and often unpaved road to the jump off point. Our cars had the rolled up hang gliders strapped to the roofs. After we got to the top of the mountain, they had us safely strapped into our harnesses and helmets. We then practiced running back and forth with an instructor to make sure we would be able to launch the gliders properly. We were also able to witness the instructors attaching cameras to the tip of the wings of the glider. These allowed them to take pictures and video as we enjoyed our flight.

The actual run off the ledge is a bit of a blur. I figured it was best to focus a little bit more on my running than on the view at that point. When I ran off of the launch site, my glider immediately dropped. However, once the wind caught the glider in an updraft, I was lifted back up and are able to take in the breathtaking view of the hotels, homes, and beach below. This is probably about the closest feeling to flying one can have without having a jetpack. Although the flight can vary based on the distance from the ground and especially the amount of wind, my descent lasted about five to seven minutes.

Even more thrilling than the take-off was the landing. As we came in over the waves and sand, it appeared as if my instructor and I were about to run right into the ground. The sand gets closer and closer to your face and seems to move by very quickly underneath as you prepare to land. We wound up having a perfect landing.

Since I was the first of our group to reach the ground, I was able to enjoy watching the rest of my classmates landing. Everyone had a blast. After everyone had completed their jump, the designated negotiator from the business came over for the ultimate haggling session. You see, the price of the actual ride is somewhat set, but the price for the pictures and video were apparently open to negotiation. Long story short, most people were satisfied with the deal we got. I paid the least of anyone, R$30, because my video hadn’t worked properly so I could only get my disc of pictures. However, I didn’t have any problem with this being as my pictures were really good.

After we were done, I was proud to inform my laughing classmates of my new respectable stature as a pilot for the remainder of the trip. After all, I had the “license” to prove it.

About the Editor of this Article

Steven Byrd is our Subject Matter Expert for Brazil in the Media and will be writing book reviews for us, watching the media for interesting articles and sharing the hottest news over our Social Media platforms, as well as here on Brazil-Compass.

Here's an archive of Steve's articles.

ITIM: Your First Step to Understanding Cultural Differences

2012-07-25T08:02:00.000-03:00

Transitioning between different cultures is always a challenging but highly rewarding experience, that can be experienced from both sides: people coming to your culture and when you are trying to understand a culture different to yours.

In our globalized world, we are meeting people from other cultures every day, working in multidisciplinary, geographically diverse teams and sometimes people who we share our lives with, our friends and families are from different countries.

If you are, however, new to the global game, you need to get prepared as to what to expect when working with people from different backgrounds. Itim’s new online cultural program is designed for employees who interact with colleagues or clients from around the world, either via telephone, email, and fax or in face-to-face meetings.

Readers of Brazil-Compass already know Geert Hofstede’s 5-D Model, but if you haven't make sure you read this article about how this model is interpreted for Managing People in Brazil.

Itim International was kind enough to have a look on my article to review it from Geert Hofstede's official perspective, as they are THE organization behind thought leadership and training of the whole methodology that was built on Geert Hofstede's theory.

I have tried Itim's online program that elaborates on cultural differences as they affect the work environment, including topics such as communication, information exchange, decision-making practices, information control and hierarchy in the major cultural regions of the world. This programme was designed for both international employees as well as their worldwide counterparts - hosting the international employees - consists of a 1 hour and 15 minutes online training program with engaging and robust global content. I found it a great tool to base team building programmes or other trainings on, and brings participants to a common understanding of cultural differences. The training material is equal to 4 hours of live group training using examples, case studies and Q&A, reinforcing the content in an extremely logical flow.

I thought that the examples were really important and the course touched on facts that I have only learned after several years working with international teams.

By using the culture clusters tools and interactive training techniques it becomes clear what are the main areas that the visitors and the receiving end will have to pay attention to in order to ensure a successful team cohesion.

This on-line training program is ideal for both individuals who want to embark on an international career and are preparing to live abroad, but also for teams who have a colleague from a different part of the world. By completing this course, even employees who would otherwise had no opportunity to obtain the basic skills needed to successfully interact with a global mindset get a good idea about what to pay attention to and what to expect in an international setting.

I have asked Michael Schachner, Itim's Intercultural expert about what is the course about and how best to position it in a global organisaiton.

Berta: Is this course for designed for corporations? Can this be used in the training plan of employees who take part in everyday interaction with people from different backgrounds?

Michael: Absolutely. The short-term commitment and dynamic interactive online environment keeps participants on task and enjoying the course - anytime, anywhere.

Berta: For whom is the online program designed?

Michael: Business travelers and non-travel employees interacting by phone, e-mail, fax or face-toface. The only requirement is a desire to learn about new behaviour and different cultures.

Berta: What are the learnings that participants can take away from the course?

Michael: A participant will be able to cope with global diversity by understanding the different types of culture and how to relate to them. They will increase their intercultural effectiveness by learning special rules that apply in every intercultural situation such as “Global Diversity”, like measuring their global fitness, and their understanding of different types of culture and how to relate to them.

Participants will also get to answer doubts such as "What is global diversity?" and get a chance to form their own opinion of their own culture types. They will also get some tips on how to increase their intercultural effectiveness and how to cope with cultural differences.

Berta: Time is money and corporate training budgets are limited. How long will it take to complete the program and how much does an organization need to invest in this?

Michael: The online program lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes and the material covered is equal to 4 hours of live group training. On the financial side, the program costs 99 € per participant.

I strongly recommend this course for everyone who would like to further their intercultural communications skills, or just learn a little bit more about different cultures.

For more information on this course please contact Michael at the ITIM directly at michael@itim.org