Oh Canada!

Today, July 1st is Canada Day. In fact, its the 143rd anniversary of Canada's enactment of our constitution. We generally refer to today as Canada's birthday and celebrate by drinking beer at outdoor parties while wearing red.

I believe that we can make the world just a little bit nicer if everyone acted Canadian, just for the day. (Note: Yes, I know I am not one that generally embraces 'nice' each and every day, but on Canada Day, I fully support it.).

Here are some Canuck-like ideas for you to try out today:

1) Use the characteristic 'EH?' at the end of all sentences implying group consensus (group hugging is an excellent addition, but entirely optional. Especially in New York where this might lead to arrest).

2) Apologize to people that bump into you, especially if its their fault. (This will also keep you quite busy in NYC).

3) Start a rousing game of Canadian Celebrities. You can test this: All Canadians know each and every famous person that is Canadian or otherwise has had any tenuous attachment to Canada. This is sometimes played as the ever-entertaining Dead celebrity quiz game "Are they dead, Or just Canadian?". Bonus round if the answer is "Both".

4) Remind anyone who asks, what it truly means to be Canadian! For the uninitiated, this usually involves a lot of comparisons of what we are NOT, particularly as it applies to Americans. This also invariably leads to a discussion as to why Canadian flags are always required on our backpacks and luggage while traveling abroad. This is another subject we never, ever tire of discussing and defending (and accusing Americans of 'borrowing' our flag for their packs when traveling in Europe).

5) Drink a canadian brew with other friendly Canucks (and friends, we're a very welcoming bunch), preferably while wearing a maple leaf tattoo. Once appropriately happy, off key singing of O Canada is of course welcome (but not before, Canadians are much too apologetically embarrassed for any kind of sober singing).

Happy Birthday Canada!
 
 

Fanfare

For those that didn't see this on facebook, check out this video I took after Brasil won the match on Sunday 3-1 against the Cote d'Ivoire. It was quite the scene in Vila Madelena in Sao Paulo after the match. And, this is just the pre-rounds. I can't imagine what it will be like around here if Brasil makes it to the finals (one can only hope I get to experience this! Another reason to cheer for Brasil. Obrigada).

And, yet another office closure pending this coming Friday morning for the game against Portugal at 11am local time. Again... Vamos Brasil!!

Also, here are some Brasil travel photos (not to mention me sporting Brasil gear), for you anti-FB types.

Roadtrip to Maresias

Thanks I'm sure to global warming, two days before winter begins here in Brasil (and following those days of cold weather that I wrote about last week), today was a perfect, cloudless 27C (80F). Seeing the amazing forecast for the weekend, we ditched all prior plans, piled in the car to hit the road for the beaches. We had just enought time for a day trip to Maresias, a few hours drive from the city, before Trevor was homeward bound for Canada. So Trev got to sneak in a last beach day and I even came home with a sunburn. I'll take it.

The 1st Month Syndrome

Let me begin by first stating that this post has been informed directly from events I have witnessed and from stories I have heard first-hand from friends who have experienced them. As in, I just report the news, I don’t make this stuff up! Okay, let’s continue.

Today’s post is about the 1st Month Syndrome.

What is this, you ask? The first month syndrome particularly applies to my foreign (non Brasilian) guy friends who arrive in Brasil ready to find their own Gisele Bunchen (or in some of my visiting guests case of the opposite persuasion, their own Jesus Luz). Knowing the beautiful women (or men) that Brasil has to offer, they are like kids in the candy store, ready to sample the many specimens that now present themselves to them. In this excited haste, they tend to become focused more on the quantity and accessibility, and not quality, of the company they pursue (or more accurately, allow to pursue them). The result: some quite comical examples of men being taken advantage of by those opportunistic (or often, just plain questionable) types that are seeking access to money (or perceived money) in addition to companionship.

This results in all sorts of interesting scenarios, including:

-Women attempting to have their personal groceries paid for by surreptitiously adding them to the grocery basket on a shopping trip (yes, this really happened and the items in question were cleaning supplies and new bed sheets. No lie!).
-Insistent requests to have her rent paid, her business idea backed (details of this business idea were quite shakey and upon questioning claimed that she only needed 350 Braizilian Reais to get her business going. Um, I call foul), or her wardrobe furnished.
-Not to mentioned being wined and dined and taken to exclusive parties. And not just for the woman in question. Of course her friends must join for these expensive dinners. On one occasion one such woman texted all her friends join for such a dinner (mid-meal of course, one would not want to miss such a good opportunitiy). These ladies proceeded to eat with the healthy appetites of true brasilieras and racked up a 800 reais dinner bill, for which none of the female guests did even the cursury polite-but-insincere grab when the waiter brought it to the table.
-And my favorite, since its just so basic, her cab fare paid. (Really, cab fare? For these opportunistic types, they could aim higher than groceries and cab fare).

Luckily, this is generally a phase that burns bright and dies quickly, following some tough lessons learned over the course of the first few weeks. Lessons in the vein of a very quick shortage of cash from all the flattering and persuasive requests, or worse yet a missing expensive item that perhaps was left unattended. Chalking up to experience, some of these men are at least smarter in retrospect and pay it forward by warning the next set of new arrivals. But with each new arrival, without fail, comes more hilarious stories for us to observe and enjoy.

So please gentlemen, when you arrive in Brasil, if you must throw caution to the wind, at least learn to hide your valuables.

World Cup Craziness

Today is Brazil's first game in the World Cup. The game starts in the afternoon around 3pm, so HR sent out an email last week informing staff that everyone should work through until the early afternoon, around 2pm, at which time the office will be 'closed' to allow everyone to go off and enjoy the game. "Após este horário, todos estarão liberados pelo resto do dia e poderão acompanhar o jogo da maneira que preferirem." We are released (liberated!) to do with the rest of the day and to see the game "in the manner in which we prefer." This sounds a lot like a nice way to say, we know you are going drinking, so please don't come back to the office yelling obnoxiously after imbibing copiously during the game.  Gotta love it.

I'm sure there will be a great deal more to report as the World Cup continues. Since I very regrettably missed the Olympics in Vancouver, this will have to be my big fanfare sporting event experience for the year. I'm already surrounded by flags and other green and yellow decorations and streamers everywhere. So, seeing no other reasonable option, I went out and purchased my first Brasil t-shirt to wear during the festivities. So starting today, I will join in on the insanity and enjoy.

Vamos BRASIL!!

Beach bound to Ceará

Ceará is a state in the northeast part of Brazil, a 3 hour direct flight north from Sao Paulo, best known for its amazing sandy coastline stretching 573 kilometers (356 miles). The temperatures have shifted in Sao Paulo to chilly (for Brazil) late fall temperatures of about 10C (~50 F), and while this does not sound cold, I have to report that it’s much colder than it sounds. Most buildings generally are not well insulated and nor do they usually have heat. So while the temperatures don’t sound overly cold, the layers of clothing I am already wearing on cooler days and the shivering at all times in my apartment, indicate otherwise. So as you can imagine, I have been looking forward to some sunny skies and warm temperatures for a weekend of R&R at the beach. Given the famed endless stretches of beach and year round warm temperatures, I was headed to Fortaleza, the capital and biggest city in Ceará, to meet Trevor to do a whole lot of nothing for a couple days.

True to promise, I got just that. A perfect weekend away. No traffic to the airport thanks to the timing of my departure (it seems I’m learning to schedule my flights to avoid muito transito now), no delays and a quick arrival into Fortaleza on Friday night. Trevor and I proceeded to spend the entire weekend at the beach. I vowed not to leave my beach chair and other than sleeping and eating, I did just that. And just what the doctored ordered for my ongoing recovery. We spent one day at Beira Mar, the main beach adjacent to hotels and lined with beach barracas (beach hut bars), packed with people glued to the World Cup matches running all day long on make-shift TV set ups. And, we then spent the following day at a less trafficked beach, 30 kms west of Fortaleza called Cumbuco. This beach was practically deserted once you walked a few minutes past the main beach bar catering to tourists like us. A kite surfer’s paradise (I was thinking of you, Mark!), it has a long stretch of windy beach and boast a few kite surfing haunts in town. At one point I counted over 20 kites going strong along the beach. Now that I’ve had a chance to visit the Northeast, I’m already planning my next weekend away for when winter fully hits in Sao Paulo and I’m jonesing for some sunshine again.

Camarão

I like to give back to the community. This is a public service announcement about important slang for referring to a women’s looks. Clearly this is very important information for us all to have. Given the results of my research, I've decided to begin using these excellent terms when rating men's looks as well.

For those that are not familiar, in North America, many use the term Butter Face to describe a woman that may have some attractive qualities (ie a great body), except does not have an attractive face to match (or is just plain ugly/feia). As in, everything is hot, “but her face”, commonly employed as 'butter face'. Usage: “She’s got a great rack, too bad she’s a real butter face.” For more entertaining reading on this term and others, please refer to one of my favourite sites, urbandictionary.com.

Interestingly, there is a synonym for this in most all Latin American cultures. I learned the Brazilian version immediately and then proceeded to research this for other countries. Here is the resulting list:

Brazil: Camarão. Camarão is a shrimp, if you think of a shrimp that may by served with the head still attached, you can extrapolate the meaning...the body is good but the head needs to be removed. Or, a similar term is Raimunda: Feia de cara, e bonita de bunda… Ugly in the face, nice/ pretty in the butt (bunda). Urbandictionary is also all over this one. And no surprise, we all know what body part is important in Brazil. In fact, a Brazilian guy told me recently: "Brazilian men like their women leaving." As in, so they can view them from behind.

In Spanish speaking countries, the term that surfaced the most as a synonym to Butter face is Bagre (Argentina, Chile). This is a fish with horrible head. Or, also bacalao (Spanish) / Bacalhau (Portuguese), which is cod. Since since both of these can also be served whole, it implies the same concept where the head should be removed.

There's undoubtably more where these came from... I'd love to learn any other new terms so send them my way.

I hope you all enjoyed today's educational PSA. My good deed is done for the day.

Brazilian Home Shopping

Channel 35 is the local home shopping network, auction style. But instead of weird thigh-busting exercise equipment, kitchen appliances no one has heard of (or needs), and 17-step skin care lines, this Brazilian home shopping network specializes in…well, livestock.

Every time I flip by this channel I cannot help but stop and watch incredulously. Who is buying their livestock, (specifically cows) off this channel? And these are the strangest looking cows I’ve ever seen. And best of all, the auctioneer style announcers yell at top speed about the specimen in question. Beleza! Grande produtividade! And then they start the bidding at 900 Reals.

(See, this is not a joke.)

The clear photo compliments of my friend Digger. The other one is a snapshot of my dark ages tube television. Awesome.

Canadian Invasion

This weekend, I got to be a tourist in Brasil along with a healthy dose of my Canadian crew from Vancouver. Camstine (aka my brother Cameron and his girlfriend Christine) and my friend Trevor all descended upon Brazil for holidays and so there was only one destination that would do. Rio de Janeiro or bust!

And despite having visited Rio four times, I had never completed one of the important tourist visits to Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf mountain). While each time I’ve visited Rio, I’ve intended to visit the very cool Pão de Açúcar by bondinho (little gondola), somehow or other I never quite made it. In the same vein of trying to get to the Panama Canal, my good intentions were always over-ruled by a beautiful day at the beach, another bottle of wine at Hotel Santa Teresa or some other great pastime to while the day away. And such is the Carioca life! I think I could adjust to their beach-bound lifestyle. But, all good things and great weekends must come to an end eventually, and so here I am back to the grind in now-chilly Sao Paulo.

Peruvian Adventures

Peru is amazing. Cusco and Machu Picchu are destinations that I also add to the highly recommended list. Much like visiting Egypt and seeing the pyramids and tombs constructed so many thousands of years ago without technology, seeing the Inca ruins was really awe inspiring. And serves to remind us that we’re really not as smart as we like to think we are.

But unfortunately seeing Machu Picchu was not the most adventurous part of my trip. In an unexpected turn of events, I had an overnight stay in a Peruvian hospital during my vacation. I will spare you all the gory details, but needless to say that an emergency visit to the hospital in a developing country where you don’t speak the language (my spoken Spanish is actually a combination of Portuguese plus a smattering of actual Spanish words necessary to order beer and exchange pleasantries) was quite the intense, nerve wracking experience. Thankfully, when it was all said and done, I got good treatment and have been recovering just fine. But, I certainly felt like I’ve now experienced a different side of expat life, being far away from familiar healthcare, having a limited ability to discuss my health and decide about my treatment in my own language, and feeling extremely far away from my family for the first time. Quite the experience…Maybe this means that I have been truly initiated to South American life now?

For more photo highlights (hospital photos of me with an IV, withheld) visit this album.

Preguiçosa

In the same vein of some of my direct translations (see once again I have Doubts), this is one that I have recently been amused with: preguiçosa (preguiçoso)= LAZY.

Despite these words being exact translations and technically the correct word in each language, I still mantain that this in Portuguese is NOT the same as it is in English.

Portuguese: My colleagues use this word ALL THE TIME. After lunch, tired and full from eating, they say eu me sinto preguiçoso... In English they say to me, I feel lazy.

English: At this, I always feel surprised. Lazy? This word is reserved for insults, refering to non-contributing members of society or a very ironic or self-deprecating comment about oneself. To blatantly tell your colleagues after lunch, I FEEL LAZY? It's just not done. That's like career suicide. As I said in my recent post, não é possível!

This word in Portuguese, clearly does not pack the same cultural punch. After discussing this at length with many Brazilians it became clear to me that this word is quite innocuous in Portuguese. It merely means that tired, slightly slow or less motivated feeling one has on a saturday morning or after lunch on a weekday. Not a complete separation from the rest of our productive society, implying that one has embraced sloth and obesity as a way of life and that some extreme weight loss reality TV show should be targeting you as fodder for its next season.

Helpful, since instead of packing for my trip to NYC, I am drinking wine and writing my blog. And so, not only shall I embrace the impossible, I shall perhaps embrace my inner feeling of preguiçosa! De novo!

North American Excuses

I wrote about Brazilian excuses (see post: Então) awhile back, and its time to return the favour to all of us Canadian and Americans.

North Americans, when declining a social invitation, seem to feel an overwhelming need to explain WHY they cannot attend. And, if they simply do not want to attend, they further feel the need to create some elaborate (yet somehow tenuously plausible) story about why they cannot attend. Something like: I can't come because I have to work late, and then go to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned, and then my friend is coming into town so I have to clean the apartment, and then I have to meet my boss's son as an obligation which I simply can't get out of, SO, then I just don't think I can quite make the party...Even though I'D LOVE TO BE THERE! God forbid that one actually say, I don't want to, I'm too tired or something as simple as I'm just not into it.

Extensive explaining of why you cannot attend an event is seen as very strange here to Brazilians. No one expects a long winded explanation. In fact, just the opposite, personal oversharing is seen as strange, unneccesary and even uncomfortable overstepping of privacy. A Brazilian will decline an invitation by saying some variation of Unfortunately, its not possible. Não posso. É impossível. Infelizmente!

This simplicity is refreshing. In this case, I am taking a page from the Brazilian book and have started embracing the IMPOSSIBLE!

Sorry, it's just not possible.

Mendoza

Quick vacay to Mendoza, Argentina's beautiful wine country at the base of the Andes. Vineyards turned fall colours, gorgeous sunsets and sunrises against the mountains, wine tastings, great food and chilling out, pool by day, fire by night.
Mendoza has rated up there on my highly recommended list of places I've been thus far on the planet. GO. THERE. IMMEDIATELY.




















More photos of Mendoza, as well as Buenos Aires and Iguassu Falls are now posted here for your viewing enjoyment.

More SEXta-feira

I posted this to facebook today. Quite the suggestive message, isn't it? Date, time, location and a VERY clear action all provided on my phone, each Friday! Maybe my sense of humour is getting simpler, but I never get tired of this.

Bs As

Quick jaunt to Buenos Aires this weekend. You know, just for kicks.
April has been a stellar month for knocking out my Travel To-Do list. For this month, I clocked: Florinopolis, Porto Alegre and São Leopoldo, Campos do Jordão, Foz do Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Not to mention my much-too-brief trip home to NYC. I'm becoming quite a pro at the flight situation out of São Paulo, though no matter how many times I live through the 3-hour Friday night commute to Cumbica (GRU the international airport), I cannot control my supreme irritation with sitting in gridlock and inevitable worry about nearly-missed flights. I will NEVER complain about NYC traffic again. (See earlier post on the same frustration).

But, luckily I rolled onto my flight just under the wire and arrived as planned for my BsAs weekend. After consuming A LOT of Malbec wines and amazing steaks all weekend, and loving every minute of it, the only sensible thing is to return again to Argentina immediately. So, despite the cooler temperatures (falltime is in full swing already in Buenos Aires), I am heading for the Andes and will be drinking my way through the vineyards of Mendoza on a brief vacation next week. I'm sure that will make for some interesting writing. Red wine is a great creativity tool!

Here are a couple great night shots of Peurto Madero in Buenos Aires. Thanks to my fab new camera.

















Also, I have some special mentions for April 25th:
HAPPY 22nd Birthday to my uber wonderful sister Caitlin in New Zealand.
HAPPY 1st anniversary to Alia and Slava (can't believe its been a year already, congrats!).
And,
Today is 5 years since I moved to NYC. While I may be on a South American adventure right now, NYC will always be my adopted home away from home. Five years in New York is considered a bit of a milestone for us transplants. I think this makes me an official New Yorker now. I definitely have adopted the demeanor and act like one (losing some of my typical apologetic Canadian traits... thankfully, in my opinion). NYC, I'll be back soon for the next 5!

Rio, eu te amo

I really love Rio. I especially love being asked to go to Rio for business meetings the day before a random Brazilian holiday that falls mid-week. I also extra love when my friends are also on business at our customers in Rio and we have an immediate beach day come together. A definite perk!

Foz do Iguaçu

So the Canadian invasion continues. On Friday, my friend Darryl arrived from Toronto. In fact, he arrived in Sao Paulo 2 hours after I landed from my NYC trip, thanks to my scheduling genius. After I attempted a brief work day, we collected a couple of my friends and headed directly back to the airport to go pay an important visit to one of the greatest natural wonders in South America, Iguazu Falls.

Iguazu is one of the largest waterfalls in the world and I'm sorry to say Canada but our lovely Niagra Falls do pale a bit in comparison. These falls are on the border of Argentina and Brazil (and adjacent to Paraguay too), and they literally took my breath away. The photos do not nearly do them justice and I'm now going to become a travel promoter for the area. Any future guests to my apartment in Brazil will be required to pay a visit to see Iguazu.

For all you outdoorsy types (Cam and Christine, this is for you), Iguazu will be your hiking, rafting, zip-lining and rappelling heaven. Yes, we did all of the above on our visit. Add the South American lack of safety concern and we had the chance to actually raft into and underneath the falls (yes, this is serious and was also seriously amazing!). After an intense weekend of all this energetic activity, plus a little time by the pool with some Argentinian wine, coming back to the city life does seem a little foreign.

New York City Drive-by

So I’m extra slow in reporting back. Now I really hope you haven’t all lost interest. I have lots of good stuff coming up, I promise.

But, as for the lapse of writing last week, I actually made my first trip back to the US since arriving in Brazil. I flew all the way back to NYC for just 2 way-too-quick nights to get re-fingerprinted for my Brazil work VISA. I won’t bore you all with the details of this entire work permit saga (which began nearly 6 months ago when I first was approved for my position in Brazil), but needless to say, it’s a long way to fly to go visit the NYPD for a couple hours. Of course, that purpose for my visit seems simple but add all the 17 other errands I had on my list to get done while I was in town (basic things like visiting the doctor and going to the bank, which I can't do in Brazil since I'm here on a temporary work transfer), meant that the trip was more exhausting than enjoyable. Luckily I did manage to squeeze in a few quick visits to catch up with some of my nearest and dearest while I was in town.

While my trip was brief, I do have to admit that it did result in making me feel homesick. There is something about coming back to your own city where you know where everything is and how to get around without thinking too much and can communicate easily in English, that makes you realize how much more effort your brain is putting in on a daily basis adapting to a new country and new language. While most days I enjoy that challenge, there are some days that the 'easy' button would be a nice option to have.

As for NYC, the good news is, I will be back next month to finally claim this elusive work visa. And since my passport will not be at my disposal during this period, some good times in the city will definitely be in order.

Recovery

So apparently I needed week to recover from my birthday. Apologies for the radio silence, I was starting to get some flame mail! The birthday was one for the record books. I could detail all the goings on (including my good old Karaoke standby - Billy Idol, White Wedding performance, complete with choreography), but I think this photo just says it all.















I will add that we did keep to the schedule, hitting 3 of the 4 locations on the invitation as well as ending the night (morning) at a great breakfast place in jardins where I got to practice my fledgling Portuguese and insisted to the waiter that I needed a seal (foca) instead of a knife (faca). Oops.

Good times.

THANK YOU to all my new friends, and to those old friends who traveled from all over to be here. LOVE you peeps!


PS - The only casualty was my CAMERA, which I lost likely in the cab between location #1 and location #2. My brand new camera I bought before arriving in Brazil! This is the first time I've actually lost a camera so I figure its my due payment and immediately replaced it with the newer, better model in bright orange. Happy birthday to me.

Ammended to include my equally hilarious wannabe diva shot.

Party like its your birthday! Oh wait, it is.

Good day so far, except for that whole working for a living part.

But received lots of "Congratulations" today from my colleagues and friends here, as is the typical way to wish someone a happy birthday in Portuguese. It makes me feel like I have actually accomplished something for living 32 years on this planet, so I quite enjoy this!

Now, to make the day complete, I really hope someone sings the birthday song tonight, because the song they sing here for birthdays is fantastic.

Parabéns pra você
Nesta data querida
Muitas felicidades
Muitos anos de vida

This song involves a lot of clapping and excitment and wishing of congratulations for your birthday. If someone sings the song, I will definitely be recording it.

Congratulations to you!

Gearing up

So, people. Guess what tomorrow is?
Tomorrow is my birthday. Oh Yes! My absolute favorite day of the year (followed a close second by Halloween, but never eclipsed by my birthday).
But, my birthday anticipation is even greater as this year, as the planned party is the most epic all night city tour that one can imagine. Rodando pela cidade!

Check out this amazing invitation - you are all invited. Naturally.

Porto Alegre

So I jumped on a plane the day after getting back from Floripa to head directly back in the same direction, except this time a bit farther South. Porto Alegre is the town near where SAP has another big office, in Sao Leopoldo (this one, a Labs office). While its only a quick flight like Floripa, I had a most completely disorganized travel experience I’ve had in a very long time. TAM Airlines… Computer system entirely down. I have a hand written boarding pass (really? Is this for real?). No gates posted, no seats assigned. What a shit show. Luckily they applied ‘Assento Livre” = open seating and we all got corralled on the plane together. Thank god. I later heard from a colleague who was flying home from a location in the North of Brazil at the same time that this was a system-wide issue. Truly. Amazing. It’s actually a miracle the planes got off the ground.

But luckily I did, as I really enjoyed Porto Alegre and the surrounding area. So much so, that for brief nano-second, I actually considered an immediate transfer to the Sao Leopoldo office. Mostly because this office is really, really fantastic. I felt very zen while I was there. This office is an entirely 'green' project.. as in, everything is recycled or sourced from within the local area. They use natural light, making us all look slightly more attractive and making us feel a bit more relaxed and less like over worked selves. They also use wind and solar power and even use the grey water to water the plants. Very cool - Legal! After extensive and passionate descriptions by our colleagues in this office about their gorgeous office, I was really getting into this fictional move. Then, the icing on the cake was this: after lunchtime, I come back to see a full on fitness instructor (in gym gear, with a clipboard and whistle…okay maybe I imagined the whistle) leading the teams through a stretching exercise. This is not the same SAP that I work for in NYC or Sao Paulo!

And last but probably more importantly, on the same trip, I found my 17 year old sister Sean a very cute 18 year old Brazilian boyfriend candidate, the son of one of the partners I was visiting. Sean he’s really cute I promise! And we have a return invitation to Porto Alegre when you come visit later this year. Bonus.

Floripa!

This weekend while Helen was visiting, we ditched the city in favour of some sandy beaches in the South of Brazil in Florianopolis. Floripa did not disappoint. Beautiful white sand on these beaches, lots of green jungle and gorgeous tropical flowers. Plus, cute little towns that make you want to stay longer than a couple brief days. And we finally escaped to a bit of sun after all the depressingly constant clouds and rain we have had in Sao Paulo.

Best day of the trip, we had quite a marathon day at a place called P12. This beachside pool "bar" could be compared to some of the South Beach locations like Nikki Beach or the Sunday pool party at the Raleigh. Except filled entirely with Brazilians. And us four girls: 2 Canadians, an Argentine and a Mexicana. Who, by Brazilian standards are apparently all four of us, Gringas. Different than other parts of Latin America, Brazilians use the term gringo for foreigners, no matter where they are from, and not just for Americans and the rest of us um, paler peoples. Interesting.

But, I digress from the very exciting day's itinerary at the beach bar. It went something like this:

Suntan, swim, drink
Suntan, swim, drink
Is it time for a bottle of pink champers? Sim, claro!
Suntan, swim, drink
Oh wait, we better eat something? If we must.
Suntan, swim, drink
Oh now there’s a DJ. And dancing. Isn’t it only 4pm? Sim, otimo! Let's do it.
Swim, drink, dance
Everyone arriving now looks like they are dressed for some swanky club. We are damp and covered in sunscreen. Who cares? True.
Swim, drink, dance
I think we’ve been here 12 hours...? Yes, we may have reached our expiration date.
Swim, drink, dance
Maybe one more?
Swim, drink, dance
Okay we are really leaving now!

At any rate, we lived the life for the day. And, I’m happy to report that I look slightly less white now.

PS - Bad news to report following Thursday's post. Ambien is no longer sold over the counter without a prescription here. So, you can hold on those shopping lists!

Carrots

Brazil is crazy about Easter. About a month ago, I started spotting carrots in trees around the city. Carrots? Yes. Big, actually giant, stuffed carrots in the trees. I have to say, I find this a bit bizarre. First of all, carrots don’t grow on trees. Secondly, since we have daily torrential downpours in Sao Paulo, these poufy carrots are constantly drenched and dripping. And, instead of the Easter Bunny being the patron saint of the commercial version of Easter (as in North America), here its just carrots and eggs everywhere. Like at the grocery store, where you get assaulted with the zillion Easter eggs in elaborate foil hanging from the ceiling and knocking into you as you try to duck through the shiny insanity to get to what you are actually looking for. Though, good luck finding anything except chocolate at the store for the month leading up to the big day. And I thought the US had made Easter into a Hallmark holiday. North America has nothing on Brazil when it comes to Easter! Hope you all had a Feliz Páscoa. Photos definitely required to demonstrate on this one.

Surprise, you’re going to Brazil next week.

A+ to Brian for pulling off yet another fantastic surprise on his wife, my dear friend Helen. Helen, for the last few months, thought she was going to Paris for Easter. She thought they were going to have some quality family time with her husband and son, maybe some dinners out, some shopping on the Champs, and a nice rest from work.

Um, no. Sorry. You are coming to Brazil and I’m dragging you around this non-stop city and taking you on a girls beach party weekend to Florianopolis, and you surely will head home feeling like you need a vacation from the vacation. Hope you are ready! (Luckily you can get sleeping pills over the counter here, we will definitely stock her up for the flight home).

But in all seriousness, its so great to have my nearest and dearest from Canada here. Watch out Brazil, here come the crazy Canucks!!

She talks a lot

So, apparently I have a lot to say. This month, I have managed to write 25 out of 31 days. Impressed? I have to say I’m just slightly impressed with myself. UH yeah... I mean, “I’m kind of a big deal.” (this is technically a quote ripped off from my sister Caitlin. You are SUCH a big deal Caiter!).

At any rate, this post is all about YOU. I have been so flattered and impressed with all my readers around the world and all the emails and messages I have gotten from all of you. I did not expect when I started writing this (which was mostly so I could avoid repeating the same stories ten times over) that I’d have such a great readership, from colleagues, friends and family of my own colleagues, friends and family!

And best of all, I have Brazilians reading here in Brazil and those that are living abroad away from home. And now, I’m even meeting new Brazilians through some of you who are reading from afar. I’m glad I can bring you some comedy through my experiences here. And to date, I haven’t managed to majorly offend any of you (at least not that I’ve heard!) and even my lamentations about lateness and excuses and pick up lines have seemed to be found comical and even, by some estimations, Fair!

For those that don’t read often and are playing catch up, the posts I received the highest volume of emails and messages about were:

- The other side of Sao Paulo
- Life is Only One
- Brazilian Pick up Lines
and of course
- More reasons to love Fridays

Now that I realize how much I have to say, I will happily keep on writing. Por favor, please keep sending your laughs, comments, comparisons, suggestions and ideas in either language.

OBRIGADA!

Breakthrough…BJs!

My Portuguese is really coming along. I think it’s safe to share that this week has really been a breakthrough week! After six weeks of studying with my teacher Betty 3 times a week, I am past just the reading and listening comprehension and I’m finally starting to engage in some two-way communication, especially in writing. What a relief… Finally! Finalmente!

So, now my emails, instead of just saying hello and thank yous in Portuguese, actually have some real sentences. This week in particular has gotten me a lot of surprised responses from my colleagues and partners for my attempts at writing to them in Portuguese. Honestly, its a really great feeling. (Now, mind you, I don’t tell them it takes me a very long time of looking up the correct verb tense conjugation in my verb dictionary to actually hope these sentences are semi-correct, but hey its all about the effort, right??).

Now that I am writing, I am also using some commonly used sayings and now even abbreviations. My absolute favorite abbreviation is BJs! For all the English speakers, you know what this abbreviation is uh, for in English. I'm sure I don’t need to explain it to you. For Brazilians, if you don't know, I am not going to type it but you know where to find me... :)

In Brazil, Beijos (kisses) is a very common way to sign off an email (as is Abraço – hug). Beijos is commonly abbreviated to Bjs. Yes, BJs. So every day I receive Bjs from my colleagues and friends alike. What a great country this is!

Why am I leaving exactly?

Então

I posted this on facebook the other day, but I think it merits its own blog post.

Então might be the most commonly used word in the Portuguese language. Or at least in Sao Paulo, where there is a bevy of excuses for being inexcusably late for meetings or deadlines.

Então... = So...
So, I didn't show up to the meeting because of... (get ready for the excuse)

...the rain
...the traffic
...my last meeting went late
...the traffic
...I lost (missed) my flight.
...the traffic
...etc.
"Infelizmente..." it was IMPOSSIBLE!

Of course it was! (insert eye roll here)

Brazilian Pick Up Lines

Brazilian men have a lot of love to give. Or so they tell me. Quite frequently.

So, funnily enough, this is the core of the Brazilian pick up attempt. Or, at least, how they try to pick up foreign women. Brazilian women I know inform me that this special kind of speech is reserved for the seemly unaware foreingers such as myself. Sadly, Brazilian men were not forewarned about me. So, their attempts have been quite fruitless to date.

A few gems I’ve heard recently:

-"I have a lot of love to give you. And it’s only for you."
-"You need a boyfriend to show you Sao Paulo. I’d be happy to provide this [implied: service] for you."
-"The best place to learn Portuguese is on my pillow."
-"I will take you to [insert far away city], next time my girlfriend is away." (!!)
And, my favorite:
-"Everything inside this shirt is for you!"

These are at least a step better than the gratuitous waist grab in the bar. A surefire way to put my NYC ‘No Tolerance’ attitude into immediate effect and get them the cold shoulder / talk to the hand reaction.

So, sadly, despite all of your very earnest inquiries about whether I’ve developed a lengthy queue of Brazilian boyfriends, the men here really haven’t established a high success rate in securing my company. Though, since Brasileiros seem keenly aware that picking up women is a numbers game, no matter what reception they receive, it won’t stop them from trying! And surely (as if my ego needed a boost), its flattering even if a hilariously incompetent way to try to pick up a woman like me.

Footnote: Apologies to my Brasileiro friends, for exposing your ‘game’! ;)

Juquehy

Sometimes the best times happen when you don’t plan them or you don’t expect them. This weekend was a perfect example of this, complete with new friends, all afternoon lunches, airport parties, beach trips and other adventures….all before Sunday even dawned.

After a great night out to celebrate Erika’s birthday on Thursday night, I was game for any excuse to wrap up the day early on Friday and make the weekend happen. Erika came through in spades with the perfect offer: meet me and my friend (Fausto, visiting from Mexico for only 8 hours on a layover) for a late lunch. And the location sealed the deal: Figueira. This restaurant in Jardins is quite well known, especially for foreigners here. The food is great and there is a huge fig tree growing through the middle of the restaurant courtyard, making it quite the ambiance. So by the time “lunch” happened it really was a late afternoon feast that was more like a multi-course, multi-cocktail dinner with lots of laughs and the precursor to a longer evening and madrugada to follow. Excellent. So, plied with good food, drinks and aperitifs, I was more than game to accompany these two to the airport in an attempt to have an airport party en route to send Fausto back to Mexico. Long story short, by the time we had our many roadies (see earlier post “Life is Only One” for instructions), we had convinced Fausto to change his flight to Mexico for the next day and instead do a Saturday roadtrip with us to the beach instead. So, we immediately redirected our driver to take us directly to the Hotel Unique so we could continue the party, with fresh cocktails in proper glassware beside the pool. After a long night out, an impromptu group sleep over party and an early departure to the beach, we headed off for Juquehy beach, about 150 kms outside of Sao Paulo. And despite some clouds and a major GPS fail (combo of BAD maps here and our newbie status for navigating out of the city), the beach did not disappoint!

Here you can enjoy some of the photos (different ones than those on facebook, so as not to bore you all!)

Pastimes

Today's post is dedicated to what I'm beginning to understand is quite a Brazilian pastime: Making out in public.

Now, to be fair, making out in public is something that people in many cultures enjoy with no qualms about the other people around them. In North America, this is usually reserved for the very late witching hour at the bar during which time the threat of the alcohol being cut off and the lights going on is imminent.

In Brazil, however, it has been my observation that there is more commitment and openess to making out in very public places with great fervor and passion... Like the ship is literally going down. At any time of day, or night. This is enjoyed by the young and old alike. To witness the practice of this pastime, I've compiled a handy list of locations in which Brazilians can be found enjoying some public passion (i.e. anywhere and everywhere all the time).

Locations ideal for this activity:
Daytime: Escalators, shopping malls, parks, street corners, office entrance ways, cafes
Evening/Night/Madrugada: Restaurants, bottecas, street corners, bars, clubs, taxis.
(List is not exhaustive. You get the idea).
Keep the passion going Brazil!
Addendum: The same very night, I was thrilled to get some photographic evidence of this phenomenom. We were out at the Skye bar at the Hotel Unique and this couple was extremely amourous. Please get a room when it gets to this point.














PS - I'm sure you will all be thrilled to learn I will also soon be posting a compilation of Brazilian pick up lines I've been the (incredulous) recipient of since arriving here.

Engov

This posting is a commercial for Engov. Thank you Brazil, for bringing us Engov. These 2 little pills, packaged perfectly together in their little gold foil, are the essential ingredients to a great night out. Or rather, enjoying the day following a great night out. Bless Brazil for selling every known drug over the counter without a prescription in handy single serving packages. This allows one to waste endless quantities of time perusing all the wonderful wares showcased in each Drogaria. Following such enjoyable browsing and armed with a purse full of engov, I’m ready to hit the town and make lifelong friends by introducing newcomers to this most ingenious product. When I arrived, I was introduced immediately, and so I take it upon myself to pay it forward. For best results, take one Engov before drinking and one after. Since I have yet to actually accomplish this pre-planning, I will continue to attest that this product still works when you take one before sleep and one when you wake up cursing your 8am call.

Disclaimer: I cannot be held responsible for any ingredients that may or may not be contained in this product. It is not legal in any other country so contents are likely illicit.

You’re welcome.

Time out

For those who have been slightly worried about my health and well being, thank you for your notes. While writing about my adventures has been entertaining to most, it has raised concern from a few about how on earth I will sustain this pace. Work, travel, party, rinse, repeat. No, I haven't completely given up sleeping. Yes, I have been going a mile a minute, but here's a secret for you all. I lived the same way in NYC and before that to a large degree in Vancouver too, I just didn't publish it every day. So, this is not new. I have over a decade of practice...I'm a multi-tasking, work-hard/play-hard professional. Pay me a visit and I will teach you how! :)

BUT, that said, care packages of ColdFX from Canada and Emergencee from the US will be gladly accepted. For preventative measures, of course. And, rest assured worriers, there are times (like now in fact) that I take a self-mandated time out. Just to 'recharge the batteries' as my mom Cathie says. So I can go find the fun tomorrow. Like the post from yesterday--- Life is only One!

Life is Only One

So I’m tracking well on my travel ‘project plan’. This weekend, we headed for Punta del Este, Uruguay. This beach town, frequented mostly by Argentinians and a few Brazilians (and then the rest of us) was replete with opportunities for us to bring our diverse crew to take over Punta for the entire weekend. From our quality time together this weekend, we were able to compile some very serious life lessons that I’m happy to impart upon all of you now.

10 Tips to Be Forever Young (or at least give it an honest try, every day of the week)

1) Be committed. This means that when you want to get out of town for the weekend, there can be no barrier too big to overcome. Few available flights? Sitting in 2 and a half hours of insane traffic to get to the airport? Nearly missing the flight? Getting back in time for quarter end customer meetings (hopefully)? None of these challenges are too big. The trip MUST go on.

2) Take risks. Notably, flying unknown Uruguayan airlines (Pluna? WTF… though, at least they have Canadair jets). We did arrive in one piece thankfully.

3) Be prepared. Just like the girl guides/ boy scouts, we were prepared. We travel with roadies. The kind that you carry on the plane, mix in the back of the trunk with Vodka purchased at the duty free, or pre mix in water bottles to ensure the long ride to the airport is more entertaining. (side note: highly recommend the new Absolut - "Flavor of the Tropics".)

4) Be efficient. Cramming 5 to 6 grown adults in a Jeep YJ soft top to get around each day and night, is the height of efficiency. Also, staging daily photo shoots of this mode of transport always sure to be entertaining. Considering my 17 year old sister Sean just became the proud owner of her own Jeep convertible, I’m pretty sure we’re doing a great job of setting a good example. Sean – I will forward the photos so you can take note and learn from your mature elders on how to make your sweet new ride THE party mobile for your future college years (actually, since you’ve had the jeep a week, you’re probably a pro at this already).

5) Take the shortest path. Forget the road and instead drive on the beach to get to where you’re going. This works well when experienced drivers use the 4-wheel drive correctly. This is not recommended when the 4-wheel drive is not engaged and you end up in a sand bath and walking home (thanks Hoki! Next time, I’m driving).

6) Be focused on the end goal (winning). And so, gambling while intoxicated will not be discouraged. Especially recommended to throw the craps dice across the casino (accident!) or advising your friends loudly and obviously when to hit while playing blackjack (this is against the rules? Really?). Most importantly keep the gambling going even when you lost your sweet lead.

7) Learn geography. This will improve your odds of making friends and holding intelligent conversations. For those who need to beef up on their geo studies, please take note that Lima is NOT in Ecuador. And Ecuadorians are also NOT Mexican. And Argentinians are always loud and obnoxious, especially on flights to Miami (or so they say).

8) Dance. Give your all and do your sexy dance, no matter who is watching or what you look like. The giant pepper mill sexy dance really says it all here. (Video withheld).




















9) Persevere. When you have a 6 am flight, the only answer is to stay up all night, even when tomorrow is Monday. For best results, schedule your car service to arrive before you head to the bar.

10) Carpe Diem. This goes without saying I think, but always make time to catch the sunrise! Especially when it’s pink.




















Shout outs: Major shout out to Bebe for being our most welcoming host and giving us the keys to the city (or, more specifically the keys to the VIP treatment at the Conrad Casino and the keys to the YJ), Hoki for being committed to bringing the Punta party together and making sure I always have “a challenge” to keep the party going till at least 8am. And finally, to Ana Maria for being an inspiration! (as in the title of this post).

Today's news is just filler

Okay, quick reporting back on last night since I only can multi task this blogging thing so much between running around Sao Paulo to partner meetings all day… St Patrick’s was a lot of fun and despite most people at the bar not knowing what they were celebrating or why they were wearing green, it was a fun night involving our fair share of Guinness and green beers. Not so traditionally, we then moved the party go salsa, where we shut down the night (salsa is usually a prime destination firstly since its always fun and mostly because this crew good at it! Me, not so much. Especially after drinking Guinness all night!).

In other news, we are heading to Punta del Este, Uruguay this weekend. A few of us fly tomorrow night – this trip is shaping up to be another good one. This time, the laptop will not be coming with me, so weekend updates will not be forthcoming. More next week.

Happy St Paddy's Day!

I love this day! I'm a little disappointed I'm not in NYC or Dublin today, because most people don't really know what St Patrick's Day is here in Brazil, nor do they have a reason to really care. So it would not occur to anyone to wear green or be otherwise festive today. I did wear green to all my partner meetings. But, I had to explain what St Patrick's day was to a couple of Brazilian colleagues. Luckily I have a plan with the crew to head to one of the Irish pubs for the night. Yes there are a few of those, thankfully. I will report back tomorrow on the success of the Guiness-drinking mission... Till then, raise a pint and have some craic tonight!

Panamania

Panamania is the theme for my trips to Panama. I’m not sure what it is about this country that I like so much but I cannot recommend it enough. And each time I visit (now twice), it’s always good times.

But, the topic of this post is, really, about how I finally saw the Panama Canal.

The first time to Panama, much like the second, was a very spontaneous visit. On my first visit back in November, Scott and Craig had already planned a trip there, and over some beers we were enjoying the weekend prior to their departure they invited me to come along. I whipped out the blackberry, was instantly doing a Kayak flight search (thanks to a very good app that actually works on blackberry, THANK YOU Kayak.com) and happily learned that flights from NYC were quite cheap. Fast forward, I book my flight mid week and arrived in Panama City that same Friday night. Just in time to take this little city by storm. I just have to say that the Panamanian people are the best. They are extremely friendly, which makes their country a great place to visit. Good music, good dancing, and some really great food (I live on ceviche when I’m there) also help the equation. On this particular trip, we also (after sampling much too much of what the city night had to offer us), prior to taking a jaunt to Bocas del Toro (HIGHLY recommended but too much to write about here today), decided that on our way to the flight, we should really take in the Panama Canal. Given my family’s business is in shipping and I grew up hearing about how important the Panama Canal is to world trade, I felt like it was something I really should see. So despite the miserable state that we were in (I was head-to-knee… in extremely rough shape), I insisted we head for the Miraflores Locks. When we arrived, after making a half hearted attempt to get in, but seeing a long line of tourists and no easy photo opps, we threw in the towel and headed for the local airport in search of the beach. The rest of the trip continued in much the same vein and so not surprisingly, I never did make it to the Panama Canal.

And so, the redux! On my second visit, the spontaneity factor was sort of similar. I’m getting restless. I need a fun destination. Flights to Colombia and other places on my To-Visit spreadsheet (see earlier post about colour coded travel planning) were booked. Where too? PANAMA! Now, on this visit, I was bound and determined to get to the Panama Canal. For some I’m sure this feat of engineering would be a tad boring (it involves watching the ships pass through at a snail’s pace and waiting for gravity to do its work to raise the ships to higher water levels). Luckily I was quite interested in and impressed by the whole process (esp. considering this was built almost 100 years ago! Very cool). But, then again, it didn’t hurt that we also had the cutest Panamanian guy explaining the whole thing in great excitement and detail. You’d think the guy built the locks himself. At any rate, somehow I managed to feel like I’d actually accomplished something by getting there, which is in itself quite funny. So I’m happy to post this photo– tick that one off the freaking list.

Welcome back.

Ugh. I HATE red eyes. I hate them A LOT. Then, when crying babies are involved and there is no sleep for the entire flight, its even worse. Then arriving to...you guessed it...Sao Paulo morning traffic from GRU. Nearly an hour and a half back to the apartment, then a quick turnaround and here I am at the office. Ouch. So tired. I need to figure out better scheduling. Like now, as next up is Punta del Este, Uruguay this weekend. Holla atcha!

Master of the upsell

In Brazil there are some excellent (retail) sales people. If you go shopping for shoes, you will learn this immediately. I have gone shoe shopping more than a couple times...naturally! Firstly since I pared down my "To Pack" pile of shoes from 32 to 20 when I left NYC (yes, seriously - and have regretted this rash downsizing every single day since) and quickly realized I needed to re-stock my options when I got here. But also, there are some great shoes here and they are somewhat affordable (see Mythbusting post from last week). But, back to the shoes… Great shoes (as if I needed an excuse).

So, when you go shopping for shoes, if you ask to try on a certain pair, the sales girl will come back with (hopefully) the pair you requested, plus about 10 additional boxes. Really, she has just grabbed every other shoe they have in stock in your size. She will then proceed to open each and every box and showcase each new pair to you. This one? (as she tries to put it on your foot). No, how about this one? It’s actually less aggressive than it sounds writing it but its assertive enough that you usually end up trying on at least a few additional pairs and you eventually have to guide them back to the pair you actually wanted in the first place. Though let's face it, its shoes we're talking about here so they are often successful in this methodical upsell. If they do not in fact find a suitable additional pair of shoes for you, there are usually an array of belts, handbags and other items that she can waylay you with on your way to the cash register. I might add that since very few people speak English here (also covered in Mythbusting post), this is all done quite effectively even with the language barrier. It involves the usual - lots of one word exchanges, waving, gesturing, smiling etc. At first this drove me nuts but now that I know the drill, whenever I want to purchase something, I have come to expect it and now find it rather entertaining. The sales girls are good at it, so I may as well just let them do their good work and sell me yet another cute pair of heels. I mean!

But, to take this on a work related note, I have also been a bit baffled by this. I cannot figure out how the retail sales people can be so good at the upsell but we cannot get our partners to add on any kind of our business intelligence software to their sales, literally to save their lives (and frustratingly, my primary mission while working here in Brazil). Apparently, this skill is reserved for the cute young retail bunnies. Maybe I should bring one these cuties to my next partner meeting (preferably in casual Friday get up), maybe I'll actually get somewhere. Since we all know that sex is the only thing that really sells.

Madrugada

I just learned this word and I love it. It’s the Portuguese (and Spanish) word for the part of the night from midnight until 6am. We need a word like this in English. In my vernacular, I would call this PRIME TIME.

She finds religion in unlikely places

I am sitting at the Sao Paolo Guarulhos airport (GRU) waiting for my flight to Panama City (the one in Panama… NOT Florida).

Traveling out of SP is a real pain to get to any international destinations. Not only are these direct flights extremely limited in number, but getting there is a real biatch. The international airport is about 30 kms or so outside of the city but with the ridiculous traffic situation, this trip can take anywhere from 45 minutes to over 2 hours. Then, once you get there, the security lines can be out of control. Luckily, Saturday morning is a relatively relaxed time here. Since the traffic was somewhat passable this morning, here I am painfully early, drinking coffee and people watching.

This relaxed atmosphere seems to be inspiring some religious observation. As evidenced by the Muslim prayer group taking place right in front of me. Seven or eight guys have gotten their prayer mats out. Their shoes are off and in a big pile to the side. They are conducting a full prayer ritual, right here in front of Gate 20 with flights leaving any time for Buenos Aires and Panama City.
They are in a circle though, not facing the direction of the sun.
Oh, prayer time is over. Looks like the mats can double as a comfy spot for snack time.
Praise Allah!

(Side note: Check out the photos of my bro Cam and I praying in a mosque in Egypt this past summer – so I already know the drill!).

I have Doubts.

The topic of Direct Translations is actually a couple years in the making and one that I find especially interesting and entertaining since I’m back to being a student of language. The most notable experience being with the title phrase when I first worked with the Brazilian team a couple years ago after first joining SAP. At this time, my team and I were working on a customer/partner event series with the local teams to create a big show for small to medium businesses in those markets. As with any event planning there were a lot of detailed conference calls in preparation. On these calls, my team and I were frequently thrown for a major loop. We would have what would seem like a productive conference call. Then, after thinking that we had all our actions and priorities aligned and with minutes left on the call, the loaded statement would come. One of our Brazilian colleagues would say, "So, I have DOUBTS". Um, okay. Doubts? (Insert a confused exhale here). You, have Doubts? You.... don't believe us? Huh. Should we go through the list again? Was it something specific we said?

It wasn’t until moving to Brazil that I truly learned the real issue. One of the common words in Portuguese for a question is uma dúvida. Directly translated into English its a doubt. Technically, this is correct and easily understood. However, the subtlety of implication behind the word Doubt for English speakers is completely different than a question and used for much more serious consideration than asking a question…

A couple other examples of these great direct translations that make my day entertaining:

My colleagues always tell me they would like to "present me" to people, when they would like to introduce me to someone new. Of course, I understand what they mean, but this choice of word in English always conjures up images of me being presented in a much more elaborate sense. Should I prepare a song and dance? Do I need to take a bow with florish?

And the best one that never ceases to make me laugh, is the topic of "Customer Intimacy". Now in English, this word has such a strong sexual connotation that having this "Intimidade com o cliente" or so called intimacy with our customers seems a bit shocking and inappropriate. But the word intimate in Portuguese (also Spanish incidentally), simply means to be very close and does not carry the implied sexual meaning that our north American culture has assigned the word, through using it as an politically correct euphemism for sex. So it always cracks me up immensely to hear our President of Latin America talk on this topic. :)

Mythbusters

So it's time for some mythbusting. These are the things that I hear from a lot of people in North America in the types of comments that they make to me. It's very interesting how there are some perceptions about Brazil that are the exact opposite of reality.

I was starting to get the idea that you all think that I'm down here laying at the beach, living high on the horse, being fanned by a super tanned, hot Brazilian man who speaks perfect English to me, while I laugh about how I got out of working for six months.

Not so. (I wish). Here's a start at the first 5 myths that I have encountered the most.

1) Things are cheap in Brazil.
Actually, it's ridiculously expensive here. Things that are particularly expensive are cars, furniture and household items etc. Clothing is also pretty expensive (shoes slightly more affordable, thank god). And, going out for dinner and drinking is on par with NYC. So, i'm not getting any USD discounts by any stretch! (As a side, note, services tend to be quite cheap - for example to have a nanny for your child or someone to clean your house).


2) Everyone here is UBER hot.
Not only does everyone seem to think that if you are Brazilian you are smoking hot, skinny model material, but also, that there is some image of all these exotic, darkly tanned people and me sticking out like a sore thumb as the obvious foreigner. Sure, you can find these hot people. They probably work out and lay at the beach in Rio everyday and aren't part of the working majority. In fact, its the complete opposite. All our colleagues are very regular looking people who haven't turned down numerous modelling contracts (sorry guys, it's true!). And I blend right in with this more pasty indoor crew that spend the majority of their lives inside the office (see #3).

3) It's Laid Back.
No, I am not chillaxing by the pool every day. Actually I haven't seen a pool since I've been here and have only seen the beach on my Carnaval trip. Most people are working 10-12 hour days. Granted I have some ongoing commentary on the general productiveness of this lengthy time span in the office. But overall, my general opinion is that Paulistas do work hard and I am not always loving the long hours that usually eat into a lot of my evening time.

4) It's Hot and Sunny.
And now, further to it not being laid back, it's also not hot and sunny all the time. In fact, when I arrived it rained for 45 STRAIGHT DAYS. Seriously. And, involved absolutely torrential downpours. Granted, 45 bibilical days and nights was a bit more drastic than the usual summer rains, thanks to a crazy wet season all across the continent, but afternoon showers each day in the late summer (ie now) are very common. We finally have had a couple days of sun the last few days and its a first. Finally! I had been starting to feel like I was back in Vancouver with all the clouds and non-stop rain.

5) Everyone speaks English.
Actually, barely a soul in the 'real world' in Brazil speaks English. I say the real world, because within SAP (or any big other international company here), most people speak and write very competent English. In the real world (ie, taxis, stores, restaurants, bars, etc), its a rare find. Hence my major focus on studying Portuguese (and of course, my extensive lamentations about trying to get by at work in meetings conducted in Portuguese...luckily my comprehension is increasing rapidly). So start studying your "Bom dia" and "Obrigado/a" 's.

[Side note: I'm not even going to touch the common error that people assume Brazilians speak SPANISH. More than a few (nameless) people have make this comment to me but its just too glaring of an error to bear writing about]

And on a last, more hilarious note on this topic, when discussing the myths about Brazil with a colleague, she described an episode of the Simpsons that REALLY pissed her off where they come here and there is a barrage of false beliefs about Brazil that they run through in fast sequence. She was particularly irritated about the monkeys (no, we don't have pet monkey's). Worth checking out online if you are a Simpson's fan. The Episode is called "Blame it on Lisa". - linked here for your convenience (laziness).

My French accent.

Foi um prazer conhece voce... The common phrase to say nice to meet you, clearly in frequent use when you are new somewhere. Today at our SAP Forum event especially, as I was meeting more of our partners. Unfortunately, I heard three times today from three different people that I SPEAK PORTUGUESE WITH A FRENCH ACCENT.

Oh no. Not good.

This explains the slightly confused looks or general laughter when I try to converse. Luckily my efforts at Portuguese (albeit sounding like a 3 year old french child) are mostly appreciated by the Brazilians. It must be that old habits and all those years of my Parisian French teacher yelling at my pronounciations have become second nature.

Add to TO Do list: Go home and practice Portuguese pronunciation. (Though...At least I don't sound like a complete gringa).

Boa Viagem

I have been in Brazil for 7 weeks. Yes, Seven whole entire weeks.
This has gone by so fast I can't really believe its been that long.
And, other than my epic trip to Bahia and Rio for Carnaval I have been completely landlocked in the city. Yes, a great, 24 -hour a day fantastic city to be in but a landlocked city nonetheless. For someone who formerly was on a plane off somewhere 2 or 3 times a month and has always lived by the water, this is actually beginning to make me restless.

So, following my sudden sense of a deadline (ie leaving Brazil in a still yet-to-be determined, but seemingly now fast approaching date), I quickly got out my laptop and travel books and started a travel project plan (ie a colour coded, prioritized spreadsheet with multi sort functions) to effectively schedule all the Brazil and South/Central America destinations that I want to hit up before I head back to the northern hemisphere. My first pass had 21 destinations. (To put that in perspective, only approximately 19 weekends remain before my estimated return). So. It was time to get serious. So far, I have only been able to pare down the list to 17 (priority 1 + 2) trips.

Hmm. This is going to be tricky. But, you all know that I am focused and determined. Once I put my mind to something I do not give up and always believe that everything and anything I put my mind to IS POSSIBLE. Plus, anytime you apply a project plan, you are sure to hit your milestones, right???

So, adventures in Panama (the redux), Florianopolis (Brazil), Iguazu Falls, and Peru (Machu Picchu) have already been confirmed, plus many more in the works to be booked shortly. I'm sure this will be more great content for your reading pleasure as well. And PS, for all of you that are coming to visit, you will be on these trips with me.

And a quick PSA for all of you that are planning to visit but haven't yet booked your flights: Time is ticking! :)