Like the site for foreigners in Brazil, www.gringoes.com, which I chanced across yesterday. As usual it gives a few interesting outsider insights into Brazilian culture:

1. Brazil is very bureaucratic, and hierarchical society.
2. Brazil is very people-centred in business.
3. You need to speak the language.

But then it’s also what you as a person bring to Brazil – your own personal ‘jinga’. Hey, I’ve got the Brazilian sociology of Paulo Friere on my side so that also helps to understand a few tough facts of life. But if I go to live there I might just pay a gringo who has learned the language to teach me first. But then again why not use a real Brazilian tutuor!?