“Bus fare to San Francisco for only $1” When I saw the online announcement that Megabus was doing a $1 promotional fare to San Francisco, I immediately bought several tickets. If I didn’t end up going I was only out a few bucks. I started thinking of a reason why I would go to San […]
The Dark Side of Teaching English in Brazil
The clock turned 6:10. My new student was supposed to show up at 6:00, but she was nowhere to be found. I called her cell phone. No answer. 6:15. Still no word from the student. I finally decided that the student wasn’t going to show up. Feeling a little frustrated at being stood up, I […]
English Teacher in Belo Horizonte Interview: Chad Fishwick
Hey there dear reader. I’ve got a special treat for you today. My friend Chad agreed to sit down with me and answer some questions about teaching English in Brazil. Chad has been teaching English in Belo Horizonte for 6 years now, so he’s a great source of knowledge about English teaching. So Chad, why […]
How Much do English Teachers Make in Brazil?
“I live in the nicest neighborhood in São Paulo, I eat out several times a week at nice restaurants, I go out with friends and order nice beer and I just got back from vacation in Colombia with my girlfriend.” That’s not the kind of lifestyle that English teachers are normally able to brag about. […]
Qualifications for Teaching English in Brazil
“So what brought you to Brazil?” I was sitting in a cramped little office where I was waiting to be interviewed for an English teaching job. I was sitting at a desk that had an assortment of English teaching books of varying difficulty. Across from me at a computer was an English teacher from Austria. […]
29 Gringos Who Love Brazil
Welcome to the first post on BrazilianGringo.com! This is a big day in Brazilian blogging history. Its not every day that a gringo launches a blog about Brazil you know. Oh many have tried, but inevitably their friends invite them out for a cerveja (beer) at the buteco (bar) and they get distracted by all the gatinhas (cute girls) […]
Foreigner Groups in Brazil
The number of foreigners living in Brazil has sharply increased in the last few years. People from all over the world have relocated to Brazil in search of better work and lifestyle opportunities. Or they just ended up getting stuck here somehow and don’t know how to leave. But I digress. Brazil is not an easy […]
How to Enroll in Portuguese for Foreigners Classes at UFMG in Belo Horizonte
Let’s say you’re new in Belo Horizonte and you need to learn Brazilian Portuguese fast. What do you do? What do you do? The most common option that people inquire about is taking group classes at the Federal University, UFMG. You probably came to this page looking for information on how to enroll in classes […]
How to Register for a CPF in Belo Horizonte
If you’re going to be staying in Brazil for longer than a few months it would be a good idea to register for a CPF number (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) . The possession of the CPF is not required, but it is absolutely a prerequisite for a series of operations like opening bank accounts, to get […]