Bueller

[stefang]

Bueller when you first went to Brazil did you use travelers checks? I have some and found banks that accept them for exchange of cash but was wondering if it is easy to make the change. Also any other advice about other froms of currency? Should I just take one Credit card and leave my bank card home or could I use my bank card to withdraw money?

What about gifts what do Brazilian woman like? This is more for my girlfriends family say a 50 year old woman and my girlfriends sister? I asked my girlfriend and she said don't bother you don't have to bring gifts but something from America that they might not have would be nice to bring in my opinion.

[Bueller]

... in response to Bueller, posted by stefang on Jun 20, 2003

You can use travelers' checks and exchange them in certain banks, but you may find yourself wasting precious vacation time trying to find one which will do the exchange (and without charging a US$20 exchange fee). American Express offices will exchange them, but depending on their mood they might not give you a good rate. Better to use your bank card, and it's not too hard to find a Cirrus or Visa network machine. Depending on just where you're going and how much money you have in your ATM-accessible account, you might want to transfer into another account that which you don't need for you trip, because of the risk of you being kidnapped and taken to the ATM every day until your account is empty. Obviously this is a bigger risk in Rio and São Paulo than in other areas, but beware.

  Apparently there was an attempted kidnapping right here in Florianópolis yesterday, of an American/Brazilian couple who moved here because they had already been kidnapped in Rio where they were living. Ouch. I'll have to read up on the details of that; it's certainly not normal for around here.

 As far as gifts to bring...let me think about that. Things from the U.S. carry prestige here, and off the top of my head I'd say if you have some sort of attraction nearby where you could buy some nice t-shirts or some such items, that might be a good idea. Imported perfumes here cost an arm and a leg, so maybe some nice brand-name stuff? (And if you want some good, inexpensive colognes to take home, get your girlfriend to take you to O Boticário while you're in Brazil; there are franchises everywhere). This one might sound stupid, and I'm not sure it's legal because of agricultural barriers, but they don't seem to have peanut butter here. I remember hearing of Russian tourists in the U.S. filling their suitcases with jars of the stuff before returning home. I'll think about this one some more.

[Brazilophile]

... in response to Re: Bueller, posted by Bueller on Jun 20, 2003

Not all banks in Brazil cash T-checks.  A bank that does and gives the best rate I could find is Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (BBV).  On my most recent trip, (in February), they added a US$5.00 transaction fee.  Previously, (last year), they did not have this fee.

[stefang]

... in response to Re: Re: Bueller, posted by Brazilophile on Jun 21, 2003

Thanks for the info when I went to Amex website the two banks they gave me in Rio Claro as free exchange are
Banco Sudameris Brasil SA
Banco do Estado de Sao Paulo SA

The only thing the web mentions is that not all services are available at every bank so I won't really know until I try. It is good to have some anyways and I might not even use them, when I went to Lisbon I carried some but never cashed any.

[pablo]

... in response to Re: Bueller, posted by Bueller on Jun 20, 2003

I can vouch for the desire by RW wanting peanut butter, albiet not too romantic of a gift.  When asking a RW friend what she would like me to bring stateside to the FSU that was numero uno on her list.  Curious that it's unavailable in LA as well.

[stefang]

... in response to Re: Bueller, posted by Bueller on Jun 20, 2003

Thanks for the info, I have some travelers checks now so I will keep them and the reason I purchased some was the Amex website gives you free exchange banks where you can make a trade for currency. The only problem is what you see here doesn't neccesarily translate to ease of use in Brazil. I guess I will bring my bank card, I was going to only bring a credit card I know you pay more if you take out cash but it would be more for an emergency.

I understand what you mean about the attemped kidnapping being rare. My girlfriend told me in the big cities it can be dangerous but the less populated areas tend to be safe. If they were kidnapped before it looks like they may of been followed it doesn't sound randem. Rio is really bad now from the news I have been reading the police are trying to crack down on the drug lords and lots of violence is breaking out over this. Many companies are routing their business workers to Sao Paulo because there have been attacks at Rio airport.

I already purchased some skin creams and it should go over well. I was thinking some American chocolate and maybe maple syrup and treat them to a pancake breakfast some morning. I could pick up a bottle of perfume at the duty free in the airport. I have a bottle of suntan oil from Hawaii that really tans the skin fast that I could bring. Peanut Butter I could ask my girlfriend if she knows what this is maybe she never tried it? Have you seen any in stores? I would have to look at a customs site but usually you can import food products that are processed and preserved no perishables are usually allowed. I know my girlfriends little neice would go for the chocolate and peanut butter:)

Clothing I think would be hard to choose I don't no their sizes I would have to ask my girlfriend. What about household nick nacks?

Are you planing on trying to stay in Brazil, you have been there for awhile now?

[Bueller]

... in response to Re: Re: Bueller, posted by stefang on Jun 20, 2003

I've been here a little over a year and want to stay permanently now.

 I don't recall ever seeing peanut butter at the store. I'll go by the supermarket tomorrow and check on another thing as well: I've been overseas for three years now and can't recall seeing a decent can opener in all that time. I don't use canned goods much, but since you mentioned household nick nacks, a really nice quality can opener might be welcome. The only ones I recall seeing here look like Army field-issue, made by the lowest bidder.

You mentioned doing some cooking for them. If you're going to do that, here's another idea for you: bring semi-sweet chocolate chips and make chocolate chip cookies for them. They will flip because chocolate chips are not sold in supermarkets here like they are in the U.S. and there's no Mrs. Fields or suchlike enterprise. I finally figured out the right measurements (metric differences and all that): 3.25 cups ("xícaras") flour; 3/4 cup brown sugar ("açúcar de mascavo"); 3/4 cup white sugar;  250 mg. salted butter (or add 2 tsp salt); 2 lg. eggs; 1 tsp baking soda ("bicarbonato de soda"); 2 tsp vanilla; 400 grams *semi-sweet* chocolate. Mix it all up and spoon it out. Supposedly 375º is the right oven temperature, which would be 190ºC. They will beg for the recipe, trust me, but will have to carve up chocolate bars with a knife to duplicate it; the chocolate has to be semi-sweet, and the "chocolate flavored baking drops" you sometimes find here just don't cut it.

  I'll let you know what else I find out tomorrow.

[stefang]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Bueller, posted by Bueller on Jun 20, 2003

Thanks a lot for more ideas and you reminded me of a Canadian recipe I have. OHenry's I got the recipe from my cousins girlfriend she finally got sick of me eating all of her batches and told me to make my own so she gave me the recipe. It requires brown sugar, corn syrup, peanut butter, rice krispies, corn flakes, peanuts, chocolat and butterscotch chips, finally parafin. It will take longer to make them then eat them.

I just thought of another idea, it is called a misto where you put  olive oil or other type of cooking liquid and you pump the resevoir a couple times and just spray the fluid out like a pam spray oil for cooking. It really works good and you decide what you want to use instead of the store bought arosol types. Do Brasilians cook a lot with oil in a pan because this might make a nice gift? I know of a good can opener they would like, my girlfriend says her mother loves to cook a lot especially for family and friends so kitchen gifts might be good ideas.

[Bueller]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Bueller, posted by stefang on Jun 20, 2003

That oil device you mentioned might be nice. I just got back from the store and they do have nice can openers; maybe it was Spain I was thinking of.

[stefang]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bueller, posted by Bueller on Jun 21, 2003

Thanks for the ideas I think the oil pump would work. I gave one to an Aunt of mine a few years ago and then a bunch of others wanted the gadget.