Expat Masochists
The word “expatriate” derives from the Medieval Latin expatriatus, which means to have left one’s own country. It was and, according to Webster’s, still is [...]
O Convento Nossa Senhora da Penha
I mentioned in a previous post the four attractions of Vitoria: 1) eating the regional fish stew more appetizingly called Moqueca, 2) visiting one of [...]
Stove Top Terror
I’ve never enjoyed cooking. It’s something I’ve been forced by hunger pangs and lack of sandwich bread to do from time to time. With the [...]
Brasilia: Poorly Executing Good Ideas
Brasilia, the Washington DC of Brazil, is coming out with a new slogan for the country as part of a rebranding for the 21st century. [...]
The Entrance Exam: a comedy of errors
Traditionally in Brazil, universities have each had their own entrance exam. A student applying to six universities, would need to travel to each university and [...]
Dear Rio, It’s not you. It’s me.
Dear Rio, I don’t really know where to start. It’s not easy to write this. I guess let me first say that you will always [...]
Expat Milestones: First Job Interview
I’m bragging a little today. You see, in the life of an expat there are some standard milestones. At least standard for an English speaking [...]
Human Development Index Brazil & US
This past week the 2010 Human Development Index (HDI) came out and marked its 20th anniversary. The idea behind the HDI report is that a [...]
Should hate speech be a crime?
Just when you start to think your country is the best at something, reality goes and levels the playing field. I thought the US boasted [...]