Brasilia

[Cocobear]

We're moving to Brasilia next year. Anyone have any experience of it, or Brazil more generally?

Fabulous. I'm currently in Ghana, which isn't crawling with MNers, either.

Oh oh oh oh, can't believe this. I live in Brasilia! My God, a fellow MNer, fantastic. Can I ask why you're coming here, Embassy, UN, NGO something like that? Oh blimey, fire away with the Qs.
BTW, I love it here, it's the only place I can afford a 5 bed house with massive garden and swimming pool! The weather is good, it rained yesterday for the first time since early May. The food is yum (except chocolate which is horrible), the people are lovely, yeah, good place to be really I would say
I'll be around for the next hour or so on and off (I'm supposed to be studying but...)
Better change my name back if I can remember how - this is my Harry Potter name!

She'll probably have her own fruit trees! We still have a tree full of lemons, it just doesn't stop, and now mangos too - got a good chutney recipe?

PMSL - that mango thread is hilarious. Made me lol

Albert - What the hell are the odds of that, eh? We won't be arriving for ages (next fall, I believe), but just found out yesterday, so I'm dead curious about Brasilia. Missed your message as I was busy on Amazon ordering guidebooks and Portuguese picture dictionaries for the young'uns. My DS is 3 (almost 4 Mommy!) and DD is 3 months.

First of all, before anything else, and understand that I'm coming from Accra here, please tell me there's a cinema.

Oh, should mention I've never been further south into the Americas than Mexico, so I know very little about Brazil at the moment.

BTW, did not find that mango thread funny in the least. Anyone making Brasilia jokes will be sent to the corner with Rhubarb.

Sorry Cocobear, I only seem to get to the computer at the start of each week.
Cinemas - yes, at least 6 but probably more like 10 multiscreen cinemas. Movies often get here before they get to the UK, some are dubbed into Portuguese and some aren't.
Ensure that the books you are getting are Brazilian Portuguese and not Portuguese from Portugal, it's different, not totally but enough.
Can you drive? This is essential because Brasilia was not built with pedestrians in mind and public transport can be dodgy.
What else do you need to know? I'm happy to help.

No worries on once a week - I'm not coming for a year, so we've got time!

My goodness, 6 cinemas. Next you'll be telling me there's a proper grocery store. (All of expat Accra is currently holding its breath as a South African supermarket is due to open later this month.) I'm going to faint.

Yes, I drive. Although I only have a Ghanaian license. I suppose I'll need to get a Brazilian one when I'm there. Just as soon as I speak enough Portuguese to pass the test, that is.

Hmm, I suppose I'd like to know about schools. My DS (now nearly four) will be starting reception. We're not at all religious, so I'd like to avoid anything that would have him in chapel/church/synagoge/etc every week. And of course he won't speak Portuguese on arrival, so teaching will need to be in English or at least bilingual to start. Any thoughts?

Oh, yes, it's embassy, that's why we're going. And yourself? How did you land in Brasilia?

Oh Cocobear you are in for a treat, by the sounds of things Brasilia will be heaven after Accra!
We are inundated with supermarkets and hypermarkets, mainly French ones actually (Carrefour, Extra) although sadly not selling French produce.
Discovered another multi screen cinema at the weekend, I think the number I gave you was wildly inaccurate, maybe double it!
Schools, no problem, for a 4 year old there is a Canadian one, American one an International (but American really)one and two bi-lingual English/Portuguese. DS, who is now 7 went to one of the bi-lingual schools for the first year, it was great although he's now in a private Brazilian school.
Embassy, really?? British Embassy?? That's where I am!! I suspect (because you said 'fall') that you might be American though.

Given that we seem to be the only two MNetters in Brazil, not exactly a small nation, this is pretty amazing..
Yes, British embassy. That is, DH is British (it's his job taking us there) and I'm American (thus fall).
What are you doing there, then? Are you on a posting or there long-term?

You're the CLO, aren't you??

Oh, you are so lucky. I've never been to Brasilia but have been to SP and Rio several times for work. Brazil is fab fabbity fab fab, the people are really, really nice, the climate is lovely, the food is great and there are wonderful sights to see and places to go. I'm of your wonderful luck!

Thanks Bluestocking! We're very excited.

OMG Cocobear, you've outed me, yes I'm the CLO but who are you??? I'm racking my brains here to think who will be coming in about a year's time and the only one I can think of is the new Ambassador!!! Is that your DH??
I'm not on a posting although the CLO job is only an annual contract, but having said that I'm on my second year since no-one else wanted it. DH is Brazilian so we are here long term, hence the previously mentioned house purchase
Fotunately I don't think I've ever said anything negative about work or Brazil, blimey I hope not. I'm concerned now.

Hello Cocobear! I am new here at MN and just saw your post. I am from Brasilia!! If you have questions or need any help with portuguese, let me know!!

Oh, JoOs, fabulous. Did you grow up there? Yes, please tell me what it's like, what you enjoyed about living there.

Albert and I have already planned ourselves a little MN branch meeting in Brasilia next year.

Hello, Cocobear!

I was born here in Brasilia. Everybody (including my parents) who comes to Brasilia to live says that it is a wonderful city to raise their kids.

As Albert said, it is essential that you drive in this city. You can't go far if you are walking or taking a bus...

The weather here is really dry during autumn and winter and rainny during spring and summer, although you can still plan to go out to a club during the last two seasons. You will see how funny it is here. Sometimes you will be able to see that on the other side of the street it is raining and on the side you are at it is sunny.

Do one thing, ask me what you want to know and I will answer you. I think this way I will be able to help more. And, since you are arriving just next fall, we will have plenty of time to talk about the city!

Hey Cocobear, you are going to be so ready when you finally arrive here. JoOs and I are buddies, she can give you the local viewpoint, I can give you the expat view point. What more could you want? And since we are both Embassy we can give you the inside view on that too!!
JoOs - get off MN (I told you it was addictive) and answer the 'phone!!

Hey that MN Brasilia Xmas party is starting to fill up! I did fear it was just going to be me and Albert slugging back rum in the dusty corner of some hotel lounge.

Okay, hiking. And camping. I fancy a bit of hiking and camping. Any good stuff around the city? If I camped out around Accra I'd contract malaria and/or be bitten by snakes. Also the local people would think I was wierd and insist I stay in their house instead.

Well, on the map it says there's a camp site in Brasilia but I don't know anyone who has ever been there. The city has scrub land all around it and quite a lot of parks and reserves in which people go hiking but you'd have to drive out of the city to get to them. JoOs probably knows better than me. You'll be pleased to know that you won't get malaria here (but possibly dengue-not that it's common but there is a risk).
Start practising for the rum drinking, the classic Brazilian drink is caipirinha - sugarcane rum, lime juice, sugar and lots of ice, it's fantastic and available everywhere except the Embassy bar (!) but we have Guiness, Boddingtons and Strongbow there so you can't complain