Monthly NewsletterOctober 2012

www.AmSoc.com.brForum

The Sports Issue

Page 7: Is it better to be an ‘athlete student’ or a ‘student athlete’?

Rio 2016

Page 10: One year on from our last look at the state of affairs, what has changed?

The American Society of São Paulo promotes friendship by organizing social, cultural and athletic events for its diverse membership; encourages integration with the Brazilian society; and supports the American traditions of education, philanthropy and volunteerism.

Our Mission

The Sports Issue

Save the dateSave the dateUpcoming AmSoc events:Oct 24th - VIP CocktailOct 27th - Halloween Party for KidsOct 31st - Halloween Happy HourNov 25th - ThanksgivingDec 7th - EggNog Party

Athletic Scholarships

Annual Halloween PartyAdventure Sports

Page 12: Where should you travel to indulge in adventure sports? Stay right where you are here in Brazil!

Welcome to New Consul General Dennis Hankins

On August 13, U.S. Consulate General São Paulo welcomed its new Consul General Dennis Hankins, who will lead the Consulate for the next three years. Mr. Hankins comes to São Paulo from Sudan, where he served as Deputy Chief of Mission. His other assignments include: Mauritania, Mozambique, Washington D.C., Saudi Arabia, Portugal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He began his Foreign Service career in Recife in 1985. Mr. Hankins was raised in Minnesota, and is a graduate of Georgetown University and the National Defense University. He is married to

Mira Hankins and they have one son who is serving in the U.S. Navy.

Consular Officer Stephanie Lesser recently sat down with Consul General Hankins to discuss the changes Brazil has undergone since he first arrived in 1985, the ongoing improvements to Consulate operations, and the overarching goals of the U.S. Mission to Brazil.

When asked what drew him to Brazil over 25 years ago, Mr. Hankins began, “For my first assignment, I wanted to serve at a smaller post where I could wear a variety of hats. Recife not only fulfilled that requirement, but it also allowed me

By Stephanie Lesser, American Consulate

(continued on page5)

Rain or shine, bring your children (2 to 12 years old) to our Annual Children’s Halloween Party on Saturday, October 27th from 4pm to 7pm in Alto da Boa Vista. We will have Halloween-themed games with prizes, Haunted Houses for all ages, and Trick-or-Treating in the Enchanted Forest with real American candy.

Snacks will be served for the kids and there will be a cash bar for moms & dads. This year we are even selling real pumpkins at the end of the party that you can take home and carve with your kids!VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We urgently need volunteers to make the party a success: Helpers all during the day to help decorate and set up. Breakfast and Lunch will be served. Come for two hours or stay all day!

Teenagers to monitor the games from

4pm to 6pm (paid in American Candy)Cool Parents to dress up and hand out

candy from 5.45pm – 6.45pm. Your kids will love seeing mom & dad participating in the fun!

Working on the party is a great way to meet new people if you are new to São Paulo or new to Amsoc. If you’d like to help, please email ruthhollard@hotmail.com

TICKET SALES HAVE BEGUN AND SPACE IS LIMITED to 150 kids!!

To guarantee a space for your child and pay the discounted rate (Members R$55, Non-Members R$110), reserve before October 19th: Tel. 5182-2074 or amsoc1@amsoc.com.br.

Prices at the door will be: Members R$80, Non-members R$130. Please note that space is not guaranteed if you wait until the last minute!

I worked for an ethanol trade association for three years so I continue to follow the ethanol news with interest. At the beginning of 2008 Brazil was adding new e t h a n o l / s u g a r

mills at a rapid pace, 20-25 new

mills per year. In five years about100 new mills were built to the 430 mills today. Foreign investors were keen to be part of the ethanol boom; power point presentations on Av. Faria Lima were common. Brazilian ethanol exports set a new record in 2008/09 at about 5 billion liters, and the success of the flex engine gave consumers a choice between gasoline and ethanol.

The 2008 financial crisis changed all that as banks cut off credit lines to over leveraged companies - bankruptcies and industry consolidation followed. Today Brazil is still suffering the consequences as many investors realize that ethanol is an agricultural business. The lack of working capital cut back on necessary maintenance of the sugar cane fields and production in the center south region was 493 million metric in 2011/12 tons compared to 557 million the previous year. The cost to produce ethanol has increased and the

fact that the government controls the price of gasoline places a ceiling price on ethanol resulting in low/negative margins. Brazilian ethanol exports have dropped to the 2 billion liters level and we imported ethanol from the U.S. last year. So a major challenge to increase sugar cane production to supply the ever increasing car fleet.

The ethanol industry in the U.S. also suffered the consequences of the 2008 financial crisis with several bankruptcies, but the industry was quick to rebound. For example in 2007 there were 119 ethanol mills which grew to 209 mills last year. Ethanol production increased from 6.5 million gallons in 2007 to 14 billion last year and the U.S, took over as the major world supplier position from Brazil. There is a government mandate that 13.2 billion gallons must be blended with gasoline in 2012 and this will increase to 13.6 billion gallons in 2013. As many of you have probably seen in the news the U.S. has suffered its worst drought in the last 50 years. The drought has affected corn production, the U.S. raw material for ethanol. So the “fuel versus food” debate is back again. For example the average corn price at the Chicago Board of Trade averaged $2.15/bushel from 1997 to 2006 and has topped $8.00/bushel last August. The U.S. now uses about 40% of the corn crop to produce ethanol. There is a by-product (DDG) which is

used in animal feed, so it is not really 40% but there is the price impact on corn. The drought has created a very tight corn supply situation and the U.S. must resolve if the blend mandate continues in 2012/13.

So to summarize the ethanol business is tough: it depends on agriculture with its cyclical and climate risks; government blend mandates in the U.S.; and government stipulated blend percentages and gasoline price controls in Brazil.

As a consumer it is nice to have a fuel choice with a flex car.

Abraços,Joe

President’s Corner

By Joe Sherman, AmSoc president

Forum October2

Lynn Cordeiro, editor and layoutErnest White II, staff writer

Forum is printed by EGB.(http://www.egb.com.br)

Views expressed in Forum do not necessarily reflect those of the American Society board of governors, members, or staff.

Forum reserves the right to edit content for brevity and/or clarity.

The American Society of São Paulo

Rua da Paz, 1431 04713-001 São Paulo, SPTel: (11) 5182-2074 Fax: (11) 5182-9155email the editor: mail@falaphoto.com

Forum is published monthly, with the exception of January and July, by

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The Community Action Committee is looking for new members

The Community Assistance Committee (CAC) of The American Society supports various orphanages and community centers in São Paulo that provide homes, security, affection and education to children from the city’s poorest neighborhoods.

Most of these children are orphaned, abandoned, abused or severely neglected and would be on the streets (or worse) if it were not for the dedication of the people who run these establishments.

We help these institutions by volunteering, raising money, writing grants for projects, and contributions from the American Society.

This group is also responsible for the angel party (see page 6) and volunteer day. The committee meets once a month for just a few hours.

If you would like to be part of this dynamic group making a difference in São Paulo, please contact Eileen Tasso, eileentasso@gmail.com.

CAC News

The American Societyof São Paulo

Forum 32012

Welcome to Our New MembersWelcome the following New Members who joined us recently. We are very grateful for your support!

Name Spouse Membership Company Nationality

Yared AKALOU Mia MENDS Family Membership American

Jared ALAMAT Kristina ALAMAT Family Membership GM American

Claudia BAKER Family Membership U.S. Consulate American

Alexander Jordan CAMELLO Thais Clazans CAMELLO Family Membership Dias & Calazans Adv Associados

Brazilian/Hungarian

Jeffrey DEALMEIDA Michelle DEALMEIDA Family Membership American

Rebcca DODDS Family Membership U.S Consulate American

Woody DUNSTAN Gussie DUNSTAN Family Membership U.S Consulate American

Robert EVANS Katherine EVANS Family Membership MSD - Merck Sharp e Dohme Farmacêutica Ltda

American

Glenn Jacob FAIRHURST Nokukhany Syluia FAIRHURST Family Membership U.S Consulate American

Steve KNODE Sheron KNODE Family Membership U.S Consulate / The NPD Group

American

Kristine MORRISSEY John MORRISSEY Family Membership U.S Consulate American

Francis Bryant MULLIGAN Larissa MULLIGAN Family Membership Mercedes Benz American

Patricia PROSPERO Family Patron Membership Baxter Healthcare Brazilian

Débora SOUZA Family Membership Brazilian

Tina SMITH Vaughan SMITH Family Membership Australian

James SMOUSE Stacy SMOUSE Family Membership International Finance Corp. American

Enjoyed this publication? Become an American Society Member and get a

free Forum subscription!

For more than 60 years The American Society of São Paulo has worked to establish a strongnetwork for expats living and working in São Paulo. Join Today!!!

Visit our website at www.amsoc.com.br and fill in our on-line formor call the AmSoc office at 5182-2074

Forum October4

AmSoc Board Bio - Frank PierceI was born in Baltimore and moved

with my family throughout the east and midwest and finally settled in Metro-Detroit when I was 5 years old, and have been a “Detroiter” ever since. Carol and I married young (just celebrated our 33rd anniversary) and we have a son who is 30 years old, and two daughters 29 and 25. Adding to the excitement is our wonderful 4-year-old granddaughter Addison and our 4-month-old grandson Zachary. Our primary residence is in Troy, Mighigan and Skype has helped to keep us close to our family and friends back home.

My childhood was a typical, happy, middle-income lifestyle and as the oldest of three boys, was centered around sports. We traveled often to the east coast for summer vacation but most of my time was on the baseball diamond. After high-school in St. Clair Shores, MI, I chose to work and had little ambition to go to college at the time . I was very lucky that my father, who worked for Rockwell International, was able to get me my first non-dish-washing, non-store - stock-boy job at Rockwell in the late-1970’s as a shipping and receiving clerk and backup driver for the president. You can imagine the stories I have from my time as the chauffer but most importantly it gave me an appreciation of big-business and the opportunities to succeed in business. I used the company tuition payment benefit and attended the local Community College and received Associate Degrees in Acounting and in Business Administration. I then moved to Walsh School of Accountancy and Business Adminstration and graduated with Bachelor in Business Adminstration.

As I continued with Rockwell and progressed through my college studies, I obtained a position in International Finance and worked on import/export documentation and monthly closings of foreign locations. While in this role I became exposed to Brazil as the company had a division producing automotive wheels in Limeira, SP. I quickly grew to love the Brazilian culture and made many lifelong

friends. After three years of finance, I moved to the wheel division in Troy, MI and was responsible for the importation, warehousing and delivery of the wheels to Chrysler, GM and Ford. This led me into opportunities in the Sales Department and I decided that a life in sales and entertaining customers at sporting events was much more appealing to me and decided to change career directions. I spent the next 14 years working in Troy, MI but traveling frequently to Limeira and took Portuguese language courses at The University of Detroit. After two semesters I contracted the Carioca professora to come to the office three evenings per week, three hours per evening and I finally caught-on to the language.

As I progressed through the ranks in Sales, and after a few divestitures, I continued with the same company but under a different name, Arvin-Meritor. I strayed from Sales and landed in Business Development as the VP of Corporate Strategy & Development where I led the company’s strategy development process and managed various M&A transactions; however, I never lost the love of Brazil and my Brazilian friends.

In 2007, after traveling many times to China on Sales and M&A projects, I was given the opportunity to run the Automotive business in Asia. Carol and I moved to an enormous apartment in the heart of the swankiest part of Shanghai. Business was good and we thoroughly enjoyed living in China and discovering the culture, the people, the food and the overwhelming historic sites throughout the country. We walked the streets of Shanghai almost daily and reveled in finding new restaurants and shops and the hidden gems that Shanghai has to offer. I used to say that Shanghai simply “tickles your senses” from sight to sound to smell.

During the North American economic downturn, my company, Arvin-Meritor, decided to divest the automotive business and focus on other industrial segments. During the sale process and accompanying cost-

cutting, I decided to take a buy-out and after 31 years left the company to pursue other opportunities. Shortly thereafter, another Automotive supplier, Lear Corporation invited me assist their President of Asia as an executive consultant. It was great to be back in Shanghai again but the assignment was only for six months, and in late 2010 the company asked me what I would like to do next. Well, you can imagine my response - Brazil!

We moved to São Paulo with Lear Corporation in August, 2010 and have been here since. In March 2012 I accepted an offer as President of Acument South America, one of the holdings of the private equity group, Platinum Equity and we moved to Campinas. Through AMSOC, we have met many new friends and I been on the Board since mid-2011.

Brazil has been and continues to be a wonderful experience. We have met a whole new set of friends and have had the opportunity to live in the wonderful city of São Paulo, and now in the quieter, but very charming, Campinas. And, coincidently, we are now living in an Apartment building right next to that of one of our best Brazilian friends of over 20 years! The world continues to shrink and together with my wife Carol, I look forward to meeting more new friends at the many upcoming AMSOC events!

The American Societyof São Paulo

2012 Forum 5

By Stephanie Lesser, American Consulate

to learn more about a country with a unique identity in the region.” Mr. Hankins still vividly remembers the exact day he arrived in Brazil: April 21, 1985. That same day, the untimely death of the newly elected Tancredo Neves, Brazil’s first civilian president in 20 years, marked a significant moment in Brazil’s transition to democracy. However, said Mr. Hankins, while Brazil’s political transformation was occurring, the familiar quote “Brazil is the country of the future – and always will be” still rang true. The country was suffering from chronic hyperinflation, and while its economic potential was obvious, it was still difficult to imagine Brazil escaping its economic instability, Mr. Hankins commented.

Fast forward to 2012. Brazil is now one of the world’s largest and most dynamic economies, as well as an increasingly important U.S. partner in areas as diverse as tourism, trade, and investment. Mr. Hankins is excited to be back here at this key time.

Consul General Hankins outlined the U.S. Mission to Brazil’s priorities, including strengthening U.S.-Brazil educational ties with programs such as Science Without Borders and English language learning. Mr. Hankins pointed out that the recent EducationUSA fair in São Paulo was the Mission’s largest ever such fair in Brazil, with over 80 U.S. universities and over 2,700 visitors in attendance.

The U.S. Mission to Brazil also focuses on promotion of U.S. exports to Brazil. “We’re not just looking at Brazil as a market in which to sell U.S. products,” Hankins stated. “We are building relationships with Brazilian businesses, jointly working on the creation of new technologies.” Institution-building is also a priority, and Mr. Hankins emphasized that this

is not just a matter of working with federal entities, but an effort to build relationships between state and local governments as well.

Mr. Hankins then described his more personal goals for his tour in São Paulo. “While the U.S. Consulate in São Paulo has a reputation for doing good work, I would also like to make sure that the Consulate is adding value throughout our entire consular district, not just in São Paulo.” Putting his words into practice, Mr. Hankins has already visited Porto Alegre and Santos and intends to visit Campo Grande and Florianopolis shortly.

Consul General Hankins also is dedicated to reaching out to the American Citizen community in Brazil. He typically holds town halls with American Citizens when he travels outside of São Paulo, and the Consulate and the American Society jointly organized an introductory town hall for him in São Paulo on September 25.

Mr. Hankins is proud of the ongoing improvements to Consulate operations. He pointed out that just one year ago, the wait time for a visa interview was four months. In response, the United States poured human and financial resources into Brazil, and the wait time has fallen to two days. By early 2013, further r e s o u r c e s and facilities improvements will allow the Consulate to accommodate 6,000 visa applicants a day.

When asked how American S o c i e t y m e m b e r s

can help further improve U.S.-Brazil relations, Hankins stated, “Brazilians often lament that many Americans don’t know much about Brazil. And just as every American abroad is an ambassador of the United States, every AmSoc member is an ambassador of Brazil. It is those Americans who understand and appreciate Brazil’s success that provide their fellow citizens with a more sophisticated image of Brazil.”

Consul General Hankins concluded, “Since the U.S. Mission’s overarching goal is to advance American interests, Brazilians may wonder why we are interested in seeing Brazil grow. The fact is that as Brazil grows, its position as a strong, stable center in South America is reinforced, and other countries can look to it as a model. And because Brazil is such an important U.S. partner in so many areas – from regional stability to education to free trade – Brazil’s success is in the American interest.”

To find out more about the Consulate’s activities, please visit our website at http://saopaulo.usconsulate.gov/

Welcome to New Consul General Dennis Hankins

(continued from front page)

Forum October6

On November 10, the thirteenth annual American Society Angel Party is taking over Chapel School, come rain or shine. There’s lots of good news to share – and needs still to be met.

Most exciting, we were able to invite 225 children to the party and all have been sponsored! This year was incredible, with friends telling friends and email offers pouring in. Thank you all! We even have a few handy back-up sponsors. If you’d like to contribute and haven’t done so yet, one way is to send us R$350 to sponsor one child. With lots of comings and goings in the institutions, we’ll use up our back-up shoppers and still need to shop. Other donations would be spent covering the costs of buses for the children, the show, extra refreshments and prizes for the games. Please consider helping in this way. To do so, write Sue Banman Sileci at sue@sileci.com.

If you have sponsored a child, please don’t forget that all the bags need to be delivered at the drop-off points by October 9 or at the final destination, outlined in emails to the sponsors, by October 10.

The Angel Party also needs

volunteers for an organizing day before the party. We will have received all the bags by October 10. Two weeks after that we do a quick check that all gift bags have all the items they need. We also put all the gifts in uniform white bags and color code them by orphanage or daycare center with ribbons and printed labels. This requires half a day of hard work with 20 volunteers (or several days work for one person if no one signs up to help). Please do! It’s fun in the way cleaning your kitchen cupboards is fun. Sign up by writing Eileen Tasso at eileentasso@gmail.com.

Finally, we usually have 120 volunteers on the day of the party, and lots of others without specific jobs helping where needed or just enjoying the fun. Please consider signing up to help. There are two shifts: 12:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. To volunteer, send an email with your shift preference to Silvana Mooney at silvanamooney7@gmail.com.

We – and 225 struggling children – need your financial help, your energy and your support. Join us for some real fun.

Angel Party: Last Call for Sponsors

The American Societyof São Paulo

2010 Forum 72012

So your son or daughter dreams of being the next LeBron James, Serena Williams, or Lionel Messi…but you’ve made it clear: college comes first. That’s okay for them because they’ll be recruited by top schools AND college will be paid for with an athletic scholarship, right? Not necessarily.

One of the most confusing, and frustrating, aspects of the recruitment process for families of student-athletes is understanding the proper course of action for playing sports at the collegiate level. Many students have misguided aspirations of being courted by schools that will whisk them away to be superstars on campus without spending much time in the classroom. Much to the dismay of students, this is not quite how the scenario will play out.

The reality is that students interested in continuing their athletic endeavors at a university will need to be proactive in the recruitment process. According to Derek Fox, Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Rider University, a Division I school in New Jersey, contacting coaches is the first step a prospective student-athlete should take.

“The biggest mistake students make is assuming that all coaches will seek them out when really students should send an email or call the coach expressing interest,” says Fox. “Make sure to list a schedule of competitions or tournaments at which the student will be participating and include the name of their team, their number, and what color uniform so the coaches know who to look for at these events.”

Also, although many parents may be tempted to call college coaches, Fox advises against this.

“Parents should not contact coaches on behalf of their children,” stresses Fox. “Coaches do not want to hear from the parents during the recruiting process…they want to hear directly from the student-athlete.”

According to the National Collegiate

Athletic Association (NCAA), college coaches have guidelines to follow as to when they may contact a student-athlete, typically waiting until after the student has finished their sophomore year. This means that the actual time of year that students will be contacted may vary for international students or U.S. students living abroad since school calendars vary from country to country.

“There is generally no difference in the recruitment process for international student athletes or students abroad,” says Jan Macko, Assistant Director of Admission at Lynn University, a Division II school in Florida. “The only caveat is that if the student-athlete’s sophomore year ends after June 15th, coaches need to wait until the end of the student’s sophomore year before they are allowed to actively begin recruiting the student.”

Kevin Coveney, Vice President of Admissions at Washington College, a Division III school in Maryland, encourages student-athletes to visit the schools to which they are applying.

“If a student-athlete is being actively recruited, they usually make visit arrangements directly with the coach who will in turn coordinate planning with the Admissions Office,” says Coveney. “At the Division III level a highly-desired recruit can be, and often is, given preference in the admissions process. Top recruits will often be asked to make an early enrollment commitment and may be encouraged to apply Early Decision.”

Just as a violinist or a leader in the student government can add something to the student body of a university, a prospective student-athlete’s talents can certainly be a factor used by admission officers when reviewing an application.

“Prospective student athletes bring a unique talent to the university which is generally considered a strength in the admission process,” says Macko. “The same would hold true for a student

listing a strong extracurricular activity on their resume.”

According to the NCAA, just 2% of student-athletes are awarded some type of college scholarship based on their athletic performance. This fact surprises many families who have aspirations of “full-ride” awards for their student-athlete. In fact, athletic-based scholarships are awarded only at the Division I and II levels, while Division III schools are prohibited by NCAA regulations from awarding funds based on athletic performance.

“Unless you are dealing with football or basketball, there are few ‘full rides’ offered,” says Fox. “There are scholarships offered in other sports, but most coaches find that offering some athletic scholarship money in addition to other merit scholarships or institutional funds allows them to stretch their scholarship funds a little further.”

So what should students do once they’ve decided they would like to play a sport at the college level? Follow these simple steps:

- Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (www.NCAA.org) BEFORE the senior year of high school,- Have the high school counselor send a copy of the transcript to the Eligibility Center,- Begin contacting coaches at schools of interest,- Schedule campus visits and,- Maintain a focus on academics. It’s important for parents to remind their children that, regardless of their athletic talent, they will be a “Student-Athlete”, not an “Athlete-Student”!

Kristina L. Dooley is the founder of Estrela Consulting, an Independent Educational Consulting firm helping families navigate the college, boarding school, and summer program search processes. Kristina is a former AMSOC member now living in Mexico City and can be reached via email at Kristina@EstrelaConsulting.com or online at www.EstrelaConsulting.com.

Game, Set, Match: College Recruitment 101By Kristina L. Dooley, Former AMSOC Member

Forum October8

AmSoc Sports

In conjunction with the Brazilian Beisbol Confederation for the fourth straight year, AmSoc will host its annual softball championship on October 6th and 7th at the CT Yakult Baseball Park in Ibuina, which is located a bit past Cotia on the Raposo Tavares.

This 2-day tournament will comprise of 2 to 3 games per team on Saturday the 6th to establish the “Seeds” for

Sunday the 7th when there will a double-elimination schedule of games to decide the Team Champion.

There will be lunch and drinks served each day for all participants, including a large swimming pool available for all families and players who may want to cool off! We expect to have between 8 and 12 teams entering, multiple teams from the Americans, Brazilians,

Japanese and Korean communities. And during the lunch hour on Sunday the 7th we will have a Homerun hitting contest where each team will elect 2 members to participate, in which they will get 10 swings to see how many HRs (balls over the fence!) are hit.

So if you haven´t signed-up yet, contact John Kennedy (john@kennedy-partners.com) for details.

This year´s Challenge Golf Cup (our version of the “Ryder Cup”) is planned to take place at San Fernando Golf on a Wednesday (to be determined shortly) in November. It will also be a charity fund raiser amidst lots of bells and whistles that accompany a semi-professional golf event, including tournament awards, corporate sponsors, a “raffle”, as well as cocktails and speeches.

Last year the Scots squeezed out a 3-2 victory at the beautifully manicured

Guarapiranga Golf Course in what has become a very lively and competitive match play contest between golfers from the American Society and St. Andrews Society. However, not only Americans and Scots usually play, for each team is usually comprised of a diverse group that has in the past included not only Brazilians, but Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Danes, Canadians, among other nationalities. The running score between to two Teams stands at 4 – 2 in favor of the Scots.

To prepare for this upcoming match in November, John Kennedy, Amsoc´s team captain, is organizing a “Golf Outing” for American Society Members at discounted greens fees on Friday October 26th at Terras de São Jose Golf Club. The plan is to give out awards over cocktails and snacks on their beautiful 19th hole! So if you haven´t heard about this golf outing, contact John Kennedy for the details (john@kennedy-partners.com).

This semester´s Little League, which started August 25th, has generated a large turn-out of over 80 children and adults participating. And if any parents think their child may want to participate, it´s not too late to come out and give it a try for a day, and maybe continue for there is still over half schedule ahead.

Again, the Saturday practices start at 9am with boys and girls from ages 5-13 playing either soccer or volleyball until 10:30am. Then from 10:30 until 12 noon, boys and girls from ages 5-13 can practice and play either baseball or tennis.

The following Saturdays and locations make up our 2nd semester schedule.

Softball - AmSoc Annual Championship – Oct. 6 & 7

Golf- Americans prepare to square-off in 7th Annual Challenge Golf Cup

Little League

September 22 – Graded School

September 29 – Graded School

October 20 – planning “Friendly Competitions”

October 27 – Chapel School

November 3 – planning “Friendly Competitions”

November 17 – Graded School

November 24 – Chapel School

December 1 – Year-end Games, Awards & BBQ – Bom Retiro

The American Societyof São Paulo

2012 Forum 9

CIS 50th Anniversary EventThe Canadian International Society (CIS) is celebrating their 50th anniversary in style this year. The event will be held at the beautiful Fidel Restaurant in Alto Pinheiros on October 11th, 2012. This year’s event will have a 1960’s theme, since the organization was founded in 1962.All proceeds from the event will go to help with the expansion at the Casa Madre Teodora Home for the Elderly. Ticket price (R$200,00) includes: dinner, dancing, and drink. There will also be a great silent auction. Please come out and help us support

the birthday of CIS and this worthy cause. RSVP: rsvp@cisbrazil.org. Dress: 1962 or Black Tie.

Change of date - Thanksgiving

Save the date, Sunday evening, 25 November for Thanksgiving service to be held at Fellowship Community Church. The Sunday evening service will make it much easier for all of you to arrive and enjoy the service and the turkey served later. The change of date

was done by popular demand.

The Amsoc Board is holding their annual extra “Thank You cocktail” evening for our Patron and Helping Hands members and all our corporate sponsors on October 24th. Extra special this year will be our welcome to the new US Consul General who will be attending personally.

Keep an eye out for your personal invitation which will be sent to all our VIP members.

If you are interested in upgrading your membership to Patron or Helping Hands, please call the office on (11) 5182-2074.

Upcoming Events

Where can you see over 100 Brazilian artists works in one place, enjoy a lovely cocktail party and see old friends? The 2012 CHAPEL ART SHOW !!

In its 43rd year, this community event is not to be missed. It is guaranteed to give you an extensive overview of the Brazilian art scene today. Under the auspices of curator, Adriana Rede, over 600 works of art will be displayed for all to enjoy and purchase.

There will be many recognized artists and sculptors plus an entire area for new

talent. The featured artist this year is Claudio Tozzi who has exhibited at the Bienal in São Paulo and the Bienal in Venice.

The opening cocktail will take place on October 25th at 8 pm at Chapel School. R. Vigário João de Pontes 537, St. Amaro. The exhibit continues open to the public (at no charge) from October 26, 27, 28, 29 , 30 and 31st from 9 am until 9 pm .

Come and bring the whole family. Art is for everyone! For more information: artshow@chapelartshow.com.br

Yard Sale

Saturday 20th of October, at Tots & Teens School. From 10 am to 1:30 pm. Rua Conde de Itu, 547 in Alto da Boa Vista. Bring one kilo of non-perishable food and/or milk to help “Lar Vila Acalanto”. Further Information: 2ndsale.thegroup@gmail.com or Facebook: 2ndSALE_the group

Chapel Art Show

VIP Cocktail

Mark your calendars for the

AmSoc Halloween Happy Hour

Wednesday, October 31!

More details coming soon!

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Forum October10

For Brazil’s Olympian Athletic Feats, The Cup is Half FullBy Ernest White II, Staff Writer

The 2012 London Olympics are over and now the world’s attention turns to Brazil its two pending mega-events: the World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Opinion is divided among journalists and international news media as to whether or not Brazil is prepared to handle the influx of participants and spectators expected to flood into the country over the next four years. Anyone who has landed at Guarulhos airport on a weekday morning as numerous jumbo jets arrive simultaneously can sympathize with the cynics, experiencing firsthand the inadequacy of Brazil’s premier international gateway. Still, the hope that the country’s business and political communities can get it together in time for Brazil’s moment(s) on the world stage remains strong, and millions of people worldwide are expecting Brazil to host the most exciting, fun-filled sports events ever held.

While many observers feel that Rio can indeed step up to the plate for the Olympics—after the city’s debt-ridden but marginally successful run at hosting the Pan-American Games in 2007 and recognizing that it’s a lot easier to organize events confined to one locality as opposed to an entire continent-sized country—the World Cup is another story. Just after the

flame went out in London, Reuters reported concern on the part of several businesses involved in the preparation for the soccer championship, including Odebrecht, the giant construction firm responsible for building four stadiums for the World Cup, as well as several Olympic venues. “Today, I’m more worried about the World Cup than I am about the Olympics,” said Benedicto Barbosa da Silva Junior, CEO of Odebrecht’s infrastructure unit, in an interview at the end of August. Brazil’s less-than-stellar track record on completing infrastructure projects on time has already elicited public statements of concern earlier this year from both the International Olympic Committee and FIFA, the governing body of the World Cup, with official Jerome Valcke saying controversially that Brazil needed a “kick up the backside” to be ready for 2014.

Conflicting assertions of Brazil’s readiness for 2014 are also coming from high-profile sources within the country’s athletic establishment. According to the BBC, celebrity World Cup ambassador Pele has no illusions about preparations: “People are saying it will be easy, but I do not think it will be—we have only two years,” he said in August. “I spoke with President Dilma [Rousseff] and she said she is going to do her best to

organize things, but we are not ready yet.” Incidentally, Reuters reported that President Rousseff herself recently fell victim to Brazil’s insufficient telecom infrastructure, as a recent cell phone call to ex-President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva dropped three times.

On the other hand, Brazilian deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes told the Miami Herald in August that the stadiums in the six cities hosting the FIFA Confederations Cup next June, a test-run for the 12-city main event in 2014, will be ready: “These are complex operations, but we are more than confident—absolutely sure—they’ll be built in time.” The Herald reported that, at the end of August, brand new stadiums in Salvador and Recife were still under construction and arenas in Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, and Rio were undergoing extensive renovations. In fact, referring to complications in the renovation of Rio’s iconic Maracanã stadium, Odebrecht’s Junior told Reuters that they “should have demolished it and then started from zero, just like [the British] did with Wembley.” Maracanã debuted in 1950, purpose-built for that year’s World Cup. Still, according to USAToday, after a recent three-day visit to the host cities in August, FIFA official Valcke declared stadium preparations to be on schedule for both

The American Societyof São Paulo

2012 Forum 11

the Confederations and the World Cup: “Our greatest source of satisfaction is that we are getting closer and closer. We’ve just completed another satisfactory visit...and we are convinced that the work is right on track.”

With some observers calling the World Cup a test event for the Olympics, Brazilian sports minister Aldo Rebelo told Time magazine in a lengthy interview after the London Games that the two events are “quite different and quite distinct.” Rebelo remained adamant that Brazil can rise to the challenges posed by both events, even in the face of international scrutiny. Regarding Rio’s notoriety for crime, Rebelo asserted that “Rio is without a doubt a lot safer than New York,” referring to Brazil’s perceived lack of “ethnic hatred and religious hatred.” He also addressed claims of the forced relocation of poor residents in Rio, reported by the New York Times, Al Jazeera, and the CBC: “There is going to be some relocation of people, homes and families. Obviously it is addressed in a sensible way. People are paid money to be relocated, and they are relocated safely within the country. This is similar to what happened...in London.”

Speaking to Rio’s lack of hotels and other infrastructure, Rebelo said that kinks during June’s United Nations environmental summit, Rio+20, were ironed out with “no major difficulties.” However, both Reuters and The Economist reported that delegates suffered traffic delays, and that authorities had to intervene when hotels charged as much as five times normal room rates. According to Reuters, Rio’s hotel rooms are so few in number that even after a projected 10,000 are built for the Olympic Games, plans are in the works for cruise liners to provide additional accommodation. Another concern is a lack of skilled workers to staff these new hotels.

The CBC reported that state and federal governments will be subsidizing new hotels, as well as a rapid-transit bus loop and continuing to bring gang-controlled neighborhoods under police control. The police have moved into 23 favelas located at or near where many of the Olympic venues will be constructed. New roads and rail lines

being built to reach Olympic venues, almost exclusively in Rio’s Zona Sul, will run right through some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, according to Reuters. The security crackdown in these areas, while reducing violence in some districts, has displaced problems such as drug traffic to zones previously bereft of the same ills. Interestingly, the Associated Press reported in August that several of Rio’s influential drug bosses have agreed to an outright ban on the sale of crack cocaine, which exploded on the scene when favela pacification programs started about six years ago, replacing the traditional trade in marijuana and cocaine: “Crack destabilizes their communities, making it harder to control areas long abandoned by the government. ‘Crack has been nothing but a disgrace for Rio. It’s time to stop,’ one drug lord said.”

Meanwhile, Maria Silvia Bastos, head of Rio’s Municipal Olympic Company, the organization responsible for coordinating the city’s Olympic projects, told the CBC that Rio will be transformed into “the best city to work and live” by 2020, using the Games as a springboard for increased livability in the Marvelous City. The idea, as in all Olympic cities, is that the Games’ legacy will be a sustained boost to the economy and marked improvement in infrastructure. American professor Christopher Gaffney, currently a visiting faculty member at the Fluminense Federal University in Rio, has been studying the city’s new transit plan and told the CBC that it won’t solve Rio’s chronic traffic problems because it only connects Olympic sites and the airport. “Do these events prepare cities for the future? The answer to that is a resounding no, because the planning stops in 2016.”

In fact, the CBC reported that Rio’s previous experience with “legacy events”—the Pan-American Games—resulted in an original budget of $177 million ballooning to almost 10 times that amount, and none of the proposed projects such as a new ring road, a light rail system, more metro lines, or the cleanup of raw sewage from Guanabara Bay ever even starting, let alone coming to completion. Last month, Rio’s number one daily newspaper,

O Globo, featured a photograph of a decrepit Pan-American memorial with the caption, “A Portrait of Abandon.”

Rio mayor Eduardo Paes told The Economist that, in spite of not having a finalized an estimated budget of $14.4 billion for the Games, the city has learned from the mistakes of the Pan-American and that “for 30 years, the only news on the BBC about Rio was violence. Now they are showing other things. There will be criticisms, but the city’s image is being transformed.” Indeed, complaints about cost overruns, construction delays, and inadequate infrastructure plagued Athens, Beijing, and London in the run-up to their events, and each was able to overcome these issues in the end. Still, comparing London and Rio could be an instance of comparing apples and pineapples: “We are comparing a developed country with an under-developed country, which still has a lot to do,” Alberto Murray Neto, a São Paulo-based attorney and ex-member of Brazil’s Olympic committee, told Reuters. “Brazil and Rio have four years to do all those things that have not been done in 400.”

For Brazil’s Olympian athletic feats, for some, the cup is half-empty and for others, half-full.

Last month forChristmas Sessions!

Forum October12

Looking for Adventure Sports? Stay right here!By Melissa Harkin, AmSoc member

For generations Brazil has been a magnet for imaginative travelers. It is enormous in size and personality. From vibrant, noisy carnivals to tranquil beach idylls, wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest to densely populated urban sprawls; it’s all there, just across the Atlantic.

Brazil has 4,655 miles of gorgeous coastline, 3.4 million square miles of verdant rainforest and archipelagos of tropical beach islands to explore. Diverse is the key word used when describing Brazil.

In the northern Guiana Highlands sits Brazil’s highest peak: Pico de Neblina, which summits at 3,014 meters. The north, north-west and the majority of Brazil’s interior are dominated by the ‘Lungs of the Earth’: the awesome Amazon Rainforest. This natural phenomenon is a multi-faceted world of bio-diversity and covers 2,123,562 square miles! Mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and secretive indigenous tribes all shelter from the modern world in this fertile sanctuary.

Southern Brazil is where you can find tropical island archipelagos, super surf spots and the awesome, powerful beauty of Iguassu Falls.

In western Brazil, the Pantanal is a massive wetland area that spreads over three countries. The largest wetland habitat in the world, it covers 54,000

square miles; the ecosystem here is as precious and precarious as in the Amazon Rainforest.

And then there’s eastern Brazil. Imagine Brazil and you probably picture a long stretch of sandy beach with athletic people having a kick-about with a football. Or maybe you picture sitting with your toes in the sand, cool drink in your hand, watching the sun set into the Atlantic horizon; well, welcome to eastern Brazil!

The majority of Brazil’s population lives on the east coast. The metropolises of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo are situated here, as well as six other major cities each with populations of more than one million.

The climate in Brazil is mainly tropical. Summer is from December to March and this is the best time to travel to the southern states. Parts of this region get frost and occasional snow during the winter months (June to August.). The cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador are consistently warm all year and humidity soars during the summer. The north-east dry season is May to November, but the heat is tempered by coastal breezes.

Travel in the Amazon is best done when much of the region floods, from January to June. Most travelers visit the Pantanal Wetlands toward the end of the wet season in April.

Some sports and destinations:

Kite surfingAlong the eastern and northern

coast of Brazil there are literally scores of awesome wave spots. Of this seemingly limitless choice the area around Fortaleza (north-east) boasts the best and most consistent conditions. A lot of people will use the major towns that are dotted along the coast as travel hubs, or organize transport out to the smaller towns and remote beaches from the cities. Most beaches are suitable for kite surfers of all abilities.

The best winds in the north-east blow from July to January, averaging at twenty to thirty knots every day. From September through November you get the strongest winds. And on odd days the winds reach thirty-five knots.

Down in southern Brazil, the island of Florianopolis is well renowned for kite surfing. This island lies just offshore and is connected to the mainland via a short road bridge. The lagoon between the mainland and the island is shallow and flat, and therefore great for beginners. On the eastern side of the island is the vast Atlantic; here the winds are stronger and the waves bigger. The best conditions are in spring, from September to November.

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2012 Forum 13

Multi-ActivityIn Brazil taking a multi-activity

holiday is a good option. Most adventure sports are on offer in Brazil: from trekking to kayaking, horse-riding to surfing and kite-boarding to cultural retreats. Multi-activity holidays give you the freedom to move around the country. Here you can experience land and water-based activities, and combine adrenalin-fuelled days with chilled-out down time. Alternatively, check out the coasts, hang out in the cities and explore the interior. The Pantanal Wetlands, Amazon Rainforest and island archipelagos are good recommendations for a memorable multi-activity trip.

Further south, the small town of Bonito is famous for its underwater attractions. The crystal clear rivers of the region are like natural aquariums. While floating downriver you can come into close contact with many species of fish, including the great Dourado and the beautiful Pacu.

SailingThe Tinharé Boipeba Archipelago,

south of Salvador, is a sailors’ paradise. It’s an area known for consistent year-round winds and natural diversity. Salt marshes and mangroves blend with picturesque small coves and palm-fringed islands. If you’re a beginner, then the sheltered estuaries around the archipelago provide a safe and confidence-building environment in which to learn. For more skilled sailors, the open sea is never far from the coast.

Farther down Brazil’s coast, south of Rio de Janiero, is Ilha de São Sebastião. The island has thirty-five miles of coastline dotted with coves and bays. Amazon coastal rainforest and white sandy beaches set the backdrop for your sailing adventure here. The Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week gets under way during July each year. It’s an international sailing event that’s a must-see if your travel dates coincide.

TrekkingOne thing Brazil is famous for is her

landscapes. For trekking expeditions, the first place to head for is the mighty Amazon Rainforest. Travel to Manaus, the main city in the Brazilian Amazon, as it’s a good central hub to organize treks deep into the jungle. The best time for trekking is March through December.

Further south, a trekking trip on the island of Florianopolis will ensure buena-vistas a-plenty and cool coastal breezes.

The Pantanal lies in the western part of Brazil and extends into regions of

Bolivia and Paraguay. It is home to iguanas, jaguars, cougars, crocodiles, deer, and more than 600 species of birds and 200 varieties of fish; trekking in this area is a nature-lovers’ dream.

SurfingThe best thing about surfing in Brazil

is there are decent breaks all along the coast. Therefore, wherever you travel be sure to have your board close at hand.

The best spots in northern Brazil include the Fernando de Noronha islands and the Natal coast. December to March is summer, and this is when the coast catches the northern swell - it’s considered the best time of year to surf here.

In central Brazil visit the tropical state of Bahia. The surfer-hideaway of Itacaré offers hippy-hangout vibes with consistent surf conditions. Winter is the best season; you’ll get bigger waves up to ten foot from June to August.

The swells generated in southern Brazil are considered the absolute best in the country. The best period to surf in southern Brazil is April to October (winter), when the size of the waves can reach ten feet or more. Florianopolis, in Santa Catarina, and the beaches around Rio de Janeiro are the highlights down south.

Melissa Harkin runs a translation company called Melissa Harkin Translations. Visit her site at www.melissaharkin.com or contact her at contato@melissaharkin.com (11-98428-8714). Special DISCOUNTS for AMSOC members!

Argos Dog Kennel

Traveling? What about your dog? Argos Ken-nel Hotel could be his second home in the country. Food, water, and shelter with lots of love and personal care. No lonely kennel for him, but our home and the freedom of a spa-cious garden. Fetch and carry service. English and French spoken. Call Jean or Christiane at (11) 4661-1430 or (11) 97434-2430 or send an e-mail to Jean. chris@uol.com.br. Embu Gua-çu, SP.

American-Licensed Counselor.

Dawn Morelli, MSW, LCSW. I am an American with USA training and licensing. My expertise includes; mood, anxiety, cultural issues, rela-tionship and family concerns, self esteem, trau-ma, and personal growth. I have strong skills in assessment/evaluation which allow to identify the best and most effective treatment. I work with individuals, families and children. 98963-2871 or dawnmorell@yahoo.com

American-Licensed Expat Psychologist

Richard Morhaime, Psy.D., offers skilled psy-chotherapy for children and adults. He also pro-vides complete diagnostic evaluations in Eng-lish for children with academic or behavioral difficulties, featuring individualized recommen-dations for school and home. For more infor-mation, contact Dr. Morhaime at 5538-0099 or 99669-8057 or visit www.expatpsychologist.com.br

American-Licensed Psychotherapist

In this busy and ever-changing world, people often feel stressed and overwhelmed with no place to turn. Psychotherapy/ counseling can provide a safe place to receive professional guidance and support. Brief or longer-term therapy offered depending on your needs, goals and expectations. Services: indi-vidual, couples, child/adolescent. Certified to con-duct Adoption Home Study for American Citizens. Contact: Pamela Wax, MSW/LCSW at 99656-2106 or send an e-mail to pamwax@gmail.com. Located in Moema.

Marketing Research

ÁBACO Marketing Research, founded 1975, offers growth opportunity for Bilingual Research Assistant in International Department. Friendly environment with interesting work. Convenient Avenida Paulista subway location. Requirements: Grammatically correct English, moderate Portuguese; appropriate degree, some relevant experience, Brazilian work documents. Spanish desirable. Résumé with salary history: “RESEARCHER”, to AG8@AbacoResearch.com

For Sale

Apart. near Graded School, building with swimming pool, play-ground, fitness room. Only 2 apartments per floor. 3 BDR, 1 suite, Balcony. 2 garages. Price: $ 430 mil reias. Walking distance from Jardim Sul Shopping, Banks and other facilities. Mr. Walmir at phone number: 3081-2797 is the contact. Ask for Apart. n. 21/La Tremoille Building. or e-mail maalocke@yahoo.com.br for more details.

Excellent location – Apartment for rent

Apt 163m2, 3 suites + 1 bedroom, closet, balco-ny, great kitchen, large hydromassage, 3 garage, maid’s suite. Common area w/ heated pool, BBQ, sports court, party lounge, playground, sauna. Near the best American and bilingual schools (800m Graded), hospitals (Einstein and S Luiz), B Marx Park, Shopping Jd Sul. Very quiet street. R$4500/mo. Carol 98420-2723 / Orlando 98420-2732 / carolpellegrino@yahoo.com.br

Math and Science Tutor

“Currently teacher at School St. Francis. 25+ years of experience. Tutors Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Science for all levels, including but not limited to the IB, IGCSE, SAT, ACT, AP and Brazilian vestibular. Elementary and middle school students are also welcome (all subjects). Call Fernando Knijnik at (11) 99134-6700. For-mer Chapel and Graded teacher.

Qualified Learning Specialist

Success in school leads to success in life. Ar-eas of expertise include in-home support for academics, behavior modification, and inten-sive preparation for SSAT, PSAT, SAT, TOEFL, TOIEC, IGCSE, and IB Diploma Programme. References furnished upon request. Dr. Wendy M. Smith can be reached at: 3885.7256 [office] or 99236.5267 [mobile].

Personal Trainer

I will come to your home, office, or workout facility and create an exercise/fitness program tailored to your health concerns, fitness goals, and schedule. For adults and children, individu-als or groups. Sessions in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. For more information please con-tact Daniela Franco at (11) 99739-6191 or dsf29@hotmail.com.

classifieds

Forum October14

Housing

TriplexApartment for Rent by Graded School

Apt. w/650m2, 4 large suites each w/ built-in closets.Fireplace living w/ separate dinning and lunch rms. Ample apt w/ central air, all marble and hardwood floors, xtra large Jacuzzi + pri-vate sauna, large party rmgreat for home theatre and entertainment. 4 garage spots and great bldg amenities. Av. G.Gronchi 4822, next to Graded.Rental R$12,000/mo.Call Andrew at 98202-0008 or imobiliariaplaza@uol.com.br

Vila Nova ConceiçãoSão Paulo’s best place to live.

Near Ibirapuera Park. Modern building, with all Sports facilities, heated swimming pool, gym, play room, barbecue, multi purpose sports court. Three bedrooms (1 suite), living room with ter-race, complete kitchen,maid’s bedroom and bath, big service area, two parking spaces. Fully furnished,with all appliances. Call Ana Beat-riz or Eliane Phone (011) 3849.7085 or (011) 99626-6229-mail to: anabeatriz@caboverde.com.br

Interiors Rental Furniture

Quality and refined furniture rental for your home away from home. We offer great variety!A complete line of appliances, kitchen devices and linen & towels. Complements such as rugs, lamps and decor items. www.interiors.com.br or interiors@interiors.com.br

Penthome - Jardins

3 BDRM (1 SUITE) 3 BATHS OFFICE 2 GA-RAGES LARGE BALCONY LOTS OF SUNUnique floor plan-Wooden floor-Cabinets-Wooden Deck-Jacuzzi-Huge Skyline-Marble Counters-Planned Kitchen-In-Unit Laundry267 sqm-Rent: R$9.500 - CAM: R$ 1.700 - Property Tax: R$350. Monthly. Will be plain painted by owner, according to tenant prefer-ences. Contact Gilberto, ga-sampaio@uol.com.br, Mobile: 999 740 499

For Sale

Apt. 254 m² au. Excl. vista facing Praça Roosevelt (Consolação) in front of Presb. Ca-thedral and Cultura Artística. 3 bdr. – 1 ste., also a large room for office or bdr. Lots of clos-ets built by Portuguese carpenters. LR window 8.25 x 3 m; 3 prkg. Sps; ACM gym w/in 300 m. Reformed 2004-05. Have to see. R$ 1.400.000. Contact Luis at 11-3257-9343.

Services

The American Societyof São Paulo

2012 Forum 15

calendar

Learn more about this month’s AmSoc events (highlighted) at www.AmSoc.com.br.Important Dates: 8 Columbus Day (us) anD 12 Holy mary’s Day (br)October 2012

A classified of up to 350 characters costs R$60 for AmSoc members and R$80 for non-members. To place a classified please call (11) 5182-2074 from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., or send an e-mail to AmSoc1@americansociety.com.br.

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Forum does not check all of the advertisers appearing in this newsletter. We urge you to use these services; however, thoroughly check prices and services prior to finalizing any service or purchase agreement.

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06 & 07 Saturday and Sunday

AmSoc Softball Championship Yakult Park in Ibiúna. Further Information: www.americansociety.com.br

11 Thursday Gala Night Dinner Fundraiser by the Canadian International Society (CIS)

See page 9

From 18 Every Thursday Creative writing course in English Tought by a novelist, this is an open class. The six week course begins on October 18th - every Thursday from 5 - 7pm, at Casa do Saber. More information: http://www.casadosaber.com.br/curso.php?cid=3438

20 Saturday LITTLE-LEAGUE Planning to have “Friendly Competitions”

20 Saturday 2nd SALE Bazaar See page 9

20 Saturday Evening Event - by the International Newcomers Club of São Paulo (INC)

Time: 20h00 - 22h00 Location: To be determined More information: http://www.newcomers-sp.com.br/

21 Sunday BINGO VII An event of ONG SHARE. At 16:00. Av. Morumbi, 8076

24 Wednesday VIP/Helping Hands, Corporate Sponsor Cocktail

Further Information: www.americansociety.com.br

25-31 Everyday CHAPEL SCHOOL: ART SHOW See page 9

27 Saturday Halloween Party for kids At the U.S. Marine House from 4 to 7 pm. Cost is: R$55/child (Members) and R$110/child (Non-members). Cash bar for adults! If paid on the door on the day of the party:R$80 per member/child and R$130 per non-member. RSVP by October 19th: 5182-2074 or amsoc1@amsoc.com.br

27 Saturday LITTLE-LEAGUE At Chapel School

31 Wednesday Halloween Happy Hour Further Information: www.americansociety.com.br

Psychologist

My name is Mirella Giglio. I am a Graded School Alumni and a psychologist in São Paulo. I work with children, adolescents, adults and couples. Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 1572, cj. 1110 (Across Av. Rebouças), Jardim Paulistano, São Paulo. Tel.: 11 3032 5737. Cel.: 11 99259 9445E-mail: mirella.giglio@gmail.com

Piano and Keyboard Classes

Beginning music classes for piano or keyboard. special method for children four years or older, teenagers, adults and senior citizens. Classes in por-tuguese or English. Contact Suely Azevedo 98456-5365. Years of successful experience! Class in your house in Morumbi or south area.

Real English

Native english teachers needed (with or without experience) to work in a quickly growing eng-lish school in the zona sul of São Paulo.Please contact us. REAL ENGLISH, (11) 5631-3794 or realenglish2008@hotmail.com

There is an old saying, “if you look hard enough for something you just may find it, even in the most unsuspecting of places!” Well after living over a decade in São Paulo, John Kennedy, an AmSoc Governor and Athletics Director since 2005, decided that playing slow pitch softball just didn´t do it for him anymore, so he sought out the faster-paced game of baseball that he has loved since childhood. But would soccer crazed Brazilians have an adult baseball league?

You see, ever since John was 8 years old he has been a student of baseball, collecting and memorizing statistics on baseball cards while playing organized ball everywhere he then lived. And that meant around the globe because he first started playing Pee Wee League Baseball at the American School in Vientiane, Laos, and then Little League in Taipei, Taiwan, both diplomatic posts where his father was assigned. Then back State-side, he played throughout Junior and Senior High School as well as College, not to forget the summers where he played in Maryland´s Junior, Senior and Industrial Baseball Leagues. And since these teams often hosted “try-outs” for baseball´s minor leagues (pre-Major League), it opened the doors for John to

play in the B, A and AA Leagues for the Baltimore Orioles` farm teams during school summer vacations. There was one summer when John played baseball on multiple teams almost every night of the week around the Washington, DC beltway, and sometimes double-headers on Saturdays and triple-headers on Sundays.

However, childhood passions cannot

last forever, especially when he began working on Wall Street after business school. Plus he was getting too old (26 years old) to be in shape and play in the highly competitive baseball leagues around New York City, but he did from time to time. Then his baseball weekends stopped when work on Wall Street brought him to São Paulo where he never imagined playing baseball with Brazlians! But to

his surprise, the Japanese community in Brazil had developed a baseball tradition and adept skill base that saw its roots dating back to the generations of Japanese that came to Brazil after World War II. As a result, today the Brazilian Confederation of Baseball & Softball has many sports clubs and private groups as members that field teams around the country in annual state and national

championships, starting with age brackets 8-10 and going to over 60 years old!

And of course, John has been regularly playing with the Hamada baseball team in the Brazilian Confederation´s National Championships for years. Even though John is currently in his fifties, he regularly plays 3rd base with his Hamada buddies that field teams for national tournament covering age brackets 35-40, 40-45, 45-50, 50+ years olds.

And since 2011, John has gone even deeper into his baseball passion and rebuilt

the American Society´s Little League baseball program, which is comprised of girls (his daughter Charlotte plays 1st base) and boys. For the first time in many years, he has created an AmSoc team that will play games against several Japanese-Brazilian Little League teams, the first being scheduled for September 29th at the Bom Retiro Municipal Park against the Giants!

A Passion for Baseball lives in São PauloBy John Kennedy, AmSoc Board Member