August/September 2019 FORUM

August/September2019 

TheAmericanSocietyofSãoPaulo 

IMPORTANTDATES 

Aug 13 WomenWork 

Aug 14 HappyHour 

theFORUM 

newsletter 

StartingaNewYearinAugust 

ByJorelGuilloty,BoardMember 

Aug 17 YouthSportsRegistrationDay 

Aug 31 LaborDayCelebration 

Sep 10 WomenWork 

Sep 22 FlagFootballTournament 

GalaFundsUpdate 

ByRuthHollard,GalaChairperson 

Happy‘new year’!Theremightnotbe 

any fireworks on Avenida Paulista, 

yet this time of year brings much 

that is new: a new school year, a new 

experienceforrecentlyarrivedexpats,and 

new opportunities to meet with current 

andfuturefriendsattheAmericanSociety 

ofSãoPaulo(AmSoc). 

For the young ones, a new school year 

coincideswiththestartoftheAmSocYouth 

Sports Program, an opportunity for 

children ages 5 to 13 to have fun playing 

all sorts of sports—including soccer, 

basketball, and volleyball—Saturdays in 

São Paulo. Participation is open to all, not 

justAmSocmembers. 

Fornewexpats,wetaketheopportunityto 

invite you to join the American Society; 

EnjoyingtherecentIndependenceDayparty 

important to note, you don’t need to be 

American to join.We have members from 

Brazil, France... even our Vice President is 

Irish! The American Society, through our 

signature events such as the Annual Gala 

andtheAbacaxiBowl(ourSuperBowl),as 

well recurring networking events such as 

Let’s Connect, WomenWork, and Happy 

Hour,isagreatwaytomakeSãoPauloyour 

new home no matter how short your stay 

or whether you are coming alone or with 

family. 

Our family became part of AmSoc at a 

new phase of our lives, with the birth of 

our daughter more than two years ago. 

Thewordsthatcometomindtodescribe 

theexperienceare‘lifeenhancing.’’Some 

ofthefunthingswehaveparticipatedin 

includeEasterpartiesandIndependence 

Day celebrations. 

The friends made, experiences enjoyed, 

andthefunourkidshavehad(yes,nowwe 

have two!) have made our family feel like 

part of an even bigger family—the 

American Society. I am sure many AmSoc 

members would agree to feeling this way 

andwouldencourageyoutojoin. 

Socomejoinusaswekickoffthe‘NewYear’ 

with our Labor Day party on August 31 st . 

Hopetoseeyouthere!§ 

Forthe9 th yearinarow,AmSocis 

proudtoonceagainfullyfinance 

the projects presented by the 

two charities, ABBA and Vida Jovem, 

thatwerechosentobenefitfromthis 

year’sannualfundraiserGalaheldMay 

3 rd attheJockeyClub. 

WemadeaprofitofR$174.000atthe 

Gala, of which at least R$76.000 is 

alreadybeingreservedfortheprojects 

presentedbythese2charities. 

Other charitable funds will be 

released as needed during the year, 

and AmSoc will retain approximately 

half of the profit for its regular 

operating expenses and events, 

including the upcoming Labor Day 

Welcome-Back party to be held on 

Saturday, August 31 st at Graded, free 

toallmembers.§ 

Coverimage:EdifícioCopan 

Courtesyof:ckturistando


AChangingoftheGuard 

ByArianeCartwright&KristyMiranda 

Assomeofyoualready 

know,Ihaverecently 

returned to Canada 

as our posting to Brazil has 

cometoanendafter3plus 

years. It’s been a fantastic 

experience living in São Paulo and getting 

toserveontheAmericanSocietyBoardand 

asyourPresident. 

AsofthebeginningofJuneIhaveresigned 

as President. As per our bylaws, the 

PresidencyautomaticallypassestotheVice 

President,butbecauseMalcolmMacdonald 

is unable to serve as President since he is 

not a US citizen, the Presidency skips him 

and goes automatically to the next in line 

on the Executive Committee—the 

Secretary—Mrs. Kristy Miranda. I promise 

that the board and the Executive 

Committee team have been working 

behind the scenes to make sure this 

handoverissmoothandseamless. 

Kristy Miranda has served in many 

leadership roles within the American 

Society, most recently as the Board Chair 

for AmSoc’s charitable work and as the 

ChairoftheAngelParty.Shehasshownan 

outstandingdedicationtoAmSocandshe 

brings to the Presidency important skills 

and experience that will serve our 

organization well. The Board and I are 

confident that Kristy will do a stellar job of 

servingoutmytermasPresident. 

Thank you for the time we have spent 

together and for allowing me to serve as 

yourPresident–it’sbeenanhonor. 

Join me in congratulating Kristy on 

assuming the Presidency of the American 

SocietyofSãoPaulo. 

Warmestwishes, 

PRESIDENT’SLETTER 

BoardofGovernors 

President 

KristyMiranda 

president@amsoc.com.br 

VicePresident 

MalcolmMacdonald 

Malcolm.Macdonald@amsoc.com.br 

Treasurer 

StewartRagar 

treasurer@amsoc.com.br 

Secretary 

StephenPenney 

secretary@amsoc.com.br 

CampinasChapter 

ManuelaMoreno 

Manuela.Moreno@amsoc.com.br 

StrategicPlanning 

AlanBlau 

MarkCopman 

Mark.Copman@amsoc.com.br 

AnnualGala 

RuthHollard 

galachair@amsoc.com.br 

Athletics 

JohnMota 

John.Mota@amsoc.com.br 

Thankyou,Ariane,for 

yourkindwordsand 

gracious welcome. I 

accepttheroleofPresident 

oftheAmericanSocietyof 

SãoPaulowithgreathonor 

andpleasureandlookforwardtofulfilling 

yourterm. 

Asyouknow,eachyearwecometogether 

to honor our community and give back 

throughourcharitablegiftstoourpartner 

charities.Thisyear,wewerehappytohave 

another fantastic annual Gala and raised 

money for two fantastic organizations. 

Thankyouforyourcontributiontoanother 

successfulevent! 

As we roll through the second half of the 

year, I look forward to working with the 

BoardofDirectorsandourmanyvolunteers 

to plan and coordinate some new events 

along with some events that have been 

with us for many years. We are excited 

about the 20 th Annual American Society 

Angel Party to be held later in the year. 

Watch your email and our website for 

detailsaboutallourupcomingevents. 

Thankyoufortheopportunitytoservethe 

AmericanSociety.Ilookforwardtoworking 

withyouinthemonthsahead. 

Sincerely, 

BusinessNetworking 

IsabelFranco 

EliasGedeon 

FernandaGedeon 

JorelGuiloty 

networking@amsoc.com.br 

Communications 

CricketStickney 

marketing@amsoc.com.br 

CommunityActionCommittee 

PatriciaCampbell 

Patricia.Campbell@amsoc.com.br 

CorporateSponsorship 

SeanHutchinson 

sponsorships@amsoc.com.br 

MembershipTeam 

LyndaPerdigon 

SherryEsteves 

members@amsoc.com.br 

OURMISSION:TheAmericanSocietyofSãoPaulo(AmSoc)promotesfriendship 

byorganizingsocial,cultural,andathleticeventsforitsdiversemembership; 

encouragesintegrationwiththeBraziliansociety;andsupportstheAmerican 

traditionsofeducation,philanthropy,andvolunteerism. 

RuadaPaz,1431,ChácaraSantoAntonio,04713-001,SãoPaulo,SP 

Tel:(11)5182-2074/Fax:(11)5182-9155/www.amsoc.com.br 

Social 

LucyNunes 

contact@amsoc.com.br 

Welcoming 

StewartRagar 

welcoming@amsoc.com.br 

2 

TheAmericanSocietyofSãoPauloFORUMNewsletter

NEWMEMBERS 


WelcometoOurNewMembers 

Wethankallofournewmembersfortheirsupport.Notamember?Jointoday!Visitamsoc.com.br/joinnow 

NAME PARTNER NATL. AREA COMPANY EMAIL 

JoseTirado 

OlgaLidiaAlorde 

Tirado 

Mexican SantoAmaro JTConsultoria 

EmpresarialLTDA 

tiradoj605@hotmail.com 

MarciaMesquita Gramado(RS) mesquitamarcia357@gmail.com 

Samara 

Raulfman 

Brazilian ItaimPaulista TheAmericanSociety 

ofSãoPaulo 

samararaulfman@hotmail.com 

TarikAmmour LucianaAmmour American ParqueImperial OTBEnglish tarikammour@gmail.com 

TatianaFerreira Brazilian JardimOlympia OneMoving&logistics tatiana@onemoving.com.br 

Wanderlei 

Oliveira 

Brazilian JardimSãoPaulo TribunaldeJustiça axeldesenv@hotmail.com 

MeetNewMemberAlexChang&family! 

Familymembers:Wifeand4kids 

Wherewereyouborn?Taiwan 

HowlonghaveyoulivedinBrazil?Arrivedin 

1970,leftin1980,andreturnedin2000. 

What do you find great about Brazil? The 

friendswemakehereandthesocializationaround 

thesefriendships. 

What Brazil locations do you want to visit? 

LençoisMaranhense. 

Whatrecommendationsdoyouhave?Parque 

IbirapueraandVilaLobostoridebicyclesduring 

theweekend. 

Whatdoyouliketodoinyourfreetime?Go 

out with the children, and smoke cigars when 

convenient. 

Surprisingfunfactaboutyourself?Icheerfor 

CorinthiansandhaveconvertedmanyAmericans 

intoCorinthianos! 

Email:alexchangbr@gmail.com 

MeetNewMemberJasonDavis! 

Wherewereyouborn?California,USA 

Prioroverseasassignments?SãoPaulo,Brazil; 

Germany,Iraq,Afghanistan,Guatemala. 

HowlonghaveyoulivedinBrazil?Since2015 

What do you find great about Brazil? The 

cultureissoinvitingandveryopen-SãoPaulo 

hasa"workhard,playharder"vibeandIloveit! 

What has surprised you the most about 

Brazil? How large it is and how different the 

variousregionsarefromeachother. 

Surprisingfunfactaboutyourself?IwasaUS 

Congressional Page in High School and went to 

High School for a semester in the Library of 

Congress. 

Email:jdavis@phasleinellc.com 

Whatrecommendationsdoyouhave?Minas 

Gerais-theInhotimArtMuseum. 

TheAmericanSocietyofSãoPauloFORUMNewsletter 3


CONSULATECORNER 

LearningtoSambaasaMidwesterner 

ByJulietKosarzycki 

When I learned that I would be 

going to Brazil for my first post 

with the Foreign Service, I was 

thrilled that I might actually be able to 

learnhowtodancethesamba.Sambahas 

been called the “heartbeat” of Carnaval 

andit’salivelyexpressionofBrazil’svibrant 

culture. Watching it growing up, I was 

always enchanted by photos of the 

bejewelled costumes and towering 

feathered headdresses of the Carnaval 

dancers.IsecretlyhopedIwouldhavethe 

opportunity to don one of those wild 

headdressesmyself. 

“...thinkofdanceasatherapy 

...itreconcileseverything, 

givesyouastrongmind, 

andtransformsyour 

personalityforthebetter.” 

When I began working at the U.S. 

ConsulateinSãoPaulo,Iwasdelightedto 

learnthatmycolleague,Vanessa,hadbeen 

dancing the samba in the city’s Carnaval 

event for the past seven years. I got the 

chance to see her dance during my first 

sambadancelessonandIwasenthralled. 

Growing up in the ’80s in a small city in 

the Midwest, I unabashedly imitated 

MichaelJackson’sThrillermoves,bounced 

around playfully to Cindy Lauper, and 

would“bang”my head to Quiet Riot. My 

upbringing in a Polish community, with 

the obligatory polka band at everyone’s 

wedding, taught me to hop around in 

circles to accordion music. None of that 

prepared me adequately for the smooth 

hipswings,fastfootwork,andflowingarm 

movementsofsamba. 

My first lesson was a disaster. My hips 

jerkedawkwardlywhilemyarmsflailedin 

the wrong direction. I had absolutely no 

concept of how to move my body so 

fluidly. I was told the movements should 

appear effortlessly joyful and be 

performed with a mixture of attitude and 

abandon,whilemyexpressionshouldlook 

infectiously happy. Instead, it took 

painstaking effort to muster up some 

clumsily awkward movements that were 

offbeat to the music. My contorted face 

attemptedtodisguisemydisappointment 

atmyslowprogress.Iwasconvincedthat 

onemayneedtogrowupsurroundedby 

the music and feel its beat in one’s body 

andsoultobeabletodancelikeaBrazilian. 

Vanessatoldmenottogiveup.Whileshe 

started dancing when she was six, she 

agreed that in the beginning, it can be 

hard, even impossible. But she thinks of 

danceasatherapy,sayingthatitreconciles 

everything, gives you a strong mind, and 

transforms your personality for the better. 

Withnumerousschools,videos,andplaces 

to practice around São Paulo, there is no 

shortageofopportunitiestogetbetter. 

I’mgoingtogiveitanothershot.Ihavefallen 

inlovewiththeenergyhere.Ifthereisone 

thing that I want to experience before I 

departBrazilintwoyears,itistointernalize 

thisvibrant,colorfulexpressionofeffortless 

joythatissamba,thatisBrazil.§ 

Notice:Visa-freeTraveltoBrazilforU.S.Citizens 

TheBraziliangovernmentannounced 

thateffectiveJune17,2019,allvisitor 

visas, both electronic and paper, will 

notberequiredforU.S.citizenstotravelto 

Brazilforthepurposesoftourism,business, 

transit, or artistic and athletic activities, for 

staysofupto90days.Thisbenefitdoesnot 

extend to long term travelers, such as 

students, or those traveling on official or 

diplomatic passports. People coming to 

Brazil to conduct any U.S. Government 

business still must request and be in 

possessionofavalidvisa. 

Whatdoesthismeanforyou?Thisisagreat 

opportunity to encourage friends and 

family to visit! All the money they save on 

visascanbeusedtofundmoreadventures 

inBrazil,promotingthelocaleconomyand 

giving your visitors a memorable cultural 

experience. Help us spread the word that 

traveltoBraziliseasierthanever!§ 

USCitizenContacts 

Emergencies:(11)3250-5373 

(incarceration, detainment, evacuation, 

health) 

Non-Emergencies:(11)3250-5000(from 

1-2pmdaily)orsaopauloacs@state.gov 

(lostpassports,repatriationofremains,Social 

Security,minorhealthissues) 

@USCitsBrazil 

TheofficialU.S.EmbassyTwitter 

account for American citizens in Brazil. 

TheEnglishfeedfeaturesdailytipsand 

newsfortheexpatcommunity. 

4 


NewWebsite&MembershipOpportunities 

ByMalcolmMacdonald,VicePresident 


As the American Society of São Paulo 

(AmSoc) approaches its seventh 

decade of existence, the Board has 

decided to invest in a renewed and 

refreshed website. Please check it out 

(www.amsoc.com.br) and let us know if 

there are any areas which could be 

improved. 

Coupledwiththelaunchofournewwebsite 

thiswinter,wehavealsodecidedtoupgrade 

anddiversifyourmembershipprogram. 

We rely on contributions from our 

membersandcorporatesponsorstocover 

the cost of operations. Your generous 

support makes everything possible. 

Becomingamemberissimpleandeasy. 

We have traditionally offered three 

membership options and, starting in 

August 2019, the American Society will 

offer six memberships tiers with the 

objective of providing continuity to our 

long-term members as well as appealing 

tothenextgenerationandmembersfrom 

outsideSãoPaulocitylimits. 

NewMembershipTiers 

R$800/HelpingHands 

Family Membership + up to R$600 

(dependingonyourtier)donateddirectly 

the AmSoc-sponsored charity of your 

choice 

R$400/SãoPauloFamily 

Membership for two adults and all 

childrenundertheageof18 

R$300/Out-of-TownFamily 

Forresidentsoutsidethe(011)areacode 

Membership for two adults and all 

childrenundertheageof18 

R$250/SãoPauloIndividual 

Membershipforoneadult 

R$199/USConsulateStaff 

&InternationalSchoolStaff 

FamilyMembershipforuptotwoadults 

andallchildrenundertheageof18 

R$149/StudentPrice 

Membership for one adult currently 

enrolled in an institute of higher 

learning (Exceptions for under-18 

studentsonacase-by-casebasis) 

Refertothelisttotherightfortheupdated 

membership tiers, including pricing and 

details.Remember,nomatteryourtypeof 

membership,youreceivethefullbenefits 

ofbeingamemberofAmSoc!§ 

EachtierincludesallofourMembershipBenefits! 

SubmitYourContent 

Whatdiscoverieshaveyoumadein 

São Paulo city and the surrounding 

area?We'dliketohearfromyou! 

TobefeaturedinafutureMembers 

Recommend, send an email to 

forum@amsoc.com.br with your 

personalrecommendationsonhow 

to enjoy all that São Paulo (and 

Brazil!) has to offer. Don’t forget to 

include photos of your personal 

experience getting to know the 

manyamazingplacesinBrazil! 



SPECIALADVERTISING 

DiscovertheShopsatAltodaBoaVista! 

Sta. Amelia Meat Boutique 

Sta. Amelia is a placededicated 

to all meat lovers wholook for thebest 

products in themarket. We offer 

parking and wi-fiat our store. 

Please come and visit us. 

Events 

Sta. Amelia offersseveral 

barbecue packages for your event. 

Delivery: (11)4564-2080 

WhatsApp: (11)99449-8181 

Website: www.staamelia.com.br 

Facebook and Instagram: 

boutiquestaamelia 

Address: 

Av.Vereador José Diniz, 1221–Loja02 A 

Wearelocated at thePadaria Santa 

Marcelina commercial center. 

Advertisewithus! 

Interested in purchasing a print ad 

orclassifiedspace?Advertiseinthe 

nextissueoftheFORUMnewsletter 

for as little as R$100 per issue, 

includingexposureonourwebsite 

& social media, plus our private 

Facebook Group. Special rates 

offered for our Annual Directory 

advertisers. 

Forfulldetailsandrates,callAndrea 

Berceat(11)99164-2634orsendan 

emailtosales@amsoc.com.br. 

6 


COMMUNITYACTIONCOMMITTEE 


VolunteerforaSMILEToday! 

ByPatriciaCampbell,BoardMember 

Isn’t it wonderful to see a child SMILE? At 

AmSoc, we want to provide you with as 

many different opportunities as possible 

sothatyoucanhelpmakeachildSMILE. 

What interests you? Making a direct 

donation to our charities?Working on the 

Galacommittee?Sponsoringachildforthe 

AngelParty?VolunteeringattheChildren’s 

fieldday?JoinourSMILEprogramteam! 

“Letusalwaysmeeteachother 

withasmile,forthesmile 

isthebeginningoflove.” 

–MotherTeresa 

“Smileatstrangersandyoujust 

mightchangealife.” 

–SteveMaraboli 

Therearesomanywaystoshareyourtime, 

knowledge, ideas, and money to make 

things happen for the children at our nine 

localcharities. 

Our SMILE program engages the children 

in a specific activity that will last one 

morning,oneafternoon,orevenafullday. 

Itisawonderfuloptionforthoseofyouwho 

wouldlikeahands-onopportunitytohelp 

kidsparticipateinaspecialactivity,butmay 

not have the time for a more long-term, 

standingcommitment. 

You could be their mentor for a day. Or 

donate your planning know-how to get 

anothervolunteer’sfunideaofftheground. 

You can even donate for a special activity 

orhelpraisemoneysothatwehavefunds 

to take the kids out to the movies, an 

afternooninthepark,atriptoamall,alive 

concert, an art show, a few hours making 

holidaycookies,orcreatinganartproject. 

Getting involved is a great way to impact 

these children’s lives. Our volunteers are 

definitely what make things really happen 

aroundhere!Let’sbecreativetogether.Let’s 

show our love. To make a child SMILE is 

priceless. All it takes is showing them we 

care by being there. Are you ready to 

engageinthiswonderfulprogram? 

SMILEwithus!Share,Mentor,Impact,Love, 

Engage. 

To get involved, send an email to 

volunteers@amsoc.com.br. We will have 

our next committee meeting on August 

22 nd at 10am in Jardim Europa, to plan 

out the activities for the next semester. 

Pleaseletusknowbyemailifyoucanjoin 

us that day.§ 



CAMPINASCHAPTER 

CampinasAmSocFriendsintheFloridaKeys 


It was six months in the planning, six 

months of soul-searching and mental 

arithmetic as I pondered the question… 

WasthecostofaCampinasAmSocreunion 

intheFloridaKeysjustifiedforatwo-night 

MemorialWeekendoffunandfriendship. 

Miles, business trip detours, savings were 

examined and, like myself, 22 people from 

around the world decided that the 

investmentwaslikelyworthit. 

Our group flew in from Brazil, Ireland, 

Norway, as well as Alabama, California, 

Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa. This 

was the group who—two and a half years 

ago—were amongst the founders of the 

Campinas Chapter of AmSoc. It was the 

#CampinasKeysReunion2019! 

ArrivingfromBraziltoMiamionabalmyMay 

Friday,thoselikemyselfarrivingfromBrazil 

hastened to local outlet malls and 

supermarkets to purchase such luxuries as 

Ziplockbagsandpancakesyrup,aswellas 

myriadelectronicparaphernalia.Shopping 

done,whichwasofcourseourbestexcuse 

to be in Miami in the first place, the boys 

fromBrazilmetupforlunchbeforeheading 

for the Keys in upgraded rental cars that 

wouldbeunsuitableforfamilytouring. 

ArrivingattheveryniceMarriottKeyLargo 

resort, scenes of reunion abounded. Some 

of the participants had left Campinas two 

years ago, some three weeks before, one 

couple turned up with a seven week old 

babyboyandacoupleofus,includingyours 

truly,representedCampinas. 

TheFloridaKeysareanoddplace:partUSA, 

partCaribbean,partrich,partnotsorich.A 

greatmixinfact.Ourfirsteveningwasspent 

at the Hogs Heaven, a“reformed” Harleycrowddive,nicelyrestoredandrightonthe 

Atlantic coast. Gorgeous light and crystalclear 

waters in which you could see the 

many fish in the port area. A live band 

played on an anchored flat-bottomed 

floating stage and the food was to die for. 

“...throughthe 

AmericanSocietyofSãoPaulo 

aninternationalgroup 

ofgoodwillhasbeenformed. 

Oneofmany,Ihope.” 

Wechattedandcaughtupwhileadmiring 

thesunsetandenjoyingthelivemusicand 

friendlyservice. 

Afteralongnightweplannedtomeetata 

local breakfast place to sample the“best 

breakfastontheKeys”andheadedatspeed 

toawell-deservedbedafteralongday. 

Morning dawned bright and sunny—a 

perfectday.Wemetup—about18ofus—at 

Doc's Diner, a local privately held diner 

whichremindedusofyesteryearandfedus 

abreakfastofchampionsforunder$10USD. 

Wevowedtoreturnthenextday,andthen 

we headed back to the hotel for an 

afternoon—yup, that’s how long we hung 

out at the diner—of water sports, 

swimming,andrelaxing.Ourhost,wholives 

in Miami, moored his boat at the Hotel 

Marinaanditwasagreatspottocongregate, 

chat,andsimplywatchthedaygoby. 

Astheafternoonended,itwastimeforthe 

main reunion meal of the weekend. As a 

“local”, our host had organized a private 

beachLuauandwhataneveningwashad. 

Once again, we enjoyed the fantastic 

weatherasthesunwentdownandfeasted 

on steaks, seafood, and even a whole 

roastedpig.Trulyanunforgettablemeal. 

This is the moment when I mention the 

point of this article. Not so much a 

travelogue—itisanodetohowimportant 

friends are whilst abroad. Many of us who 

wentonthistripwereAmSocmembersin 

Campinas, but we weren’t even a 

particularly American Group. We were a 

happymixofAmericans(frombothcoasts 

andthemiddle),Brazilian,British,Canadian, 

8 


CAMPINASCHAPTER 


CampinasChapter 

BoardRepresentatives 

ManuelaMoreno 

Manuela.Moreno@amsoc.com.br 

MarkCopman 

Mark.Copman@amsoc.com.br 

MalcolmMacdonald 

Malcolm.Macdonald@amsoc.com.br 

Chilean, Cuban, Dutch, German, and even 

Norwegian.Arealmeltingpotoflanguages, 

cultures and backgrounds, all happy and 

delighted with each other’s company. As 

the evening grew later and the 

conversation flowed, I reflected on the 

magicthatisasharedexperience.Notonly 

in Florida, but at American Society of São 

Paulo St. Patrick’s Day events, feijoadas on 

farms, volunteer days, black-tie Galas, and 

flagfootballtournaments. 

AmSocCampinaschapter,or‘CamSoc’as 

we affectionately refer to our little 

chapter, made this happen. True family 

values, giving back, and enjoying 

ourselves had turned a set of strangers 

into a group of friends. 

Thenextdayafter,youguessedit,aDoc’s 

Dinerbreakfast,wecheckedout.Emotions 

ran high as we said our goodbyes and 

promised to meet up again. (Who 

knows—I’ve heard that Durango, 

Colorado is in the cards for 2020!) What I 

do know is that through the American 

Society of São Paulo an international 

group of goodwill has been formed. One 

ofmany,Ihope. 

Itwasathree-dayweekend.Itookoneday 

off work, travelled 18,000 kilometers, 

spendingtwonightsoutoffourona“miles 

seat”atthebackofaplane.MemorialDay 

prices were steep, and traffic was heavy. 

Returning to my original agony of 

weighing time and money against three 

days with dear friends - was it worth it? 

Everypenny.§ 

Dra.KarenBygdalAndreasen 

DentalCare|CROSP47616 

PartnerofAmericanSocietyfor15Years 

English,Danish&Portuguesespoken! 

GeneralPractice-AdultsandChildren 

FunctionalJawOrthopedicsSpecialist 

PediatricDentistrySpecialist 

Tel:(11)5531-4698/(11)3799-1460 

bygdal@globo.com 

WhatsApp:(11)99811-6172 @dra_karen_bygdal_andreasen 

R.BarãodoTriunfo,612-cj1709,BrooklinPaulista,SãoPaulo04602-002 



YouCanGiveaLotbyGivingaLittle 

BySueBanmanSileci,Member 

The Angel Party is one of the 

American Society’s biggest and 

most exciting events. For the 20 th 

yearinarow,onSaturday,November2 nd , 

we’llthrowacrazyfunChristmaspartyfor 

240 underprivileged children at AmSoc 

supported charitable organizations. We 

rentbusestobringthechildrentoGraded 

School, where the children have lunch, 

playgames,winprizes,andeaticecream. 

Theyalsoenjoyaspecialshow.Attheend 

of the party, Santa Claus and his wife 

present gift bags to each child. § 


20years?! 

...Sowhat’snewthisyear? 

If we can get enough sponsors, we’ll be able to invite needy children who have 

neverbeentothepartybeforetofilloutournumberof240—thechildrenatVivenda 

daCriança. 

However,we’restrugglingmorethanlastyeartofindsponsorsforallthechildren. 

Canyouhelp?EachchildreceivesabagfromSantaClauswithtruenecessitiesfor 

theupcomingyear:clothes,shoes,flip-flops,acoat,abackpack,atoy,andchocolate. 

Wesendyouthechild’sname,age,andsizes. 

YoucangoshoppingyourselforyoucandonateR$550andwe’llshopforyou.Either 

way,we’refeelingthepinchthisyearandwouldloveyourhelp. 

10 




20years?! 

...Whatstaysthesame? 

Wehave240childrenalreadycountingthedaystilltheparty!Thoseofusthatvisit 

theinstitutionsareconstantlysurprisedbytheexcitementofthekidsfortheparty, 

evenhalfayearbeforeittakesplace. 

We’ll need everyone’s help to pull this off, and that includes a huge number of 

volunteersintheweeksleadinguptotheeventandonNovember2 nd attheparty 

itself. Join our committee, sign up to volunteer, make new friends, and change a 

kid’slife. 

It’s going to be a fun, funny, action-packed, loving, caring, and joyful 

afternoon—bothforthekidsandforthevolunteers. 

WhatdoIdonext? 

Formoreinformationonanypartof 

theparty—donations,volunteering, 

or further details—feel free to 

contact our Angel Party boss, 

Kristy Miranda by email at 

angelparty.chair@amsoc.com.br. 

And, as we’ve said before, please 

consider sponsoring a child. If 

money is tight, you don’t have to 

do it alone. Split it with a group of 

friends,co-workers,familymembers, 

orfriends.Butpleasehelp. 

Contact Sue Banman Sileci at 

angelparty.sponsors@amsoc.com.br 

formoreinformation. 

VolunteerSpotlight 

A huge thanks to long-time volunteer 

and all-around generous AmSoc 

member Fabio. He has always humbly 

and graciously volunteered his time 

(and candid photography skills) from 

everything to Independence Day 

celebrationstoourelaborateGalaevent. 

No volunteer opportunity passes this 

amazing fellow by. We appreciate 

everything you’ve done for us over the 

years.Thanks,Fabio! 

FabioSaad 

To nominate the a volunteer for the 

spotlight,emailforum@amsoc.com.br 




ATHLETICS 

FriendlyCompetitiveSportsGetsYourBloodPumping! 

AmSoc is actively recruiting a new 

AdultsAthleticsCoordinator.Forthe 

moment,sportseventsareseparately 

organized by interested individuals. Should 

you be passionate about sports and 

interested in taking on this challenge, 

please contact Malcolm Macdonald at 

malcolm.macdonald@amsoc.com.br. 

Forthemonthscomingup,weareexcited 

to announce a new season of the Flag 

Football tournament. We will ask staff, 

seniors, and alumni of the International 

Schools to form teams and come out to 

CampinasonSundaythe22 nd ofSeptember 

at Escola Americana de Campinas 

(EAC)—aneasyone-hourdriveforafamily 

dayofsportsandrelaxation. 

We hope to organize a similar event for 

volleyball and basketball, aiming for 

healthy and friendly competition and fun 

between the teams.These events will be 

free to members with a nominal fee for 

non-members. The focus will be on 

having fun! § 

The2019AbacaxiBowl,whichhappensannuallyinFebruary 

AdultAthletics 

CoordinatorNeeded! 

This volunteer helps bring out the 

spirit of friendly competition in our 

members through organization of 

severalannualevents.Responsibilities 

includeorganizingandplanning: 

• AnnualGolfChallengeinMay 

• Novembersoftballtournament& 

potentialsoftballpick-upgames 

• AnnualFebruaryAbacaxiBowl 

flagfootballtournament 

• Aprilfull-courtbasketball 

tournament 

THE 

AMERICAN 

OF 

Est. 

SÃO 

1950 

PAULO 

SOCIETY 

Labor Day 

Celebration 

1stAnnual 

Saturday,August31,2019 

Staytunedformoreinfo! 

AndreaBerce&sonTheo 

Orlando,Florida 

SendyourFORUMtravelphototoforum@amsoc.com.br 

12 


ATHLETICS 


ReadyforYouthSportsProgramRegistrationDay? 

ByJohnMota,AthleticsCoordinator 

All activities are open for a reduced 

fee to cover costs to all AmSoc 

members and their families. A full 

fee will be charged to non-members. 

We meet every Saturday at one of the US 

schools or occasionally the US Consulate 

toplayandlearnbasketball,flagfootball, 

softball, and soccer. 

Ouraimistoentertainkidswithaphysical 

activity that will make them think, learn, 

and interact with kids of their age while 

parentscanhavetimetojog,run,walk,or 

simplywatchthekidspracticingthesport. 

As our program is family-driven, we 

believe that by widening the age range 

forsoccerpractice,itwillallowforfamilies 

withyoungerkidstojoinoursessions.For 

this reason, soccer begins with kids ages 

5 and older. 

Sign up for our second semester!We will 

have our Registration Day at Graded on 

Saturday, August 17 th , from 9 until noon. 

FormoreinformationpleasecontactJohn 

thruWhatsApp at (55) 11-99622-2177. § 

TIMESLOT 

9AMto 

10:30AM 

9:30AMto 

10:30AM 

10:30AM 

to12PM 

2019SEASON2SCHEDULE 

SPORT 

Soccer,Girls 

Soccer,Boys 

Basketball,Coed 

Baseball,Coed 

FlagFootball,Coed 

Volleyball,Coed 

SportsEnthusiastsNeeded! 

If you'd like to volunteer to help 

coachorassist,contactourAthletics 

Coordinator, John Mota, at 

ysp@amsoc.com.br or WhatsApp 

+55(11)99622-2177. 



NETWORKING 

WhyInvestinBrazil?ChallengesandOpportunities 

ByMadeleineBlankenstein,Let’sConnectCommitteeMember 

The CEO of BNP Paribas in Brazil was 

the latest guest at our Let’s Connect 

event. The venue of Fleming’s is 

welcoming and provides a great 

environmentforourmeetings. 

SadrinepointedoutthatBrazilisstillthe5 th 

largest world economy and FDI (Direct 

Investment) has not decreased in years. 

These are some of the reasons why BNP is 

constantlyinvestinghere. 

The country has growth potential and 

resources, but needs to focus on reforms 

and investment in infra-structure. Some of 

the interesting sectors for investment are 

the automotive industry, food & beverage, 

andhigh-endretail. 

Theforeigninvestorneedstobeprepared 

not to miss opportunities presented by 

the Brazilian market. It is still a land of 

opportunities, despite its challenges 

such as innovation, education, and 

entrepreneurship. 

SheisconfidentthatBrazilwillbetheplace 

tobeagain.Sheisresilient,andpleasedto 

belivinghere! 

Let's Connect events are scheduled 4-5 

times per year. Stay tuned for our next 

event.Wehopeyoucanjoinus!§ 

Wanttoseeaspecifictopicexplored 

at our next event? Drop us a line at 

networking@amsoc.com.brandtell 

usaboutyourideas! 

For photos of previous events, visit 

amsoc.com.br/photo-gallery. 

ReserveYOUR2020AdSpaceNow! 

Letour800+English-speakingmembersknowaboutyour business! 

Ensure your competition doesn’t have the advertising advantage. 

BuyadspaceinourGuide,withratesstartingatR$500!Deliverydate: 

February2020 

*2019coverartcourtesy 

ofOfraGrinfeder 

AmericanSocietyofSãoPaulo’sAnnual 

MembershipDirectory& 

ResourceGuide 

Foradditionalsalesinformation:sales@amsoc.com.br 

14 


NETWORKING 


AchievingYourGoalsbyMakingThemOurGoals 

ByJackieWyant,WomenWorkCommitteemember 

Whether you are a stay-at-home 

dad,ahigh-poweredfemaleCEO, 

a male nurse, a transgender 

enlisted officer, or a career-focused mom, 

we all have something in common.We all 

want the best for ourselves and those we 

care about. However, just like the winning 

Women’sWorld Cup soccer team, the best 

waytoachieveourgoalsisbyhelpingeach 

other. One person cannot carry the whole 

team to a win, but working together we 

haveafightingchance. 

When you enter a new country, or even a 

new neighborhood, it’s common to feel a 

little lost.Why? Beyond the lack of familiar 

grocery stores, beloved brands, or favorite 

cornerpubs-it’sreallythelossofthewellknown 

network of friends and co-workers 

you had elsewhere. While it’s possible to 

succeed in São Paulo on your own, you’ll 

finditeasiertoobtainyourgoalswithateam 

ofpeoplethanitisflyingsolo.Throughthe 

wins (and the losses) the best team is the 

team that works together towards a 

commongoal. 

Lookingforyourownteaminthe greatcity 

of São Paulo? Attend one of our 

WomenWorkevents,whereaguestspeaker 

(Woman of Merit) discusses her particular 

journeywithus.Wehaveadiverserangeof 

women scheduled for the rest of 

2019—three very different women from 

very different walks of life, all with an 

interestingstorytotell. 

Don’tmissout!MarktheseTuesdaydateson 

yourcalendar:August13 th withPaulaChang, 

theDirectorofInstitutionalRelationsatNGO 

ThinkOlga;September10 th withDra.Márcia 

Rocha, Coordinator ofTransempregos; and 

October 8 th with Elisa Tawil, producer of 

'ViesesFemininos’Podcast.Saveyourspotat 

our upcoming WomenWork event by 

visitingamsoc.com.br/womenwork. 

At WomenWork, we encourage social 

responsibility, sharing knowledge & 

experience for a better future, and the 

importance of any employment, whether 

paid or volunteer. The small fee to attend 

oureventsgoesdirectlybacktothegreater 

São Paulo community. Since the launch of 

oureventinMay2018,wehaveraisedover 

R$2.200 in sponsorship funds for the 

American Society of São Paulo (AmSoc) 

Angel Party. If you’d like to find out more 

about this charitable event or any of the 

other charitable organizations that AmSoc 

supports,visitamsoc.com.br/how-to-help. 

Want to make a difference? Share your 

journey with us. See you at the next 

WomenWork!§ 

StayinTouch! 

Haveaspecifictopicyou'dlikeusto 

cover? 

Interestedinjoiningourcommittee 

to help with future WomenWork 

events? 

Dropusalineat 

womenwork@amsoc.com.br. 

For photos of previous events visit 

amsoc.com.br/photo-gallery. 



AmSocScene:WereYouThere? 

Momentsyoumighthavemissedatvariouseventsoverthepastfewmonths. 

Let’sConnect,May27,2019 

Let’sConnect,May27,2019 

IndependenceDayCelebration,June29,2019 




16 



HellosandGoodbyes 

CompiledbyJackieWyant,ManagingEditor 

NewBoardMember: 

MarkCopman 

StrategicPlanning 

I was born in Bethesda, Maryland (just 

outsideofWashington,DC).Overthecourse 

of my career, I have had a number of roles 

with 3M in general management, supply 

chain, and finance. Prior to joining 3M, I 

worked in investment banking and served 

intheUSNavy.MywifeKarriandImovedto 

theCampinasareatoworkat3MBrazilabout 

2.5 years ago. We have 3 adult children 

workinginvariouslocationsaroundtheUS 

(Arkansas,Minnesota,andNewYorkcity). 

We have very much enjoyed Brazil so far, 

especially the people, the culture, the food 

and the weather. Our only wish is that we 

spoke better Portuguese! A highlight was 

the opportunity to desfilar at the 2018 

Carnaval in Rio with the Escola de Samba 

Grande Rio. We had so much fun, that we 

diditagainin2019!§ 

NewOfficeStaff: 

SamyRaulfman 

OfficeAssistant 

I am on my third year of International 

Relations at PUC-SP (Pontifical Catholic 

University). I am a researcher in a Tutorial 

Education Program (PET), where I do 

research and write essays about various 

topics of International Relations. I am also 

Ex-PresidentoftheBateriaUniversitáriaand 

Vice-President of the Academic Center at 

PUC-SP. I've already participated in the 

organization AIESEC (aiesec.org.br) where I 

helped people all over the world to do 

volunteerexchanges. 

IwanttoworkforAmSocbecause: 

IenjoyworkingwithEvents.Itisalsoagreat 

opportunitytoimprovemyEnglish! 

Inmysparetime,Iliketo: 

Iliketogotothebeach,surf,takepictures, 

andlistentomusic.§ 

MovingOn:CarolMatos 

MarketingCoordinator 

Asmanyofyoualreadyknow,June28 th was 

my last day working for AmSoc. I recently 

graduated from university, and now wish 

to further my development and look for 

newchallenges. 

Ithasbeenalmost3yearsbeingpartofthis 

greatteam,andIcouldnotbemorethankful 

foralltheexperienceandgrowthIhadwith 

AmSoc.Ilearnedalotfromyouradviceand 

guidance, which I can apply to my future 

professionalexperiences. 

I wish the best to this amazing team and 

knowyouwillcontinuetodoagreatjobfor 

theexpatriatesinBrazil! 

Itrulyappreciatetheconfidenceyoushowed 

in me and my job during these years. I will 

miss AmSoc so much and will always be 

gratefulforeverythingIlearnedhere.§ 

Forafullandup-to-datelistingofthe 

dedicated American Society of São 

Paulo Board Members, visit 

amsoc.com.br/board-members. 



Classifieds 

DEBRASTRONG 

OCCUPATIONALTHERAPIST 

Registered in US, Switzerland and Brazil. 

ProvidinghomevisitsinZonaSulforchildrenand 

adultsexperiencingdifficultiesathome,inschool 

or at work related to a health condition. 

Assessment,treatment,orconsultation.English, 

German, Portuguese spoken +55 11 97467- 

9696brdmstrong@icloud.com 

PLACEYOUROWNCLASSIFIED 

TheClassifiedsareasimpleandeasywaytoreach 

your special target market. For only R$100 per 

issue,youreceive350characters-worthofspace 

topromoteyourownbusiness,realestatesale, 

private tutoring, or other services. Contact 

Andrea Berce today at sales@amsoc.com.br to 

placeyourclassifiednow! 

CLASSIFIEDS 

CONTACTAMSOCOFFICESTAFF 

Ourofficestaffiscomposedoftalented,hard-workingpeople,availablebetweenthe 

hoursof10amand3pm,MondaythroughFriday(excludingholidays). 

JOBTITLE NAME EMAILADDRESS 

OfficeManager AndreaBerce officemanager@amsoc.com.br 

OfficeAssistant SammyRaulfman assistant@amsoc.com.br 

Communications 

Coordinator 

JobOpen-contact 

OfficeManager 

communications@amsoc.com.br 

Intern BárbaraD’Alessandro intern@amsoc.com.br 

Bookkeeper 

JobOpen-contact 

OfficeManager 

accounting@amsoc.com.br 

18 


MEMBERSHIPBENEFITSPROGRAM 


Asamember,youcanaccesstheAmericanSocietyofSãoPaulo’sMembershipBenefitsProgram,whichincludesdiscountsandpromotional 

offersinmanyofSãoPaulo’sbestrestaurants,hotels,spas,medicalservices,andmore.Pleaseseethisissue’shighlightedoffersbelow.Our 

fulllistofparticipatingorganizationsisalwaysavailableonlinehere:amsoc.com.br/membership-benefits 

AmSocFirstAnnual 

LaborDayParty 

GradedSchool 

(R.FranciscoLeitão,272) 

Saturday,August31,2019 

A celebratory welcome-back event for 

thewholefamily,withhotfoodandlive 

music.Free! 

Discountoffer: 

MembersOnly 

CaveSuiça 

R.JoãoRamalho,1392 

Wine shop specializing in wine and 

cheesefromSwitzerlandaswellasfrom 

all over the world. We organize private 

events,masterclasses,andwine&cheese 

courses. 


10%ofallpurchases 

&dining 

FlaviaLizDiPaolo 

PersonalGuide 

www.flavializ.com 

A boutique travel agency specialized in 

creating remarkable experiences (such 

ascustomizedtours&workshops)forVIP 

clientsinSãoPaulo'scity. 


10%discountonguideprices 

LeiaSgro 

www.leiasgro.com 

The brand best friend is, without any 

doubt,naturewithitsdifferentformsand 

colors, present in all Leia Sgro’s 

collections. 


10%discount 

LekaInserra 

@lekainserra 

Iprovideorganizationalanddecluttering 

services in the city of São Paulo. I help 

clients put their home, mind, and life in 

order once and for all. I will simplify, 

organize,andstoreyourbelongings.Can 

besingleclosetoryourentirehome! 


10% discount on 

services 

MétodoAltenfelder 

R.Acanga,57-JardimCordeiro 

Body therapy that uses a Massage that 

unties the knots and circulates their 

energy. Hands that treat and heal your 

body or sore points and give you tools 

forsoulhealing. 


10% discount for the 

1h30msessionand15% 

discount for the 5 

sessionprogram 

PalácioTangará 

R.DeputadoLaercioCorte,1501 

PortusImportadora 

@portus_importadora 

TivoliMofarrej 

AlamedaSantos,1437 

PalácioTangaráisabreathoffreshairin 

SãoPaulo,offeringtoday’ssmarttraveler 

a chance to balance business with a 

revivingrest. 


15%offfoodand 

non-alcoholic 

beverages/15%off 

SPAtreatments 

We believe that wine brings unique 

experiences. With convenience and 

safety that you need, we deliver your 

wineinanagileanduncomplicatedway. 

www.portusimportadora.com.br 


55% off using code 

"ASSP" on website 

(not applicable to 

deliveryrate) 

Thisfive-starhotelofferseverythingfrom 

the largest Presidential Suite in Latin 

America to a warmed outdoor 

swimmingpool;alljuststepsawayfrom 

thisluxuryhotelindowntownSãoPaulo. 

www.tivolihotels.com 


25% off reservations 

made through the 

website 


COMMUNITYCALENDAR 

August2019 

LearnmoreaboutupcomingAmericanSocietyeventsatwww.amsoc.com.br 

13 Tuesday 

7pm 

AmSocWomenWork 

Sharingknowledge&experienceforabetterfuture 

CatetoPinheiros 


Page15 

14 Wednesday 

10am 

InternationalNewcomersClub 

Monthlymeetup 

EmpórioMoema(Av.Macuco,218) 

www.newcomers-sp.com.br 

14 Wednesday 

7pm 

AmSocHappyHour 

Catchupwitholdfriendsandmakenewones 

RawBurgerNBeer 

(R.Aspicuelta,176) 

Page9 

17 Saturday 

9am 

AmSocYouthSportsRegistrationDay 

Soccer,baseball,basketball,volleyball,andfootball 

GradedSchool 

(Av.JoséGalante,425) 

Page13 

31 Saturday AmSocLaborDayCelebration 

Celebratoryeventforthewholefamily 

GradedSchool 

(Av.JoséGalante,425) 

Page12 

September2019 

04 Wednesday 

10am 

InternationalNewcomersClub 

Monthlymeetup 

EmpórioMoema(Av.Macuco,218) 

www.newcomers-sp.com.br 

10 Tuesday 

7pm 

AmSocWomenWork 

Sharingknowledge&experienceforabetterfuture 

CatetoPinheiros 


Page15 

22 Sunday 

9am 

AmSocFlagFootballTournament 

1-daytournamentandBBQ 

EscolaAmericanadeCampinas 

(R.Cajamar,35-Campinas) 

Page12 

Wednesday 

7pm 

AmSocHappyHour 

Catchupwitholdfriendsandmakenewones 

TBA 

CampinasEvent 

Note:TheseeventsareopentoallAmSocmembers.SãoPauloisroughlya1.5hourdrivefromCampinas.Comeforavisit! 

AboutFORUM 

ManagingEditor:JackieWyant(forum@amsoc.com.br) 

Publisher:MalcolmMacdonald(malcolm.macdonald@amsoc.com.br) 

AdvertisingSales:AndreaBerce(sales@amsoc.com.br) 

LayoutbySalt&Unicorns(www.saltandunicorns.com) 

PrintedbyPrinti(printi.com.br) 

Wouldyouliketoseeyourcommunityeventfeaturedonourcalendar?Send 

anemailtotheManagingEditoratforum@amsoc.com.br. 

FORUM is published bimonthly in print and online (amsoc.com.br/forum). 

ViewsexpressedinFORUMdonotreflectthoseofAmSocmembersorstaff.Ads 

appearinginFORUMdonotconstituteanendorsementofproductsorservices.

August/September 2019 FORUM

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?