The AmSoc Blog

AmSoc Forum September 2010 Issue

See photos below from the AmSoc Happy Hour, held in late May at Skye Bar Lounge.

From the May issue of Forum

Name: Cristina Celaya
Origin, time here: Phoenix, Ariz., two years

Profession: Teacher at Graded School
Why Sao Paulo?: I had always wanted to come to South America, as it was a part of the world I didn’t know. The Graded American School is one of the top rated schools in South America, so that drew me to SP.
Best things so far: The warm, vibrant culture. The Brazilian people are so welcoming. I love the music too and the challenge of learning a new language. Also, I work in an international setting, so I get to meet lots of different people.
Early frustrations: Sao Paulo is a big city and hard to break into sometimes. Moving from Morumbi to Moema helped me a lot, as it’s a safer area with lots of bars and things to do. Of course the traffic is always an issue here, and also I’m not used to all this rain!
Have saudade for anything back home?: My family, of course. American stores, and especially literature. Although you can buy some good books in English here, it takes a lot more work to find them. I also miss Mexican food, which you can find here, but it’s definitely not the same.
Progress with Portuguese: I can get by, and people here are very encouraging, but because I use English in my job I need to work on my Portuguese some more. I need to get out there and practice.
Favorite place to hang out: Definitely Ibirapuera Park. I live a 10-minute walk from the park and I love to go for runs, and there’s so much culture there too.
Recommend a newly-relocated ex-pat for this column by e-mailing forum@amsoc.com.br

The American Society of Sao Paulo is searching for a person to help develop and market corporate sponsorship packages for AmSoc. Ideal candidates can communicate well in Portuguese and English, are enthusiastic, and would enjoy working with Brazilian and American companies in Sao Paulo. The position is part time. For more information, or to submit your CV, please email Tim Scott, scott_timothy_d@cat.com.