https://community.usms.org/swimming/f/general/1907/greetingsHi everyone! I am glad to join the American master swimmers net. I am from Brazil and I am a member of the Brazilian Master Association. I just love swimming! And I hope that such love could help me getting a scholarship for my Doctoral Degree. If anyoneen-USTelligent Community 12https://community.usms.org/thread/9304?ContentTypeID=1Tue, 21 Oct 2003 16:04:24 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:42d501e0-290a-46a7-9349-73f741eaee92Former MemberWell, I was wondering about the fact that your country has a very small middle class. People are either wealthy and most are poor. So, how does masters swimming develop in a country with a small middle class. It takes money and time and most people in Brazil don&#39;t have either.<div style="clear:both;"></div>https://community.usms.org/thread/9337?ContentTypeID=1Tue, 21 Oct 2003 15:45:06 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:1425fab6-7afb-451b-9ed2-c00db86e887aFormer MemberDear Cynthia, I appreciate you interesting about my country and to answer you I must say that you are half wrong and half right. You are right when you say that we have a bad income distribution, and such thing causes us a bunch of problems. But on the other hand, Brazil is one of the biggest country (economically, geographically, demographically speaking) in the world. Our middle class has getting bigger and bigger since 1994, when Predident Cardoso started a new currency called Real. And plus, compared with others sports I am pretty sure that swimming is between the ones where your costs are low. We have great clubs, great swimmers, great coachs, and great competitions. If you want, please, take a look at my club (www.yaraclube.com.br). Best Regards.<div style="clear:both;"></div>https://community.usms.org/thread/9265?ContentTypeID=1Mon, 20 Oct 2003 10:42:14 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:da166d78-a8a2-4b38-a9c9-eea7ba3c4349mattsonBy any chance, do you know Toi Flavio? A few years ago, he swam with the Naperville Waves for a season (before he went back to Brazil). He got a chance to teach us a few words of Portugese (mostly drinks :) ).<div style="clear:both;"></div>https://community.usms.org/thread/9279?ContentTypeID=1Mon, 20 Oct 2003 08:40:23 GMT3187ac58-ba85-4314-b79a-c45cd885e09a:f1489f7a-4b03-4ba8-814d-bc0ed5d20cdfFormer MemberSorry, man, but I´d never heard about him before. But his name sounds weird for a Brazilian name (Flavio it is ok, but it is the first name. The &quot;Toi&quot; that it is weird. Do you have his last name, because I know a couple of Flavios?).<div style="clear:both;"></div>