Ok, Please reply the last post here
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ewpost&t=24397
About the balls: the main problem is not buying the balls, but shipping it to Brazil. For instance: the balls total cost is U$ 100,00, and the fees and taxes (Brazil customs) exceeds U$ 100,00! So the final cost jumped from U$ 100,00 to U$ 200,00. We can ship in U$ 50,00 packages, to avoid taxes. But the shipping cost is around U$ 150,00. So, we´re trying to give the balls to someone to bring. J&J representatives comes from USA to São Paulo every week, team 1382 who´s working with us in this issue, is sponsored by J&J.
So, that´s a really hard issue to handle. For instance: EVERY single piece of the "missing parts" has to be documented, and a lot of paperwork has to be filled. Just to have an idea: we forgot to fill out a paper when we brought the kit, our penalty was a U$ 2000,00 fee, a very nice "gift" from our government (I´m sure there´re penalties in the importation process in USA too). And that would and surelly will happen with small parts sent from the "missing parts" list, and also would happen with the balls, if we don´t follow the rules. Everything is difficult and has to be handled with care. A simple process of sending balls turns in a ton of emails, paperwork, taxes and fees.
There´s no walmart around the corner (walmart is more than 20,000 miles away).
Please notice: we´re not complaining about anything, we´re just giving a s small picture of what are our dificulties.
We have no extra time, we´re working hard day and night, the deadlines are the same as all other teams. Very soon (2005) we´ll have a FIRST foundation in Brazil, and this foundation will make all importation process better and faster.
Also in 2005 we expect to have a regional event in Brazil! We will be REALLY glad to help ALL teams that wish to come here, to support them ... anyway, it will be a pleasure. We´re working hard to make this come true.
I´d like to thank all teams for their efforts and concern with international teams, specially team 007 and 388.