In june 2004 we would like to promote two scrimmages in Brazil (São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul) in order to difuse FIRST and open doors for a possible upcoming Brazilian Regional (2005 or 2006).
It will be an off-Season FRC Event together with a FLL event. The objective is to catch the attention of major sponsors that may help creating new teams in Brazil and the whole South America.
For that we are inviting all the interrested teams to come to Brazil and join us in this event.
The teams are also invited to promote exchange programs with the brazilian HS and get to know their robotics programs and a little of Brazil.
Some members of our team online with Chief Delphi a couple days ago at the shop whooped and hollered and news of a Brazilian regional went around to those they knew would be interested. We can’t do 2004. I don’t know how our school would feel about the trip in 2005 or 2006. However, a handful of us just may find a way to get there.
For a lot of the teams I don’t think that money would be the main problem as much as convincing the school board to let them go out of the country. I remember some teams in my area having to pass around petitions just to get their school board to get them to Florida two years ago. All of this airport security and problems like that are what the brings about the big trouble. But if a group of people were to get this together, it would be one truly amazing event.
money probably would be a problem for a lot of teams.
on a side note, florida wasn’t as much of a problem as huston, my school banned all trips because of the war, and we had to show them all the money we’d spent to be able to go, and threaten to skip school anyway, to make them let us.
they are letting people go to spain, why not brazil… hmmm :]
I’d love to go! I’m sure we could convince our school to let us go, our main issue would be raising the money as our team is BROKE :mad: and most of the members wouldn’t want to pay that much for the trip (though I think it’s worth it, plus we get to hang out with our Brazilian buddies! ).
For sure FIRST will “work” on the main issue: costs. Main sponsors should provied low costs trips (I suppose), and that would be the only thing, as the costs in Brazil would be very low as far as one dollar worths something about R$ 2,90.
(though I think it’s worth it, plus we get to hang out with our Brazilian buddies!).
Sure! Last year we had a great time at Jersey (hopefully this year will be awesome again). So, it would be a pleasure to receive you guys here in Brazil.
I dont exactly see what the fuss is about schoolboards. This is in June, which means there’s a very large chance that school is already out. If this is the case, you dont have to go through the school, since it doesnt need to be school sponsored. Besides, if it was during school, who’s really going to be able to get out of the last week or two?
If you’re talking about travelling to a future brazillian regional, then I can see your concerns.
In such a case, you need to make it clear to the board that what you are doing is a tremendous opportunity for you to learn about another country’s culture, meet new people, and help developing teams. When they see how groundbreaking and important such a trip would be, Im sure they would try to find a way to let you go.
Cory
P.S. the hard part is getting the trip initially approved. after that, it should be smooth sailing each year. Around here, it’s basically get approved once, and keep on getting approved after.
The fact remains that it is a school sponsered activity. Football practice starts in the fall before school does, and permission forms are still needed.
For some it will be a major issues, for some not so much. For others it will be the money. The other thing is having to ship a robot to Brazil. Airfrieght is expessensive, and sea shipping is slow.
The post says June, but it will be between July and August, I suppose. I’ll check it!
I’ll check if this is really correct, but I’m pretty sure that the cost to ship our robot (2 day air) and then bring the robot back (slower) was about U$ 1300 by FEDEX. I’m not pretty sure, but I’ll check.
Personally I would love to go and I know my team would too… Money would be a huge problem but an even bigger problem would be to get the school board to let us go… Either way its good that you are having this… You’ll most likely be able to get more teams started this way…
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