Meet a member: jsosse
Posted by Huw,
Today we are chatting to Jose S. Osse, a journalist in Sao Paulo, Brazil:
What is your first LEGO memory?
It was of this little Classic Space set, 6820 Starfire I, my grandparents brought me from a trip to Europe. At the time (and for the next couple of years) LEGO hadn't yet arrived in Brazil, so it was both exciting to have such a nice, playful toy and a disappointment, not being able to get my hands in other sets. I still have that little Starfire and still think it is one of the nicest sets I have in my collection, small size and all.
Did you have a dark age and if so what caused you to emerge from it?
Yes, I did go through one from late teens to early adulthood. Mostly because by the time I was an older teenager, sets had become a bit too ‘non-LEGO-esque’ for my taste – and Technic sets availability in Brazil was not great (at all).
What took me out of it, in fact, was my job as a reporter. I was working at a business magazine and, since LEGO had announced a renewed push in the Brazilian market, I decided to pursue the story. I then scheduled an interview with TLG’s third party commercial representative in Sao Paulo and, after we talked, he took me for a tour of the showroom and gifted me a small City set, 7239 Fire Truck.
When I got back home from the magazine, I decided to build it and was amazed how much more like LEGO of old – realistic while still fun to play – it was. That was when I started going after more LEGO to build, and started buying new sets – and importing those that weren’t available in Brazil.
One thing that really gets a kick out of me is that later on, reading the book ‘Brick by Brick’, by David Robertson, I came to learn that my little 7239 Fire Truck actually did have a pretty significant role in helping LEGO’s turnaround in design.
Which set or theme has been most influential upon you, as a LEGO fan?
Definitely 7239 Fire Truck has been the most influential set for me, as per what I’ve mentioned above. But as a theme, I guess it is a pretty close race between Classic Castle, Star Wars and Architecture. Curiously enough, not City - at least not any more…
What are you building right now?
Since I mostly buy my LEGO abroad – and with Covid-19 it might take a while since I travel again -, I’m trying to ‘save’ the ones I have unopened. Probably the next one will be either 10266 NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander or 10224 Town Hall.
How do you store your LEGO?
99% of them are built. I like them that way. The ones unopened, well, they’re obviously still in the box :-)
Do you build MOCs? If, so what?
No… This is a frustration of my own. I often think about going into MOC-building, but there are so many high-quality really interesting official sets I still haven’t built yet, I usually tend to go their way.
What is your favourite part?
Hands down ‘the’ brick, the one that summaries it all: the 2x4 brick!
What set/theme/part (take your pick) would you like LEGO to produce?
Classic Castle. Not Nexo Knights or other fancy castle stuff. Just the kind I was so fond of as a kid: simple, real-like, fun and aesthetically pleasing ones.
Do you have a presence on Instagram, YouTube or elsewhere?
No… I’m afraid my only real social presence nowadays is on LinkedIn.
What is the availability of LEGO like where you live?
Not good, not good at all. Though we have a few LEGO stores in the country, we don’t get all sets from regular waves – especially the higher price-point ones.
More than that, although LEGO is a relatively expensive toy across the world, here it is way worse because of exchange rate and awfully high import taxes for toys. This is extremely frustrating and one of the reasons I mostly buy my sets abroad.
Do you have any interests or hobbies other than LEGO?
Barbecuing. I love to cook with real fire, using wood or coal.
How long have you been visiting Brickset?
For more than 10 years now, since before 2010.
What's your favourite/most used feature of the site?
The reviews. I just love all reviews – even the ones reviewing parts! And also the instructions feature, especially when the booklets are a bit cumbersome to use (like the one from 75192 Millennium Falcon)
Are you a member of a LUG? Which ones?
Yes, I’m member of LUG Brasil – though I’m not very active there.
Have you been to a LEGO event? Which one(s)? Do you have a favourite?
I’ve been to the ones LUG Brasil organises here in Sao Paulo, but unfortunately not to other, bigger and more famous ones abroad.
Thanks Jose!
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5 comments on this article
"At the time (and for the next couple of years) LEGO hadn't yet arrived in Brazil, so it was both exciting to have such a nice, playful toy and a disappointment, not being able to get my hands in other sets."
This got me chuckled, oh the frustration you must have had those days, totally understandable!
Availability of Lego sets in my childhood was also sparse: I remember getting some sets through my parents' friends that worked as stewardesses, and never getting the ones I really wanted... Either way, a Lego set was still a Lego set, so the sadness never really had a chance!
. Pleasant experience, reading, and story. Hope times will change and enable more and more people, and most of all Brazilian kids, to put their hands on Lego, whether they will be parts or sets. Thank you for sharing your experience and memories with us. And this fire truck was a great gift indeed :)
7239 Fire Truck is one of the first sets that I bought when getting out of my Dark Ages and you've just reminded me how much I love it, thanks :)
Prazer!
Loved reading your LEGO experience. A fair amount of my childhood LEGO (25-35 years ago) came from gifts when we visited my grandparents in São Paulo; I don't think I appreciated then how expensive it was for them! They bought us Black Seas Barracuda on one memorable visit (it nearly filled a suitcase on the flight home) which must have been an extortionate amount of money...
Well done, Jose, for keeping up your hobby in tricky conditions!
I am happy to read about you!
Maybe a strange connection, but reading the key words LEGO, Brazil, Sao Paulo, Castle, I found a connection: On my website you can see a LEGO parts Key ring representing your national flag, made by me for the World Champion handball player Alexandra do Nascimento. She played in my hometown club.
MezeiFelixweebly.com