Brazil

I’m thrilled to publish another video from the series Learn Brazilian Portuguese with Songs. These lessons are a collaboration between Susanna Zaraysky, author of the book Language is Music, and Luciana Lage, fromStreet Smart Brazil, co-author of the book 51 Portuguese Idioms - Speak Like a Brazilian. In these lessons we use Brazilian songs to teach you Portuguese and we contrast Spanish and Portuguese to discuss pronunciation and grammar. Make sure you check out Video 1 and Video 2  as well. READ MORE>

This is the second video in our series Learn Brazilian Portuguese with Songs. These lessons are a collaboration between Susanna Zaraysky, author of the book Language is Music, and Luciana Lage, from Street Smart Brazil, co-author of the book 51 Portuguese Idioms - Speak Like a Brazilian. We are going to use Brazilian songs to teach you Portuguese. Additionally, we are going to contrast Spanish and Portuguese to discuss pronunciation and grammar. READ MORE>

(Wordpress)

Açaí, just like anything in excess, can be bad for your health. Is that stopping me from having it every day? No. I guess that means I’m on an açaí diet. If you are one of the people who still don’t know what this chocolaty blueberry type fruit is, let me explain. READ MORE>

(Pic source)

I bet that you got hungry just by looking at the picture above. That is a typical breakfast buffet at hotels in Brazil.

Doctors say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We, Brazilians, agree. We do take our time to eat a rich café da manhã. READ MORE>

When I was eight  I saw this TV series based upon a true story called Lampião e Maria Bonita. It took place in the dry lands of Brazilian Sertão, a bit similar to –and not far from- the region of Crisópolis, where grandpa Octavio had settled alone in a house, in the middle of nowhere, after leaving the big city once and for all. I remember having cherry tomato wars with my siblings, picking cotton from the trees in his backyard and eating his polenta. I also remember looking at the moon from the porch and feeling overwhelmed by its power, its mystery, and by the fact that it surely knew everything about my future (but it wouldn't tell me). In terms of landscapes, I am not sure where the memories of this TV series end and where those from my childhood at grandpa Octavio’s little ranch begin. READ MORE>

(Source)

I’m a self-confessed technology nerd and an Apple hipster (I liked them and used their products 15 years before they were “cool”). When I came to Rio, I brought my Macbook Air with me and that’s it. It was working great until I started my journey here and the sound stopped working, the battery lost its “juice” and it began to shutdown on its own. The random shutdowns were fixed by three benjamins (converters), one on top of the other, and a healthy use of tape. Since I work from my computer, my current problems have me searching for a replacement. I’m hoping an iPad 2 will do the trick but how do I go about getting one here? READ MORE>

I notice an interesting difference between the way we express opinions using the verb gostar in Portuguese and to like in English. Let’s see an example: When I watch a cool video posted by a friend on Facebook, I might write this comment:

• “Gostei”

or

• “Adorei”

Notice that I say this in the past tense. In English, I’d use the present tense: READ MORE>

(Source: Bianca Ferrari)

I live in between two favelas and I’d like to share what it’s like to live here. At no time have I felt like my life was in danger but I’m told it’s not smart to go walking at night where the favelas end and the “regular part” begins. In fact, once I was standing next to my then-girlfriend waiting for a late-night bus to drive by and she told me to keep vigilant and to not stand close to her so we don’t look like a couple. I suppose the thinking behind that is that one ‘target’ is easier than two. That being said, I’ve never felt threatened in the 12-13 months of my life I’ve spent here. READ MORE>

É isso aí, vamos conversar! Conversation group class starts November 10.

This is another great partnership between Street Smart Brazil and Abadá Capoeira Arts Center.  READ MORE>

--> Olivia Shetler

As a child, I used to be rather awful at sports; I had a hard time understanding certain rules and methodology and I found using tools in physical activities to be cumbersome. For a while, I thought I would give up on organized team sports and instead relegate my time to other studies. It wasn’t until I discovered capoeira that I found a sport I could truly fall in love with, and it isn’t necessarily because of its style, but also because of its community, and the dedication that unites so many people from various backgrounds. READ MORE>