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Archive for February, 2009

Podcast: Using the past tense to discuss Carnival Posted by on Feb 27, 2009

Carnival Past Tense Podcast Make sure you check out the BYKI list here. Today, we’re going to look at the difference between the perfect preterite and the imperfect preterite in the past tense using ser and estar, as well as other verbs. We’ll also be talking about Carnival. Ontem eu fui assistir o desfile no…

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Carnival in Brazil: Rio de Janeiro Posted by on Feb 26, 2009

Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival is the best known worldwide. Though the most famous part is the Sambodrome parade, the blocos (street parades) are also the mainstay of Rio’s Carnival. Over two nights, twelve samba schools parade down the avenue in the Sambodrome for 82 minutes. Judges analyze a number of aspects about each school, including…

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Carnival in Brazil: Salvador Posted by on Feb 25, 2009

This week, we’re looking at the different Carnival celebrations in Brazil. Today, we’re going to look at Carnival in Salvador, in the northern state of Bahia. Salvador’s Carnival is one of the largest outdoor celebrations in the world, attracting nearly three million people every year for the six day festival. In this city, huge crowds…

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Carnival in Brazil: São Paulo Posted by on Feb 24, 2009

This week, we’re looking at different Carnival celebrations throughout Brazil. Today, we’re going to look at Carnival in São Paulo. Carnival in São Paulo is very similar to Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Percussion bands leading parades of revelers through the streets called blocos are common, which began in the early 1900s. Samba schools first…

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Carnival in Brazil: Recife Posted by on Feb 23, 2009

Carnival began this past weekend across Brazil and though it officially lasts until Tuesday, some festivities continue throughout the week. So this week, we’ll take a look at the different Carnival celebrations throughout the country. Today, we’re going to look at Recife’s Carnival. The celebrations in Pernambuco’s capital and its immediate neighbor, Olinda, are known…

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UCLA Launches Brazil Center Posted by on Feb 20, 2009

This month, the University of California, Los Angeles opened a center devoted to Brazil studies as a part of a larger center focusing on the Southern Cone. The center’s opening also featured an exhibit “Rio de Janeiro: Two Centuries of Urban Change, 1808-2008,” which will be on display at the Charles E. Young Research Library…

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Accomodations Vocabulary Posted by on Feb 19, 2009

When traveling in Brazil, it’s important to know the difference between the different options in accomodations. Today, we’re going to look at the various types and the associated vocabulary. albergue: this is a hostel, which typically has a few shared rooms and one or two private rooms. pousada: in English, we’d call this a bed…

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