Archive by Author
Breaking Dawn in Rio de Janeiro Posted by Rachel on Nov 10, 2010
This week, the stars of the Twilight Saga are in Brazil filming scenes for the final film in the series, Breaking Dawn. While some teenage carioca girls were overjoyed, not everyone was happy about the shoot. Today we’re going to read two stories about the film production in Rio de Janeiro from Brazilian news sources…
Brazilian Skateboarding Documentary Posted by Rachel on Nov 9, 2010
While soccer, volleyball, and Formula 1 are hugely popular in Brazil, there’s another lesser known sport that is very popular amongst urban youth: skateboarding. In fact, one of the world’s most famous skateboarders is Brazilian. To help understand this phenomenon, I’m going to share a really cool documentary available online called Dirty Money, a Portuguese-language…
New Brazilian Soap Operas Posted by Rachel on Nov 5, 2010
There are two relatively new novelas out on Brazilian TV: Araguaia and Ti-ti-ti, both on the Globo network. Not only are Globo novelas among the most watched television programs in Brazil, but they are also a lucrative export: Globo soaps are translated and shown in countries around the world. So while these two shows are…
Isolated in the Amazon Posted by Rachel on Nov 2, 2010
The FUNAI, or the Fundação Nacional do Índio, is the Brazilian governmental organization in charge of protecting and advocating for Brazil’s indigenous populations. Created in 1967, the agency not only helps provide education and basic services to tribes, but also promotes the study and understanding of tribal populations and indigenous culture. Also, one of the…
Recipe: Bolinho de Bacalhau Posted by Rachel on Oct 28, 2010
Today we’re going to learn how to make a delicious Brazilian snack called bolinho de bacalhau, or balls of fried codfish. We even have the help of a Brazilian chef in this great written and video recipe combo! Ironically, the chef in the video is from a fancy French restaurant in Sao Paulo, though this…
Que Beleza – Monobloco Posted by Rachel on Oct 26, 2010
While beleza can mean beauty in some contexts, it’s also a gíria that means “great” or “awesome.” In this fun song by the Carioca band Monobloco, you could roughly translate it as “ain’t it great?” or “isn’t it wonderful?” The lyrics are very simple and straightforward, so have a listen and read along! Lyrics –…
The Word Graça Posted by Rachel on Oct 25, 2010
Continuing in our vocabulary series from last week, we’re going to take a closer look at the word graça to examine its several meanings and uses. 1. De graça – free; no cost Example: A comida no evento é de graça. The food at the event is free. 2. Engraçado – funny Example: Ele é…