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UCLA Launches Brazil Center Posted by Rachel 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…
Accomodations Vocabulary Posted by Rachel 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…
Albino Turtles Born in Amazonas Posted by Rachel on Feb 18, 2009
This week, two albino turtles were born on the Abufari animal reserve in Amazonas state. In the second half of 2008, over 381,000 turtles were born on the reserve. According to the director of the reserve, one or two albinos are born for every hundred thousand turtles. Via Globo/ICMBio
Watermelon Festival in Rio Grande do Sul Posted by Rachel on Feb 17, 2009
While the rest of the country gears up for Carnival, the city of Pedro Osório in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul is having a different kind of celebration: a watermelon festival. In the eighth annual edition of the festival, watermelon producers sell fresh fruit to the public, as well as the…
Rio de Janeiro Presents 2016 Olympic Bid Posted by Rachel on Feb 16, 2009
On Friday, the Brazilian Olympic Committee submitted a US$14.4 billion bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The plan calls for $2.8 billion in operational costs and $11.6 billion in associated costs for construction and services. The plan also states that the city will use infrastructure from the 2007 Pan American…
Coca Cola Expands Brazilian Market Posted by Rachel on Feb 13, 2009
Despite the international economic crisis that has recently begun to affect Brazil, Coca Cola has been doing extraordinarily well. In 2008, it earned R$15 billion in Brazil, a 25 percent increase from the previous year. Also in 2008, Coca Cola Brasil’s sales volume increased by 7 percent, greater than the company’s average percentage worldwide. As…
Slang Phrases Posted by Rachel on Feb 12, 2009
Today we’re going to look at some slangy phrases you can use in everyday conversation with friends. 1. Até parece This means “yeah, right.” Vou na festa da Camila amanhã. O Tom Cruise também vai! I’m going to Camila’s party tomorrow. Tom Cruise is going too! Até parece! Yeah, right! 2. Pois é This literally…