Leaving Voicemail in Brazil Posted by Rachel on Apr 12, 2012
What do you do when you get someone’s caixa postal (voicemail) when you call in Brazil? Do you leave a message, or just call back? A Brazilian friend who’d lived abroad for many years and recently moved back to Brazil commented on leaving a recado (message) on voicemail. Here is what her experience has been…
Science Without Borders Posted by Rachel on Apr 11, 2012
President Dilma Rousseff traveled to the United States this week, where one of her top agenda items was the Science Without Borders program, known as Ciência sem fronteiras in Portuguese. It’s one of Brazil’s most ambitious government education programs that aims to send 101,000 Brazilian students abroad to study the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering…
Feliz Páscoa! Posted by Adir on Apr 6, 2012
Feliz Páscoa, pessoal! Happy Easter, y’all! Here’s a small video I made to wish you a very Happy Easter! Coelhinho da Páscoa Coelhinho da Páscoa, que trazes pra mim? [Easter Bunnsy, what do you bring to me?] Um ovo, dois ovos, três ovos, assim? [One egg, two eggs, three eggs, like this?] 2x Coelhinho da…
Para Nossa Alegria Posted by Rachel on Apr 5, 2012
As we’ve discussed before, internet memes are huge in Brazil, and gain a good deal of traction on and off the interwebs. The latest internet sensation is a funny home music video of a family singing an evangelical song, in which the daughter sings fairly terribly, and then the son (Jefferson) chimes in with a…
Primeiro de abril Posted by Rachel on Apr 2, 2012
Also known as Dia da mentira (Lie Day), o primeiro de abril (April 1) is a day for tricks and jokes, as it is in the United States and Europe. It’s the day for mentiras (lies), trotes (pranks), brincadeiras (jokes), and pegadinhas (practical jokes). When you prank someone on April 1st in Brazil, you then…
Superstitions in Brazil Posted by Adir on Mar 30, 2012
Olá, tudo bem? I was thinking one of these days about our superstitions in Brazil. Brazil is known for being a superstitious country, mainly due to our deeply rooted religious history and background. Let me cut to the chase and show you some of our superstitions. Bater na madera. We knock on wood three times…
Chico Buarque Posted by Rachel on Mar 29, 2012
Chico Buarque is one of Brazil’s most famous MPB musicians, and is also an author, poet, and playwright. He’s famous for writing songs considered dangerous by Brazil’s military dictatorship and using word play to express criticism of the regime. He’s written eight books and five plays, as well as writing several screenplays. Read about Buarque’s…