Tag Archives: Culture
Summer Vacation in Brazil Posted by Rachel on Jan 31, 2011
One of the most important things to know when traveling, studying, or working in Brazil or with Brazilian companies or government is to remember the sanctity of the summer vacation, or férias de verão. For students, the break can last from mid- or even early December to February, and adults typically take a holiday during…
Brazilian Nicknames Posted by Rachel on Jan 13, 2011
One of the most important things to know before traveling or moving to Brazil is that nicknames are not only common, but an important part of Brazilian culture. Many people get a nickname, sometimes early in life. It can be a shortening of a person’s name, like Eduardo being called Dudu or José being called…
Carioquês – Getting Around Rio Like a Native Posted by polyana on Dec 13, 2010
The biggest tourist hot spot in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, has its own slang and almost overall dialect. Living in São Paulo and being around the Paulistanês “language” all the time, to me it’s quite refreshing to go to Rio and listening to Carioquês and its malandro nature. Cariocas speak with a certain coolness in…
A Viola Caipira Posted by polyana on Nov 8, 2010
I grew up to my dad listening to Brazilian folk music, especially “old school” sertanejo & forró (my mom was more of an 80’s rock and Roberto Carlos girl). One instrument that’s always stuck out to me in Brazilian folk music is the viola caipira. Unlike the “viola” you’re thinking of, the viola (pronounced vee-aw-lah)…
Oktoberfest em Blumenau! Posted by polyana on Oct 26, 2010
Now before you start to think this post belongs in the German Blog, don’t go too far because you’re in the right place. Oktoberfest in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, is an annual event that was originally created in the 1980’s to generate funds for the city after a severe flood took over most of the city…
Lyrics Practice – Tulipa Ruiz – The Newer Voices in MPB Posted by polyana on Sep 13, 2010
Next month, a huge music festival is coming to São Paulo… on a gigantic farm in the small city of Itú. It’s called the “Starts With You” festival and here in SP City, it’s all anyone has been talking about (and of course that means I have to go). The festival is bringing in big…
Piadas – Brazilians Make Fun of Everything Posted by polyana on Aug 2, 2010
A friend of a friend of mine just moved to Brazil from the US this past weekend and he’s been crashing lá em casa, and yesterday while strolling in the park with him and a friend of mine, we kept talking about how Brazilians love making fun of just about everything. We cited the most…