Língua Português

Agora vou tentar escrever um blog em Português sobre como foi para mim para aprender a língua. (Desculpe se eu escrever errado, ainda estou aprendendo)

Since I have been here for 6 months I am going to attempt to write about how it has been to learn Portuguese, don't worry though I will write both Portuguese and English.

Lingua Português tinha sido uma experiência. Já tinha aprendido italiano e espanhol tava mais fácil para mim para aprender. Mas a gramática acho que é mais complicado e tinha estado difícil para entender. Tipo quando usar do, em vez de, de. Uma outra coisinha é escreve, porque sempre estou ouvindo e estou falando mas não estou praticando como escrever (por isso eu estou tentando escrever meu blog em Português). Com certeza me ajuda muito que aqui no Brasil pessoas não falam inglês ou eles têm vergonha de falar. Também meus amigos que falam inglês perfeitamente falam comigo em Português. Por isso eu aprendei mais rápido do que aprendei italiano na Italia. Também agora eu posso dizer que entendo quase tudo, e falo bastante coisas. Com certeza estou ainda aprendendo, mas essa é minha experiência até agora. Também depois este blog vou escrever em Português e Inglês.

The Portuguese language has been quite an experience for me. Since I have already learned Italian and Spanish it has been easier for me to learn Portuguese. But I still have had a challenge in learning the language. One thing that has been quite hard with learning the language has been the grammar. Another thing that has been difficult has been writing, as I do a lot of listening and talking but do not get to practice writing so much. One thing that has definitely helped me to learn the language is that here people either do not speak English or that they are shy at practicing. Even my friends who are fluent in English speak with me only in Portuguese. Which is much different then when I was in Italy, as I spoke more English at the beginning of my exchange there. Of course though now I am still learning the language, but I will continue to try and learn as much as possible before I go back to the states. Also I am going to attempt from now on to write my blog in both languages.

Thats all I have now.

Until Next Time         

Diferenças de Culturas

Here is a list of some culture differences I have encountered here in Brasil (These are generalization and do not always apply for every city, nor every person) :

1. Houses tend to be smaller and simpler

2. If you aren't watching futebol chances are you are watching Novelas

3. Halls is consumed here like gum or candy

4. Brasil is huge and has a lot of different landscape (not just Rio, São Paulo, and then the Amazon), You can find farm land in central Brasil, to rolling mountains along the coast, and of course the Amazon is there too. One thing though is it is quite expensive to travel around the country.

5. Local buses stop all over the place, they could stop off on the highway near an exit, on the outskirts of a city

6. It is hard to find food from other parts of the world, in markets it is normally grown in the area or surrounding countries, and for restaurants (besides cities like Rio and São Paulo) the many options besides Braslian food is Japanese, Subway/Mac-donanlds, and Italian

7. Food is much less proceed, and frozen food is not as common, it is normally fresh.

8. Highways and roads are not as maintained

9. Water is not free in restaurants, nor is free refills common to find

10. Deodorant here is only spray or roll on.

11. Bureaucracy is common to find when it comes to dealing with the basically anything, from buying a house to even change cars.

12. Milk comes in a cartons that are not yet cold, and do not have to be placed in the refrigerate until it is open.

13. The set up of college is quite different. 1st the amount of time you attend college depends on your major, could be 4 years or 5. There are both public  and private colleges, but for public if you past a test (that everyone studies for, for basically their whole lives) then you can go to college for free. Once in college you start course classes right away. There is not all the options we get, nor do you have to take like the basic freshman classes. With that you stay with the same classmates through your whole time in college, aka your sala. There are kind of some aspects also of that of a sorority/fraternity, each course has their own songs/chants, also you get a sort of big that helps you during your school years.

14. License plates have not only the state which the car is from, but also the city

15. Students luck out a lot by receiving half price on a lot of activities, such as futebol games, concerts, bus cards, and many more.

16. Cars a much smaller here, normally you do not see big, pick up trucks or SUVs, though they can be found occasionally.

17. Clothes and electronics are crazy expensive.

6 Meses no Brasil

To begin the beginning of January we headed to São Carlos. This time we went as my friend had to go and take a test for entrance into university. So while she was taking her test I met up with a friend of ours and went around the city with them. On the first day there we went to a fazenda, which is an old plantation that exist in the area. It was quite neat to see, even got to see old slave courters that existed. We went on a horse back ride also through the area. After finished it was time to pick my friend up so we went and got her and then went to Churrasco that another friend was having. The following day unfortunately our plan to go to the ecological park did not work out so instead we went to the federal university, UFSCAR, and went swimming. The last day in São Carlos we woke up and went back to the ecological park, as this time it was open. It was basically a zoo that they had, but only of animals in Brasil with a few animals in other parts of Latin America. For the afternoon we walked around centro. Then that night we went to a futebol game of Palmerias for the Copa São Paulo. On Wednesday when we got back to Matão some friends came over and we planned our trip out to Rio de Janeiro. On Friday we woke up and headed to Bebadouro, which is where we spent New Years Eve. We went back to spend a few days again with my friend's godmother. We spent the weekend there just relaxing, swimming, and also some time at her godmothers hair salon, which is just right next to the house. 

The following Tuesday we returned back to Matão. On Wednesday we went to a dinner at a family friends. It was really fun and the host was really interested in learning about the states. On Thursday we went to my friend's best friend and had dinner and also had a sleepover for the night. Saturday we went to friend's aunts and spent time withe them. On Sunday I went to Ribeirão Preto, which is basically the larger city of the area. I went and met up with some Americans that my mom knew who were visiting the area for work. We spent the evening just going around the city and went to eat and after spent time in the mall shopping. After a while with them it was time for me to go and catch my bus back to Matão so I could get my bus for Rio de Janeiro. 

For the week of 21 - 24 I spent my time in Rio de Janeiro, which I wrote all about on my previous blog.  It is truly the city of Wonder. And if you ever get a chance to go, take it. The city, even though everyone thinks of it being dangerous it is quite tranquil, just have to watch out where you go, but the South is really a great place to visit. 

Once we got back from Rio on Sunday we went and swim at a friends. This past week has been quite laid back. This Saturday we went to my friend's aunt to help set up for a birthday party for her cousin. Then we spent the evening at her aunt's house for the birthday party. On Sunday we had a churrasco at our house and then a friend of my friend came over and we hung out with her. 

For the next few weeks here in São Paulo nothing much is planned, but I know on the 15th I will head to Maringa to visit an exchange student that lived at my house last year. Also I might be going to visit the Foz do Iguaçu. 

Until Next Time