Posts from August 2008

Brazilian Profile: César Cielo Filho

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Aug 17 2008

Only 21 years old, swimmer César Cielo Filho made Olympic and Brazilian history this weekend at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He won the bronze in the 100m free, and won the gold in the 50m free, also breaking a world record at 21.30 seconds. 
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Born in Santa Bárbara d’Oeste, São Paulo, César is now a junior at Auburn University in Alabama, where he trains and studies International Business. He was the 2007 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, and is a six-time NCAA Champion. He’s also a twelve-time all American. Just prior to the Olympics, he won three golds and a silver at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

After he won the gold this weekend, he wept copiously following the race and during the medals ceremony. His parents, sister and friends congratulated him after, each of them dressed in a tee-shirt with a letter on it, spelling out C-E-S-Ã-O. Cesar also received a call on his cell phone from President Lula congratulating him on his win, since it was the first Brazilian gold medal of the 2008 games and the first Olympic swimming gold for Brazil.

New Brazilian Film: Era uma vez

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Aug 15 2008

Called “Once Upon a Time,” this new film opened on July 25th in Brazil, and may be released abroad later on by Sony. It is a Romeo and Juliet story about a poor man who falls in love with a rich girl in Rio de Janeiro. It’s directed by the same director of “Dois Filhos do Francisco,” a movie that was enormously popular in Brazil.

Click here to see the official website, and watch the trailer below.

Wal-mart to Expand Brazilian Operation

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Aug 14 2008

The North American Wal-mart corporation first set up shop in Brazil in 1995, and since has established 318 stores throughout the country. It currently employs 70,000 people, and with its new plan, will employ 9,000 more. 

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Wal-mart Americas CEO Craig Herket met with President Lula this week in Brasilia, where they discussed Wal-mart’s plan to invest around US$1 billion in 80 to 90 new stores throughout Brazil. Wal-mart also recently acquired several Brazilian megastores, including Bompreco and Big.

Since 2004, Wal-mart has invested $1.2 billion reais in Brazil, building 36 stores in that period of time. Wal-mart considers Brazil a strategic location due to its large population, booming economy, political stability, and growing middle class.

Brazilian Fruit Series: Part I

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Aug 13 2008

 In this new series, we’re going to discuss different types of fruit that are native to Brazil. 
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The cupuaçu fruit is native to the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, and is a cousin of the cacau plant. Indigenous peoples of the Amazon have eaten the fruit for generations, and its juice has been used to induce labor and to help abdominal pain.

The large, brown fruit grows from dark red flowers on the branches of the tree, and when ripe, develops a hard, brown shell with a soft, gooey interior. The fruit can grow up to 25 centimeters long

It is used to make juices, smoothies, ice cream, mousse, jelly, and filling for chocolates. The bombom de cupuaçu is a popular chocolate treat sold throughout Brazil 

The cupuaçu was at the heart of the biopiracy debate in 2004 when the Brazilian government and Brazilian non-profit organizations forbid the Japanese company Asahi from owning the patent for the name “cupuaçu” in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

How to say hello in Portuguese

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Aug 12 2008

Since it’s been a while since we’ve gone way back to basics, today we’re going to look at how to greet someone in Brazilian Portuguese.

1. Olá! [oh-LAH]

This means “hello!” It’s the more formal way to say hello.

2. Oi! [oy]

This means “hi.” It’s the slightly less formal way to say hello.

3. Tudo bom? / Tudo bem? [too-doo boh-mm? / too-doo baym?]

These expressions literally mean “Is it all good?” But in English, they mean mean “how’s it going?” Also, these expressions are interchangeable.

4. Como vai você? [coh-moh vai voh-say]

This expression literally means “how do you go?” But in context, it means, “how’s it going?” or “how goes it?”

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