“Sem eira nem beira” - the disdain
Hello Amy, ѿý LE team and beloved readers,
Heinrich Stamm from Pomerode, SC, Brazil had suggested me to talk about Portuguese architecture and I’ve looked through my files and the pictures I have, are some taken in Tiradentes.
In Tiradentes, in the Minas Gerais state, I’ve learned why we say this expression in Portuguese: “sem eira nem beira” referring to a person who has very little or no money. This picture show the roof with “eira” and “beira”. In the past, the locals used to build their houses showing their social position. If they had no money, their roof would be without “eira” and without “beira”. If they had little money, the roof would be with “eira” and if they were rich, the roof would have “eira” and “beira”. For this reason, if someone says “I don’t want my daughter to marry him, he is “sem eira nem beira”, he is saying that the guy has no money to marry his daughter.
Heinrich, I have nothing in pictures about “alpendres” or any Brazilian colonial architecture apart from Tiradentes and Ouro Preto
However, speaking of Brazilian architecture without mentioning Oscar Niemeyer, the famous architect of Brasília (capital of Brazil), is a sacrilege.
I went to Brasília in March for doing my English test, the OET (Occupational English Test), a first step of a migration process for skilled health workers.
After sending my application as soon as they had started receiving it, and after many not-replied e-mails asking for information, at last I received the e-mail and the postage advising me about the same date published in the website, 24th March.
I cannot forget the 23th of March flying nearly a whole day among airports flying to Brasília ...for nothing because when I arrived at the Australian embassy, they advised me that the test had been one day before. The date had been rescheduled to 23th due to circunstances beyond their control, according to their apologies.
This fact turned my trip to Brasília a bit sad so that I decided to cheer me up visiting the places in Brasília with my son and my sister.
I had already spent money on the trip, hotel and the flight (not forgetting also the time spent in studies and to be out of the work) so, the best thing to do would had been a sightseeing along the city.
In Brasília there is a huge zoo and I thought it would had been a great entertainment for us, animal lovers, going there.
Everybody was happy there but I don’t know weather or not it was my own sadness due to the OET, while I was seeing the animals, gradually I realised that the animals were not happy at all.. It could have been my imagination but when I tried to take a picture of a monkey, he simply turned himself to the opposite side. It was a surprise for me.
I tried to persuade him: “Hey, let me take a picture of you please, I came from so far just to see you...please...let me see you” and he just looked over his shoulders with such "disdain" that I felt like an idiot and I imagined the monkey like a celebrity thinking “another idiot to take a picture of me, I’m fed of this!”. Later looking at his eyes in the pictures, I noticed it was more like a sadness than disdain and I realised that a zoo is not really a good place for animals. They really need to be in their invironment.
You might be thinking, and the OET? Well, after reporting what happened in Brasília to the OET in Australia (not the episode with the monkey, I mean the rescheduled date), they apologised me and told me I could do my test in June in a closest major city suitable for me. I chose Rio de Janeiro, not for the Pan-american games but because it is closer to here than São Paulo.
Again after many not-replied e-mails , I got the information 4 days before the test that wouldn’t be in Rio de Janeiro anymore but in Brasília again.
Again I had to fight against the time (and against the air traffic crisis) to find tickets, arrange the hotel and of course, ask for day off at work. And over again that saga of me among the airports...
Fortunately, I was the first candidate arriving there, except for the chief at the embassy saying that my test went to Amsterdan (don’t ask me why!?). I asked why they couldn’t get a copy of the candidates’ tests as they were the same test? And so, she agreed to do that, but asked for all my documents (the same I had already sent). Have you any idea of how the anxiety was growing inside me at that moment?
At last I felt relieved when they decided I could sit for the test, except for the examiner not alowing me to sit near the audio for the listening test as I wanted. After everybody had chosen their seats, I claimed for a empty seat over there and he agreed. But I confess, all I wanted was to have my pillow for crying all my tears. The anxiety was at the highest level at that moment. I did a horrible test. I was confused even to write my own name... and my arms? They were paralysed so that I couldn’t write almost anything I was listening.
So I left the embassy, took the taxi to the hotel. I definitely refused having lunch. When I saw the Bible at the room, after all the happenings among embassy, zoo and airports, I said a little prayer for one passenger I met at the airport and for a waiter at the hotel. At least they were so gentle with me. Then, I decided to cry all the afternoon until going to the airport over again.
Finally I was happilly coming back. Except ... the air traffic controllers decided beginning a strike just the moment I would have taken my plane. The attendant had mistakenly dispatched my bag (with my money and my clothes for cold).
As the night was coming with the cold, I claimed for my bag but she refused what made me cry again among numerous desperate people. It was worthless because I had to face the cold and the hunger for a long period until a guy who was there, offered me a biscuit. My education let me take only two ( my desire was to take all them) biscuits so thin that I regretted for refusing the lunch.
Inside the plane, only that normal anxiety when the pilot says: “in case the plane falls, the seat is able to float over the water...”. I just looked over the window to the sea below and my wish was to be deaf. When my feet reached the ground, what a relief! "I am back to the place I should never have left".
Good bye friends...until next post! Kisses!
Adriana
Comments
Dear Adriana, What a nightmare you had in Brasilia. Who organised these examinations ? They seem to be not too serious. Are you going to try new tests if they are still organised ? I do not know how to say it in English but it is something more or less like that “I support you”. Read you soon. Antonio
Hi Adri! What a thriller story about your test! Oh Gee! I´m totally sympathetic about your terrible experience Adri. I have butterflies in my stomach just to think about the day of my FCE test. Phew! Girl those people who set the OET test are very confusing. Anyway, are you going to try the OET test again Adri? If so, I wish you good luck, and relax, you have a good gasp of English, there´s no reason to worry about :-). See you tomorrow, Ana Paula.
Hi Adri! I can understant what pain you might have gone through while in Brasilia. Have you noticed how long that day becomes when such unexpected things happen? After rushing to get the things done in time and spending so much money, if you can't get what you all did for it hurts. But I can say that you are brave because, after such a happening you still decided to make the most of your day and went to the zoo, took photographs, and you are now sharing them with us too. Every cloud has a silver lining! Naheed:>
Hello, Adriana! :) I'm Rafique from Pakistan and a newbie to LE blog. I've been reading your blog for a few days and my urge to become a part of this blogging community has finally persuaded me to comment here. I hope like many of you, I'd also be able to learn from this experience. I really felt sorry after reading your OET plight. Education doesn't come easy for many and I'll include myself among those who've tried hard to study. Having seen the pics, I must say you're a good photographer (if you've made those). Though I still wonder how on earth you were able to take that photograph which is flipped upside down. ;) Lol, just kidding. Now coming to English learning, I've noticed you used "would had been" a couple of times where, in my view, you should simply used "would be". Your English is very good though and I'm looking forward to learn from you and fellow bloggers and the teachers, of course. Bye for now! :)
Hello Adriana! It's interesting to know what the expresion 'sem eira nem beira' means figuratively. I'm sorry to hear about the bad luck 23th of March, the procedures and the way you go to OET test. But Adriana I'd say I laught to tears for the rest of the blog after you did the test. You sound humorous. Finally, I completely agree with you the animals look quite sullen. The zoo is not their natural habitat. Many thanks, Best wishes,Myen.
Hi, Adriana! Your blog is so depressing today. It seems like a description of the most unhappy day in your entire life. Was it so? Fortunately, the photos are great! Everything in them is so clean and tidy. I wonder, what is the white hemisphere on the 7th picture? Bye!
Hi,Adriana When I was reading your story about the exam trips I was mad about the oranisation's neglect and arrogance.You can imagine me shaking my fists in the air and stamping my foot angrily.I also felf how much you felt let down and crestfallen. I am really sorry that bad exprience. You had a good time with your son and your sister at the zoo so that would be a little compensation for losing your money, wasting your time and your emotional rollercoaster.I think the organisation of OET is totally utterly useless. By the way I love to say thank you to take my humble advice seriously and the wonderful reply.My son's football skill is much improve and he has scored many times.I think you and me are so lucky to have a wonderful son like them.Let's pray for them being happy all the time. have a fantastic day!
Wow! Those architects are amazing! We don't really have much of those creative buildings here in Hong Kong, so thanks for sharing. Would you mind to tell us about some more famous dishes in your country? I heard that they are very famous!Can't wait to see your next post. ^^
Hi Adri!I understand your feelings in the OET very well. I suffered a similar situation some time ago. I'll tell you. It was my last exam at the university. If I passed it with flying mark, I would finish my days at the university. So, the exam was at 8:30 in the morning, and I had to take a train at 6:30 that would have allowed me arrive at 8:00 o'clock. Enough time! At 6:15 I was in the train station. The ticket officer told me that the train might be delayed until it would be repaired, because there was a faulty. Oh my god! I wouldn't arrive on time. Quickly, I went to find another means of transport. But there, out of the train station, there were a group of workers fixing the train. And I shouted: "Are you going to fix the train on time!" and one of them said: "Yes, we are. In...ten minutes". But I didn't believe him. I was so nervous that I couldn't wait any minute.(Finally the train left on time but I wasn't there) so I went to another station -twenty minutes by car- to take another train that left me at 8:35 in the university. I was very very nervous, so when I came in I explained my situation and the teacher said. "All right, there's no problem. Make your exam". And I replied: "Well, but I need going to the toilet first". He didn't like the idea but I went to the toilet and then I made my exam. Oh! My mark in the exam was outstanding. Best regards
good writing , unfortunatly , you don't pass the exam , but you spent god time in brazil
Hi Adriana! I can´t resist. You wrote to Juliette in March about your way how you would have been a journalist. You become one, searching and making an interwiew with the priest. And, you wrote those comments then being under such strenuous conditions you´ve described in todays blog! I am asking all around in new and new astonishment about you, what, where, your strenght come from? A faithful reader, wish much of luck for you!
Hi Adriana! What a tragedy happend with you! I imagine that how the anxiety was growing inside you at that moment! But this is the mane of life. Have you any planning for giving exam next time? If you have! I wish you good luck. What a wounderful building behind you in a photo! What's name of that building, I am interested in buildings because I am a Civil Engineer. I agree with you thet zoo is not really a good place for animals. They really need to be in their invironment. Imagine, man is there insted of animal.
Dear Adri, I can’t think what to write to you when I read your whole blog. Initially when you described about Portuguese architect, I thought that I got an opportunity read something about Portuguese architect with some lovely photos. The terrible moments you suffered to attain OET test caused me a pain in heart. Most of the people who want to make better future in other countries are suffering different types of trouble either in the time of examination or in the time of visa processing. If you are in trouble, whole surrounding seems to be unpleasant to you. It is your courage that you changed your mind to gain some entertainment by visiting Zoo and made your visit some meaningful. It is sure that if someone tries in proper way, success is not far away.
Hi Adri. First of all, I’m very sorry about all you had to pass in order to attend that exam. Secondly, I want to apologize because I haven’t written before although I would like to do that since I heard you would be the blogger. I discovered that blog few months ago but I haven’t had time to follow it properly. I always want to read everything before I made a comment. And I finally did today. I noticed you are very curious about your public (or your admirers like me) as you should be. Then, I will also write something about me and you will see that we have a lot of things in common. That is my first experience as a commenter and I am pretty insecure but I really want to say something to you. Anyway, everyone has their first time. Your blog has been a delight for me as it makes me feel the warmth (literally and figuratively) from Brazil. As while I ‘m learning a lot about the state where I was born. Indeed, I ‘m also Capixaba but only by birth because I moved to Rio immediately after that, where I lived until I moved to Holland seven years ago. My father went to Colatina, my birthplace, to be one of the first pediatrics there. My mother was from Alegre and my father from a town on the border of Espirito Santos- Bom Jesus do Itabapoana. Nevertheless, I feel more as a Carioca. I’m now a stay-home mother but I was a gynecologist and I’ve worked here as a nurse. That can be difficult to understand but it is even harder to explain, believe me. I have a six-year old boy called Tiago. Your Iago is seven years old, isn’t he? I don’t like football but my husband is a big supporter of Fluminense which he turned into while living in Rio. He is really a ‘rice powder’ like all dutch. To finish for today, my life has been also a soap opera drama like any other Brazilian. It has been very interesting to read your stories and to be possible to see the situation from another point of view; as I know a little bit now how life is in a developed country. I hope we can talk more about that.
Hi Adriana. It's me from Brazil Congratulations and bye
Hi Adriana, I am the son fron Dina from Brazil, stay put with God & happinesses embraces,Bye.
Hi Adriana , I love the recipe from pie, taste her any day, kisses bye.
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