ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

THE CREATION AND THE VERY FIRST BLOG

“At the beginning she created the title and the subject. And the subject was formless and empty. And her thoughts were hovering over the papers. And she said:
_Let there be words!
And there were words. And she separated photos from words. And she called words, breainstorming. And the photo, banner. There was a banner and a reading on the 1st day.
On the second day she said:
_Let the words separate and form a space. The introduction above and the conclusion below. And let that space be called text.
There was the beginning and the end on the second day.
On the third day she said:
_Let the words be gathered into one place and let the group of words appear.
She called the group of words, phrases and the gathered words, paragraphs.
_Let the phrases bring adjectives and bring nouns.
And it was so. The phrases brought expressions. And she saw that it was good.
On the fourth day she wrote down the details and she put down the discourse markers to devide the sentences from other sentences and to link the ideas across the paragraphs. And she saw that it was good.
So on the 5th and 6th day she said:
_Let the Net brings living creatures of all forms and shapes to bring life to this World.
And she was pleased and said:
_Let us make a woman (this is her creation after all!) as our own image, as our own likeness.
And so, from the bits of the bytes, she formed a cyber-woman and breathed into her nostrils the breath of life. The woman became a living soul.
On the 7th day she rested and said a little prayer for everybody in her World.”
(Bibliography: The Bible)

And she said, her very soul in her words:

Hi Amy! Hi ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team! Hi readers! All in all…Hi friends!

My greetings to you from Brazil and welcome to my World!

Firstly, thanks to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team for anticipating my arrival, especially Paul (I’m glad you are back :-), and for choosing a sweet teacher for me. There are no words to express my feeling.

Secondly, let me introduce myself to you all.
This is me, Adriana, a fairly typical woman about Brazil, after a haircut especially for this banner. Actually I intended to cut just a little bit but the hairdresser was out of hand.
Perhaps you’ve already had the opportunity to read my comments. This website is one of my favourites.

Thirdly, thanks for waiting! I have really a heart-felt-sympathy to the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and to all the community members.

Fourthly, I will try (hard) not to talk too much about myself. Well, I mean I’ll keep my soppy love stories a secret :-x, if you don’t mind. But I’m afraid it’s impossible for me not to talk about my son, my friends, my work, the city I’ve been living most part of my life, the women’s football and my team, the places I like visiting, sports, films, books, my view of the World, my opinions…Oops! It appears that I’ll talk too much about myself! Sorry! I’m aware bloggers are known as selfish and self-centred people.
As a member of the *MSB for quite a while, I must admit that there are many good things to learn on blogs. In my heart of hearts, I think blogs are democratic spaces full of freedom of expression. This is my opinion, of course. So you have the right to disagree whenever you want and I’ll probably respect that. Shouldn’t it be the first principle of running a blog?
By the way, I’m accepting suggestion for the coming blogs.

That’s about it for now! See you tomorrow!
Adriana

** “ How wonderful life is, now you (all) are in (my) the World.”

*Please don’t misunderstand me. I’ve said MSB(Movimento dos Sem-Blog or Blogless Movement) and not MST( Movimento dos Sem-Terra or Landless Movement).
** A piece of the song from the film “Moulin Rouge”. Strangely, it’s the one playing in the background here.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:
1-To eat too much
2-Very happy
3-To be good in dealing with a difficult situation like a disease or in your case the temperature.

A quick note to Amy and friends:

Sorry for appearing too late. I had some problems.
I promisse I'll post every night and answer questions on weekends.
Byyyyyyyye
Adri

In the Town Where I Was Born

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and everyone,

I am thinking of inviting you all to come and make a tour in my city.

I’d love having you all at home. My house is being built but I should advise you that the person responsable for that has disappeared taking away all my money.


Sadly, you’ll have to wait. Meanwhile, what do you think of making a virtual tour? ;-)


I’ll let the cat out of the bag. I’m planning to talk about my town tomorrow. I know that what the foreigners know about Brazil is mostly from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Even in brazilian media it’s rare a mention to our town and it doesn’t really seem to bother us. When people from other states come to here, they usually say we are a close-mouthed and stone-faced people that speak singing. I don’t like stereotypes. I must admit we are naturally reserved , though. It’s hard to make an ‘Ola!’ at the stadium for example or even a “boo” (thankfully). But we are extremelly friendly when we trust someone. I don’t think I am a close-mouthed person at all. Stereotypes are only stereotypes! Just take a look at the simple art we use to express ourselves and feel the way we are. From the elite to the poorer áreas, we do like colours and paintings.








Before introducing you to the main topics of my state tomorrow, I need to know if you have already heard something about Espírito Santo (don’t lie ‘cause this is sin). Perhaps I’d better give you some nasty *MCQs in order to test your knowledge:

1- Beyond trade market, port and fishing activities, one of the most important activity here is:
a) sleeping b) dreaming c) dieting d) meditation e) tourism


2-The traditional foods of **capixabas are” torta _____ “and “moqueca _____”:
a)capixaba-capixaba b)mineira-mineira c)gaúcha-gaúcha d)baiana-baiana e)carioca-carioca

3-Vila Velha is considered the historical capital of Espírito Santo- ES (actually the capital is Vitória) where the _______ arrived firstly in ES.
a)astronauts b)cannibals c)postmen d)portuguese e)none of the answers

4- There are 11 ports in ES. The oldest and 2nd worst of Brazil ( not privatized)in Vitória downtown. And the 2nd Best of Brazil (privatized): Tubarão Porto or Shark Port controlled by CVRD -Companhia Vale do Rio Doce or Sweet River Valley Company. The most important river in ES is Rio Doce which in english means:
a)Salty River b)Sweet River c) Bitter River d)Sour River e)Spicy River

5- The wealth of ES comes from oil, iron, coffee, cellulose, salt, black papper, steel, coal, textile industry and wood :-(. Recently a group of chinese businessmen signed a trade agreement with our representatives related to steel business. Hence, the logistics of planning its strategies is involved and is important here. Therefore, the maintainance of the roads and freeways is a regular service, the airport is being rebuilt and beyond the railway linking Vitória to Minas Gerais , another ____ and a new ____ are to be built.
a)railway- port
b)library-restaurant
c)school-university
d)movie-theater
e)shopping-supermarket


6-The Vitória-Minas Railway Museum has na interesting collection of photos, audiovisual resources, a maquette of the places where the train runs and na old steam-train. Chocolate Garoto Factory is another great place to visit. It’s advisable going there after lunch ‘cause they usually give ____ to the visitors.
a)flowers b)work c)money d)the bill e)chocolate


Amy, there is a city not far from here named Aracruz, where the indigenous live. There is a place there that they have built 3 parks each one is a tribute to India, african countries and Japan. The indian park recalls the Taj Mahal and has some effigies including Shiva. I'll post the photo some day.

I remember when I was pregnant and I went to see the fireworks on the beach at night and suddenly there was a storm just to let my hair and clothes completely wet. Here when you are pregnat everybody want to give an advise. So one of the women was trying to convince me to protect myself from the rain or the baby would be born having a flu :-I

I love working but is there anybody who doesn't like holidays? It seems another is just around the corner (next 7th September). I'll talk about it.
It's wonderful you are doing Yoga. You will feel the benefices soon. You seem to be fit and well by the pictures. I'm sure everything will be ok with you and the baby at the end of the year. I'll pray for you.

Well, Amy and friends. It’s bedtime for me now. From sunday to Monday I couldn’t sleep well due to the anxiety to send my first blog. I had nightmares which woke me up several times during the night. There were the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team in my dreams: Paul, William, Kalum, Nuala, the teachers Amy, Stephen, Samantha, Jo, Alex Gosh...then people from the political and sports scenery appeared :Tony Blair (my subconscious doesnt know he isn’t the prime minister anymore I suppose)... the Prince William, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso ...it was a mess and even the Queen wanted to cut my head (like Alice in Wonderland ) because I haven’t had published my first blog yet. I was trying to explain that my blog was ready and I was just waiting for instructions to publish it on monday. Very crazy my dream! I think it’s not just the anxiety but it has also to do with my recent readings . I like to read the news. Oh! Now all I want is my warm bed.

*MCQ( Multiple Choice Questions)
**Capixabas: people from Espírito Santo

Good night moon, see you soon!

Adriana

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:
1- It's likely to be
2- Adorned
3- The victory
4- To make someone fail
5- To turn the date important for celebration
6- Statue
7- Power
8- That has historical tales
9- Had the opportunity to know
10- Funny 'cause India is the land of Yoga

In the town where I was born- part II

Hi Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and friends,

I don’t live in a yellow submarine. Instead, I’m in a state called Espírito Santo(ES) on the Brazilian coast. If you look at any map, you will see it located among Minas Gerais, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro.

The capital of ES is Vitória, a city intimately linked to Vila Velha which is the city where I have been living most part of my life. “Twin cities” is na umbrella term if you want to talk about the both cities. It’s impossible for us “Capixabas” talking about Vila Velha without mentioning Vitória and vice-versa. By the way, Capixaba is the way we are addressed here.

Actually, Vitória is an island and it is connected to Vila Velha by 6 bridges. The oldest is being reformed. It came from Germany to mark the initial progress of Vitória. The biggest bridge is called “Third Bridge”. From the top of it, you may have a breathtaking overview of the both cities. All the glitters is not gold, though. This poetic view can literally make the spirits soar.

A couple of years ago there were scandalously a high number of deaths on the Third Bridge. They were not crimes at all. I’m not sure about the laws in the UK but killing yourself isn’t an illegal action here, unless you help someone commit suicide (euthanasia?). But I think making little of life is harmful in the both cases.

Indeed Vitória and Vila Velha are a relatively (or relative?) safehaven to live comparing to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. There was a time that the quiet cities were invaded by criminals from Rio but the authorities quickly tackled the problem. Even so, the ES in itself is considered a state with a rising rate of violense because of the frequent occurences in Cariacica ( another city in ES). Hence, they are building many schools and funding social projects there. So you shouldn’t feel vulnerable here. A priori it is just that you have to be careful at times as everywhere.

Getting back to the Third Bridge, the fact is that the deaths were related to suicides. There have been nearly 2 suicides per week. The victims went to the top, stopped the car and jumped from the bridge. Almost all the cases were with men and had passion as the main cause.

It was a shame, so the press started to avoid reporting the cases or pretty much the same. Although it was worthless because Vila Velha is not that big city, then first or last we all had access to the news easily.

Just to illustrate, I remember my brother’s closest friend whose girlfriend was pregnant and he was brokendown, feeling blue (something with her family). On a beautiful sunny afternoon he met my brother at the street and said he would have a haircut. Strange and foolishly he went to the top of the bridge, jumped into the sea and died :’- ( Gee...Why on earth he had to do that?

Another guy had arguied with his girlfriend who had broken off the relationship. He told her on the cell phone He would jump. She tried to advise his family but he was very quick, childish and terriblily clever. He persuaded the taxi driver to stop on the top because he had lost his watch and while the driver was trying to help him find the supposed belonging, he had a jump on quick smart.

Then, the suicides became a kind of a joke, since a potential jumper appeared on the top still making up his mind if he would jump or not. He was delaying everybody. So, the crowd started shouting furiously making fun of him: What a hell! Just jump and let us go to the work!

All this became gradually somewhat ridiculous and out-of-fashion. And the suicides stopped happening. Therefore, I’d better turn the page.

Returning to the poetic view of the top...beyond Vitória Bay, you can see several beaches, islands, ports and especially the Penha’s Convent ( Convento da Penha for the closest friends) which is the most important sightseeing here. But I’m afraid I’ll need another blog only to talk only about it.

There are parts of the native rainforest (the remaining Atlantic Jungle), beautiful mangrove-swamps, parks...you can also take a boat trip along the coast, go surfing, waterskiing, jet skiing, windsurfing, bodyboarding, whatever watersport you want or other extreme sports like hand-glinding, paraglinding or simply swimming, jogging, cycling, playing football( humm...there’s nothing better to do) or volley on the sand of the beach, or rockclimbing, fishing. Oh...I couldn’t forget the oceanic fishing of the marlim (famous for 2 records). Above all, you can really do a lot of sports here. However, if you are not a day-boy or girl, you can go dancing at the nightclubs, go to the bars (similar to pubs), shoppings, movies and few theaters. Certainly you’ll make a lot of friends and you’ll have a lot of things to do for entertainment. Well friends, for the time being, I think I must stop writing.

Gosh! It’s too late! That’s the end. I’ve done writing
Good night my friends (actually it's already morning :-o)
Hugs and kisses
Adriana

Amy, I have used the word “Ola” referring to a synchronized movement that the crowd here do (or make?) at the stadium. They stand up gradually like a wave.

Now let’s do the homework:

1- The title. Is it ok on the today’s blog?

The errors are: capixaba, brazilian, Ola, Best, chinese and almost all the words of the title. Or not? I'm looking forward to know.

Amy, when I began studying english the teachers and my father agreed in passing me forward. They thought I would be in a proper level and I havent had any problem by the time but now I see I have missed something. I have difficult in basic things like phonetics or even to see the time on the watch. And at times I have doubts in punctuation...so I try to follow the rules in portuguese which might be quite different. For example, in portuguese we use capital letters when we want to enphasize a word or stick it out as in titles (except for articles, prepositions, conjunctions and adverbs). Thank you very much for your explanation.

2- Phrases with make and do from today’s blog:

-Certainly you’ll make a lot of friends
-Then, the suicides became a kind of a joke, since a potential jumper appeared on the top still making up his mind if he would jump or not.
-So, the crowd started shouting furiously making fun of him
-But I think making little of life is harmful in the both cases.
-This poetic view can literally make the spirits soar.
-Above all, you can really do a lot of sports here
-Now I’m going to do my homework
-There’s nothing better to do
-You’ll have a lot of things to do for entertainment
-Well, that’s the end. I’ve done writing

3- Close-mouthed person: I have already seen this word writen in some place. A close-mouthed person is the one not disposed to talk.
Speak singing: I mean we use vocal intonation in a way that sounds like as we are singing while speaking.

4- Vocabulary:
-Enjoyable time
-Only do what she or he wants
-The position you are when typing
-Rubish
-To show my thoughts
-The use
-Isn't too difficult

A quick note to the readers. I've read all the comments. I loved them and I promisse I'll answer all as soon as possible. You are really nice and very gentle. Keep on writing 'cause this opportunity is unique for me to communicate with you and know about you all. Byyyyyyyyyyye

7th September- Independence or death!

Hi friends, welcome to the blog.


Today,7th September, is holiday in Brazil. It’s the date when Brazil became independent of Portugal in 1822.

Apart from the unproven theory that the Phoenicians (incidentally coming from Africa to the Brazilian coast) have had been here firstly, all we learn since our childhood is that Brazil was discovered by Portugal and was its colony until 1815 when Dom João gave the honour for Brazil to become a united kindom to Portugal with the support of England which has had been allowed by Portugal to arrive in Brazil for trading and for this reason was protecting the portuguese from french attack.

Meanwhile the situation was black for him (D. João) in Portugal. They didn’t like the news and he was under pressure. He left Brazil and let his son D. Pedro I in his place. In Portugal they wanted D. Pedro I to return to Portugal and to make Brazil colony again. There was a pressure here too. The brazilians would have had wanted to separate from Portugal if it have happened. So Dom Pedro I decided to stay here and Brazil was declared independent in 1822 (although the independence and freedom was not for everybody because there was still the slavery).

To be honest I think our history is very strange. Isn’t strange that the independence of Brazil has been declared by a prince from Portugal? And I feel selfish and guilty thinking why on earth Brazil has not been colony from England? Why James Cook went to the east and not west ? At least my english would be better.

Anyway, sometimes I think the history is too complicated. So I’d better inform you all( just to change the subject) that 7th September is also the date that “Chiquinho”, who, coincidentely was a free and independent little bird, was killed by a cruel eagle last year.

My heart, divided by two opposite feelings: happiness for the holiday and sadness for bringing this sad story to me, is filled with inspiration. What is helpful to write a sonnet. A sonnet not free like modern poems ‘cause Chiquinho was not allowed to be free and independent. Brazil was lucky while my poor little bird...

Sonnet in memoriam

In this early morning free from fears
Chiquinho is innocently outside having fun
From the shadows the eagle appears
And me? I am beautifully lying in the sun

There is no hero in this scenery
It seems to be a perfect crime
Just the stranger and the victim in the greenery
This picture brings that tragedy to mind

Isn’t it ironically the worst luck of the World,
Even if he had never been chained by men,
That comparing to this unfairly large bird
Unluckily he was on the bottom of the food chain?

As a tribute to the best of the best of the little birds
I had promised to myself put down his story in words

*It was what Dom Pedro I screamed at the banks of the Ipiranga River : Independence or Death!

Have a nice holiday! Take care
Adri

A little note:
I wrote this post the day before 7th September 'cause I'm going to travel. It's holiday! Arriba! Arriba!

Holiday on the beaches

Hi Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and friends,

“I’m writing this on the rocks in the middle of fishing. Oh! This is where I want to be! The sun has been so gentle and the breeze is so caring touching my skin. There is no place more romantic in the sunlight except for Guarapari city and its beaches.

Unlike most fishing lovers, I like bringing books and papers. I like studying while I am listening the sound of the waves on the sea.
Once my papers and some documents slipped by accident on the rocks so that they fell into the water in a dangerous place for swimming. The documents were important and I started screaming desperately. Can you picture this ridiculous scene? Luckily they were covered in a plastic folder and a surfer hero appeared to save my day.

Apart from this tragicomedy, I have always had a good time here. There are wonderful beaches in Guarapari. This one is called Setiba.

My friend has lent me his house in Setiba.

He and his friends all together have bought a land to build some small houses in a kind of condominium. So that you can have privacy when you want and there is an area to share with others.

You can have a barbie with them if you like, play ping-pong, snooker or “totó”. I don’t know the name of "totó" in english. It’s an interesting game using little puppets. The rules are almost the same of the football unless you are playing with my son. He doesn’t like losing so he put all the balls at the same time and it becomes a mess.

Eating “moqueca capixaba” and drinking beer while the samba is playing loud on the beach...this is how Capixabas like spending weekends and holidays.

Over there on the sea, there is a naughty guy jet-skiing. You can pay a small amount to go with him. I’m not crazy though. As anyone here can see, he likes playing tricks on the visitors, especially the women, letting them fall into the water just to listen them screaming.

Coming to ES and not visiting Guarapari is like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope. There is also one thing and one thing only you cannot miss. It's for sure the Capixaba moqueca.

You can find out a trusty restaurant which offers the best moqueca or go fishing and bring the fish to cook one. I promisse I’ll give you the recipe of moqueca and torta capixaba. Both are scrumptious, however to make a torta capixaba is like a ritual that begins a day before and it is usually eaten on Easter holiday.

There is also a place in Guarapari you should visit: Pedreira. Last week my brother gave me a clip of his triathlon competition in Pedreira in which he had participated a couple of years ago. He appears at the end of the clip. It was a competition associated to a rave party. You can watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pw9VE9_DLY

This clip shows the wonderful place. It also shows how the rave is. I’ve had a look at the dictionary but I don’t think it’s the same rave here because as you can see at the video, people seem to be healthy and happy at the party. If there was anyone using drugs at these parties, he or she would probably miss the best of the party.
And what to say about the triathlon in itself? It's fantastic. I like watching them competing not with the others but with themselves”
This was written in Setiba.

Guess what...I’m back. I was trying to convince the family to return earlier because I wanted to share my writings with you and the photos I have taken during the small trip.






ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:

1- I should write:
I’m done writing or
I’ve finished writing or
I’ve got my blog done or
I’ve finished my today’s blog

2- Spelling test:
a) responsible- responsible- responsible- responsible- responsible- responsible- responsible- responsible- responsible-responsible;
b) extremely- extremely- extremely- extremely- extremely- extremely- extremely- extremely- extremely- extremely;
c) pepper- pepper- pepper- pepper- pepper- pepper- pepper- pepper- pepper- pepper;
d)maintenance- maintenance- maintenance- maintenance- maintenance- maintenance- maintenance- maintenance- maintenance- maintenance;
e) benefits- benefits- benefits- benefits- benefits- benefits- benefits- benefits- benefits- benefits;
f) brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming- brainstorming;
g) divide- divide- divide- divide- divide- divide- divide- divide- divide- divide;
h) coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally- coincidentally;
i) violence- violence- violence- violence- violence- violence- violence- violence- violence- violence;
j) occurrences- occurrences- occurrences- occurrences- occurrences- occurrences- occurrences- occurrences- occurrences- occurrences;
k) argued- argued- argued- argued- argued- argued- argued- argued- argued- argued;
l) terribly- terribly- terribly- terribly- terribly- terribly- terribly- terribly- terribly- terribly;
m) hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding- hang-gliding;
n) paragliding- paragliding- paragliding- paragliding- paragliding- paragliding- paragliding- paragliding- paragliding- paragliding

3- Vocabulary:
a) preference: when the choice is yours and you choose the one you like most;
b) to bug someone: making fun of someone;
c) trusty: when you believe in someone or something due to the contact you have for long time;
d) once and for all: now and forever;
e) to employ: to use (in this context);
f) to work too much like a slave;
g) must run quickly to the kitchen;
h) not helping him, not working

Amy, thank you so much. Your lessons have been a pleasure for me. Keep on bugging me. I love your explanations. I hope you don’t mind that I have made a good use of the technology to do the 2nd homework in direct contradiction to the ( using your own words) old-fashioned method . :-D
I didn’t get what is Ta-ra. Anyway, speaking in a sing-song voice,

Namaste
Adriana

As promissed, here are my answers to the reader’s comments:

-Ernesto from Chile: Ha Ha. You’ve made me burst out laughing. My unique experience as actress was at school ages ago in a play competition. My group won in 7th place. Before you start giving me congratulations, I must say there were only 7 groups;

-Naheed from Pakistan: Hello Naheed: Not more interesting than yours I suppose. When I was taking the pictures of the decorated walls, your blogs came to mind;

-Dusan from Slovakia: Thank you. I hope one day I can also hear from you as a student blogger.

-Kitty from Thailand: Hello and welcome to the blog. It’s marvellous, fantastic, wonderful (and infinite number of adjectives) hearing from you all over the World;

-Antonio from Belgium: Hi Antonio! I can’t forget you and your comments from the Ana Paula’s blogs and the teacher Alex’s joke about the fudge and cheese dessert. I love your comments. Your english is perfect, not mine!;

-Pilar from Spain: Yes Pilar, I play football in a women’s team following work but not for competition. It’s just for fun and pleasure and for exercice. I’ll post about this and take some pictures;

-Ana Paula: Hi Ana Paula, I was sure there might were problems with the comment system because I was not seeing yours. Please, keep on writing. As a senior blogger, you give me confidence and as brazilian, I feel supported by you. I wished more brazilians could appear here to stay with me this month.

-Phuong Anh from Vietnam: No problem for me, Phuong, you can be my co-blogger. You can write on the comment box and I answer to you;

-Marfil: Eeeeeeeeeeei Marfil, my trusty old blogger friend from São Paulo. I’ve loved your new website, the new Spoiler. There is a reader here,from SP too, who is movie lover as you. Ana Paula, you should see his website. All I know about movies, I’ve learned with Marfil;

-Judit from Hungary: Hi Judit, you are very nice. Thank you. Of course Amy will find lots of errors here. Even I ,rereading my posts, can find a truck of them. I’m happy you have enjoyed yourself reading my nonsenses. Keep on writing, Judit, I’d like to know more about you and your country;

-Robert from Poland: Oh Robert, I’m so sorry about your bad dreams. War is a thing that shouldn’t exist neither in dreams nor in real life. Don’t you think so?

That's all! Good night and have a nice weekend. It's not over yet!
Byyyyyyye
Adri

My last holidays

‘Olá’ Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and all the friends around the World,


My beloved readers,I feel so close to you all while blogging that it’s like I am having an intensive english course surrounded by many classmates from different backgrounds. So while Amy has a deserved rest, I’m going to write just a little bit more. When the cat is away, the mice will play. So let’s gossip ‘til Tuesday!
:-)
Please don’t worry Amy, there is no need to reply. I know you will be here on Tuesday but I just don’t want to miss out on all the opportunities to practice my writing here. I want to make hay while the sun shines.

Thanks Amy for sharing those pictures, by the way beautiful pictures, with us. I’ve noticed you’ve brought the religion issue up today. And just because you’ve told me about your holidays in Goa, I’d like to talk about my last holiday in July.

I had planned visiting Argentina and Chile, then slipping away to the South of Brazil and finally knowing São Paulo for the first time (it’s a shame I‘ve never been there) and depending on the situation of the air traffic crisis perhaps I would have gone to Pará to see the Amazon rainforest and to visit a friend there.
Firstly I was not finding tickets for Argentina and Chile ( too many people were going there in July). Then, a soft voice was telling me not to go: “Don’t go! Don’t go!”

After a short trip ‘by car’ to Domingos Martins city, at the last moment, I’ve changed my plans to take a long trip ‘by bus’ to the historical cities ( Ouro Preto, Mariana and Tiradentes) in Minas Gerais state.


Domingos Martins is a bucolic city in the hills one hour by car from here. I love this place although it’s very cold sometimes, especially at night. Every holiday I am there. I like to visit the museum there and find out incredible stories about the people from Germany who founded the city in 1847. Simple and poor people who has sold all their belongings believing in a new wonderful life here. So they spent 70 days in their travel and here they had to cope with the difficulties in a complete wild place. So they followed the banks of the Jucu river and settled down in a place with proper conditions for them ( the climate)in the hills.

We have a profound respect for the immigrants here especially because they have done a good job here. The city settled by them is a wonderful city friendly in harmony with the environment.

When I visit the museum, I feel a lot of emotion, especially when I see a small bed of a german child with her doll. There are funny things like a strange cup with a mustache-protecting device ( I’ve created this word, friends, ha ha, we have to wait for Amy to say if it’s possible). Well, I’d better show the pictures to tell the story by themselves.



I love museums. I like to know about the history of everything but to be honest, what I like most there are the forest, waterfalls, animals, walk on the stones in the middle of the river and going water rafting.





There are good hotels there. We can see from time to time, people from Canadá, USA, Australia and England. They come in group arriving in a big truck ( I don’t know the name) and stay in the camping area. They are very smart putting their tents up and making their own meal. They seem to be amazed with everything carrying their binocles and cams. It’s also common to see French but they never stay together with the others, I don’t know why.

I stayed at this quiet hotel to rest . Unfortunately at that time it was not quiet at all. There was a big party, a rave ( you can see how the rave is in the yesterday’s blog, there is a link) playing all sort of eletronic music for 24 hours. I couldn’t sleep and I’m listening the sound until today. The aim of this party was to atract young people to think about the ecology creating a good atmosphere and relationship between the environment and them. But I think the music was too loud that perhaps the all the animals might have disappeared from there after that party.

My unique option was to take the long trip ‘by bus’ to Minas Gerais. I’ve had a great time there, visiting museums and churches dotted around the cities. I’ll show some pictures. The only bad thing was the news about the accident with the airplane in São Paulo. And what if I was there?









Good night, take care, until tomorrow
Adriana

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:

1- contrast: when two things are completely different;
2- having said that: concluding or as mentioned;
3- a long weekend: a weelend with a holiday;
4- an eye-opener: something that broaden the horizons;
5- dotted around: localized in many parts around;
6- a congragation: a group of persons with the same religion;
7- to grow on someone: when someone likes gradually something;
8- to pine: to wish or miss or to want;
9- mouth watering: something that looks delicious so that the salivary glands produce saliva.

My profession in Brazil- an overview

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and everyone,



Today, we will have a blog completely free of trips and holidays or you will start thinking I have won the lottery. On the contrary, I have more bills than fees. Please, remember, I live in Brazil. All the money are on the politicians' pockets.

Well...when you know someone, first you say your name and who you are, then you say from where you are and finally you say what you do in life. I don’t know if anyone has noticed that I have been following these steps.

Therefore, today I’ll give you an overview in dentistry in Brazil, what give you an idea of what is my profession.

I’m sure my smart readers know that Brazil is located in South America. It is the 5th country in size, also in number of inhabitants (193.000.000) and there are more women than men here.

But I bet you don’t know we are 195.000 dentists, mostly women, here! :-O
IIn other words, 1 dentist for each 989 inhabitants! :-O
More dentists than USA and Canadá together! :-O
60% more than we should have for developing countries in mixed health care system( private & public) according to the WHO ( World Health Organization)!
:-O
The percentage of new dentists coming to the work market is 3 times greater than the growing rate of the population!
11% of the dentists of the World are brazilians! :-O

Wow... we are the country with the greater number of dentists of the World!!!
:-o :-O

So what are the consequences of this figure? The market became highly specialized for the benefit of the population.
And is it bad for dentists? I don’t think so. Some of the skills a dentist must have here are criativity, inovation and enterprise but it’s the same in any profession.
In my opinion, there isn’t a real competition among dentists, although zillions of them doesn’t know that, because the main oponents are themselves.
I’ll try to explain my thought.

Actually there are several competitions ( how can this be possible, Adriana? :-I )
Well, I mean that not all dentists are in the same competition, each one in each group. An orthodontist is not competing, for example, with a buco-maxilo-facial surgeon. Quite the reverse, they can work together.

Another example: a dentist who attends the middle class is not competing with one who attends the elite. Even in the same group, it’s possible to stick out depending on the schedule (out-of-hours attendance or on weekends rather than working hours)or the area of expertise (sports is a new field for example). Do you see my point?

I had better give my own example... when I had my baby and wanted to have one eye on him while working, I offered my service as a dentist in the same kindergarten where my son was being given care. This was a project that I called PDF ( Projeto do Dentinho Feliz or Happy Little Teeth Project) consisted in educational and preventive methods to prevent decays, periodontal and orthodontic problems. Maybe I can show some pictures of it some day because it’ very interesting.


Also in my clinic, the fact that there is a dental laboratory attached to it, assists me in provide a quick treatment, for example,in someone in a trip. And what if I could be gathered with other professionals and provide a spa treatment? So...there are infinite possibilities and our oponents are not definitely our colleagues but just ourselves.

What we brazilian dentists do, most part of the population doesn’t know because we work silent among 4 walls.

The president of the ABO (Associação Brasileira de Odontologia or Dentistry Brazilian Association), Norberto Lubiana, who coincidentally is from ES and was my dear teacher at the University ( I was his monitor in histology) now represents the voice for Latin America Dentistry. Recently he signed an agreement with the ADA (American Dental Association) to bring facilities to us dentists to participate in conferences abroad and for having the brazilian presence at the council’s assembly of the ADA.

We always make pressure on the politicians. Luckily,( I know perhaps people from elite will disagree with me) the president Lula has done what no other president has done for poor people in our history. Recently he announced the enlargement of the project “ Brasil Sorridente” or Smiling Brazil. As a dentist, I also can say that no other president has invested 2 million reais in courses for us.

We try to be active in the issues of the country (remember Tiradentes was a dentist!) because there is still much to be done. 20 % of the population have never gone to the dentists in remote areas and 45 % of brazilians don’t go to private dentists. So they need our attention.

For instance, a couple of years ago there was a lunatic politician who wanted to quit the fluoridation of the water supply saying that it was not necessary anymore but our association fought until the end to continue with the fluoridation because it’s fundamental for people who doesn’t have access to us. It’s the minimum we can do. I think it’s a shame for me, for example, who studied in a public university , in other words, with the money of the goverment (better to say...with the money of the population) that after my studiesI cannot pay back providing care for the part of the population who is really needing.

What do you think about this, my readers? And what is the situation in your country? I would love hearing from you, Amy and the beloved readers. I know it may be boring for you but I promisse I’ll show more relaxing pictures to you in the coming blogs.
I just want to remember that I am going to answer all your comments on weekends. Except for the reader from Linhares or he would think I'm a liar.

Off post:
Hello! It's good you are from here! Keep on writing, ok? The reader from Linhares/ES asked me about the Indian, African and Japanese square in Aracruz. It's in SESC in Praia Formosa. Can you recognize the eucalyptus from Aracruz? Keep on writing. So you have agreed with me that stereotypes are only stereotypes...

All right friends, enouth is enough.
A truck of kisses
Adriana

My profession- part II- the present not perfect yet

Hi Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and friends,

Welcome to the blog. Today, Just to practice a bit the present perfect tense that teacher Amy has raised and because the reader Henrich Stamm from Santa Catarina has mistakely said that I have come from an upper-middle-class background, I want to talk about the past, the existing gap between rich and poor in our country and how it’s difficult to finish studies here and reach the university.

I start the illustration with my friend who is an intelligent guy and an expert in IT but couldn’t afford the university. Also another friend from São Paulo, fan of Tolkien’s books, who knows everything and read nearly a book per week that is in the same situation. I could write a book with several cases.

Needless to go so far. In my own family, because Henrich has taken me back, I have the image of my father bringing me up (me and 5 siblings) while working and studying until he could enter the university. What I remember of my mother is that she left us when we were children for some reason, and before you start looking for her at the internet for me, I advise that she has appeared again recently in our lives and is ok. I also remember that she was not allowed to study so... there was a huge gap even inside my family.

My mother has never read a book while my father is a teacher of financial mathmatic and statistics at a private university and as such, he wanted me to be an engineer or architect some day.

He was investing his fees in me until one day going to my uncle’s house in Rio de Janeiro, I followed his routine as a dentist. As a result, I fell in love with the profession, what happens to a great number of women here.

My father became furious because he couldn’t afford such expensive course, even if it was in a public university because the cost of the materials were very high. I reassured him saying everything would be ok and that he wouldn’t have to spend nothing with me from that day on.

I showed my grades to the preparatory course for the university entry so that I could study there for free. And finally I was there, at the university, studying what I wanted.

It was not really easy and almost impossible for one from my background. The materials were extremely expensive and I couldn’t have a full-time job due to the schedule we had at mornings, affternoons and some nights.

So, firstly I began teaching children who had bad grades in math, portuguese and the basic english. I started with one child and after some time I was with a class of 7 at home. The problem was that I showed them how to study by themselves and soon they were walking with their own legs.

They succeeded at school. And me? I started other activity. So I started making jewelleries and selling to my classmates.

On weekends I was selling natural sandwiches with my friend on the beach, more precisely at Manguinhos beach. We made a good profit and everybody wanted our sandwich criteriously made so that my friend’s brother discovered our recipe and started his business at the same beach taking away our clients!

Meanwhile I was progressing at the university, involved in many activities including trainnings inside and outside.

One of the trainnings was at the company where I work today. It was the best trainning by the time and it was a vociferous competition. All the candidates had a politician to aid. I had no one. So I did all the tests and the last step was an interview. I had no experience in interviews so I did a stupid thing. Please, readers, don’t do what I did! This is what you should never do. I’ll tell you what is but only tomorrow ‘cause I am tired now. So today we are going to have a soap opera ending.

Being always busy with the present and thinking about the future, I hate talking about the past! I know it’s boring for you, my readers, too but blame Henrich Stamm and the teacher Amy! :-D

Until next caphter! Good night! Byyyyye...
Adri






ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:
1- has become
2- I think it's correct or I have to swallow the word 'today'
3- I changed my plans
4-My unique option would be taking the long trip...I had a grat time there.
5-I've looked at the
6-had been here
7-was declared

Thanks for the comments. I promisse I'll answer one by one on the weekend. Please keep on writing. I love hearing from you all. My fingers are itching to answer now but I need a rest. I get up very early!

The best part of me

Dear Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and beloved readers,

I’m nothing if not a typical proud mother. At times, I like to get lost crossing the timeline just to look at his picture beautifully drawn at the kindergarten 3 years ago by the age of 4. It brings sweet memories to me:

Mom: My dearly beloved son, are you sure my legs are so long like that?
Son: Sure mom! Don’t you know you’ve already grown? Adults have long legs!

The most challenging dialogue (apart from one in which he defends his theory that his toys are alive as in Toy Story film):

Son: Mom, could I fly?
Mom: Dear me! No, of course not, only birds can fly.
Son: Hummm...
After some time...
Son: Mom, you’ve said only the birds can fly...there is an airplane flying over there.
Mom: Ok, you are right. The birds and the airplanes can fly because they have wings.
Son: What about the helicopter?
Mom: Rsrsrsrs...ok, birds, airplanes and helicopters can fly!
Son: But helicopters don’t have wings.
Mom: The helicopters don’t have wings but they have blades on top that go round and make it fly.
Son: And the superman...does he have wings or blades? ( he likes provoking me)
Mom: Nooo...he doesn’t have neither wings nor blades, but he has a red coat that...
He rushed to his room shouting:
Son: I have a red coat, mom!!!
I followed him:
Mom: Honey, please listen to me. You can’t fly. You don’t have wings, you don’t have blades. God made you with 2 legs because we were made to walk on the ground and not to fly, otherwise he would have made us with wings.
Son: Poor mom...she doesn’t know we can fly! Mom, I saw the superman flying on tv and he isn’t a bird, nor airplane, neither helicopter. He is like me. I can fly!
Mom: Oh my dear...I understand what you think but take it from me. You can’t fly. You cannot believe in everything you see on tv. The superman doesn’t exist. It’s just an image to make you believe it’s true.
Son: But mom...
Mom: Ok, this went too far! You can’t fly and if you jump over the window (we live in a flat), you will fall and die. And what do you see in superman? He doesn’t even have a mask. I think you should incorporate the spiderman. At least he only jump when he has already spun the web.





The continuation of the last blog:

The dentistry boss analysed my papers and test results, praised and said I could ask any question.
Me:Any question? So, you said you are happy with my results and I want to ask you (because I don't want to believe in illusions) if there is any hope for one who doesn't have a politcian to aid (all my friends had one).
Do you have any idea of what was his reaction? Imagine a bomb blowing up. He became furious. Extremely furious.
He said: I can assure you that if someone deserves, he/she will get it. After sometime, the results were: 3 classmates and me passed. I was very happy and I am still happy because I work there until today. But I think it was a luck so...don't do that!

Good night! See you tomorrow!
Adriana

Love is in the air

Yes...love is in the air...

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and friends,


Amy, I loved your love story and your dress is simply marvellous. You are absolutely beautiful in your picture.

There is no better title for this blog than the same teacher Stephen had used when he was the teacher blogger. By the way, I loved Ana Paula’s idea of making a virtual birthday for him:

"Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday, teacher Stephen
Happy birthday to you"

Stephen, end to end, I was sure your sign were virgin due to your perfectionism as a teacher.

And so is my older sister. Coincidentally, today is her birthday. My older sister is a very caring and devotated nurse while my younger sister is a physiotherapist. I don’t know why but our family has been divided in three parts. Women are healthworkers, my older and younger brothers are in the computing area while another brother is a triathlon’s athlete. We call ‘ironman’ here but there isn’t this word in my dictionary.

My sister lives in the countryside in a city called Alegre (or Happy) in Espírito Santo state. It’s not so close to here but she is my closest relative. We are always together. I get on well with her more than with my younger sister. I hope she doesn't read this! I’ve bought a pink shirt for her (my older sister, I mean) but I cannot give it to her today, so that my gift will be a virtual gift.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=18059188

Believe or not, in this video she and her friends are in a work meeting while having feijoada, a typical Brazilian dish. I love everything from Brazil but, sorry to say that, I can’t stand feijoada although everybody here like it and assure me it is the best dish to have.


ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:

1- zillions of them don’t know...
2- all the money is on the politician...
3- most part of the population don’t know...
4-who have sold all their belongings...
5- I’ve started another activity...
6- everybody wanted our sandwiches...
7- one training was at the company...

Quick note:

Keep on writing, my friends. I promisse I'll answer all your comments on the weekend. Even if they are not appearing because your comments are mixed to zillions of spams, according to Paul. But they will appear little by little.

Sorry for yesterday night. I couldn’t blog and for this reason I got up very early today before going to work to post the blog.

I’m having a challenging month at work since I have returned from my holidays in July.
For quite awhile my assistant was having health problems, more precisely depression, since his son has been born and so I was helping her to hide this at the company. I was doing my tasks and a few of her tasks. But it was worthless. What happened is that I went to my holidays and they didn’t know that and filled her with work and she got worse. So, she had to leave us at the company yesterday. I’m devastated because we work together for a long time. We are like a family there.
Then another dentist, an excellent dentist, left us to go to another company. And finally my friend, another dentist had posture problems and had to leave us for awhile. We were in 4 in the morning at the company. Now we are in 3 until they replace both dentists.
Phew (Amy, I loved your ‘phew’!)...what a month!
So yesterday I went to have an anti-stress massage and guess what, when I arrived at home, I swear that I tried to do that but I couldn’t keep my eyes opened. I hope you forgive me, Amy, if there is any mistake here because I can’t revise my writing now. Sorry for that.

A truckloads of kisses
Adriana

My replies for you too!!!

Aiya Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and the beloved readers,

Welcome to the blog today. And what a beautiful, wonderful, marvellous, spectacular, breathtaking, colourful, tropical, sunny Saturday was this!!!!!!!!
Wow Amy! What a pair of co-bloggers we are! I had the same idea. I love your comments, my readers. I read them all here and on the Amy's blog. Keep on writing my friends 'cause I learn many things with you all. As promissed, here are zillions of answers to my beloved readers:

Michel from France: Thanks Michel. Well, the Brazilians are a mixture of Europeans, Indigenous and Africans. I don’t know weather I have more European carachteristics or Indigenous or African in my genetic but I’m very proud of all of them. I hope to read more of your nice comments and communicate with you more times.

Binh from Viet Nam: Hi Binh, if you want to write down a comment, it’s just the way you have already done. But if you want to be a student blogger, you have to participate in a competition, unless you have the luck to be invited as me. In both cases, don’t be afraid of it. I was very shy at first to participate and I even thought the students were not real haha. :-D I thought they were carachters created by the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team. Now I see it’s real and it’s really wonderful this virtual space. Especially for me because I’m learning by my own. The teachers are the best I have ever had and what to say of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team? They are really fantastic. Paul has the patience of a monk to answer your questions and help you in running a blog and a real gentleman. More over, I learn with the other students a lot of things. They have always a tip, advice and new words in their vocabulary beyond the cheerful comments. Please, stay here with us. Ok?

Ela from Poland: Thanks Ela, I’m glad you have enjoyed. Stay here, I want to know more about you and your country.

Farzan from Tehran: Hi Farzan. I’m really happy to have a friend here from Tehran in Iran, Middle East. You are right, we are in general warm people. I understand how it’s difficult to travel to a distant country and if it’s a dream for you, I promisse I’ll post more pictures from here just to make you feel as you are here. I don’t know which is your religion. I was brought up in the catholic religion but now I don’t follow any religion. I just believe in God and believe we all from any religion are the same family. So I wish God bless you too.

Paulo Henrique from Linhares, ES, Brazil: Hi Paulo Henrique. I’m looking forward to read more of your comments. Have you seen the pictures I have posted of the Japanese and Indian squares? They are planning to build a Spanish and Italian squares. Maybe in the future we will have all the planet to visit there. :-)

Yvonne from Ahaus, NRW, Germany: Hi Yvonne. Happy to know you liked our paintings and colours. I also admire the archtecture and the buildings in Germany. They are in harmony with the environment. We have a tv program here “globo ecologia” that always reffer to Germany as an example for us in the way they deal with the environment.

Silwal Kishor from Nepal: Hi Silwal. I am happy you are a fan of our football. What about the Brazilian women’s football? Have you ever heard? They are incredible! They do things that just put a smile in your face. I promisse to you I’ll write a blog about football and post some pictures of my team playing football in a match. We are not professionals though. We don’t participate in competitions but it’s a pleasure just to play for fun. I have already taken some pictures but I don’t know weather I’m not a good photographer or it’s my cam that must be replaced or maybe it’s dark because we play at night. But tomorrow we are going to play in the morning what I think is good for me to take better pictures. Just wait and see!

Pilar from Spain: Hi Pilar. Oh! What a pity! You are right in almost everything. I would have given you a chocolate if you have had answered letter a) tourism. :-)

Ammu from India: Not at all, Ammu. A good journey for both us.

Kitty from Thailand: I think I have already posted the pictures of the beaches before answering your comment. I hear many good things about your country like the beaches and the food. It’s good you like to see my pictures although I’m not a good photographer and don’t even have a good cam but even though I like to take pictures of interesting things for me . I’ll show you more, ok?

Adek from Poland: My age is out of question! Thanks Adek, you reminded me about a funny and unputdownable book written by a Brazilian math teacher that I read some time ago. In this book there is a part in which he describes in a funny way how the king Salomão had given a box with 529 pearls to Belquiss, a Sabá queen. Why exactly 529? The reason was the age of the queen. He calculated in his own way using her age number just to give a mathematic face to his gift demonstrating his politeness and intelligence. So, according to his calculation, you would have to give me 1600 chocolate bars
( what I’m going to do with 1600 pearls?) to discover which is my age. Ha ha...it’s a pity I’m in diet.

Ana Paula from Brazil: Don’t worry Ana Paula, better days are coming! Maybe if Adek discover my age (read my answer to him) I’ll share the chocolates with you. Haha

Ernesto from Chile: Hi Ernesto. Thanks for your wishes. We are waiting for you here. Maybe you see me and recognize by the picture but my hair grows very fast. :-)

Christ: I hope you do the trip and enjoy in your stay. Thanks for commenting. Where are you from?

Stefan.kocur@uvn.cz from Czech rep: Hi Stef. What a fantastic experience you have in your life. Please tell me more about it. Oh, I would love doing the same thing you did.

Antonio from Belgium: Hi Antonio. I think I don’t deal with time in the same way as you deal. Perhaps because you are European. I just like to see the things done whatever the time I spend in. I really enjoy learning English and sometimes I forget I’m spending a lot of time writing or reading. I think I have to controll better my time. What do you think? I use to write at night but I can’t avoid thinking about many things all day long while working, driving and the ideas are always folowing me. Sometimes when my boss is talking with me, for example, I am thinking who carachter from a book or film he looks like with. Sorry if you are tired of me but I think you should replace your book for my writings! :-)

Marianna from Slovakia: Hello Marianna. We are classmates for long time here. :-) I have already read a lot of your comments and can you figure out how I have been learning with you too? So, your english is not really poor. I understand clearly everything you write and I like the things you say here. You are a good friend!

Pilar from Spain: Hi Pilar. I’m planning to talk about the Convento da Penha some day. I hope you like it.

Ana Paula from Brazil: Hi Ana Paula. You are welcome here. You are right. Sometimes it’s more affordable to visit other country than to go to distant places in Brazil. Perhaps we can be each other guest some day.

Abdoulaye from USA: Hello Abdoulaye. Where are you originally from? Thank you for your advice.

Heinrich Stamm from Pomerode, Santa Catarina, Brasil: Hi Heinrich, your name is not a common Brazilian name, where are you originally from? Are you Brazilian? I hope if you are from Rio, you haven’t felt offended for the comparison I have used. If you are from Rio, we are in the same boat because we both are Brazilians and it’s a shame for both us what happens there. I have an uncle who lives there and I feel sad when I see the news on tv. It’s really surprising what you’ve said because I cannot see any shooting here. You are right concerning to the violence in the state of Espírito Santo due to the occurrences in Cariacica but Vitória and Vila Velha? I’m astonished. I’m not really a journalist. Are you one? So, I don’t know about the IBGE numbers (to be honest, I have a problem to believe in numbers...) although my father is a statistics teacher at the university here. And what if we had to believe in the numbers that the press spread here about the suicides on the Third Bridge? We live in a small city, it’s easy to know the truth. As an ordinary person and not a journalist, I cannot give precise information reffering to numbers. The only thing I can give you is my impression of what I see. I have been living here since I was born except for the time I lived in Rio to work with my uncle and I couldn’t stay there due to the violence for more than 3 months. Anyway, it’s good you are here with me and give me precise information no matter if you disagree with me or not. Your english is really good. I saw another comment you have written to Amy in which you say something about the Portuguese architecture. I’ll see if I have some pictures about this to show. Thanks and keep on giving me more ideas to write and show here for the readers.

Naheed from Pakistan: Hi Naheed, I have posted some pictures of my family but I’ll post more if you like. Yes, there are some differences between both spoken languages due to the accent but we can communicate easily with each other.

Ernesto from Chile: You are absolutely right although what the colonizers did to the Indigenous and the way they brought the Africans to here were not so peaceful at all. Tell me a bit of the Chile history, Ernesto.

Silwal Kishor from Nepal: Oh dear Silwal! Forgive me if you are confused concerning to capital letters. It’s my fault. It’s really difficult for me because in Portuguese nationalities are not written in capital letters. Thanks for reinforce Amy’s advice. I’ll try to pay more attention to this.

Beatriz from Brazil: Hi Beatriz. It’s good you like to celebrate this holiday like me. Come back again here, ok?

Ana Paula from Brazil: Hi Ana Paula, I learn lot from you too.

Monica from Brazil: Hi Mônica, thanks a lot. I learn a lot from you too. You have a great grasp of English. I hope to see you as a blogger some day to know more about Mato Grosso. Til there please write a bit about Mato Grosso for me. You are really brilliant when you write.

Kent from Hong Kong: Hi Kent, thanks for commenting. Keep it up and you’ll see the result.

Ela from Poland: I’m so sorry about your parrot too.

Mauricio from Brazil: Hi Maurício. Yes, it was really sad, particularly for his mother. Sorry for answering too late. I think most of the questions I have already answered through the blogs. Keep on writing comments to me, Maurício. I like to read them.

Abida Mujahid from Pakistan: Thanks Abida. You are welcome. You are already part of this blog. I’m looking forward to read more of your comments.

Dusan from Slovakia: Yes, it’s demanding but I’m having a lot of fun communicating to you all. It’s like a real intensive English course.

Mauricio from Brazil: Thanks a lot, Maurício. You are very nice. I feel like in family among you, Ana Paula and Mônica. I don’t know Curuca, the restaurant in Meaípe, yet. What a shame for me! I’m curious to go there.

Mike from Russia: Thanks Mike. Please write more about Russia and about you.

Ana Paula from Brazil: Hi Ana Paula. I’m planning to talk about the football very soon. Huumm I’m having an idea. :-) I think I’ll have a surprise for you all on the last blog, but between you and me, don’t spread...

Ana Paula from Brazil: Hi Ana Paula, his website was http://www.spoiler.blogger.com.br but there is a link there to the new Spoiler. You will find everything you want there about movies. Marfil is my friend since the time I was a blogger.

Ana from Poland: Hi Ana. Yes Macunaima is a carachter only seen through Mario de Andrade's eyes. I don’t have the same view though.

Heinrich Stamm from Pomerode, Santa Catarina, Brazil: Yes, it’s a good place indeed to practise your English which is already brilliant. Little by little, you’ll see through my blogs that sometimes I like to make jokes. Don’t worry, of course I love my native language. It’s easier to learn English being Brazilian than learning Portuguese being non-Brazilian.

Judit from Hungary: I have the same impression as you’ve described when I see them dancing. Yes Judit there are people that know german there. They are really nice people.

Mauricio from Brazil: Actually I’m from Vila Velha but it’s pretty much the same. The cities are so connected that even we get confused and sometimes we say we are from Vitória. Tell me more about you. I remember you’ve said you are you from SP and you are a math teacher. Am I right?

Silwal Kishor from Nepal: It was my fault. They had advised me at the hotel that they would have had a party of that proportion but I had never been to a rave party before. This hotel belongs to a couple and only the woman had agreed to host such party for the annoyance of her husband. I don’t think another party will take place there again.

Ana Paula from Brazil: Ana Paula, you would love to see his statues.

Ana Paula from Brazil: I know that. Luckly people have dentists in the public health care system at their disposal but people should have the right to choose private dentists and can afford them whenever they want.

Mauricio from Brazil: Yes Maurício, absolutely right. I took from the top of the building. When you visited the place, did you see the indigenous there? Maurício, I’ll give 50% of discount for the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE community members. Oops I’ll not make profit! Anyway we can discuss the payment here after you open your mouth and cannot say anything anymore. What do you think? :-D

Ela from Poland: Nice Ela for sending me a brief overview in dentistry in your country.

Pilar, Spain from Spain: Thanks Pilar. It’s nice only because you all are supporting me.

Ernesto from Chile: Lucky you for having natural fluor. I bet the population there don’t have many problems related to decays. Why everybody here is saying I’m an actress? Perhaps I should participate on the Big Brother. Ha Ha :-D

Marianna from Slovakia: There is no need to have the same number of medical microbiologist here. Is that what you mean?We are able to maintain high standards avoiding cross infection here. It’s in our own best interest to do that. Do you know we take care of a lot of people from Europe? I think it’s good for me to know english. Once an Italian made an appointment and I didn’t know almost nothing of Italian. Fortunatelly,my English and his English helped a lot.

Ana from Poland: How interesting to know that, Ana. The situation in Africa is really a shame for all world. Have you seen The Constant Gardener, the film? The director is a Brazilian, the same of Cidade de Deus.

Way from Malaysia: I have already said in one of the blogs. Please, read. Thanks for commenting, Way. I’m happy for your visit.

Ricky Ricardo from The Rocky Mountains: You are welcome. Could you tell me about the place from where you are?

Yvonne from Germany, NRW, Ahaus: Hi Yvonne. I hope you’ve gotten better. Well, I speak to them a lot. I’m very calm and sometimes I say funny things to make them laugh and relax. Thanks.

Pilar from Spain: Whatever you decide, I wish good luck to you. The inportant thing is to be happy. If you aren’t so happy in this profession, it’s not a problem for you to study another thing.

Manoj Pandey from Bhopal,India: No, unfortunatelly I have never been to India before but I’d love to go there. Maybe some day...who knows? Tell me more about India.

Kirsti from France: I know there is a lot of places in lack of dentists. The English language broaden my horizons. I read the news in many countries. It’s wonderful to surf trough the English language and the internet.

Marianna from Slovakia: Of course I understand everything you say. Your English is good, Marianna. I wish my son to be whatever he wants since it makes him happy.

Mauricio from Brazil: It’s in Anchieta beach. Currently It’s rare to make one. If I make it’s only for me and only as hobby. Thanks Maurício. Sometimes I think you are the Maurício who works with me. :-)

Silwal Kishor from Nepal: Thanks Silwal for your supportive words. I agree in everything you’ve said here. You are absolutely right. But don’t think I’m rich. Dentists here don’t earn the same as in developed countries. We work here for pleasure. If we want to be rich here we should be a congressman.

Ana Paula from Brazil: Thanks Ana Paula. I think you are a hardworking and intelligent woman. We Brazilians know how is difficult for us, especially women, to face this huge gap. I am already proud of you and I wish the best for you in your life.

Ana from Poland: I understand what you meant. No problem, ok!

Halima from Bangladesh: Thanks Halima. Do you believe your words made me cry? But don’t worry, we Brazilians cry easily.

Stephen Keeler from London: Stephen, what a pleasure for me having you here in my world! Thank you. Thank you so much! It’s important for me because you were the first teacher that gave me confidence to write comments and helped me a lot with your smart lessons. Much of this blog comes from you. For this reason I have a special feeling for you.

Ana from Poland: Tell me more about your son, Ana. I like to hear from you.

Pilar from Spain: Some day I’ll post his most recent drawing.

Yvonne from Germany, NRW, Ahaus: Thanks Yvonne. Yes I am having fun and learning at the same time a lot here. It’s incredible this space.

Kirsti from France: Thank you Kirsty. It’s good you liked it.

Naheed from Pakistan: I’m really lucky Naheed. He’s the best gift that God has ever given to me. He is always surrounded by his friends and has never been in a fight with other child. I’ll talk more about him and you’ll see how marvellous my boy is. I call him “my small strong son”!

Hyoshil from lincoln: Yes I had many challenging situations with him because he wanted to know everything by the age of 4. Once he wanted to know how God was at the heaven and why he could be there without falling. He wanted to know if there was a special glue to keep him there. It’s hard to be a mother at this age. Now he's 7 and a very good boy. Everybody likes him. On the weekends, when the sun brights for the first time, there is already a boy shouting for him outside and my house is always full of children with him. I’m proud of myself to have taught him how to respect everyone from different, religions, races, backgrounds and nationalities as well as their culture. I wish you good luck with him.

Mauricio from Brazil: Hi Maurício and you? Do you have children?

And finally Marfil from Brasil: Haha :-D

You have really liked this story Marfil, haven’t you? But it was not a story at all. It was real.

My friends, Marfil is my trusty old blogger friend crazy for movies from São Paulo. His website is:

http://www.spoilernews.blogspot.com

He knows everything about movies and when I had my blog we had a group of very good bloggers to discuss many interesting things and also foolish things
(I was responsible for the foolish things). :-)

So he liked especially when I wrote about my neighbour that had bought a plenty of gooses to protect his property rather than dogs and the noise they had made was terrible for me to sleep. I am a calm person and rarely something annoys me but it was not only with me but with all the neighbourhood.

So, one of the neighbours in protest had cut all the trees of our street in a goose shape with their head and beak in his house’s direction.

The intention of telling this story to my bloggers friends was to seek for advice because I couldn’t sleep but Marfil cannot forget this story, haha. :-) You should make a short film about this, Marfil, what do you think?

I think I have answered all the questions just because tomorrow I’ll play football and today is Saturday!

and Saravá
Adriana

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:

The first sentence the action is on the past. She has already gone. The second the action has occured for many times. I'm looking forward to see the answer. Thanks Amy and have a great Sunday. Phew, I did everything!

Our football

Hi Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and beloved readers,


What do you think if we talk about football today? What would you think of me if I said that I play football and have a team? No, I’m not talking about the team I support. I mean a group of women and friends that play football here.

Although it’s not a bad idea to have firstly a brief talk about the team I support here in Brazil, especially today.

Have you ever heard anything about “fluminense”. Since a child, I’ve heard the fluminense’s anthem, especially when we have a FLAxFLU match (flamengo x fluminense).

The fluminense’s history (here comes Adriana and the history again...!) is interesting.

In the past, when the English brought the football to Brazil, it was a sport only for the elite and there were no black people playing. There was a lot of racism here(today if you call one of the players black in an offensive way, you can be arrested).

According to the urban legend, in 13th May in 1914, in the first game of fluminense, there was a player called Carlos Alberto who was afraid of showing the colour of his skin due to racism. So he tried to hide it, powder ing a fine powder ( that we women use in our make up) covering the skin of his body. This fine powder here in Brazil was called “pó de arroz” or “rice powder”. During the game, he began sweating and the powder was removed from his sking showing his natural colour. So, the crowd started laughing and shouting “ha ha ha... Pó de arroz! Pó de arroz!” For this reason, today, one who supports fluminense here is called “pó de arroz”.

I’m “pó de arroz” and so is our referee:



He is our referee and coach at the same time. Sometimes he forgets he is the referee and thinks he is Dunga, the coach of the national man’s football.
Well, actually we have a lot of coaches when we are playing (for our annoyance at times).



They burst out laughing and saying that we don’t have a certain position in the team and that our games are a mess (this is not true, though, we are far better than they say! ) :-)



Our team began with a hairdresser’s idea of gathering a group of women to play football just to understand why her husband was crazy for football and was not paying attention to her. Now we have a great team mixed of poor, rich, black, white, married, single women...and so on that play at night twice a week following work on the field and on the sand of the beach.



Our team is so successful that it was showed on a sport program on tv here. We have the support of the family and the children go with us and while we play on the filed, they are playing football in a small field by our side.

The only problem is that the field is located inside a school and sometimes the young people like to leave their classes to watch us playing.

Yesterday, it was the birthday of one of the players , the goalkeeper, and we had a special match in the morning with a barbecue and samba for celebration.





Firstly , we met at the square and then we had to find out the place to play. It was hard to do that because we woman sometimes don’t know how to explain how to reach some place.



But we are not desperate people so we just stopped and to relax and some of them danced a bit.



At last we arrived there and we played.




With women, with men:




I missed my football shoes but I didn’t miss the mark.
GGGOOOOOOOOOLLLLL!!! I scored the first goal





It’s really a pleasure to play football. Girls, you should try it! The only disgusting thing is that we cannot play with the jewelleries.

Amy, what do you think of us playing?



Good bye, friends and have a nice week!
As everything in Brazil ends in samba, here are more pictures:




Wow...I have to rush to work!!!
Adriana

Bruno, the friend

Hi Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and friends around the world,


Today I'll show you a bit of what is to be a pos-modern mother here. I'll tell you about a friend, a special friend of mine.

He had paled skin, he was quiet, silent and a stone-faced guy. There was no denying he had a sublime behaviour, if you can call the lack of moviments like that. You should address him as Bruno, the friend!.

In fact, my son didn’t like the idea of being a friend of him, initially but he gradually became a friend of Bruno.

Who is Bruno? Look at the picture.

It was part of a project of my son’s school that took place here 4 years ago.

The aim of this project was to educate children (and also parents) to receive properly a friend, being a tourist or any other visitor, in our town and at home.

Bruno stayed for one week at each child’s home and one of the parents (mostly mothers) had to write down a Bruno’s diary describing how was the adventure. So every mother could see each other writings. You should see my contribution to the Bruno’s diary! The project was so successsful that Bruno was well-known by the locals and everybody wanted to contribute a bit to this project.

We should treat him exactly as he was a person. So when I picked up my son and Bruno, they worn the seat belt before going sightseeing. I had to take Bruno to every place to participate in our daily routine. As I was making a pos-graduate course, Bruno and my son went with me. I had to change Bruno’s clothes according to the occasion. He sat at the table with us for having lunch, he went to my workplace, my course, the shopping, the beach, he played football with children, went skateboarding...he even made spinning at the gym!
:-) At night, Bruno was completely tired and I told stories to Iago and to him.









When he had to return to the school for staying at another child’s home, my son didn’t want to let he go. Bruno was really disputed by children.
Indeed this project was successful. It really showed the vallue of a friendship and taught us how we can with simple things make someone who is far from home feel happy.
What do you think of this project? Did you like it?

That’s all, friends. I’m going to work soon. But I return at my lunch time. Byyyyye
Adriana

Little note to Amy: Amy I’m going to do homework at my lunch time, ok?
Another Iago’s picture:



And the pictures of the "Happy Little Teth Project" as promissed:

The animals and the frustrated photographer

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and beloved readers,


Welcome to the blog today, friends!

I was wondering...Has anyone here realised that I like photographs? :-)
I have never done a course before, though. I’d love to take it up.

Someone might be thinking: Why does she take so many pictures? It’s not so hard to take the answer in. I like telling stories to my friends, to my patients...
The fact is that my stories are always...what could I say?, somewhat unusual. Therefore I like taking pictures because seeing is believing.

Every time I stop at the traffic light, I can’t avoid bearing an episode in mind which occured some years ago. My eyes lit upon a dog, a small dog that was walking on the street. At the corner, it stopped , waiting for the traffic light to turn red. As soon as the car stopped, in a relaxing way, the dog crossed calmly the street. I just thought "why on earth I don’t have a cam right now here"? Who was the lunatic who said the animals are irrationals?

I have another tale to tell about dogs. I don’t know weather or not you’ll go along with me but I and the rest of the female humanity are unable to pass a pitbull at street. So “listen” to me.

Once I was lazily watching a good film on a relaxing Sunday afternoon when suddenly someone knocked my door. It was Ana Paula. Not the reader, but my neighbour who lives upstairs

She wanted to say something meaningful but she was so desperate that the words came out more like something that could be spelled only by an ET speaker.

I tried to find out what she was saying and what I could take in was that firstly she was asking for help. Then, something about her dog, a pitbull that was at her parents’ house that had its tooth knocked out. No, not the dog. A child was knocked out. Oh no, no, no, her tooth was knocked out.

At last I got it! What really happened was that a child was walking along the street close to her parents’ house’s gate when she decided to have a look through the gate... so the pitbull, accidentally or intentionally (I don’t know), beat its head against her mouth and her front tooth was knocked out.
My neighbour wanted me to take care of the child providing the best treatment in an emergency to save her tooth.

We couldn’t waste much time so I was probably best to give my film a miss and rushed to the clinic because she was needing an immediate reimplantation and * the greater the time wasted, the more likely to have a bone ressorption and consequently loss of the teeth.

After that entirely unexpected treatment, given the events of the afternoon, I thought it was a happy end. Everybody was happy...the child, my neighbour and me. Oops. Have I said everybody? No, not everybody. I forgot about Ana Paula’s parents’ neighbours that were very angry with the dog. It was reasonable to a certain extent! And so...this is the beggining of another story.

So my brilliant neighbour decided to give her parents’ neighbours a time to cool off and brought her “innocent” dog to her flat in our building. I know it’s a nonsense. I’m not that kind of neighbour who complains of everything. What could I have said after she had given me a wonderful purse and had payed the bill?

Some days later, her dog had many “little pitbulls” (all at the flat).
And now my son appears in the scenery. My son is crazy for animals and loves dogs of all types and shapes.

One day he said: Mom, I’m going to my friend’s flat (his friend lives upstairs). I warned him not to go to Ana Paula’s flat in case his friend was not there. But it lasted few minutes for him to getting in trouble. His friend wasn’t at home, then he saw Ana Paula’s door opened and had a look at her living room to see the little dogs. Can you figure out this scene? The door opened, a pitbull and its little ones and nothing of Ana Paula who was in the kitchen at that moment?

As soon as the pitbull noticed my son’s presence looking at the little dogs, it rushed towards the potential victim to attack. Unexpectedely, my son, highly frightened, screamed. Not a common scream, though. A scream able enough to make everybody open their doors and rush around to find out what was happening. Believe me or not, thankfully the accute scream frightened even the pitbull and it ran way to the flat. I thank God everyday for that!

My neighbours can give testimony of the facts but if I had taken a picture,
** couldn’t it get any better?

Well...I haven’t just reached any obvious conclusion. Have you any idea of what happened here? Was there an angel by his side to protect him or it was a hormonal disturbance that affected the pitbull after giving birth to the little dogs?

All right friends, I think it’s better leave you now

Little note to Amy:

Sorry Amy, I haven’t got round to do my homework at lunch time. The fact is that I started reading the new comments and when I saw my watch it was too late. I'll not revise right now, though. Let's pray... :-) Here are my answers:

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:

1) Phrasal verbs are verbs with more than one word ( verbs, prepositions or adverbs);
2) They are used in informal phrases. They are informal;
3) A truckloads of them. Transitive, intransitive, separable verbs or not...

Guess what, Amy, I had to go along with myself that I deserved a decent dictionary. Although it cost an arm and a leg, at last I bought one! I almost had a faint when I saw 4 pages just for the word “take”! :-O

Vocabulary:
-To take it up: To accept something that is being offered
-To get into: to be in certain condition
-To take it in: To understand or remember
-To set off: To start a trip
-To get back: To return
-To goe along with: To agree
-To put up: To play well
-To get round to: To find time to do
-To come up with: To find a solution
-To come back: To return
-To name after: To give a name
-A meanie: A boring person
-Ridiculous: Silly
-Good-natured: Friendly
-A commemoration: A celebration

Questions:

Amy,
* Amy, could please tell me how to build this kind of sentence using "the more...the more likely"? Is it correct in my text?
**You have used this phrase in one of your previous blogs: "Could it get any worse?" May I use it replacing the word worse for better and in a negative form?

Thanks Amy, I’m learning a lot with you. You are a devoted teacher!

Note to the beloved readers:

I’ll answer your comments on weekend ok? For a while, I just wanted to say to Naheed that my sister is the one who has a finger in every pie, rushing in all directions at the video. And to Antônio, that I’m thinking to take seriously his advice.

Oh! No pictures today...ok...just one cause I need a rest.

Byyyyye
Adri

“Moqueca Capixaba”- an Indigenous dish

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and everyone,


Welcome to the blog. First of all, forgive me. I couldn’t post anything yesterday. I had a demanding day at work.

Yesterday we had an unusual day at work because a squad of firemen were simulating a fire at the company and we had to interrupt our daly routine for a short period. The problem was that the workers, mostly women as usual, became excited about that and after the visit, beyond we were already delayed, everybody were unable to complete their work only thinking and talking about the firemen. Why we women have this attraction and fantasy with firemen? Neither I can understand! But here I am now at home for having lunch.. Sorry for breaking our deal. I had promissed to post every night. I feel completely guilty.

Amy, what a delicious blog you’ve posted yesterday! My mouth is still watering. I think I would love the indian food. I also loved your photo at the retaurant. You are pretty well, Amy!

You have just given me an idea. Today I’ll serve a virtual indigenous dish to my readers. What do you think of having a virtual meal alltogether?
Let’s forget the time zone and the distance for awhile. Just imagine an infinitely large table, the plates, knives on it and we all dressed to kill. And where’s the dish?

Don’t worry, I’m the host and as such, I’ll give you a special drink while I prepare a quick delicious meal for us. What would you like to drink? A beer,, a wine, a "caipirinha" or a coconut juice? Let’s hear a "bossa nova" music in the backgroung...

Come along with me to the kitchen and I ‘ll reveal one of the Capixaba’s secrets, the scrumptious “moqueca Capixaba”.

One thing you’ll probably need is a special pan made of mud, the “panela de barro” which is the most important handicraft here. If you don’t have one, the taste of the moqueca will never be the same.

There are other traditional dishes like “carangueijada” cooked with crabs and I could prepare a “torta Capixaba” although we aren’t in Easter holiday ( the time it’s usually eaten). You would love it but we need a day before to prepare this meal. It’s full of details. It’s not so easy to cook one. It’s more like a ritual than everything. More over, for cooking a “torta Capixaba” you firstly need to know how to cook the “moqueca Capixaba”. It’s a prerequisite. I promisse giving you the its recipe very soon.

All right! Let’s cook the “moqueca Capixaba”. There is a variety of ways to cook it. I’ll give you my personal recipe.

Let’s get the ingredients:
-6 slices of fish( afresh fish criteriously cleaned using lemon);
-prawn
-3 tomatos (without peel and stones);
- green coriander and green onion;
-2 onions(finaly chopped);
- salt;
-urucum;
- garlic;

Let’s heat a spoon of oil with garlic and urucum.
Then add one layer of tomatos( cut in small pieces ...humm...I love tomatos).
Ok, a layer of onion;
Another layer of green coriander and green onion.
Put very gently 3 slices of fish.
Repeat in the same sequence:
Tomatos, onion, green coriander/onion, 3 pieces of fish over again.
Save some of the green coriander and green onion to the end.
Now let it cook for 25’.
Now just put a layer of prawn and let it cook a bit more. Then put the rest of the green coriander/onion on the top and it’s ready to serve.

It’s served with rice and “pirão”. How to cook “pirão”? It’s easy:
Heat some of the soup formed from the moqueca. Add little by little cassava meal until it gets a sticky consistency.

Isn’t this meal so easy and quick to prepare? And I am still dressed to kill! If anyone wants spice...here you are!
Ladies and gentlemen, let’s have a great meal! Let’s drink Amy and her baby’s health!

Now let me come back to my real life because it’s lunch time and after all this, I’m hungry!

Good bye, friends, until tomorrow
Adriana




ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work (I’m in rush, sorry if it’s wrong):

To take something up- type 3
To get into-type 2
To take something in- 3
To set off-2
To get back-1
To go along with-4
To put up-1
To get round to-4
To come up with-4
To come back-1

Tupi or not Tupi that’s the question

*Anauê Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE and beloved readers,



I think it should be a good idea talking about the Indigenous culture as I have given you an Indigenous recipe from here. I know I have Spanish origin from my father’s family but also Italian and Indigenous origins from my mother’s family. It’s like a milk-shake of cultures in my genes.

In 1500 when the Portugueses came to Brazil, there were between 3 and 5 million Indigenous. Now, there is only 350 thousand. The number of Indigenous was so high that they (all spread around Brazil) spoke 1300 different languages.

Now the small groups of them fight for Indigenous reserves to protect the animals, plants and the environment and also to preserve their culture.

There are Kuikuros and Kamaiuras in Mato Grosso, Asurini in Pará, Aldeia ( or village) Marubo in Amazonas, Aldeia Araweté in Pará and at last Tupi-guaranis in Espírito Santo.

Each group has its particularities: the culture, the way they build their houses, custums and rituals.

Our culture has Indigenous influence as you can see in the food ( moqueca Capixaba) and in the language ( the words nhemnhemnhem, jururu, pixaim, abacaxi, jacaré,tatú, sabiá, cajú, jabuticaba, etc). I think we should study the Tupi language in order to ransom the Indigenous culture. Our history began with the Indigenous and not with the Portugueses and we don’t know much of this history.





The Tupi-guaranis from Espírito Santo live in Aracruz city. They are good in art. They’ve developed this skill because they cannot be involved only in agriculture as in the past.
There is a cotroversy between the Aracruz Celulose company and them over their lands.
Aracruz Celulose is an important company here which advertisements show it as an eco-friendly company but last week began the” semana do verde” or green week exhibition here and many people were in protest because they think the large eucalyptus plantation has been harmful to the environment. So, the Indigenous are not alone in the opinion of what Aracruz Celulose has caused to the Indigenous lands. I think they should rethink that.





There are many cultural, historical and religious celebrations here in which the Indigenous take part as actreeses and actors what is another option for them. Indeed their performance is incredibly good.








They are very serious in what they are involved. I am proud to have Indigenous roots in my genetic. In the pictures they are in a play which tells the history of our city and how the “Convento da Penha” was built. I’m planning to talk about this very soon. The history of Convento da Penha is very interesting.

*Anauê is an Indigenous greeting that means you are my relative


All right, friends, I must go. Have a nice Friday. See you tomorrow
Byyyye
Adri

Convento da Penha-our history

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and beloved friends,


I hope you are enjoying the weekend so take a seat because it will be a loooong post!

First of all, Amy, forgive me but I couldn’t understand what you’ve said: “Well done those of you who did the homework… you’ve all done pretty well. Adriana! You forgot to write your answers!”. So I think I’d better remind you that I haven’t forgotten your precious homework. It’s done ( with 2 errors because I only forgot to look at the context, but done). Just look at the end of the blog “Moqueca Capixaba”, it’s there. Anyway, perhaps my posts are too long so that I think I should start my post with the homework, what do you think, Amy?

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work( you’ve said only one error in each sentence, I’ll risk rewriting them):

1- Why do we women have this attraction and fantasy with firemen?;
2- Me neither (cannot understand that);
3- I think I would love Indian food;
4- Let’s hear a Bossa Nova’s song in the background;
5- I promisse to give you the recipe very soon;
6- Let´s drink Amy’s and her baby’s health;

Vocabulary:

- an anthropologist: the one who studies the anthropology
- to retreat: to move away from a place in danger;
- a culinary masterpiece: a culinary work of art (an excellent dish);


Amy, I’ve noticed you are interested in religion, so I’ve prepared this blog especially for you to know a bit of our history, and perhaps our readers will like it too.

Writing about “Convento da Penha”in one blog is a challenge for me not only for the emotion that it brings to me but also due to its complex historical, artistic and spiritual meaning implied in it so that I've asked the priest “Antônio Peroni” for help (materials and some pictures). I’m grateful to him for that and for the interview. I’m feeling like a journalist! :-)

The name “Penha” comes from Spanish (peña) referring to “penhasco” (in Portuguese) because it is located at the top of the hill.

It was founded in 1558 by the Spanish priest Pedro Palácios who brought from Spain a painting of “Nossa Senhora das Alegrias ou dos Prazeres”. He settled down here for traditional Christian teaching and lived at the botton of the hill where he built a small place for performing religious ceremonies gathering the locals and the Indigenous people for that.

One day, the painting disappeared from the bottom and was found on the top, between 2 palm trees. They brought it to the bottom over again. But it happened twice again so that the priest understood that it was a sign that he should build a church on the top of the hill.

So he organized a large group of people( locals and Indigenous people) who carried all those heavy stones from the bottom to the top (154m)surrounded by the Atlantic jungle and so they built the "Convento da Penha" there.

Since that time, there have been running a set of masses all day long every day and several processions have been marching here by the time of Convento da Penha’s party in April.

As in life, there are two ways to reach the top. The oldest/shortest way and the longest way which is also an access to the cars. But don’t fool yourself. The shortest is the most difficult to climb due to the accentuated inclination and the curves. It represents the 7 happiness of “Nossa Senhora”.

I prefer climbing the shortest way while meditating. It brings a peace hard to describe. Moreover, on the top of it, you can have the breathtaking view of Vila Velha and Vitória cities and you can be stared in astonishment for contemplating architecture of the "Convento"which reveals ages of history indescribable in one blog, as I have said previously.

However, I’ll tell you just 2 things that brings a lot of emotion to me.

One of the paintings inside the “Convent”shows the day when Vila Velha was attacked in 1640 by the Dutchmen through the painter's eyes. The Dutchmen had already taken the port but when they looked at the “Convento da Penha”, they had the vision of a castle with strong walls and a squad of numerous soldiers with scintilating swords and their horses. It was just their imagination because the “Convento” was simply empty and “unprotected”. They were so frightened that they all desperately ran away to their boats, according to the history.

Another miracle attributable to Nossa Senhora is the fact occured in 1769. There was a huge drought in the state of Espírito Santo. All the rivers and plantations were dry and only the jungle surrounding the “Convento” was vigorous in its fullness so that the Capixabas managed to march praying for rain in procession to the “Convento da Penha”. The locals threw petals of roses at the people and when they just arrived there, the sky became shady pouring with rain and the rivers were filled up with water over again.

Nowadays, by the time of the Penha’s party, we have many processions here of all types: processions of women, of men, of children and so on and annually we have a play in which the Indigenous people and locals take part for reminding us about our history.

I was brought up a Catholic but today I don’t follow any religion. I just believe in God and I think I have a chuch inside my heart but I’m grateful to the catholicism for my character-building.

Apart from religion, the “Convento da Penha” is an intriguing mystical place of peace and harmony and has a special meaning for us Capixabas and we are extremely sad because recently both crowns ( of Nossa Senhora and of Jesus) made of gold were stolen inside the “Convento da Penha”. It’s not only for the money they cost, but also for the historical and sentimental value for us.

Well, my friends, I hope you’ve appreciated this part of our history and I'm planning to answer your nice comments tomorrow, ok? Thank you very much for them. You cannot imagine how they mean to me!

That’s all. Bye friends. See you tomorrow and don't forget to look at all the pictures at the bottom of the post.
Adriana

Comments and answers are the taste of heaven

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team and friends

This is a beautiful scintilating sunny morning here and million other adjectives for this morning! Oh! The sleep is still in my eyes!

Today it’s the beggining of the Spring. I cannot send flowers to you but I can send my answers to your comments what makes me feel like in a beautiful garden, a real paradise. Am I being poetic today?





I’ve decided to stay home while my family is out of the city in order to organize my ideas and writings. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I was losing the control over my time last week. It’s not so easy but it has been a pleasure posting every day, reading your comments and also learning Amy’s lessons. I’ve loved phrasal verbs! And you? I’ll have the rest of my life to travel and spend the time with my family. Luckily they understand and in October I'll compensate that. On the contrary, I only have 7 days now to be with you all. But I think it was not a good idea stay alone at home after reading one of Ana Paula’s comment reminding me about that horrible dog. ;-)




Maybe I can send more blogs to make up for losing some days at the beggining of the month and at the holidays. This month I have been feeling as I was in London ( or in India?) with many friendly students from different parts of the world. The fact is that I’m in a bad mood because my virtual intensive English course is ending...snif :’-( But don't worry, the sun is strongly brighting outside to change my feeling.





Anyway, after looking carefully since the very first blog if there is any other belated comment, I think I must start answering right now the comments I have not answered before.

Christ: Hello Christ, I’m glad you liked it. You are welcome here.

Siamak from tehran: Hello Siamak, I’m happy with your presence. You will like this space very much.

Jacky from sydney-austalia: It’s just the way you’ve already done writing comments. Thank you for that.

IRFAN from INDIA: I’m sure your country’s history is interesting. I’m looking forward to see a student blogger from India. Maybe you. :-)

Marcos Sarmento Barcelos from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Hello Marcos, I’m happy you have the same thought as me. Thank you for your comment.

Jarek from Poland: Thanks. I’m glad you liked my son and me.

Ana Paula from Brazil: Thanks Ana Paula, your are welcome to the virtual meal. Guess what, Ana Paula, I’m alone at home this weekend and I couldn’t sleep well yesterday thinking of that dog of the book. Luckily I don’t have any fortune! :-) I used to read for Iago but now he wants to read alone. :-(
If you were here, we would invite you to be part of our team, Ana Paula. I was sure you would like Marfil’s website.No problem Ana Paula. I also always see my own errors, many of them, typo, when I ‘m rereading my posts. Don’t worry, your English is noticeably good, Aninha. I’m reading all your nice comments and please don’t sleep waiting for my blogs, Ana Paula. Sometimes, I have to wait my son sleep and I start writing very late. Thanks for the drink toast! :-)

Ana from Poland: It’s a great fun indeed, Ana. A serious thing like learning English in a pleasant way. I have never thought about that. I mean the annoyance of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team checking all the comments as you’ve mentioned. And it’s really Spring here now, Ana so...love is really in the air! The Bruno’s project was really successful and yes, they compared the writings and the improvement over the children’s behaviour. Referring to your idea of changing the roles, I think it depends on the optimistic way of looking at things. If you don’t have this skill no other project will be successfull. Thanks Ana, for reminding me about this name ”Santa Claus”. I was trying to remember this name. In Portuguese it is “Papai Noel”. Thank you for that. I remember that suggestion about the virtual party. I just don’t remember the rules. Could you please remind me about that?

Myen from Vietnam: All the best for you too and thank you.

Naheed from Pakistan: My sister is the one with black shirt and white pants on the telephone. Naheed, I’m astonished with the coincidence of our lives even in different places.Thanks Naheed, I gave my son the hug you’ve sent and said he is sweet. He said you are very nice. I’m happy ‘cause you like the photographs on the blog. I can’t avoid showing some colours on my blogs... I’ve appreciated the way you’ve descibed urucum: “ I googled for urucum and came to know that it's a Brazilian herb and bears a copper coloured spiny fruit,inside it are red coloured seeds which are used to give colour to the food. What a natural way to give colour to food”. Thanks and sorry ‘cause I didn’t find this word in my dictionary. Yes, it’s me at the picture fishing before cutting my hair and changing the colour. I like fishing.

Marianna from Slovakia: I don’t blame your sister. I always take care of my sister’s teeth at the weekends. We have a doctor in our team too. She is also a precious person there as you were in your team. I know you like painting, Marianna. I remember some of your comments when Stephen was the teacher. I hope to see you as a student blogger some day to see some of your work.

Pilar from Spain: Hi Pilar, my ex- assistant is a woman. She always asked me to say what you all comment here because she doesn’t know English.

Mauricio from Brazil: Yes Maurício, there is a big festival in Alegre every year. Many locals rent their houses(sometimes only the land for camping) because the hotels aren’t enough to receive the large number of people that goes to Alegre. We used to go in a group and stay at my sister’s house. My sister and her husband are protestants and they don’t like going to the festival just because once when they were there with us, the singer Rita Lee took off all her clothes when she was singing. I explained that Rita Lee is a bit crazy and it won’t happen again but they don’t like the festival anymore. So, we used to go with some friends but once my brother’s friends weren’t behaving themselves in a proper way due to the alcohol so that they don’t like to receive his friends anymore there, only us. But as my sister and her husband don’t like going to the festival, I just stay at home with them. So...you are from the North of Rio? It must be not so far from Alegre. The beaches you’ve mentioned are really good. Unfortunately, there’s no time to talk about each one. I’ve even forgotten the Praia da Costa! Maybe I’ll show a picture of it. I’m sure you are a good teacher because you seem to be very patient and calm. I’m happy because you are “pó de arroz” too, unfortunatelly, I don’t know about the history of Flamengo and why its rooters are called “urubus”.





Silwal Kishor from Nepal: It’s good you like my blogs and the pictures Silwal, thanks for that. If you aren’t able to visit the website, there’s no problem. Are you reffering to the website about movies (Spoiler?) ? Or the youtube? I know people goes to men’s football match much more than women’s footbal match. I wish this fact change one day because it is another opportunity for poor women in my country, avoiding in this way that they go in the wrong way's direction. I’d also like to know more how to edit short movies.

Jeanne from CHN: Thanks. I’m glad you are enjoying my blogs. I can’t avoid making little jokes while writing. :-)

Yvonne from Germany, NRW, Ahaus: Hi Yvonne, thanks. I hope you find your Mr. Right very soon. You are right. We just need to be alive to be happy with or without Mr. Right. I try giving my contribution to help saving our environment while working and at home but I use my car a lot because how can I go to the work in a bike? People would say: “Here comes Dr Adriana in a bike!”. I’d love it but it would be a bit strange for them. However I use ethanol in my car and it’s not harmful to the environment. I know football is a great theme in Germany. I think Germany was impressive by the time of the World Cup. There’s still much to be done referring to educational system here but recently the President turned available zillions of computers for children from the public schools. What a pity! I could send a pan to you from here but once I did that sending to my friend in Pernambuco at the Northeast of Brazil and it arrived there completely broken. Read my answer to Naheed about urucum. It’s another Indigenous thing. I couldn’t find this word in my dictionary.

Irina from Russia: Hi Irina, I’ve decided to give you the recipe of another dish because Ana Paula had writen about Feijoada when she was blogger. The name of the post is Brazilian Food. You might find it in this link:
I hope your colleagues become your friends too like the one who left your company.

CHANDRAKANT from INDIA: Hi CHANDRAKANT, I have the same problem you have to communicating and practicing the speaking. I understand what you are talking about.

Heinrich Stamm from Pomerode, SC, Brazil: Hi Ráini. You are like me, a milk-shake of cultures. Your name is beautiful too I have imagined how it is pronounced for many times.

Farzam from tehran: Hi Farzan. So, you are an engineer. My father wanted me to be one. I think you’ve already seen my post about football. Thanks for your comment. I can understand easily people talking in English but I’m a little shy for speaking when I talk with a native speaker. When I talk with a non-native speaker I feel more confortable.

Modasir abd alla from sudan -india-pune: It’s really good and this is the right place for communicating with others. Stay with us and you will see the results. Thanks!

HYOSHIL from LINCOLN: I laughed a lot here with your son’s experience in football. He just did the same my friend did another day. Haha. What a great idea you’ve had by killing “3” birds with one stone. Don’t worry, Hyoshil, my son will never be close to that dog again.

Stephen Keeler from London: Hello my dear beloved teacher! I feel walking on the moon reading your comment. Thank you very much for that! I’m sad because I tried to send my comments to your column twice but they aren’t there. It might be a problem on the blogging system. But I am always rereading your writings. They are my treasure in this website!



John from china: Sure! We will certainly help you, just stay here with us. You will learn a lot!

Pilar from Spain: You are right, Pilar. Football is good for health, for good relationship (learning how to work in a team at the company) and here it is more important because it can give many opportunities for poor young people (men and women) avoiding the way of drugs and prostitution.

CHANDRAKANT PATEL from INDIA DAHOD: Thanks. Maybe you can be our coach some day. Who knows? I’d like to tell about each picture from Bruno’s project but it would be a veeeery loooooooooong post! Oh sorry ‘cause I haven’t served you a vegetarian dish (next time I’ll pay more attention to this!) but at least you’ve appreciated the coconut juice. :-)

Antonio from Belgium: Oh! Have you really printed all my blogs?! I’m happy to hear that! Thank you, Antonio. I’m trying to follow your advice about the time I spend in learning English.

Márcio Filho from Brazil: I’m glad you are here. Keep on reading and writing comments, you’ll see the benefits very soon. Thanks for your visit. In which part of Brazil you are?

Judit from Hungary: Hi Judit. I have an hectic life too but I try to balance my life. I don’t want to die one day without living a good life. I try to divide my time in three parts: time for work, time for my family and time for me (sports activities and hairdresser for example). Do you think it’s good or bad?

Elena from Russia,Voskresensk: Hi Elena. I have no idea why on earth my mother gave me two names although I like them separately. The only thing I know is that my father wanted my name to be the name of a politic party :-O and luckily my mother said: “NO”!

Kirsti from France: I also always appreciate when the school wants to include us (parents) in the projects for children.

Ernesto from Chile: I agree with you, Ernesto, some dogs are like guns in wrong hands. I’ve liked the way your country has tackled the problem.

Well friends...I hope I have not forgotten any comment. If I have please somene advise me.

Have a nice Sunday.
Byyyye
Adri

“Sem eira nem beira” - the disdain

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 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

O Frade e a Freira- The Monk and the Nun

Hello Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and beloved readers,


Amy, Louie seems to be a real chef helping you in the kitchen. He is so cute! Please, send a kiss to him. Does he play with those coockies shaped like people before eating them? I've loved your post about the Buddhist monastery, what a beautiful place! It has given me inpiration to write about the mountains from here.

We have a lot of natural beauties here. I could write a month only about them but I’ll give you some details of the beauties only from Espírito Santo.



There is a hill in Ibiraçu city, called “Morro da Vargem” where the first Zen- Buddhist monastery of Latin America was built in 1974. It was founded by the monk Daiju and the Japanese Ryohan Schüngu .The Zen Morro da Vargem monastery in japanese is Hakuun Zan Zenkoji that means something like"The White Cloud Hill / Zen Light Temple).

There is the "Aghá" hill in Piúma which name might be from Arabic origins “Agá” or from Tupinikin language “Aghá”= “The hill for seeing God”.

“Pedra do Camelo” e a “Pedra da Agulha” in Pancas city.
“Pedra do Elefante” in Nova Venécia, a city which name initially was “Serra dos Aymorés” due to the Aymorés indians that had lived there and later, it has been changed to "Nova Venécia", which name had been given by the Italian settlers who had intended to have a new Veneza. There is a lion “O Leão de São Marcos” similar to one in Vicenza- Italy.

In Santa Tereza city we have the beautiful “Canaan Valley” and there is a museum there that is a tribute to the scientist and naturalist Augusto Ruschi, famous for his studies with the hummingbirds and orchids.




The “Sumidouro” in Muqui city and the “Pedra da Caveira” in Atilio Vivaqua city.

A set of rocks called "Foca", "Filhote", "Língua de Boi", "Pontão Maior" and "Pontão Rachado", that we call the “Five Pontões” in Laranja da Terra city.

The "Paulo César Vinha Park" which name is a tribute to a biologist and naturalist cruelly killed due to his work, a beautiful work!. Indeed is an amazing place for track, especially the “Caraís Lake” which water is warm an red like Cola Coke, that soft drink. Moreover, the water is wonderful for hair due to the substance ("lanolina") released from the plants surrounding the lake.









“The reservation of Comboios” in Linhares, famous for the Tamar Project which main aim is to protect turtles.

The “Caparaó Park” between Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais states, with the “Pico da Bandeira” or Bandeira hill extremely beautiful, a place young people from here go at least once in life.

The “Pedra Azul” in Domingos Martins. On the top there are 9 lakes and the landskape is wonderful.

The dunes in Itaúnas city. The “Da Prata Waterfall” and “Véu da Noiva Waterfall” in Forno Grande.

“Pedra da Ema” in Castelo city-ES

The “Matilde Waterfall” in Alfredo Chaves.

The swamps in Anchieta city.

The “Smoke Waterfall” or Cachoeira da Fumaça in Alegre where my sister lives.



The “Mochuara”, another Indigenous name that means “Pedra imã”or Lodestone. Some say the name comes from French “mouchoir” (due to resemblance to the handkerchief) given by French people when they had been here.

Many of these natural beauties and hills have legends linked to them.
I’ll will tell you only one which is the most famous in my state.

The legend of the Monk and the Nun:



The monk and the nun ( O Frade a Freira) are two connected hills formed in granite in Cachoeiro city. There is a legend of a monk and a nun that had fallen in love. There are other versions for the legend and also, some controversies.

There is a version that says the nun actually wasn’t a nun but an indian because there was no nun by the time. However there is a controversy about this because everybody knows the indians had been naked all the time and hadn't had a veil.

There is a Portuguese version that says the monk was a dissimulated religious who had seduced the poor and innocent nun. :-l And he had convinced the nun to run away with him. The religious at the convent had missed the couple and they had gone to find out where they had hidden and they had been found in sin. So they had been taken to a place and their punishment had been to be transformed in granite so that they had to watch in shame their own sin for good.

Well...the Brazilian version and also the most famous here is more romantic. It’s the one we hear since childhood. The legend says that the monk and the nun had lived in two convents very close and they had fallen in love badly. As their love was an impossible love for two religious, one day they had decided to run away together and eternalize their love in a granite form so that they could live together forever.

Which version do you prefer?


Good bye Amy and friends.
See you tomorrow
Adriana

Books, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work and answers to Amy

Hello friends,

This is another post 'cause I had not seen Amy's post today before writing the mine.

Answers to your questions:

1- No, I’m not angry at all. Anger is bad for our beauty and health. It was worse with another colleague from Rio Grande do Sul state who had travelled to Argentina for doing the test at the Australian embassy there because it was closer to him than Brasília and it happened to him too. I blame myself. I should have had the coldness to conttrol my emotions and do the test normally but it’s the Latin blood that runs through my veins...moreover there was the air traffic crisis, my fear of airplanes...I just felt humiliated and I just don’t want to do the test anymore, I don’t want even to fly to Brasília for a long time. Meanwhile, I am waiting for the beggining of a course I’m going to do here next month. When I have some bad experience, I just don’t think about that.

2-The OET is the first step for all health professionals but it’s a prerequisite for doing the prelimminary examination, which is a test specifically for dentists. It is divided in SAQs(short answer questions) and MCQs(multiple choice questions).

3- For the moment, no...I don’t have this desire to go overseas for working anymore. One thing that the English language knowledge allowed me was to read the news around the world, what showed me a view of the reality that most of us here don’t have. We always have the illusion that the developed countries are perfect like a fairy tale, free of problems, without violence and so on. Now I see we have many good things here. Maybe some day if my son decides going overseas for studies, I’ll support him.

Amy, you are really smart, I have written purposely showing you my weakness in this part of the grammar so that you could help me. Thank you for rising the use of tenses.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work :

a) If I know the exam is cancelled, I won’t go.
The if clause is in the present and the main clause in the future

b) If I knew the exam was cancelled, I wouldn’t go.
If clause in past simple and the main clause in conditional tense

c) If I had known the exam was cancelled, I wouldn’t have gone.
If clause in perfect clause and the main clause in conditional perfect tense.
Could you please explain the zero condition to me, Amy?

Vocabulary:

- My heart went out to you: you thought of my situation in a kind way
- A fiasco: an embarassment, a disaster
- Intrigued: curious
- To branch out: to start doing something you haven’t done before
- To digress: to start to talk about something not connect to what you are talking.
- An all-time favourite: something you like most all the time
- Prevalent: common
- To be up to something: to be curious about something undetermined or unspecified
- Faint-hearted: not brave


Amy I’ve heard about the American lady who set up a beauty school in Afghanistan. It’s a real story, isn’t it? I have never read any Indian books. It’s difficult to find even British literature here. All we have here is American literature, at least in the libraries in my city and the styles available are not the most admired by me. I like books which stories are based in the reality that tell a bit of the history. I like poetries from Mario Quintana which is an influence from a blogger friend from São Paulo.

We had a very good group of bloggers. In spite of not knowing personaly and being far from each other, we interchanged knowledge about several issues like books, films and cds. One of them reads almost one book per week. He is a fan of Tolkien’s middle earth books.

Once I tried to read The Lord of the Rings just to satisfy him (because he is fanatic) but it’s too much imagination for me, although I think the author is a genious describing those stories and creating things like that strange calendar.

I prefer the style of the books of another friend who is a journalist in the Northeast of Brazil, in Pernambuco. The books he indicates to me are always unputdownable like one of Andy Dougan: "Dynamo" that tells the story of the European football during the Second World War, particularly about a team in Kiev. I was deeply moved by that story, especiallly because it was a real story. I’d like to see one day the players’ statues in the stadium in Kiev.

I also like books for parents. I'm always learning how to bring up my son. Recently I've bought two box for saving money for short and long term. What do you think, Amy and friends?

Sometimes my friend sends by postage books and cds to me. The last book he sent was “The Same Sea” which I simply loved it! And he have just said he is sending another which is a surprise. I’m looking forward to see what is the book!
Meanwhile, I’m reading one of Julia Quinn “ On the way to the wedding”. I’m not really going on the way to the wedding...It’s just the one that was available here... :-D The author is good and funny but when I want something sopy, I prefer reading poetries. The book is good though.

So, you have this obsession with India...I don’t blame you. It’s an outstanding culture. I like those Ghandi sayings. You’ve really intrigued me about the Indian food. My mouth is still watering. I have even looked for a restaurant here which serves Indian food but living here doesn’t help!

That’s all for today. It’s my son’s bedtime.
Adriana

A short message to the readers:

Some readers have asked me if my speaking and listening are good and how I practise that. Friends, I've tried hard to send a file of audio showing one of my role plays, which I think that should be a good idea for you to "see" how I practise and for asking some questions about pronunciation to Amy ( Amy, I have a doubt about the word "subsidized"). But the file is too big so that I neither can send by e-mail to Paul nor to youtube. It was worthless (the type of the file is different). I don't know how to do that...sorry!

Capixaba Pie- Torta Capixaba

Hello friends,


Sorry for yesterday. We had a blackout here.
Hey Ana Paula, thanks but if the Embratur offered me that, I would probably refuse it. For me, it's needless receive fee for sharing positive things with friends, even knowing that the negative are that sells and win Oscars. By the way, it's one of my weakeness the will of sharing positive things I see with friends, some of them, perhaps who won't never have the opportunity to take a trip to Espírito Santo in Brazil. But if this virtual trip sounds boring... maybe I should start talking only about myself or focusing only in grammar... do you think it would be more interesting? Anyway, I have a promisse to carry out...

You know…I’m about to leave you in the next few days. So I’d better carry out the things I’ve promised before. I’m talking about the Capixaba pie. I know you might find nearly impossible to get a pan made of mud and some ingredients are not available in certains places, even so I think it would be good to hear about this dish.

So, friends, let’s come back to the history again because even a pie has its past.

The tradition of having Capixaba pie in my state began many moons ago, more than 150 years ago and it has to be with religion.

The Catholic church preached the total abstinence from meat during the Lent, the period of 40 days from Ash Wednesday to the day before Easter. So the upper classes could afford the cod imported from Portugal while the lower classes had to use their creativity mixing not so expensive seafoods in a kind of cocktail. This dish became so popular that later, even the elite got into this cocktail adding the cod to the recipe and after that the “heart of palm” too. By the time there were zillions of palm trees here, especially in the hills. And there was so the so-called “Torta Capixaba”.

In the past, it was served exactly at 8pm on Friday only in Easter holiday. Nowadays, it may be served for lunch, for dinner, even for breakfast, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, in the Easter , the ordinary weekend, with religious purpose or just to make your loved one happy.

In addition it is not really a cheap dish anymore. It is rather expensive and costs an arm and a leg due to the money the ingredients cost, if you follow the traditional recipe.

Ingredients:

- urucum (Nahhed please help me explaining what is urucum again?
- 18 crabs (the meat from them)
- The meat of 18 “siris”(it’s another specie of crustacean that looks like a crab and also moves sideways)
- 2 plates of clams
- 2 plates of mussel
- 2 plates of oysters
- cod ( you decide the quantity)
- 1 kg of frech prawn without the outershell
- 24 eggs
- 3 cans of “heart of palm” or 12 pieces of it
- 10 sprigs of green onion and 10 of green coriander
- 1 kg of tomatoes
- 5 onions
- The meat of 2 lobsters
- 12 lemons
- Spice
- Olive oil
- 1 bulb of crushed garlics
- Olive (the fruit of the olive tree)

Amy, I suggest you to prepare everything a day before and let the easier things for the next day.
Let’s cook:
At first, clean the cod, let it into the water for all night long for removing the excess of salt.
Clean and boil the crabs, “siris” and lobsters with salt separately. I’ve never said it would be easy!
Then knead the meat of them separately.
Cook one moqueca for each one separately: the meat of crab, siri and lobster. Please follow the recipe of Moqueca Capixaba post replacing the fish for seafood.
Cook also one moqueca for each ingredient: cod, oyster, mussel, prawn, clams (don’t forget to remove the outershells and also remove the soap after cooking. If you want, you may cook “pirão” with it as I said before on the Moqueca Capixaba post).
The “heart of palm”...cut it in small pieces, then crush them using a clean dishcloth removing the excess of liquid at the same time.
Everything must be dry.
After cooking all the “moquecas”, heat olive oil and fry the crushed garlic with urucum, salt and onionin small pieces.
Then add the seashells (mussel, oyster, clam), add the cod, crabs, siris, prawn, the palm and lobsters (without any soup).
Cut and add the olives in small pieces. Add the green onion and green coriander.

Now the eggs...bake (or beat?) the yolks. Add a part of it to the mixing and save the rest that must be added to the whites.

Then heat olive oil in a pan of mud, add all the dry mixing. Cover it with the beaten eggs and decorate with onions (finaly chopped) and olives. And roast in 150 º for 20’.

If you are veggie, try replacing the meat for cabbage, it will be delicious but couldn’t you try the seafood meat only once in life? It’s almost a crime replace the meat in this dish.
Anyway, you can modify the recipe prompted by me according to your taste. For example, if you don’t like seashells like me, just remove them from the recipe.
This dish is served with wine. Choose some relaxing music to play in the background and have fun!

Good bye, friends
Byyyyye
Adriana

Films, Sports and Hobbies

Hello friends,



It appears that we let flourish the journalist inside us this month, Amy. Lovely your post. I’m curious to see the star, how does he look like?

I’ve heard about Bollywood before reading the news on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ but I’ve never watched a film. As I’ve said before about books written in English, the same I say about films. Most of the films available here are from Hollywood.

I’m very selective regarding to films. It’s not easy to satisfy myself with a film. The last good film I’ve watched was The Constant Gardner but I love musical films as Phantom of the Opera and Moulin Rouge so, I think I would love knowing the Indian movie.

It’s pretty much the same with games, mostly American games. My son and his friends loves playing games and I have to keep an eye on them because I don’t let them playing violent games like GTA or playing for long time.

I also think he can’t spend all his spare moments at home so I’ve always encouraged him to practise sports. His dream is to take part in Formula 1 racing one day...Oh! What an expensive dream! A pie in the sky! Football would be easier or any other activity. But I think sports in general are good not only to professionals.

We need an escapism. I like football and rafting just for pleasure when I don’t want to stay at home reading, listening music and watching films. My brother is crazy for triathlon or any marathon. Last month he took part in a half marathon that runs every year. We were there supporting him.






Well friends, I’m planning to answer all your comments tomorrow because maybe my last post will be on Saturday. It’s not because I’m planning to do rafting and relax but because I have a surprise for you all to compensate your nice and supportive presence during this month. This post sounds like a good-bye...






But I’ll be back tomorrow...I promise! Many kisses
Adriana


ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½work:

1- He said he had worked on 15 films so far, but planned to do many more.
2- Steven said he saw Bollywood as an exciting and vibrant artform.
3- Steven said there were many similarities between Bollywood and Hollywood.



Vocabulary:

To moonlight - To have a second job
An extra- a person who plays a small part in a play or film
To be cast in a film- to be chosen as actor in a film
Vibrant- exciting
To break into song- to begin singing
To remake- To make a new version of something
The highest grossing film- a film that has grossed the highest amount of money

It's a small world

Hello my beloved friends. Answers to you all. We can see the same moon wherever we go.

Ana Paula from Brazil: Hi Ana Paula. I’have never read this book but it will be in my list. It sounds interesting. You don’t bore me at all talking about books, Ana Paula and I am also a fan of Vinícius de Moraes. I love his poetic songs of Bossa Nova. Have you ever heard “O Samba da Bênção” or The Blessing Samba? I’m always listening Vinícius while blogging. For this reason one day I finished the blog with “saravá”. Have you noticed that? Don’t worry, Ana Paula, I rarely have nightmares. I was just kidding with you about that dog. :-)

Judit from Hungary: I’m glad you have found fascinating the story of the Monk and the Nun. I’d like to know about your friend’s opinion on the hill and the legend.

Antonio from Belgium: Thanks Antonio. I still think they are organized and it was just a bad luck I had but I’m afraid I don’t need to pass through this anymore.


Naheed from Pakistan: Thanks Naheed for your, as always, supportive words to me. The name of the fruit is “caju”, it’s an Indigenous name.


Rafique from Pakistan: Yes, most of the photos were taken by me, except when I’m in the picture :-D and some pictures that the priest lent me (the pictures of the paintings inside the Convent)


Myen from Vietnam: Every dog has its day! But I’m lucky most of the time. I think something very good is coming because my life has been like that. I’m glad you liked the monkey story. That’s the reason I like to take pictures...no one would believe me :-)


Ela from Poland: The white hemisphere is the Cultural Complex of the Republic in the picture, it’s a museum.


Hyoshil from lincoln: Thanks Hyoshil, I’m looking forward to reading your posts one day as a blogger to see your lovely son.


Ehsernta from Hong Kong: hello Ehsernta, I’ve posted yesterday another dish from here. Take a look!


Pilar from Spain: My situation was rather different from yours in the test. I’ve managed to antecipate my arrival a night before to avoid being late so I was the first candidate to arrive at both times. What made me feel anxious was the disappearance of my test and the following happenings. At least you had a happy ending.


Aster yassine from morocco: Yes, I always have good time despite all the adversities.


Marianna from Slovakia: Hi Marianna, I don’t know... I think my strenght comes from God or from my faith. It’s wonderful to be a journalist, at least for a month! I’ve loved every moment of blogging. Oh Marianna, you are very funny, I think you would be a nice blogger!


Chandrakant Patel from India Dahod: Thanks. Yes, I’ve got butterflies in my stomach during the test but I don’t regret of anything. I have been learning many Australian techniques during the preparation for the OET and I had the opportunity to know dentists from other countries virtually. Well...I think nothing in life is in vain. Most part of the things I have learned in my life, I have already used at some time. The building is the “National Congress” where the congressmen are.


Silwal Kishor from Nepal: I agree with you. In my case the only problem was the organization of the OET.Thanks for sharing the news from Nepal with me. It’s rare a manifestation in my city like this. When rarely we have one, it’s not violent, only people walking along the street with flags.


Josie from netherlands: Hi Josie, Nice to hear from you. I’ve lived in Colatina once. My father was teacher at the University there and I have lived in Rio too for a short time. I understand why you’ve worked as a nurse being a gynecologist. My friend worked as a dental assistant while doing the tests in Australia but I cannot imagine myself not being the dentist. I think I would give my opinion...it would be a disaster.


Yvonne from Germany, NRW, Ahaus: Hi Yvonne, I think you would be a great blogger. Well, I’ve managed to include all the issues I wanted to talk about, making a plan for that before blogging and I have been following itsince the main aim was to make everybody feel as they were here near me watching and feeling the same things like me.


SG Koolipurackal from Ksa: You are welcome here. I feel happy with you here. Try to express yourself in words just the way you know and we will certainly understand and communicate with you.


Jarek from Poland: I am also sad because it’s ending. I’d like to stay here forever like Stephen in his column. Haha :-) I wouldn’t dream to compare myself with him! He is my idol!


Naheed from Pakistan: Naheed you are a devoted student, I admire you and I need your help again explaining about the urucum in your own words.


Chandrakant Patel from India, Dahod: The name of my city is Vila Velha. Look for it again and you will see it.


MARCOS SARMENTO BARCELOS from RIO DE JANEIRO: Hi Marcos, welcome to the blog. Here is the place if you want to improve the English language learning skill.


Ayesha from Pakistan: Thank you, you are very nice. Keep on reading and writing comments. We learn by communication.


Anders Glob from Denmark: Thanks Anders, your words really cheer me up, you are very nice!


Manoj Pandey from Bhopal,India: Manoj, I always get the fish very quick but I don’t have the patience to wait for long time. Unluckily, we don’t have Indian food in my city, as far as I know but I’m looking for it desperately because it seems to be just appropriate to my my taste.


Heinrich Stamm from Pomerode, SC, Brazil: Thanks Heinrich, you are really nice. I’d like to be as good as you are in English, you have a rich vocabulary, I’ve noticed that. Yes I had a not so bad experience when Paul (from the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team) wanted to explain me how the blogging system works...we were communicating by e-mail and when he said: Do you want me to explain by phone? I’ve got butterflies in my stomach, I think my face turned red due to the heat I was feeling and my heart beat so fast just to think of speaking to him. I think I feel more confortable when the interlocutor isn’t a native speaker.

Farzan from tehran: I’d love to visit your country one day but it’s a pie in the sky right now. I promise in the last blog I’ll show better pictures of me.

Myen from Vietnam: Thanks for the drink, Myen. I’m so glad you liked my meal. I hope you like the “Torta Capixaba” too.

A kiss to you all and to all who are trying to post comments. I hope to be lucky enough to read them as soon as the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE publish them before my last day blogging here,

Sweet dreams
Adriana

New blogger

Thank you Adriana - your blog has been great!

Next week, it's a warm welcome to our new Student blogger, Satya from India.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Learning English team

Last answers

Hi Amy and friends,

Just brief answer...

Amy, the star of Bollywood is handsome and thanks for your supportive words. I also think your posts were really fantastic! I'll show you a picture I have taken in the Indian Square in Aracruz city here in Espírito Santo/ Brazil. A gift to you who renewed me as a sudent after the failure in the OET test:

:



Rafique from Pakistan: You’ll certainly learn here and thanks for your advices on my son’s education including word toys, puzzles and games.


Chandrakant Patel from India Dahod: Thanks Chandrakant. I think I am.


posted by Mauricio from Brazil: Hi Maurício, I’ve really missed you but I understand because my father is also a teacher. Be generous with your pupils giving marks! ;-) You shoud see how I teach Math to my son. I always include all his friends in the problems to be solved in a funny way that he laughs a lot. He is good in math, he studied Portuguese, English and Math in Kumon school (do you know this method?) two years ago but he became so stressed with so much homework to do everyday that it was harmful to his health and I had to stop it.


Josie from netherlands: I’ll also include your authors in my list. I’d love to have those books in English you’ve mentioned. I went to Rio for work. My uncle is also a dentist and has a clinic there.

Silwal Kishor from Nepal: Nice to see my phrase “anger is bad for our beauty and health” sounds soppy to you. Irony apart, I’m not really angry, Silwal. With so many beautiful things in life here, how could I be? I just wanted to go there because I was sensitized reading an article about the lack of dentists in remote areas that people was even removing their own teeth. I have it still here. You can read it in this link: http://www.abc.net.au/health/regions/features/dental/default.htm


Naheed from Pakistan: Naheed, once you jump into the water of the Caraís Lake, you don’t have the desire to leave the place. The water is so warm and relaxing and you feel your hair and skin so soft!


Josie from netherlands: Hi Josie, it’s so good to know that my posts might refresh your Brazilian feeling being in another country.


Jarek from Poland: Glad to know you liked the story of the Monk and the Nun

Ernesto from Chile: Two volcanoes and a lake...It sounds beautiful that story too!

Farzan from tehran: Good bye, Farzan and thank you for your comments.


Josie from Netherlands: Thanks Josie. I rarely open my orkut but I’ll look for you. I’m interested in those books in English, especially the English course in DVD for children. I have friends whose husbands work in those companies, who knows they can bring the books for me?

Naheed from Pakistan: You understood exactly what I was trying to say with the picture of the moon. Thanks and good-bye.

Manoj Pandey from Bhopal,India: Thanks Manoj, who knows if one day I will visit India?Good bye.


Gogosky from south korea: Thanks for your comment and good bye



Hyoshil from lincoln: Hi Hyoshil, glad to know our children are similar. Yesterday we woke up in the middle of the night to watch the racing. What a racing! I bite all my nails (just kidding). Have you watched my surprise in you tube? The one with a broken arm is my sister. My son has caused the broken arm accidentally. He jumped over her in an unexpected way.


posted by : Thanks for your comment and for the overview in the India culture. Yesterday I watched a film about India, it showed Goa and fantastic dances.


Paco from Spain: Hi Paco, thanks for your comment. I haven’t had many comments from europeans so I appreciate yours very much.


Chandrakant Patel from India, Dahod: You are right. I have the google earth but I don’t know how to use it properly.

Ana Paula from Brazil: I also like Tom Jobim. I like that music too...”It’s better be happy than be sad, happiness is the best thing that exists, it’s like the light inside the heart, because the samba was born over there in Bahia...” Bye Aninha and thanks for everything. “Saravá”

Antonio from Belgium: you seem to be a caring father and your son smart. Thanks Antonio. It was good to have you with me this month.

Ana from Poland: Thanks Ana for your comments and support. I’m glad you liked my blogs.


Silwal Kishor from Nepal: you are really welcome here. Thanks and Good bye


Ernesto from Chile: Ernesto, most of the people, even from here, prefer going to the restaurant to have the pie.


Paula from Venezuela: Interesting to know about the similarieties between the both dishes. Thanks for sharing that with us. I didn’t know about that. Keep on writing here. I’d like to know more about Venezuela.


Naheed from Pakistan: Thanks again for your explanation, Naheed. I appreciated it very much!


Antonio from Belgium: It’s for a big family because it is served on Easter when families gather together.

Josie from Netherlands: Josie, once a friend of my uncle sent it by postage to him... :-)

Antonio from Belgium: Thanks Antonio, I’ll see this link.


Lucia from Italy: Thanks for your visit, I appreciated it

Myen from Vietnam: I’m happy you liked my blogs


Namaste
Adriana

Friends, music, family

Good morning my friends,


Before my last post, I’d like to drop a line about few things.

Firstly, my closest friend has a claim on me because she has not taken part in my blog. Ok... Jocelita is my friend since childhood. We were from the volleyball team of our school, a great team indeed. Some of us remained friends but most of the members went to different ways. One became a doctor, other architect and so on. So we don’t have contact as before although our team has a place in our heart forever. Jo is an accountant, she lives close to me, she is my best friend who is always calling me for advices on her realationship with her boyfriend and she takes part in our football team. Unluckily, when I took the photos of the football match, she was not there.

Secondly, I’ve had a look at the entire blog since the first one and I’ve noticed that I have not talked about music as promised.
Talking briefly about music, I’m somewhat ecletic. I like all sort of musics from Bossa Nova and the 3 Tenores to Samba and some bands of Rock. I like especially J Quest, Vinícius de Moraes, Toquinho, Harmonia do Samba, Adriana Calcanhoto, Cat Stevens, Kid Abelha, I’ve already said J Quest? Also Queen, Elton John, Beatles, Elvis Presley, U2, Tim Maia, Djavan,, Guilherme Arantes, Ivan Lins, Men at Work, Paralamas do Sucesso, Phill Collins, Celine Dion, Bee Gees Mariah Carrey, Leo Jaime, Rita Lee, Marisa Monte, Tribalhistas, Zelia Dunkan and of course, J Quest. I love J Quest songs, especially “Do seu lado” or “By your side”.

Thirdly, I feel guilty because I couldn’t post every day , at the beggining I had to wait for the password and instructions , plus there was a holiday, work, family... I cannot compensate everything at the end though and I hope you understand that.

Fourthly, I’ve said I wouldn’t talk about my soppy love stories but some of you might be thinking why I have not showed you my son’s father who is also my husband.. The reason is, beyond a marketing strategy to keep you reading my posts until the end :-), my husband has always been totally against my ex-dream to move to Austrália and also to study English, what has caused some problems to us, sorry to confess that. I know some of you come from traditional societies and have perfect marriages. I admire that so much.

However after all the happenings now we are ok, he is happy ‘cause I din’t pass and just because he praised me yesterday seeing my blog, I’ve decided include him in my world. He says hello to everyone in the world.



So, friends, I have to ask you to wait just a little bit for the very last blog because I have a special surprise for you all but I cannot publish it now...you know the family... my real life is calling me. But I’m back later, ok? I promise today, at the end of the afternoon or at night (in Brazil) I’ll publish the last blog.

A special kiss to you all.
Adri

"Thank you...thank you so much"!!!

Hi Amy, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team and friends around the world,


Has everyone ever read “The Little Prince”?
There’s a part in which he said he wanted to visit a friend but he didn’t want to surprise him because if his friend knew in antecipation of his visit, his friend would be happier since that moment.

It’s the same with me, I can’t wait to reach the climax publishing my last post with my surprise by the sound of my favourite band J Quest- “Do Seu Lado” in the background here. Don’t miss it! Here it goes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZWc0DyS-_A

Well friends...the words fail me, so...I’ll just let my heart says by itself.
It has been a fascinating month. Have you ever watched Cinderela? It’s like that.
I’ve had a fairy (Amy)and a team (ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team)to help my dreams come true.
I was the student blogger, a student abroad (in England and in India at the same time), a traveller, a counsellor, a poet, a writer, a photographer.
I’ve tried to do my best and I think I’ve done all to make hay while the sun shines.

Anyway, it was not so hard. It was pure pleasure! Don’t be afraid to participate in the competition. Everybody is so nice with us.
I’d like to do even more. I’d like to show you all my role plays (that are more comedies than everything) in several situations from my daily professional routine and give you my humble tips on how to practise speaking but I haven’t got a clue how to send the audio files.

Even so, I’m profoundly grateful for what I consider an intensive English course firstly to Paul, to the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ LE team, to the people who perhaps don’t appear in “meet the team” but also work hard( the engineers, for example), also to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ journalists because I learn a lot with them too reading the news, to all the teachers especially Stephen who was the caring teacher who gave me confidence to write comments initially, to all the teachers which blogs I have been reading: Samantha, Jo, Alex. And my sweet teacher Amy who was more than a teacher but a doctor who has diagnosed all my weakness and has smartly gone straight to the point. There was no need to ask any question. She knew everything about me as student. I’m very happy to have had you as my teacher Amy. I wish you and your family (including the newborn baby very soon) all the best in life.

What to say to my faithful readers? Always so kind with their as always supportive comments...a kiss for every one of you.

Friends...The show must go on as Pink Floyd said ...so, I’d like to welcome Satya, the new student blogger who, for our happiness, is from India. Hello Satya, have fun!

At last, I have to watch the clock because here in Brazil the dreams end at midnoon and not midnight. We have a lunch to serve after all... :-D
And I’ll finish this virtual trip with the same phrase Cinderela said to her fairy when the dream was over:


“Thank you...thank you so much!”
Truckloads of kisses
Adriana

Hi everyone....

Hi to Ratchel, Adriana, Amy and to my readers...
This is Satya, from India. I feel very happy to be the student blogger for this month.
First of all, I thank the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ team for giving me this wonderful oppertunity. I haven't expected this.
Before going to the introduction part, I have to tell you all about my language. I have started learning English just 4 years ago. So, I'm not an expert in the language. I commit mistakes very often. Please take pains to correct my language. I always welcome them.
Well...Adriana and Amy....we really miss you. Amy...I enjoyed reading your posts. You are just a few hundreds of kilometres from here. I think of meeting you someday.
Adriana.... your last post is heart touching. I'm looking forward to see you on the comments page.
And now, my introduction. My name is Satyanarayana Reddy Padala. But I love people calling me Satya. Satya means The Truth. I'm doing my engineering in GITAM University in Visakhapatnam. The city is also called as Vizag. It is situated in Andhra Pradesh State.
Tomorrow, I am going to Chennai which is 800 km away. I will be spending this whole week there. A technical symposium is being conducted in IIT. I'm going to participate in the Robotics event. So, a little busy these days. I hope that I could get internet facility there so that I can blog from there. The tragic part of the story is that my robot is not yet finished. Let us watch the show.