In case you will be making your way to Carnival in Brazil this year, and if you find yourself in Recife, I’ve written a Saturday itinerary for you at Street Smart Brazil. Check out Roosters in Recife Sing Frevo for a quick guide to what you should do.
Over at Danielle’s blog, she discusses Panty Chat, a show from Globo where young women sit around and….well, I’ll let you read her post (see comments, too). I’ll reproduce my comment here, by the way…
“Yeah, you don’t want to understand it, it’s a bit crap. These women encompass what is being called the Female Chauvinist Pig. And sad, it is. There is a show on Globo which is kinda similar to Panty Chat, it’s called Amor e Sexo.”
The State of São Paulo’s registry office of notes had, last year, 9,317 divorces, an increase of 109% in relation to 2009, when there were 4,459 separations. The study was done by CNB-SP (Notary College of Brazil – São Paulo Section), an entity that represents the sector for the State.
The entity attributed the expressive growth to the ease with which couples can publish their divorce. In July of last year, via the Constitutional Amendment 66, the waiting period was extinguished. Before, couples only could part ways officially after one year of formal separation or two years while living in different houses.
Also according to the statement, the notary divorces began in 2007 following the authorization obtained through Law 11,441. That year, there were 4,080 formalizations without the need for judiciary input “because they were resolved consensually in a notary office.” That number rose to 4,394 the following year.” – Folha
My Take
Either more people wanted to divorce before, yet found the process too cumbersome, meaning it’s just an easier way out now or more people are getting divorced ‘these days’. For this year, I’m predicting drive-through divorce or divorce by text. “Sorry I didn’t get the eggs and milk like you asked…didn’t you get my text earlier???” Jokes aside, I wonder if it’s also getting easier to get married, too, in Brazil (seeing as there’s no “Sin City”, like Las Vegas, there).
The more we facilitate the break-up of the family unit, the harder it will be to bond, and when there is no one to rely on, we become more succeptable to outside influences. Soon, we’ll all be ‘alone together’ (article, video).
PS – See comments
Wish/Synthesis of Happiness
by Carlos Drummond de Andrade*
I wish for you …
Fruit from the jungle
The scent of the garden
Flirting at the front gate
Sunday without rain
Monday without a bad mood
Saturday with your love
To hear a kind word
To have a pleasant surprise
A full moon
Re-examining an old friendship
To have faith in God
Not having to hear the word ‘no’
Nor ‘never’, ‘never ever’ or ‘goodbye’.
Laughing like a child
Listening to a bird song
To write a poem of love
That will never be torn
To form an ideal pair
Bathing in the waterfall
To learn a new song
To expect someone at the station
Cheese with guava
Sunset on the farm
A feast
A guitar
A serenade
To remember an old love
To always have a friendly shoulder
Clapping with joy
A mild afternoon
To put on old slippers
Sitting in an old armchair
Play guitar for someone
To listen to the rain on the roof
White wine
Bolero by Ravel …
And my great affection.
Apparently, there are two versions, one with a little more cultural reference and the one above. Here’s the former in Portuguese, which also goes by the name “Síntese da felicidade”. Also, this is a poem that has been attributed to Drummond but lacks proper citation*.
I can’t get enough of Lula Pena, a Portuguese singer, who I’ve noticed does covers of some Brazilian songs. O Meu Amor by Chico Buarque, below, is one of those cases. Some say she sings fado but being a lover of fado, I see a distinction. Lula Pena does hauntingly beautiful renditions and if you can get your hands on her albums, Phados or Troubador, you’ll find more like the song below.
Here’s Chico’s version, though the recording quality and background instruments made it so-so, in my book. Also, you can read a little on her over at Eyes On Portugal.
According to documents leaked via Wikileaks, the US consulate in Brazil apparently thinks there are three kinds of Brazilians that ask for US (work) visas. The ‘good’ are those of middle-class, with good schooling and in search of improving their English. The ‘bad’ are those who have relatives or friends who are illegally staying in the US while the ‘ugly’ are those that are unqualified, poor and desperate, having paid US$3,000 for false work permission instead of paying US$10,000 for a coyote in Mexico. – Folha
I’m not sure about other pockets of Brazilians living in the US, but here in the Bay Area, I’ve probably spent time with over 100 Brazilians (a very rough guess) and those that were here illegally make up about 5-10%. Of course, some might say that this is evidence of a successful policy by the US consulates. On the flip side, there are those that slip through and those that should have been let through. One of my friends in Brazil has repeatedly traveled through and lived in Europe, all done legally, yet she keeps getting denied a visa to vacation in the US. For Brazilians’ sake, the exodus will start to reverse.
