Let's learn Portuguese video 2

You know that BOM DIA means good morning.

After 12pm, you would greet someone saying BOA TARDE, good afternoon.

The short dialogue is translated bellow:

Boa tarde, filho! (good afternoon, son)
Boa tarde, mãe.  A gente pode almoçar? (good afternoon, mom. Can we have lunch?)

News from Brasilia 06/13/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia

Source: http://www.coronavirus.df.gov.br/ updated on June12th 6pm.
The numbers are updated twice a day in the DF coronavirus portal, at noon and at 6pm.

Traditional restaurants of Brasilia are closing
Besides the loss of thousands of lives, the other terrible effect of the pandemia is the economic crisis. So many people lost their jobs, so many business closed. In Brasilia, even traditional restaurants, as Fritz and Piantella, closed their doors for good. I just read that Marietta from Lago Sul also closed. But you can try Marietta in other locations. It is a nice place to eat a fresh sandwich and juice (so many combinations. My favorite is pineapple, caju and orange). Source: Metropoles

News from Brasilia 06/11/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
Almost 20,000 cases and 266 deaths.

I haven't published the chart for a few days. When I opened the DF coronavirus portal today, I was choked by the numbers. They are rising!

Chart from the Health Secretary. Updated on June 11th, 2020.

A 1 month old baby was the youngest victim of coronavirus in Brasilia. He was hospitalized at HRAN, a reference public hospital for treating patients with coronavirus.

Eixao do lazer is back on Sundays and holidays 

Eixao is a long and large road that crosses all Plano Piloto (South Aisle and North Aisle). On Sundays and holidays it is closed for the cars so the population can enjoy a lot of free space to walk, bike, run. On this holiday of Corpus Christi "Eixao of leisure" reopened after almost 3 months. Many people went there to exercise.

Photo: GPSLifetime June 11th, 2020

June 12th is Valentine's Day in Brazil

Valentine's day is a date for couples in Brazil. It's not the same as in US, for example, that we give chocolates and little gifts to friends, teachers. This was something very unusual to me when we lived in Texas. In our first year there, I didn't know what my kids should give to their classmates.  But now I think it is nice.

If you want to buy something to your girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife/partner, malls are opened in Brasilia, but with a different opening hours (1pm to 9pm). There are many malls in Brasilia. I like a lot Terraço Shopping. It's not so big and it's opened, I like going there specially to eat. But if you are looking for a fancier gift, so you may want to go to Iguatemi shopping. It's a "new" mall (just to illustrate, Parkshopping, a mall I also like going is 30 years old. Iguatemi opened its doors 10 years ago) and there is a lot of space inside. So I guess it's safe to keep social distance there. At Iguatemi you can find high class brands as Dolce & Baganna and Louis Vitton.

Let's learn Portuguese- video 1

Hello! We don't know yet how long the quarantaine will last, right? So what about learning some Portuguese while you can't interact much outside the house?

I will record from now on short videos with some useful words/ expressions.

The first expression is BOM DIA. It means good morning and we use it in many situations. We say "bom dia" to greet people when we are entering the elevator. We say "bom dia" before starting a presentation. If you are leaving the building you live at , you can greet the janitor (porteiro) with a smile and a bom dia. If you know his/her name, even better. "Bom dia, seu João". 

When I first got to Texas, I was surprised about the "conversation" people had in the shops. Hi, how are you today? It made me feel a bit uncomfortable in the beginning because I didn't know exactly how to respond to that. After a while, I got used to the small talk (and I do miss that!).  In Brazil, we don't talk much  when we are paying something in the grocery store or when we enter the elevator with people we don't know. We just say "bom dia" or boa tarde or boa noite, depending at the time of the day. 

Bom dia para você e até a próxima!

What is happening with the world? And more specifically, what is happening in Brazil??

These last days haven't been easy to follow. The cruel episode in US, with the death of George Flyod, the pandemic of coronavirus making victims all around the world and killing a thousand people (or more) a day in Brazil, millions of students without school, a little boy who fell from the 9th floor from a building in Recife (he was looking for his mom, a maid who was downstairs walking the dog of the family she works for. The boy had to accompany his mom to her work since daycares and schools remain closed because of the new coronavirus pandemics). His death shocked Brazil and brought a lot of discussion. By the time Miguel's mom was walking the dog, Miguel was being taken care by his mom's employer, Sari. She let him leave the apartment and be alone in the elevator. Sari was arrested, but she left jail after paying a bail.

Still talking about the coronavirus, now the WHO has announced that studies with hydroxychloroquine will be resumed. Bolsonaro, Brazil's president, has always defended the use of chloroquine and he insisted in the large use of the medication to treat patients with Covid-19. Believe it or not, Brazil remains without a Minister of Health after the president had disagreements with the two former Ministers. He continues to blame the press for being against his Government and he is openly against the most popular Brazilian TV network (Rede Globo), the president keeps walking outside without mask and yesterday one of his most famous supporters (and a very controversial one), Olavo de Carvalho, recorded a video complaining about the president. Protests took place in some cities against president Bolsonaro. And the latest polemic is about the numbers of the infected and deaths. Since the Health Minister left, the chart with the information of coronavirus in Brazil has changed, there is no more daily live report/interview in the Health Ministry. Unfortunately the situation in Brazil is not good yet, far from that. I do hope this terrible scenario changes soon. May Brazil and other affected countries recover soon and celebrate Covid-19 zero cases just as New Zealand did today.

Coronavirus in Brasilia
16629 confirmed cases, 214 deaths.

Chart from the DF Health Secretary. May 8th, 2020. The information is updated twice a day, at noon and at 6pm http://www.coronavirus.df.gov.br/.

News from Brasilia 06/05/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia

13147 confirmed cases, 196 deaths

chart from the Health Secretary. Uptaded on June 5th, 2020

As I've been telling you in the past weeks, the situation of coronavirus in Brasilia is not wonderful of course. In the other hand, if we compare the Federal District (DF) with other regions of Brazil, we could say it's safer to be in Brasilia. Malls, some shops and parks reopened, but it doesn't mean it is recommended to leave the house if you don't need to. I know it's hard to be "locked"for so long, but we still have to be very careful. Brazil is in the international news for the high numbers of people infected and because of the number of deaths, thousands. This is so sad!

Here in Poland many restrictions were loosened. It is not mandatory to wear masks in public spaces, only inside the shops or in public transportation, for example. When we are in very large place as the "beach" I showed you a few days ago, I take out the mask. But when we are in a place with many people passing by, I still ask the kids to keep the masks on. 

An afternoon in the park with my 4 kids to celebrate Mother's day (by Brazilian calendar. We always celebrate on the second Sunday of May). I celebrated it twice since in Poland, Mother's day/Dzien Matki in on May 26th.

June is a special month in Brazil because of the FESTAS JUNINAS or June Fest or Fest of Saint John. I just love them! It is so much fun and the food is just delicious. We eat many typical foods of this celebratation, that includes some kinds of cakes (chocolate, corn), hot dog,  Salty  (arroz carreteiro, made with meat) and sweet rice...just naming them made me feel hungry. This year festas juninas will not be the same. I've just read that Nossa Senhora do Lago will have an online festa junina. Hopefully next year you will have the opportunity to go to real June Fest. But if you want to try the typical foods I told you about, you can order a delivery. You can take a look here

                                                    Photo: GPSlifetime Brasilia 

                                            Festa Junina (June Fest) has so many delicious food. This yellow food with cinnamon on top is called curau. Made with corn. I just love it, so yummy. And if you want to see and order more yummy finger food we eat in parties, I recomend one of my favorite bakeries in Brasilia, Casa dos Biscoitos Mineiros

Have a great weekend! 

Churches and religious temples reopened yesterday

Brasilia's Cathedral. photo: Metropoles 06/04/2020

It doesn't matter what is your religion. You will probably find in Brasilia people who have the same beliefs and a church or temple to go if you wish to. I am Catholic and I used to attend Mass at Paroquia Santo Antonio at SGAS 911. By the way, at Santo Antonio there was Mass in English on Saturdays. The Archidiosece of Brasilia updated the Mass times, you can read here. Here in Poland churches were never closed even during quarantaine, but only a few people could attend. In the church we use to go here in Warsaw, only 10 people could be inside during Mass. And since we are a family of 6, we never came. Now, with the loosening of the restrictions, more people can come inside, but we still don't feel safe to go. We are praying at home. 

Now talking about music, I've said in a previous post that many Brazilian singers are doing lives in this quarantaine. One of my local favorite singers is a colleague I met at the church when I was a teenager. At the time, she already sang really well. And now she sings professionally, in marriages. Her name is Leticia Castro and her website is www.queromusica.com.br. Bellow, one clip of her singing in one of the beautiful settings of Brasilia near the lake. The song's name is TREM BALA. We, Brazilians, love this song. I hope you will enjoy it too.

Leticia Castro, singer from Brasilia. www.queromusica.com.br

www.queromusica.com.br

Brasilia has an amazingly beautiful sky

The weather forecast for the next days in Brasilia is sun, sun, sun! Do you do Celsius or Fahrenheit? As I was born and raised in Brazil, my mind is all about degrees Celsius, kg, km. If your head, in the other hand, just works with inches, feet, miles, yard, I won't lie: you'll be in trouble in Brazil. LOL. Just kidding.

Why we don't all use the same system, the same units?? 😁

Parks are reopening in Brasilia

Hello from Poland

Olá!

Following a friend's suggestion, I will post some videos from now on. I know the last news haven't been so good as the pandemic is still on and Brazil is struggling to defeat this battle against coronavirus.

But Brasilia has so much to offer and as many of you won't live in Brasilia for many years, so there is no time to waste.

I do hope I can bring some useful tips and information. If you want to ask something, you can write in the comments or you can send me an email (please write in the subject: Living in Brasilia. So it would be easier for me to know what the message is about) erikaberbert@gmail.com

News from Brasilia 05/30/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia

8722 confirmed cases, 154 deaths.

Chart from DF Health Secretary. Updated in May 29th 6pm

Although the situation in Brasilia is still way better than the other regions of Brazil, the number of infected is rising daily, and also the number of deaths. You can read official reports (in Portuguese) and see updated charts at the http://www.coronavirus.df.gov.br/

 

Unfortunatley Brazil is in the international news for being one of the countries most affected by the pandemia. The number of deaths are around 1,000 daily. This is really sad and concerning news. Besides that, a serious political crisis is on. Two ministers of Health left. The first one, Mandetta, was fired. The second one, Teish, resigned after only 1 month working at the Minister of Health. Both Ministers didn't agree with the president's point of view of vertical isolation only and massive use of chloroquine.  

Festa Junina. One of the most popular festivities of Brazil.

When we think about a popular event in Brazil, people usually refer Carnaval. Indeed, carnival in Brazil is an unique and enormous celebration. But to be honest, my favorite Brazilian celebration is Festa Junina ("June fest/ Fest of Saint John"). It happens in the month of June (people love so much that it is often extented for the months of July and sometimes even August!). I will tell more about this wonderful celebration later, but now I just wanted to share the initiative of some bakeries and restaurants of Brasilia that are offering delivery of the delicious food (the best part of June fest!) since the festivities will probably not occur this year (usually the fests take place in churches and schools). If you go here, you will see in the pictures some of the typical food and also the number to order them. Canjica, arroz carreteiro...hum, so yummy. Enjoy!

And talking about food and back to the pandemia, unfortunately many restaurants closed in Brasilia. I've heard yesterday in radio CBN that 350 places closed and almost 8,000 jobs were lost. This is really sad. One very traditional and German restaurants will definitely close next week, Fritz. The restaurant is offering deliveries until tomorrow. So you still have time to order with you want.

Have a great and safe weekend!!

News from Brasilia 05/27/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia

7367 confirmed cases, 127 deaths.

source: Health Secretary DF May 27th

 Mass testing in Brasilia

For people with symptoms of cold/fever. You can schedule the quick test here: https://sistemas.df.gov.br/mteste/. The test is made in a drive thru system in 10 different locations of Federal District. You can schedule to be tested in the testing point close to your house. To read more about the mass testing, click here 

It's cold in Brasilia!

Temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius (or 50 Fahrenheit) as it was today is really cold for us Brazilians. Tomorrow you can expect a sunny day and higher temperatures. And if you are new to Brasilia, let me tell you about the weather: from May on it can be really dry. So don't forget to drink plenty of water along the day.

Malls reopened today

                                     photo: Metropoles. May 27th

Large crowds was seen in the malls in the first day of reopening after 2 months. As there are some restrictions (as obligation to have the temperature checked before entering the mall), there were lines. Malls have reduced opening hours (Mon-Saturday 1pm-9pm. Sunday 2pm-8pm), the food courts are still closed (only to go option available). Some stores have delivery system. 

News from Brasilia 05/24/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
6268 confirmed cases, 97 deaths

Source: Health Secretary. Uptaded on May 24th

Coronavirus in Brazil

Source: Ministry of Health. Updated on May 23th. Brazil registered 965 deaths because of coronavirus in only 24h. Over 22,000 people have already died in Brazil because of the disease.  

Although the number of infected are rising as well as the number of deaths, the situation of the coronavirus in Brasilia is way better than others parts of Brazil.

In Brasilia there is a reference public hospital to treat patients with coronavirus, HRAN. Also a field hospital was inaugurated in the Mane Garrincha stadium and 20 patients are already being treated there.


Mass testing in Brasilia
Mass testing started on April 21st and over 100,000 people were already tested (the system offers 4,000 tests a day). This quick test offered in a drive thru system is for people with symptoms of cold/fever for at least 7 days. You can schedule a test at https://sistemas.df.gov.br/mteste/. And you can choose the place closer to your home. For example, if you live at South Aisle or North Aisle (Asa Sul or Asa Norte) you can be tested at Parque da Cidade or at the Terraço Shopping mall. 

What is already opened in Brasilia and what are the next steps?

Governor Ibaneis Rocha published another decree authorizing the reopening of the malls from May 27th, Wednesday, with restrictions (cinema, food court, playing area remain closed). Opening hours 1pm-9pm. 
The shops in the streets (quadras comerciais) have already been authorized to reopen. However, fitness centers, hair salons, museums, clubs remain closed until further notice. Schools were not authorized yet to reopen.
source: G1 DF

News from Brasilia 05/23/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
6024 confirmed cases, 91 deaths.

Source: Health Secretary- portal Covid-19

Coronavirus in Brasil

Updated on May 22th. Chart of the Health Minister. 21,048 deaths in Brasil. 1,001 deaths in 24 hours.