|
|
RIO DE JANEIRO
 Rio is blessed with
a wonderful natural setting, wedged between the mountains, with
contrasting peaks including Sugar Loaf and Corcovado, topped by the famous
statue of Christ, and the sea. Underneath lies a colourful state of mind
called Carioca, with almost 8 million locals who samba their way, relaxed
and high-spirited, through life.
The People: Meet the Cariocas
According to linguists, the term Carioca, as locals call themselves, is
not derived from the word Rio, as in carioca. It is actually
a Tupi Indian term (kara'i oca), roughly meaning "white house", or "house
of whites" (see history ). That's how they called the houses built by the
Portuguese. For some reason, eventually the Portuguese started thinking of
themselves as Cariocas.
You don't have to be born in Rio to be a Carioca. All you have to do is
relax into the city lifestyle, and soon you will become one. There are
some basics you should learn first, though, if you want to make friends
with locals, that is.
Brazilian are not Hispanic, but they share many Latin traces with their
cousins. Cariocas have nothing against touching each other: two kisses on
the cheeks is how most boys and girls greet in informal situations. Other
common trait is an inherent love for soccer, that was adapted even to the
volleyball net. At the beaches many athletes practice what is known as
foot-volley, where you are not allowed to touch the ball with your hands.
Samba, the Carnival beat, is still a favorite - even if under some
alternative label as axe-music or pagode.
About the language
It's Portuguese, not Spanish!
Although Brazil is surrounded by Spanish-speaking countries, the language
here is Portuguese. Your Spanish will help a lot, though. Most Cariocas
understand it, if spoken slowly. Anyone dealing directly with tourists
will understand, and try hard to speak English. French and Italian are the
other two languages that are likely to be at least understood.
We realize Portuguese is not a first choice as a second language, and
nobody expects you to become a pro. Learning to read the words may be a
useful skill, though. It will surely come handy when you have to say the
name of a street, or some place you are going to
Credits:
Brazil Nuts |
