thegoodfellas/blogset-br huggingface dataset:
Interview with JanainaWe interviewed Janaina, a student from the English course at UFMG and a former exchange student. We asked about her experiences during the exchange program and as a result had a very nice and interesting conversation.(J: Janaina; L: Luise; N: Natalia)N: Okay, so! Hello, good morning!J: Hello, good morning!N: What's your name?J: My name's Janaina.N: How are you?J: I'm not too bad, and you guys?N & L: We're okay!J: That's good.N: So, you went in an exchange program?J: Yes, that was in 2004 and I was there for a year, from 2004 to 2005, actually.N: And which country did you go to?J: England.N: And why did you choose it?J: Well, Ive been asked this before and I really don't know. I mean, I preferred England. I could choose between England or the States, but I guess it's because we are closer to Europe and there you can have contact to more cultures and more different languages, different... everything, you can travel around and it's very good.L: And what were the expectations you had before going?J: Ah, I had so many expectations, because I've been a language student since I was twelve, and it was a pretty big dream to go to an English speaking country, so I wanted to know how that would be, speaking English 24 hours a day and having contact with other people, and communicate in a completely different language, and... the food, the friends, the places. I mean, it was my first experience abroad, so everything was new for me, I was pretty excited to go.L: And were these expectations really met or was there something that really frustrated you?J: Well, I actually didn't have something like, this is gonna be like that and I'm sure it's gonna be great. I mean, I was curious and anxious to know what would happen, but everything was okay. I didn't have many problems there, I made friends, I visited places. And, of course, some things were not perfect, but I think it's part of life.N: Did you have any problems adapting to the country's culture?J: Oh, just some little things - they were actually funny - like the way they washed the dishes, not like the way we do, the way they use water is different. And also my friends used to say oh, Janaina, you are so funny, you drink too much coffee and you have too many showers a day. I used to have two showers a day, one in the morning and one at night. For them it was too much. But it was not bad adaptation, actually, because me and the other friend that were living at the same flat didnt use the kind of way that they used to wash the dishes, we did it our way, our Brazilian way, because we thought that would be disgusting (to use their way). I mean, its different, but we could handle.N: And what were the biggest differences between our culture and theirs? Can you say something?L: Other than the dishes!J: I dont know... the way
we are, we talk too much, we are friendly, we go out together... Also our connection to family and friends at the university. I guess these things, even though they are not so huge, they still feel part of a difference.L: Was the overall experience enjoyable?J: Yeah, it was really nice, Id totally recommend... It was something that was really important for me, because I can really remember my life and it was a change one me, the exchange program, you live so many different things and... Because you see, Im not from Belo Horizonte, so I was not living with my family for a long time, so that was not the problem, but you know: its another language, another culture, the food, and you're actually alone there because you dont have your friends from here, your family from here... But it was really nice, its a great experience. Living the language is totally different.L: Did you have a hard time coming back?J: When I was at the end of my exchange program I wanted to come back, it was a year already, I missed my family, my friends and everything. But when you arrive its a bit difficult as well, just like when you get there, I was like oh God, what do I do? for a weekend. When you come back its the same, okay, now I have to adapt, what am I going to talk with my family? because you are so... so there, so when you come back, you have to do that yourself, friends, family, too. Adapt to your life here.N: Did the fact that you were Brazilian influenced the way people talked to you?J: No, actually people were very receptive. I went to London first: I was six months in London, and six months in Leeds, and why that? Because I didnt have all the money, I was working for six months and then I went for the academic university exchange which was six months. I went six months before because I didnt have all the money that I needed. And people were very friendly with me, every time I said Im Brazilian people went to say oh, so nice, Brazilians, theyre so friendly, nice country, beautiful many of them had been here before, and people were very friendly with me, Brazilians, your girls are so pretty and blablabla. They were really nice with me. No prejudice or anything.L: Do you have a funny story or something that youd like to share?J: I cant remember anything... But I think that... on the way to UFMG I was kind of trying to remember things, so for example, the way I learned new words there I guess, trying to make mimics, explaining what I wanted, sometimes it was funny and then they were like oh! and when they get ohh, yes, like, oh, thats what you mean? That's a completely different word. It was fun, but I think something curious is that we are too hard on ourselves. Oh my God, Im mispronouncing it, thats not so good
and then when you get there... They look at us and they think, oh your English is beautiful, because for them, having the level of language that we have is difficult, I imagine they put themselves in our shoes, oh, if I was, I were...N: If I were to learn Portuguese...J: Yeah, if I were to speak Portuguese the way you speak English that would be perfect. You know? So, we are too demanding, we are too hard on ourselves. Thats interesting.L: So... thats it.N: Thank you very much!J: Thats okay! No problem.
On April 14, we interviewed Allison Maranuk, a Fulbright English TA that chose Brazil as option for studying abroad. Allison was very kind along the whole process and answered all of our questions clearly. In the following interview, she talks about her expectations, difficulties, the cultural differences she experienced and other things related to her stay in Brazil and being away from home.Is it okay if we ask you a few questions about your experience here in Brazil? Absolutely.Great! Thank you. So, you are from the United States, right? Yes, I am American.And when did you come to Brazil? I came to Brazil at the end of February.And for how long will you stay here? I will be here for a total of nine months, so until December.Are you excited? I am very excited!Why did you choose to come to Brazil? I love Latin America, and I know Spanish and I wanted to learn Portuguese. Also, Brazil is at an interesting point in history right now, with the World Cup and the Olympics. Im very interested in economic development and Brazil has a lot of interesting economic development projects and stories, so I thought it would be an interesting place to visit.Did you have any difficulty with the language here? Yes. I think my biggest weakness is pronunciation. I can read and write without many problems. Also, I think the mineiro dialect or accent cuts a lot of words in half or they drop syllables, whereas Im trying to learn Portuguese, so when I learn it, I learn each word and how to properly say it. Sometimes even if I say things correctly, mineiros wont understand me. To me, it makes it hard because I say, Oh, this is right! Its almost like I need to learn the mineiro way of saying it to be understood.Can you tell us about the cultural differences between Brazil and the United States? Im originally from Ohio, but I was living in New York City before I came. There is the phrase, done in a New York minute, which means things get done very quickly there, very fast, you have to move fast or you miss out. Whereas in Brazil, you go to the bank, you walk in, you take the password, you sit there, you wait, you do it. Everything gets done eventually, but in New York, I think theres so many people that if things took that long, nothing would ever get done. And people here are just so much more friendly, Ive noticed. Even people in Ohio were friendly, but I think Brazilians are even friendlier than Ohio ones, which is hard to do.Are you adapting well to the Brazilian culture? Overall, I would say so. One thing that I think is funny, Im trying to wrap my head around it, is how on the weekends you can go out until six in the morning like thats normal, but on the week days youre up by five in the morning. The sleep schedule is just crazy. For me, I like to bed and
wake up at the same time every night. I think if I go out on the weekend, even if I come home at four, which I've done with just a professor, thats like an early night. But on Tuesday, Im exhausted. I was like, How do these Brazilians do it? Thats one thing I wonder.What were your expectations when you arrived in Brazil? I tried not to have many. Because who knows? The thing is I had very little control over where in Brazil I was placed, where I would be living, so I was prepared for anything. So, very few expectations.Do you still keep in touch with your family and friends? Yes. Id say I talk to them every day somehow. Its funny because right now in the United States if people apply to graduate schools for internships, everybody is hearing the decision. So there was a three-day period where three different friends all contacted me and said, Allison, I need to make a decision, so we signed on to Skype and maybe talked for an hour. But I would find out, I would get home from work, get the e-mail, Okay, Ashley wants to talk. Then the next day, got the e-mail, Okay, Jessica wants to talk. I think I felt bad for my Brazilian roommates because Id just moved in and I think they thought we would spent time together, but my friends had these important decisions to make and wanted to ask me questions. So there was a period where I was a career counselor for an entire week.How would you describe your experience as a foreign student? Overall, very positive. Its been a very positive experience. I love being back on the University campus and technically being a student, and it made me realize how important academics are to me.Would you recommend that other students travel abroad like you did? Absolutely. I think its a very mind-opening experience, I think you go outside of your comfort-zone, and it makes you grow. And specially for the foreign languages, it really develops that second-tracked in your mind. And its always good to see how other people live and think and what they value, and I think everybody should do it.Thats it. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Interview with Daniel HeronTraveling to another country to improve a language is a very important experience for anyone, especially for those who intend to be a teacher, translator, or work with a foreign language. Even for people who just want to get better in a language, the experience can be really useful. Although, it is important to remember that it is not easy to live and adapt to a place with a different culture. Thus, everything has to be very well planned.Daniel Heron studies at University of Texas at Austin, USA. He has been on an exchange program here, in Brazil, at UFMG for two months now. We interviewed him to know how he is feeling about this country and how he is adapting to the cultural differences .Jessica: What's your name?Daniel: My name is Daniel Heron.J: Where are you from?D: I am from California, in the United States but I'm now living in Texas.J: Tell me about how you learned Portuguese and why.D: I started to learn Portuguese two years ago. I wanted to learn Portuguese because I thought the language was really, really beautiful.J: What are the main cultural differences you have noticed between your country and Brazil?D: I think that Brazilians are much more open than Americans. They seem to touch each other a lot more than Americans do. Americans... I think are very sensitive to their bodies.J: How long have you been here?D: I've been here for about a month.J: And do you miss the United States? Your country's culture?D: I miss elements of my country's culture, but on the same hand here in Brazil you all have things that I enjoy that we don't have. So it's a balance, somethings that I miss, somethings that I don't.J: Did you have problems adapting to the Brazilian way of life?D: In the beginning I had a little bit of trouble adjusting to the Brazilian... I'm not sure how to translate... carinhos. How people are very receptive, they want to hug you, they're really excited to meet you... That was kind of difficult for me at the beginning but now I really enjoy it.J: What frustrations do you have here?D: I think the biggest frustration I have here in Brazil is the lack of being productive. That's not to say that Brazilians are lazy, it means that in the United States I have a much- how do you say? I have a faster pace of life. I can get more things done in the United States. Probably because it's my country and I know how things are done there.J: What are your expectations about your exchange program?D: My expectations are to learn a lot of Portuguese, to became fluent in Portuguese, make a lot of great Brazilian friends, life long contacts and learn about the true Brazilian culture, because what we learn in the United States is different than what is really here.J: So, are you enjoying Brazil?D:Very much so! I love Brazil. It's gonna be interesting going back to the United States because I'm gonna bring some of this
Our Interview with Patrick McAnaney Patrick is a student from Washington DC. He came to Belo Horizonte on March first with the Fulbright US Student Exchange Program and he is staying here to work in a project to study the internal management structures of wastepicker organizations in Brazil. Patrick is a typical American guy: blue eyes, blond hair and white skin. He seems very happy to be here. Read the following interview and notice how much he likes Belo Horizonte and what he thinks about the city. During the interview, he talked about a important point for the foreing people: how to deal with the cultural differences.What is your name?My name is Patrick, Patrick McAnaney.For how long have you been in Brazil?How long have I been here? I came to Brazil February 26, so less than two months. I came to BH March 1o. I am not really counting at this pointDo you enjoy here?I love here. I have a grant that goes until December, but I decided that I am going to stay here for longer. I am liking here a lot!You like it so far.So far. I mean, any time you go abroad to other country, there are going to be ups and downs. You learn to appreciate the ups and to forget about the downs.What was your first impression when you arrived in BH?I think BH is really, really pretty. You do not find many mineiros that think that, they look really surprise when I tell them that. But I think is such a pretty city, even from the plane looking down, seeing all the green mountains and then all the trees around the road. I love this city, I think is really beautiful, and I came to spend Carnaval too, so it was fun.Do you like Carnaval?Yes, I like it. Well, it was a little weird for me because I was just getting into the city, the Carnaval was starting and no one stays in BH for Carnaval. I was hoping to go to Salvador or something like that, but it is way too hard to go there at this time of year, so I had to figure out what I was going to be doing here. I managed to stay, I went to Sabara and Nova Lima and, actually, I have a friend here, she works with a group of friends that are promoters and they organize Blocos every year and it was a lot of fun.How was your adaptation here in Brazil?Well, it goes up and it goes down. My Portuguese definitely got better. I mean, I think I had a pretty good base to start with when I came, but there is definitely words people had to explain to me like bacana, cara, words that you do not learn in class, but I think Brazilian people are very nice. There are been bad parts too, I got schemed here which was really bad. But most of the time I feel pretty save and happy here.You are not used to the robbery, right?Well, we have it
in US, but here I am more of a target because I really stand out a lot and it is pretty easy to tell that I am a gringo, especially when I open my mouth, we have to be careful. But coming back to the adaptation part... every once in a while it gets pretty exhausting speaking Portuguese 24/7 nonstop. I mean, it is great, my Portuguese is getting better very quickly, but sometimes I just want to run away and only speak to my friends in English and forget Portuguese.Do you miss something that you used to eat in US that we do not have here?Here is better comparing to other places I went, like Nicaragua, Bolivia,China, because here I can go to subway, but I miss good Mexican food, I mean, I am from Washington DC, but my university was in Texas and it is very close to the Mexican border, so we have a lot of good Mexican food, like tacos, burritos. Ok, now I am really starting to think about it, and how I miss it.And do you want to come back to Brazil someday?Yes. I do not even know how long I am staying here, I could be here for years. Brazil is definitely in my long term career plans, it is not just coming to a semester. This is much more like a permanent thing for me.Do you recommend this experience to other students in US?Yes! The program I am in is great, I have a grant from the government to stay here and do my research which is very hard to get. You have to do a big application process, have to have letters of recommendations, to show your resume, and have to show all the things. It is really hard to get, but once you get it you can do pretty much whatever you want to. It is very fun, I wake up every day thinking what I am going to do today?.Ok. Thank you.By Samira Agnes and Barbara Marra
Interview with Ivan, who had been to Italy as an exchange student.Clara How are you?Ivan Ok, Im fine. Its a pleasure to be here, to know you a little bit and to have the opportunity to talk about a kind of amazing experience I had in my lifeClara So, how was the selection process for your exchange program?Ivan Yes, the selection process, in fact it was not an objective selection process because my advisor here in the university is Italian, he gives lesson in the faculty of letters and he has a king of close relationship with some professors of the university of Florence. In fact I had already lost the date for the enrolment, but I had this idea before so my advisor got in contact with some professors there and of course I sent my curriculum and my documents and they accepted my participation as a normal student in this doctorate program in the University of Florence.Marcio You didnt choose to go there, right?Ivan In fact I chose to go there; the point was that I had a little time to prepare myself. Because when my advisor came and said I would go, in two months I decided everything, thinking about accommodation, thinking about money, I had to think about everything just with two months in advance. Marcio You didnt know Italy before.Ivan No, it was my first time stepping on Italian soil, so it was fantastic, it was a kind of impacting feeling. It was nice.Franklin What place in Italy?Ivan I lived for seven months in Siena. It is a wonderful city. Its located in the central west of Italy, in the province of Tuscany, its a marvelous place, I cant tell you with words how beautiful it is. Its a small city. If you get the opportunity in you live and go around Europe, dont forget to go to Siena. Because, for me, its one of the marvelous cities I have ever been in my life.Erwan How long did you stay there?Ivan Seven months. In fact, I stayed there six months and the last month, that I had finished my discipline, I decided to travel a little bit, to take advantage that I was in Europe. So I had the opportunity to go to Amsterdam, London, Paris and to north Italy and Naples, that is a kind of south Italy, so it was very nice. One month and fifteen days going around. And all the places that I have been I had a friend. Because Europe is expensive and accommodation is expensive. It was the end of the trip, so I didnt have money, for example, I had to pay for hostel or hotels. All the places that I have been, like, Amsterdam, London, Naples and Paris I had friends, so it was marvelous because I had more than accommodation, I had a kind of guide. For example, I arrived in Amsterdam and it was a dream for me because I had one of my close friends, a friend from the childhood and I had a dream to
visit him because he lives in Amsterdam since, I dont know, 1998, so, for a long time, and every time he was calling me sending me e-mails, like: come here, you have to visit me, you have this opportunity. And when I arrived in Amsterdam he gave me a bike, a cell phone and a detailed map of the city and told me: Feel free, if you need something you call me, because during the day he was working, but at night we went out all nights, to parties, to bars and things like this, so it was this incredible feeling of freedom, you know? You with a bike in Amsterdam! With flowers and tulips, it was very very very nice! Erwan - And did you have any difficulties with the language? Ivan - Yes, a lot of difficulties in the beginning, I will tell you why. I had the opportunity to study Italian for 4 years before going to Italy, so, I didnt arrive in Italy out of nothing but the first month was really impact, to tell you the truth. I think, first of all, because it was the first time, as I told you, that I really was stepping over Italian soil, second, because my teacher, my professor in the university, she was from Sicily, you know, Sicily is a kind of Island in the Southern part of Italy. So, sometimes during the classes, she mixed a little bit of Sicilian dialect and the standard Italian language, so, I have to confess that the first month was hard. In fact, after the first week or, maybe, the second week I imagined that: Oh, I have to drop this course; I wont have ability to follow up, to continue to keep up with this. But after one month, you know god acts a lot in our lives, I believe. And I found an apartment to live with two other Italians, and these guys, they were from Sicily, so, for me it was wonderful because the relation that I had with the guys helped me a lot, to interact with the teacher, to interact. So, it was really, really amazing, but in fact, the first month was tough because, you know, the language that we learned here maybe using books or using manuals is not the real language when we go to the streets. Of course, its near to the real, but we have some things that, in fact, we learn just when we are engaged and inserted in the culture. For example, let me see... some words that maybe you dont know the meaning of the vocabulary, because the point was, for me, less grammatical structure and more vocabulary. Something funny for example: when I arrived in a supermarket and then was the cashier there, the cashier kept repeating to me La busta! La busta! I did not know what that word means and in fact la busta was that small plastic bag to store stuff, that is not allowed here anymore. So it has a several things that I