Portuguese lessons

If you start now, your Portuguese will be really good by August. Don't expect to hear English or to find someone who speaks English easily in Brazil. I recommend that you bring a phrase book and also start practicing here, if you go to youtube you will find the other lessons. Here is the first lesson

If you haven't made up your mind yet or if you just feel like looking at Rio, check this video prepared by the City of Rio de Janeiro. I feel "saudade"... 

Abstract deadline revised and FAQ

The new deadline to submit abstracts is March 31st.

FAQ (IAU and Brazil):

- You don't need to register (or pay) in order to send an abstract.

- Deadline for the early registration is May 1st, but you can pay even when you get there (more expensive, of course).

- If you are not a member of the IAU, you need an invitation from the Chair of the Symposium or JD that you will be attending, or from your National Committee. Just email them and say that you are not a member and need an invitation. This is not an invitation to give a talk, just an invitation to be at the IAU.

- The deadline for International Travel Grants is over.

- If you already paid for your registration with your credit card and got a friendly email saying something about a delay in processing your credit card, no worries! I got the same message and then my name showed up in the list of registered participants. They are experiencing some technical issues and as soon as I hear more information I will let you know too.

- We are starting to organize student housing. Email me if you are presenting work at the IAU and would like to chat with Brazilian students and even stay with them. duilia at yahoo . com and write IAU student housing in the subject. If I don´t reply in 2 days, leave a comment here.

- Yes, caipirinhas are wonderful but dangerous :-) Here is a recipe (click) if you want to start practicing in advance.

- Paraty is one of my favorites weekend trips from Rio. Maria-Brazil.org has a nice text about it.

Brazilian music - Gentileza (Kindness - by Marisa Monte)

I will start posting my favorite Brazilian music. I hope you will enjoy it. Here is Marisa Monte singing Gentileza. This song is about a street poet called Gentileza (Kindness) who died a few years ago. For more than 40 years he wrote poems in the concrete walls of Rio de Janeiro. He was an intriguing person who smiled to everyone and gave flowers to strangers. Love was the main theme of his poems. A few years ago Rio citizens started preserving the poems written under the bridge close to the bus station after some government official had sent someone to cover them with gray paint. You will probably see his poems when you pass there http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKnVAZHehV0&feature=related

Look for NEW

Many people have emailed me regarding the IAU travel grant. I have some new information on that and updated the blog, look for ****NEW****. Whenever I update previous posts I will write NEW on it. I think it is better to have current information than to have old posts and new posts. I have also updated the accommodation post where I give tips about 2 stars hotels, again look for **NEW**

DEADLINES REVISED

I just got an email from the IAU with the revised deadlines **** ANOTHER EMAIL WAS RECEIVED TODAY 03/13)****

Application for IAU GA Grants closes 1 March
End on-line submission of abstracts (revised date) ***** NEW: DEADLINE MARCH 31ST *******
Notification of IAU GA Grants 1 April
SOC programme review and completion (revised date) 1 May
Notification of abstract acceptance (revised date) 1 May
End early on-line registration (revised date) 1 May
Start regular on-line registration (revised date) 2 May
Accepted abstracts may be revised 15 May - 15 June
Media accreditation on-line registration 24 July
End regular on-line registration 24 July
Start on-site registration 3 August

Carnaval!

Quanto riso, quanta alegria!! Hoje é carnaval!!
Many smiles,  much happiness!! Today is carnival!!

This is an old carnival song (Máscara Negra) that I really like. Since carnival starts this weekend and goes until Wednesday, I thought I should add something here in the blog warning that business will slow down a lot for a few days. If you send emails to Brazil in the next few days, you might not get a quick answer until the 25th.

At some point I will post about Brazilian music and culture. For now I leave you with a great singer performing a sambinha (samba music we sing in bars) click on Maria Rita sings Conversa de Botequim .