Welcome!

Name: Natasha Baker

What this site will be helpful for: Learning about the Brazilian culture, as well as other useful, fun things.

To start off with some basic facts:
Location: South America. Brazil is the largest country of that continent and it is important to note that the Amazons are part of Brazil; they are not neutral territory. Why do I mention this? Brazilian students are taught that the U.S. wants to take control of the Amazons. It would seem that they could do that easily were that rainforest neutral territory.
Language: Portuguese (Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese)
Current President: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (commonly referred to as "Lula"). This is an electioni year and Lula is running for re-election. His main competitor is Geraldo Alckmin.
Religion: Roman Catholic (~70%) My statistics are not highly accurate, thus the need for a ~. But just know that if you were to go there, the majority of the people you will meet will claim to be Catholics. Of that other 30%, the vast majority are Christian.
National Colors: Green, Yellow, and Blue

If the need should arise for you to want to contact me, here's all you need: Electronic Mail: bakernf@bc.edu

Useful Links (really!):
Spanish
Capoeira
Honors Page

For anyone interested in Chaucer, here's a passage that's definitely worth remembering:
From the Knight's Tale, in which Emelye prays to Diane (the goddess Diana) for protection (lines 2297-2321 from our version, Norton Critical Edition, Second Edition):

"O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene,

Queene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe,

Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe

Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire,

As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire,

That Attheon aboughte cruelly.

Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I

Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf,

Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf.

I am, thow woost, yet of thy compaignye,

A mayde, and love huntynge and venerye,

And for to walken in the wodes wilde,

And noght to ben a wyf, and be with childe.

Noght wol I knowe the compaignye of man;

Now helpe me, lady, sith ye may and kan,

For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.

And Palamon, that hath swich love to me,

And eek Arcite, that loveth me so soore,

This grace I preye thee, withoute moore,

As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two,

And fro me turne awey hir hertes so,

That al hir hoote love and hir desir,

And al hir bisy torment and hir fir,

Be queynt, or turned in another place.