Why I speak to my cat in Portuguese

I speak predominantly to my cat in Portuguese. Anyone out there who owns or loves cats knows that it's not strange at all to have conversations with them, so it shouldn't be weird that I speak to mine (as often as I do) in a foreign language. 

E and I speak predominantly Portuguese at home, on a daily basis. It's rare that he speaks, or responds to me, in English. I don't know if it's because that's the language that we used when we first met each other and started dating, because after all, we were in Brazil and he didn't know any English at the time. I mean, why change things up?

Even after all of these years, and the fact that he has since learned and been immersed in English, we still speak Portuguese. Maybe it's because I speak Portuguese better than he speaks English, maybe it's out of habit, or maybe it's because I'm an annoying English teacher (which I don't think so; I do help him and he appreciates and learns from me, but still....). 

How does the cat fit into this equation? Since I speak Portuguese at home, it only makes sense that I'd talk to my cat in the same language. I speak English at work, with friends, every time I leave the house, etc., but at home it's Portuguese all the way (unless I'm on the phone or on Skype). We watch TV and movies solely in English but that's about it. 

E talks to his friends on the phone in English, uses Facebook (never Orkut) and is otherwise surrounded by English, but I'm the exception (and the few Brazilian friends he has here). Even if we're out with Americans, speaking English, he'll almost always address me in Portuguese. We won't do this to be rude, I just see E and think "Portuguese" so it makes sense. I even discussed this once how I dreamt in English until he appeared in my dream, then I spoke Portuguese since I was talking to him. Must be habit then, correct? I think so. He hasn't given me any other explanation.

I do, however, believe that each time we're in New York with my family and childhood friends he speaks more English to me. Our goal is rarely to alienate someone (we can use our knowledge of a foreign language when we're out in public and want to have a private conversation). We therefore usually speak English around my family unless we want to say something to each other in private - then we shift to Portuguese.

All of this Portuguese speaking leads to the fact that I address my cat, Sebastian, in Portuguese as well. I mean, why would I speak to him in English if I don't speak to his "father" in English? Plus, it's more fun to call him gatinho, bebezinho, Sebastiaozinho, chatinho :). 

Marrying out (multicultural relationships)

I wrote a post recently about multiculturalism and mentioned that I had contributed to an article that was going to be published about Latinas marrying Non-Latinos. Now, while I'm not a Latina, and my husband IS a Latino, you may think that this does not include us, but in a way it does. We are in an interethnic and multicultural relationship (marriage). Consequently, the author of the article was interested in hearing my voice in regards to the issue of "marrying out" and included my input when publishing the article on NewLatina.net. 


I believe the article is interesting and informative, giving the viewpoints of people in multicultural relationships, and I think everyone should check it out (especially if you're in such a relationship). It's refreshing to read about the similarities that we have, regardless of our race, ethnicity, culture, or religion. And as the article states, "One thing is for sure:  our innate tendency is to move towards where the heart feels content, excited and peaceful…"


The article can be found at: Marrying Out: Why Latinas are Marrying Non-Latinos
Source: NewLatina (written by Angelica Perez-Litwin, PhD)

Thanks for visiting my blog and checking out the above links. as well as supporting communities like NewLatina and Multicultural Familia.


Take care,

The bilingual advantage

As an advocate of bilingual education and multilingualism in general, I was pleased to come across the New York Times: The Bilingual Advantage article today. A female cognitive neuroscientist "has spent almost 40 years learning about how bilingualism sharpens the mind" and her research demonstrates how "the regular use of two languages appears to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms." And this is only part of what her research has found.


Among Dr. Ellen Bialystok's findings "that bilingualism helps forestall the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease", she also says that her research shows that bilinguals...

• "manifested a cognitive system with the ability to attend to important information and ignore the less important"
• use an "executive control system" that is found in our brain that is responsible for helping us focus on what is important and ignore irrelevant details. Apparently bilinguals use this system more and therefore,  "it’s that regular use that makes that system more efficient."
• can use their knowledge and constant use of two languages to aid in multitasking (hence, the constant use of the "executive control system")

What this article does conclude is that it is the constant use of both languages that leads to cognitive advantages. 

What can we learn from this? I believe we should be proud of our multilingualism and realize the numerous benefits of our ability to communicate (fluently) in more than one language and continue to take pride in it as we pass it on to our children and encourage them. I also feel that we should not let ourselves discontinue the use of one or more languages that we have learned (if this is the case). I think parents should teach their children their native language and encourage second language acquisition. 


Thank you for your time (and check out the NYTimes article),


Gracias por su tiempo,


Obrigada pelo seu tempo,

What language do you dream in?

I remember being told by someone long ago that when you dream in your second (same could go for third or fourth) language that you have made it. Meaning you are fluent. I loved hearing that. I actually thought it was fascinating since I've been obsessed with languages for years, and that includes sign language. I've known since I was in high school that I'd be involved with foreign languages somehow in my life because I can say for sure that that and culture have long been interests of mine, hence my double major in college - Anthropology and Spanish. For years I'd wanted to know more about exchange students and when I was in 11th grade I jumped on the chance to apply to be one and adventure off to the unknown once I had graduated from high school.


I can't recall the first dream that I had in Spanish, but I know it was after I'd been living in Bolivia for some time. I imagine that it was after at least 6 months of being there. It makes sense. I spoke a lot of Spanish throughout the day - to my host families, friends, boyfriend, taxi drivers, store owners, etc. I don't remember that first dream being completely in Spanish, but I know that I was speaking Spanish as I dreamt. Once I woke up and realized what I'd done, I felt exhilarated. I had accomplished what only bilingual people do. Correct? At least I felt I could brag to people that I had dreamt in a foreign language.


Fast forward a number of years and I can say with assurance that I have dreamt in Portuguese as well. I know that I dreamt in the language while I was in Brazil and that I don't do so regularly. I mean, English is my native language and I didn't dream in a second language until I was 18 years old (while in Bolivia) so it's not a daily occurrence or anything, but it happens. Additionally, I often think and talk to myself in Portuguese. I catch myself doing this when I'm thinking about something that I want to say to my husband and I talk to my cat in both languages; I believe that comes from the fact that I'm constantly speaking Portuguese to E, so why not to the cat or to myself? It's a habit.


I remember once having a bad dream, not too long ago, that was in English. In this dream, someone was either going to hurt or kill me and I was scared, but all of a sudden E appeared and saved me. Once he entered into my dream I looked at him and spoke to him in Portuguese, thanking him of course. Once I was finished addressing him I reverted back to speaking/thinking/dreaming in English. Interesting, isn't it? It's like since I normally speak Portuguese with E on a daily basis, that transferred over to my dream and I interrupted my English language dreaming in order to respond to E's saving me, at which time I spoke Portuguese. When I turned back to speak to the other person in my dream, I must have assumed that he was an English language speaker like myself. 


For a multilingual, pseudo Anthropologist as myself this is all so interesting. I like to "study" my own language acquisition and learn from myself. I believe that it helps make me a better language teacher. I also observe my husband and those around me.


My questions now are....what language do you dream in? Do you have bilingual dreams? Does the language you're speaking in your dream change depending on who you're "talking" to (like me)? Do you speak your second/third/fourth language fluently when you dream?

Brazilian Fighter, right out of the Amazon (Manaus)

Jungle Boy - Garoto da Selva

I know I have mentioned previously how proud I am of my husband for his success in MMA and for pursuing what it is that he loves; but today I have even more of a reason to "shout it from the roof tops". He was recently interviewed by Manaus Fight who has written a blog article about him and his experience in MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It explains his "history" with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA as well as highlights his accomplishments and just portrays him in a positive light. He definitely deserves this. And.....love it! So again, please visit the blog about....

MAIS UM MANAUARA BRILHANDO FORA DO PAÍS COM O MMA "ELITON GOMES SARMENTO"

What's really cool is that the article is the first of its kind because it's bilingual and I wrote the majority of the English part. The interviewer then translated the biographical information into Portuguese. Well, I translated a teeny bit :). The end of the article was written by Jefferson Palma de Paula, of Manaus Fight, who put a nice touch on the interview about my husband.

Congratulations, E! Parabens!

And a special thanks to Jefferson from Manaus Fight.

Oh yeah. Interested in MMA? Read this funny commentary written about E's win from November 2010. It can be found here at MMA Spot.

Bilingual education is where it's at

As a multilingual individual, I am an advocate and strong believer in bilingual education. My interest peaked even more after reading an article assigned in one of my graduate classes by Claude Goldenberg that CREDE (the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence) researchers "concluded that the longer ELLs [English Language Learners] received instruction in a mix of their first language and English, the better their achievement in English[i]”.

Due to this interest in bilingualism and my obvious love for education, I was thrilled to be offered a job at a bilingual school in Brazil. Turns out that this school, located in the capital, is the country's fifth largest, accredited, international, bilingual and co-ed K-12 day school! Awesome, huh? Needless to say, I think that I will feel "in my element" at such a school, one where the instruction is in both English and Portuguese.  

In order to kind of celebrate bilingualism and bilingual education, I wanted to share a little bit of information from my research on bilingual educational programs. This exert is from a paper that I wrote two years ago.

"....Educators have studied bilingual research for years and have come to the conclusion that students who develop and learn reading skills in their L1 can transfer this knowledge to their L2 to help them become better readers in English (Goldenberg 2008). Therefore, if teachers have the ability to educate their students in their L1 at the same time they instruct them in English, ELLs will be offered primary language support as needed. Goldenberg notes that students can be taught the skills to succeed academically in a bilingual or dual language education program (2008). In fact, a group of researchers have found that of all of the models created to educate ELLs, “bilingual education is consistently superior to program models that follow English-only approaches” (Honigsfeld 2009).  In educating students in both languages, educators work on scaffolding students, teaching them in their L1 in order as to not fall behind their American peers.....
In bilingual education, the students are taught their academic subjects in both languages as a means of maintaining academic achievement in all subjects. Sanchez explains that "bilingual education has been shown by sound research to be the best means for promoting the academic success of English language learners" (2008). This is ultimately the goal of all educators, to promote academic success of all students, not only those who speak English as their first language."

The question, then, that we are left with is... 

Research tells us that yes, it does.

[1] Goldenberg, Claude, (2008). Teaching English Language Learners, American Educator, p. 11

Sanchez, H, & Sanchez, M. (2008). The politics of illegal immigration, bilingual education, and the commodity of the post-technological society. The Educational Forum, 72(4) 329-338. 

PAWsport for kitty

The adults are not the only ones preparing to ship off to Brazil; the kitty gets to go, too. People always ask me if I'm going to take my cat, which isn't such a weird question when even MORE people ask me if my husband is going. Um, YES. Why the hell not? I mean, are people serious? They must be because this is a common question that I get asked when I share my news of moving/teaching abroad.

Yes, the cat, my cat, my baby Sebastian (or Sebastião since I wanted my "son" to have a name easily pronounced in Portuguese) is going to Brazil. And he's excited! Tells me every day. E likes to make jokes that he won't be able to communicate with his neighbors (the cats, that is) because he "speaks" English, but I'm sure he's bilingual. After all, we do speak to him in Portuguese as much as we do in English. I don't know why or how but that's how it works.

Kitty doesn't need a passport, but he does need to be OKed by the Brazilian consulate 10 days before moving. The consulate's website reads:

International Health Certificate for Pets (dogs and cats only) issued by veterinarians must be certified by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). The International Health Certificate must show that the pet identified was examined by a veterinarian in the ten days prior to shipment, not showing any clinical sign of disease


However, when I do a little bit more research it seems that Sebastian needs to have all of his papers in order, as well as his recent visit to a veterinarian. According to AngloINFO, a Brazilian website, we will also need:

A certificate of vaccination against rabies for any animal over 90 days old (obtained 30 days before entry in the case of animals vaccinated for the first time). This must be valid for at least one year

Proof of owners full name and address including state and country

Documents showing the animals name, breed, gender, size, colour, coat and any other specific markings

Copies of all relevant documents for animals imported as cargo

Fair enough. Not too complicated or expensive.

It's funny how E and I have grown to love this cat and think of him almost as a "son" when I promise you we never thought before that that could happen. I mean, what's not to love?


When we first got him

And distract his mommy from her school work



Sleeping beauty

He loves to watch TV, especially Animal Planet

Watching "Garfield"

Mommy's boy

Doing research on-line

Sebastian



Dreams do come true

All I can say is that dreams do come true. Of course you have to work hard to make it happen, but if you do it will pay off. Like Paulo Coelho said (and he's Brazilian), "Quando você quer alguma coisa, todo o universo conspira para que você realize o seu desejo" [When you want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.] Well in my case, my dream has been to teach English at an American school in Brazil. I will now be able to do just that.


I am excited to announce publicly that I was offered a teaching position as a 9th grade English teacher at a bilingual international school in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. I have accepted. I will be teaching. We will be departing in July 2011 and will stay for at least 2 years, if not forever....Even if we decide not to stay in Brasilia long term, we may still remain in Brazil.

Cathedral Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Brasilia)

Besides the fact that I am ecstatic about returning to Brazil to live, the school looks absolutely fabulous and I believe that I will be a perfect fit. The director agrees with me. That's why she hired me even though I'm going with the hubby (E) and he is not a teacher (apparently that complicates things in the eyes of American schools in Brazil). Anyway, the school has students from about 30 nations (the city of Brasilia is home to 113 embassies from all over the world) and offers students the opportunity to receive a Brazilian diploma as well as an American one. I will be the only 9th grade English teacher and will be teaching all of the Brazilian and International students.

The school's administration has decided that the quickest and cheapest way for me to legally move to Brazil is by obtaining the permanent (spousal) visa. So this is what I am beginning to work on now. I will update periodically as I move along with the immigration process and make my move down south.