Wednesday, October 31, 2018

DISQUIET WRITING PROGRAM

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“Everything that surrounds us becomes part of us.” –Fernando Pessoa I've just come across a marvelous writing program for those who w...
Sunday, September 30, 2018

A Walk in the Country with Saramago

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Jose Saramago wrote a Walk in the Country in 1981. The NYTimes reviewed it 20 years later, not understanding it and missing more than wha...
Friday, August 31, 2018

John Dos Passos: A Portugal Story

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The other day, I came across a fun fact.  The "Lost Generation" author and artist, John Dos Passos had a father whose parentage w...
Tuesday, July 31, 2018

My Mother is in the Azores

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And I am not. It breaks my heart, but I am working, and saving up for the next time. Hopefully, with my job, I'll be able to send h...
Saturday, June 30, 2018

Visiting Sao Miguel

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My Mother will head to the Azores soon, a reunion with some of the family and friends. I'm still amazed at how much time she spends on ...
Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Pancada, Fralda and Contabilidade

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Some random words. Pancada=A kid who is a little zangada all the time, looking for attention who needs a Fralda="blankie", ...
Monday, April 30, 2018

Visiting Portugal Again, CLARO!!

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My mother, my poor dear mother. But when I think of how old my grandmother was when she was my mother's age, I think my mother is doi...
Saturday, March 31, 2018

Nicknames

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There is a Portuguese word for a nickname that people have, a name they never learn themselves. A name that is only a reference when they...
Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Who Am I? (Indeed)

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Wondering who I am, who I am alone, in relation to my family, in relation to the distance I travel from my childhood home, the family who l...
Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Sabes quem eu sou? Mi-Carena and Quaresma

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Mom told me tonight about the 4 Thursdays before Lent. The celebrations of Girlfriends, Boyfriends, then Godfathers and Godmothers.  And ...
Saturday, December 30, 2017

A Dream of Escape

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A dream of escape. Here in the Northeast in America, we are under a cold snap. Since Christmas, we have been suffering with below zero ...
Thursday, November 30, 2017

A Non American Tradition

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I met a new friend recently, and have been trying to understand what it IS about him that seems strange and familiar all at the same time. ...
Tuesday, October 31, 2017

No Tradition of Halloween In Portugal

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It is difficult to get my mother to celebrate, or play dress up, or to be silly as part of a holiday in this country. There is a notion o...
Saturday, September 30, 2017

Saudades

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Saudades for Portugal and the Azores.  I miss being there, i miss being there in person to talk to my family & be there for them.  To s...
Thursday, August 31, 2017

Orange Cake or Caramel Cake

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When I was young, all great Portuguese gatherings were attended by a great spread. Every event included either or both an Orange Cake and...
Thursday, July 20, 2017

Portuguese Consulate in Boston: Cartao de Cidadao

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Now, if you are like me, you might have a parent or grandparent who was born in Portugal. Which makes you eligible for citizenship, the r...
Tuesday, June 20, 2017

National Days of Mourning for the Fire

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A few days ago, a bolt of lightning struck a dry patch of land and ignited a giant fire. If you want to send a message to the Portuguese ...
Sunday, June 11, 2017

Portugal Day & Poetry!!

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I'm experiencing many saudades over all the pictures of SOPAS on my Facebook feed.  So to remedy that, I try to take a quick tour of Po...
Sunday, May 28, 2017

Nesperas on the Tree

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I know these leaves very well. I grew up with a plant in our New England house. One long skinny trunk and a few of these leaves on the end...
Monday, April 24, 2017

Paposeco-Proper Spelling

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After many moons of imagining that nobody ever reads my blog, my uncle sent me the following correction on a past post, where I admit I had ...
Friday, April 21, 2017

Nesperas in Bloom

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My mother is so in love with Nesperas/Loquats that they put her on the website. LoquatWorld.com Have one today, if you can!! ;)
Friday, March 24, 2017

Immigration is like Cold Leftovers

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My Mom and I have just come from a long American-Portuguese day. First, we had an appointment at the Consulate. I thought it was to apply fo...
Sunday, February 26, 2017

Vovo's Journal

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I've started to photocopy some of my grandmother's (Vovo's) journal. She filled a 5 subject notebook (8 times-one for each of h...
Monday, January 30, 2017

Obstacle Course

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Every so often, a word bubbles up in my mother's brain. Our street was being repaved, but the construction was taking a long time to be ...
Thursday, December 29, 2016

Xmas Present: A Visit

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I spent Xmas with an older Portuguese lady. She has spent years in the US. She discovered a box of books in the basement, left by the p...
Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Massa Souvada

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I wanted to bring a fresh baked loaf of Massa Souvada for Thanksgivibg to a new set of American friends.  My mom got increasingly more anxio...
Monday, October 31, 2016

Minneola, Long Island

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Another Portuguese community, near NYC, which I've never heard of. Because it is not Azorean! A friend brought back pasteis de Nata. Whi...
Friday, September 30, 2016

Swimming A Secret

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I plan to swim a certain stretch of water. It is about 5 miles long.  I am good in the water, for at least an hour at a time.  Maybe 2. ...
Wednesday, August 31, 2016

SATA becomes Azores Airlines

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With the name change, comes an entirely new rebranding: Compare the new site https://www.azoresairlines.pt/ With the older one: http...
Sunday, July 31, 2016

A Far Azore

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I am a playwright and artist. I can say this because not only do I write and paint, but I also bring my work into the world of audiences....
Sunday, June 26, 2016

Hudson Holy Ghost Festival (that I didn't attend)

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Sometimes it's just not worth driving 40 minutes to stand in the hot sun (90 degrees) waiting for the hot soup. Traditional Holy Ghost S...
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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Festa

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Never enough festivals & craziness. A tourist knocked over a treasured statue while taking a selfie. Hundreds of years in Lisbon, smashe...
Monday, April 25, 2016

"Culturally" Portuguese?

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Here's a fun article about the tiny details of being "culturally" Portuguese . http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/15-signs-you...
Thursday, March 31, 2016

Poetry Read in NYC, 3/20/16:Parallel Ippipedos!!!

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Lost in translation I dreamt I swam the waves, a few days ago Somewhere between my bed sheets and the Atlantic I was gently rocked...
Thursday, February 4, 2016

Fun Video Review about Portugal!

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I love this girl!  So fun! Victoria Flamel, she does a LOT of videos about countries & has a great style. This is a great history i...
Monday, February 1, 2016

Jews in The Azores

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I visited a newly discovered & restored synagogue in Ponta Delgada.  My cousin Sara brought me there, we were waiting to be picked up an...
Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Accent from Sao Miguel in written form

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My cousin posted this on Facebook, he was raised on Santa Maria and then moved to mainland.  He goes back & forth nowaday. Com carin...
Wednesday, December 16, 2015

In Love in Portuguese

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I found this link interesting, http://matadornetwork.com/nights/15-things-portuguese-love/ especially the word DESENRASCA=find a practi...
Monday, November 30, 2015

Would you put Grosella Jam in a Tijolo or a Tigela?

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Tijolo=Brick, like the pizza stone you would use for Bolo De Tijolo. Tigela=Bowl, could be made of ANY material, glass, ceramic, porcelai...
Saturday, November 28, 2015

Bermuda

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There is an issue in Bermuda about the Portuguese population being invisible.  Interesting to think of all the outposts of Portuguese.  http...
Friday, November 27, 2015

20 Phrases about being Obsessed with The Sea

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This is a great list of expressions. Some of which I've heard credited to Ben Franklin (Fish & Guests sink after 3 days), maybe he g...
Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Basic Info of the Azores (from Port-American Journal)

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This paragraph is included at the end of every article mentioning the Azores in the P-A Journal. The  Azores  (population 250,000) is a r...
Saturday, November 21, 2015

Are we different people in different languages?

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Yes.  Yes we are. This article says it very eloquently. And in different languages. http://lithub.com/are-we-different-people-in-different-l...
Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Luanda

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Thursday, November 12, 2015

80 Great Azorean Expressions!!

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If only I could understand them all!  (i.e. life's work) Go here: http://www.vortexmag.net/80-expressoes-que-so-um-acoriano-entende/...
Monday, November 9, 2015

"Boa, Boa, Nao E Isto"

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“Good, good.  It’s not this.” (Healthy, healthy-not me at this moment) My Mom is sniffling & coughing.  Not the dread & what y...
Saturday, October 31, 2015

Are you a Lubrega? Or a Califona?

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The definition of lubrega is essentially a hick.  A country bumpkin, someone who is uninformed, uneducated and essentially, stupid. And eve...