EDUCATION IN BRAZIL

Basic Information on Educational System

The Brazilian educational system includes both public (federal, state, and municipal) and private institutions, ranging from pre-school, elementary (First Degree - I Grau), and secondary (Second Degree - II Grau) to university and post-graduate levels. Education is compulsory for ages seven through to 14. Public education is free at all levels. Non-profit private schools are also eligible to receive public funding. The 1988 Brazilian Constitution allocates 25 percent of state and local tax revenues to education. Significant advances have been made in the Brazilian educational structure in the last 25 years. In 1964, there were ten million students attending school at all levels. In 1990, there were 37.6 million students: 3.9 million in pre-school; 28.2 million at the elementary level; 3.8 million at the secondary; and 1.7 million at university. Despite this progress, less than 40 percent of the high-school-aged population are enrolled in school.

Universities and Higher Education

The Ministry of Education has ultimate control over virtually all of higher education. Its principal standard-setting agency is the Federal Council of Education. The Federal Government maintains at least one Federal university in each state. Due to the great demand for higher education and the lack of places, colleges (faculdades) and universities in Brazil, both public and private, require an entrance exam (vestibular). Upon completion of a full academic course of study, university students may obtain the Bachelor Degree (Bacharelado) and may also have an additional year's teacher training (Licenciatura).

Twenty years ago there were few post-graduate courses in Brazil. In 1989 there was a total of 902 tertiary institutions, including 93 universities. More than 1,000 post-graduate courses are available, most of which benefit from highly proficient faculties, on a par with similar institutions in the more advanced countries.

http://www.brazilbrazil.com/schools.html

NIGHTLIFE IN BRAZIL

Rio nightlife is famed to be the best in the world. It’s definitely a good place to spend a lot of time going out but you’ll need to adjust your cultural parameters a bit to really get the best of it. Whilst there do exist some interesting clubs, many of the best scenes are all on the street in sporadic gatherings of samba blocos rehearsing for carnival or just street parties like in Lapa or Gavea.

Nightlife in Rio is not about getting drunk and picking a fight either, it’s a very light, buzzy affair where the idea is to chat and flirt to the maximum. Whilst everyone drinks beer and cachaca, you’ll rarely see anyone too drunk to walk here. Getting trashed isn’t the Rio way, getting laid is.

Bars

Brazilians will drink beer anywhere and just about anywhere is allowed to sell it so they concept of a bar isn’t always a given; many Brazilians prefer to gossip with some friends at a street café, a botequim and watch the passers by. Even most of the bars aren’t much more than some plastic tables and chairs on the sidewalk where people split a large bottle of beer.

If you want to find something more resembling an American or European bar then you’ll need to head uptown to Ipanema or Leblon where you find a few Irish bars and pubs. Around Praca General Osorio in Ipanema you have the Irish Pub and Shenanigans; the Irish Pub is kinda small and cosy and there’s a fair number of expatriates who hang out here.

Shenanigans is loud, crowded and vulgar and basically a money-making machine; the doors are guarded by huge apes and the waitresses are all gorgeous. Gringos come here because it’s an environment they recognize and Brazilians come either to hunt the gringos (remember all foreigners are gringos in Brazil) or just to pose in an exotic foreign setting.

Moving up along Ipanema you pass some more botequim and then you come to Rua Maria Quiteria where you find the Emporio bar. This gets going from around 10am onwards and its main advantage is that it’s open until 4 in the morning. It’s very cheesy inside but when there’re enough people the crowd spills out onto the street and then it can be fun.

Rather than buying beer in the Emporio though you should stroll down and buy from Luizinho, who sells beers from the back of his car. He’s a small, friendly and very wise man who knows the street inside out. If you speak Portuguese then a chat with Luizinho can be a very enlightening experience.

If you want to get drunk with the bourgeois of Rio youth then you can find a bunch of bars around the ‘Leblon triangle’ situated around Dias Ferreira and Ataulfo de Paiva. Wear your most expensive haircut.

http://www.roadjunky.com/guide/463/rio-nightlife-nightclubs-brazil

PAST LIFE IN BRAZIL

The Native American peoples who were the original inhabitants of what is now Brazil included
the Arawak and Carib groups in the north, the Tupí-Guaraní of the east coast and the Amazon River valley, the Ge of eastern and southern Brazil, and the Pano in the west. For the most part these groups were essentially seminomadic peoples, who subsisted by hunting and gathering and simple agriculture. Those groups in the more remote areas of the interior maintained their traditional way of life until the late 20th century, when their existence was threatened by the advancing frontier..

http://www.emayzine.com/lectures/HISTOR~6.htm

Colonial Brazil
It is generally accepted that Brazil was discovered by Europeans on April 22, 1500, by Pedro Álvares Cabral, though this is contested by some.

Until 1530 Portugal had little interest in Brazil, mainly due to the high profits gained through commerce with India, China, and Indonesia. This lack of interest led to several "invasions" by different countries, and the Portuguese Crown devised a system to effectively occupy Brazil, without paying the costs. Through the Hereditary Captaincies system, Brazil was divided into strips of land that were donated to Portuguese noblemen, who were in turn responsible for the occupation of the land and answered to the king. Later, the Portuguese realized the system was a failure, only two lots were successfully occupied, and took control of the failed lots.

During the first two centuries of the colonial period, attracted by the vast natural resources and untapped land, other European powers tried to establish colonies in several parts of Brazilian territory, in defiance of the papal bull and the Treaty of Tordesillas, which had divided the New World into two parts between Portugal and Spain. French colonists tried to settle in present-day Rio de Janeiro, from 1555 to 1567 (the so-called France Antarctique episode), and in present-day São Luís, from 1612 to 1614 (the so called France Équinoxiale).

www.wikipedia.com

NIGHTLIFE IN MEXICO

CANCUN Nightlife
Nightlife in Cancun is improving quickly, putting Cancun ahead of its Mexican Riviera counterparts. While several splashy discos dominate the Cancun Nightlife scene, most resort hotels offer live lobby music, ranging from reggae to salsa, to solo guitar. Comedy and offtrack betting are now on the scene as well. It's said that Cancun has something for everyone, and this is especially true after dark. At night the tropical island switches into high gear and Cancun nightlife starts in earnest. Here are some of the more popular discos and clubs. Note that most discos collect a cover charge of $10-40 US per person.

Coco Bongo : Is hands down the no-contest winner for THE HOT SPOT nightclub for dancing the night away in Cancun. Go there once and if you consider yourself a party person, you will make this THE place you go to get your groove on. A tiered bowl shaped arena with a hanging stage, flying acrobats, on-bar conga lines, live bands, video screens that drop from the ceiling to play classic hits, bubble / foam parties, streamers, balloons, and a crazy dressed like "The Mask" dude pouring tequila down any throat within his reach are just a few reasons to see this place for yourself. Go, Go, CoCo Bongo! Located at Km 9.5.

Bulldog Cafe : A great laser light show with live music and an excellent view of the stage. This place is as hot as the bikini girls often seen partying in the shelf/pool . . . and these girls aren't just average hot, they will make the guys stand up and salute 8) . With a capacity for 2000 and private party rooms (the VIP lounge has a jacuzzi), this place will get your blood pumping to the rhythm of the music. The Bulldog Cafe has hosted shows by Guns n'Roses, AC/DC, Radio Head, Mana, Molotov, Naughty by Nature, Paulina Rubio and Shakira amongst many others. hot, Hot, HOT! - at the Krystal Hotel.

Carlos 'n' Charlies : If you have been to any of the Carlos 'n' Charlies in Mexico, you know what they are all about. If not, picture loud music, wet T shirt contests (among other party games :), and lots of drinking. Capacity of about 1000 (standing room only when packed). Phone: 883-0846 Located at Km 5.5.

Dady'O: One of Mexico’s most popular clubs, Dady'O is known for endless nights of dancing, great parties, famous DJ’s, three dimensional laser show, CO2 cooling effects, action packed shows and theme parties. Considered an international hot spot for people from all walks of life. Open from10 p.m.till…? 7 days a week.

Dady Rock Bar : This place has a slightly more mellowed flavor than some of its Cancun rivals . . . but does have live bands, DJ’s, MC’s, contests and prizes. The mellow flavor attracts the young moms and dads who still like to rock, but theme parties and great entertainment keep the slightly younger in the mix as well. Does your Daddy Rock? This is his place. Open from 6 p.m.till…? 7 days a week. Located in Party Central at Km 9.5.

Hard Rock Cafe: Crowded and popular, live rock music. A nice place to go for drinks . . . but not a hopping nightclub where everyone is trying to party like its 1999 (Prince song for the musically challenged). If you have been to a Hard Rock Cafe before, you know what to expect . . . if not, click the link to learn more. Plaza Lagunas Mall.

Pat O'Brian's: It is a bar with music . . . not a kickin' disco. So if you just want to hang somewhere with music and a well stocked bar . . . Flamingo Plaza.

http://www.advantagemexico.com/cancun/nightlife.html

EDUCATION IN MEXICO

Like many other things in the country, Mexico City has the largest concentration of Universities and Colleges, starting with the UNAM, one of the finest in Latin America and the oldest university in the American continent, founded in 1551.


Some of the most renowned Universities in the city include:


Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Commonly known as UNAM, located in the south of the City in Ciudad Universitaria is a public university with a student population of more than 300,000.


Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey simply known as "Tec" is a branch of the famous private Institute in Monterrey.
Instituto Politecnico Nacional Public university dedicated mainly to engineering and research.
Universidad Iberoamericana Private university of Jesuit origin.

Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico Private university.
Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Commonly known as UAM, a public university with four campuses citywide.
Universidad Tecnologica de Mexico Private university.
Universidad del Valle de Mexico Private, a branch of Laurate international Universities.
Universidad Anahuac Private university.
Universidad La Salle Private catholic university.


You can learn Spanish in Mexico City as there are various schools offering courses for foreigners, for example:


Centro de Ensenanza de Lenguas Extranjeras Known as CELE, is a faculty of the National University (UNAM) and is probably the most renowned, located south of the city in Ciudad Universitaria.
Center for International Education, La Salle (CIEL)
Academia Hispano México, S.A. de C.V.
CIB Centro de Idiomas Bravo

PAST LIFE OF MEXICO

Origins of Mexico


Ancient Native American civilizations--including those of the MAYA, OLMEC, ZAPOTEC, MIXTEC, TOLTEC, and AZTEC--flourished there for centuries before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. The Pyramid of the Sun, built in the 2nd century AD, dominates the landscape of the ancient city of Teotihuacan in Mexico. Teotihuacan was the first true city in Mesoamerica, at its peak (AD c.600) it housed more than 100,000 people.


After the Maya, after the Toltec, came the Aztec. The Aztecs emerged in the Valley of Mexico, or Anahuac as it was called by its peoples, around the 14th century. Aztec legends tell of seven Nahua tribes who pillaged and plundered a divided Mexico after the Mayan civilization had all but faded, dispossessing and enslaving the previous inhabitants. These tribes were known as the Chichimecas by the natives, a word originally meaning barbarians.


The Valley soon became crowded, and the Nahua waged many years of petty tribal warfare against each other. One tribe, called the Acolhuas of Texcoco, eventually emerged above all the rest. The tribe's chieftains ruled over the Valley, building palaces and carefully preserving what remained of the Toltec culture and knowledge. Yet early in the 15th century, the Acolhuas were, in turn, conquered by the Tepanec, a rival Nahua tribe. This reign proved to be so tyrannous, however, that the other tribes were forced to combine their strengths to defeat the Tepanec.



The Acolhuas took advantage of the power vacuum thus created, and once more gained power in Anahuac. Yet this victory was short lived.


After having wandered as outcasts and mercenaries through the territories in the southwestern corner of the Valley, the Aztecs, the last of the seven tribes to enter Anahuac, finally found a home on two islands in the middle of Lake Texcoco. There, in 1325, they built the city of Tenochtitlan. They had been guided to this spot by their deity, Huitzilopochtli, who had told them to settle where they should find an eagle standing on a nopal and devouring a serpent.


After the war between the Acolhuas and the Tepanec, the Aztec gained their independence. They then swept in and conquered the other tribes of the Valley, asserting their authority through their considerable military ability and strength. The tribe began to expand its domain in every direction, making sacrificial victims of the peoples they conquered. By the end of the 15th century, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan had become very rich and had grown to a population of around one hundred thousand.


Main staples consisted of beans, rice, maize-cakes, pimentos, and tomatoes. Rarely was there meat or poultry. Water was usually the only drink. Nobility ate well and often most of the food prepared was exquisite. All sorts of meats and vegetables were eaten. Maize was revered as the giver of life. They also used sage and alcohol for ceremonies.
Alcoholism was non-existent until after fall of empire. Severe penalties for the over consumption of alcohol. Alcohol did have religious significance in certain rituals. Those whose active lives were basically over were allowed to drink, however young and middle aged men were impaired by strict social barriers against drinking.


Homes were made of sun-dried bricks. Number of rooms increase with wealth of family. People slept on woven mats. There were not many chairs, tables, or desks. Hearths in center of home symbolized the fire god.

The Aztecs were great admirers of flowers. They had gardens surrounding the house for aesthetic purposes. Men wore loin cloths, sandals and cloaks. Women were fashion conscious. Staining of the teeth red or black was popular. Tattoos were used to improve the look of the lower class. Noble women used cleanliness for attraction. It was also desirable to have yellow skin, so women used the resin of the axin tree to change their color.


Most of the working class went barefoot. Women wore earring, necklaces and bracelets on their arms and ankles. The men also had pierced their septum and placed gold hoops or metal jewels as well as piercing their lips and ornamenting it likewise. Cotton and other textiles obtained from the surrounding fauna was used to acquire clothing materials. Jewels were used as a sort of caste marker Some jewels could be used to raise a person almost to a state of godliness. Coupled with feathers, the jewels were highly important in the Aztec social structure.

Famous soccer player of Brazil - Kaká

Kaka was Born in Basili on April 22, 1982
He is a more important soccer player of the wold and he win already of 750000 Euros.
Kaká was born to Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite and Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite. He has a younger brother, Rodrigo (known as Digão) who has followed in Kaká's footsteps by playing football for Milan.
He is tall, He has got wavy and black hair, he's got black eyes, with skin and perfect smile.
He is very nice and he's the football champion.

His nickname is pronounced as it is spelled, with stress on the second syllable. It is a common term of endearment of "Ricardo" in Brazil. In Kaká's case, however, it was born from younger brother Rodrigo calling him "Caca" due to his inability to pronounce "Ricardo"; it eventually evolved into Kaká.He is occasionally called "Ricky Kaka" by the European media