White Day

• English
• Português

English

Hello jellies!

Today I’m here to talk to you about Valentine’s Day!

Wait… Valentine’s Day was one month ago? Then why is that Japanese guys are giving chocolates and presents to girls today? That’s right, it’s because today, March 14th is White Day!

On this day boys that received Valentine’s Day chocolate from girls reciprocate by giving them chocolate’s and other gifts! If you ask me this is a really sweet custom and people all over the world should embrace it as well!

Yes people may argue that Valentine’s Day is just an institution created by the chocolate industry to make more money, but the intention really matters, and although you shouldn’t neglect your loved ones the rest of the year, having a day where you show you love for them and a day where that love is given back, I think it’s a very cute concept!

Well this will be all for now, please comment what do you think about all this!

Nana

Português

Olá fofos!

Hoje estou aqui para falar do dia de São Valentim!

Espera... O dia de São Valentim foi há um mês? Então porque é que rapazes japoneses estão a dar chocolates e presentes às raparigas hoje? Porque hoje, dia 14 de Março, é chamado de White Day, ou traduzido à letra, Dia Branco.

Neste dia os rapazes que receberam chocolate no dia de São Valentim retribuem o gesto, oferecendo-lhes chocolates ou outros presentes! Se me perguntarem acho que é um costume muito fofo e todo o mundo devia adotá-lo também!

Sim, pessoas podem dizer que o dia de São Valentim foi crido por corporações como a indústria do chocolate apenas para ganhar dinheiro, mas a intenção importa, e apesar de não devermos negligenciar aqueles que amamos o resto do ano, ter um dia em que podemos mostrar o nosso amor por eles e outro em que recebemos esse mesmo amor é um conceito adorável!

Bem é tudo por agora, comentem o que acham deste dia e se concordam comigo!

Nana

Mardi Gras

• English
• Português

English

Hello strawberry shortcakes!

Today I’m here to bring to you a little bit more of culture from around the world! This will be a short post though, I’m on test season, the most dreaded for a student, but I didn’t want to leave you without a weekly goodie!

Today I’m here to talk about Mardi Gras, also called Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, this day marks the beginning of the Carnival celebrations (in some countries), beginning after the Epiphany and ending on before Ash Wednesday.

Typically on Mardi Gras people wear costumes or masks, go to various local parties, or even take vacations, dance, play, throw parades, and many other things. This day came to be because it marks the period before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season (that lasts until Easter’s Sunday) when people pray, atone, and repent on their sins. I see it as a last night of fun and party before people face their decisions and consequences of their actions (of course this is a religious concept, mostly Christian, people from other religions, or with no religion at all may see in this day just a reason to celebrate life and friends).

Of course this day and it’s definition varies a lot from country to country and from culture to culture, some people celebrate on different days, or in different days, some (like myself) didn’t even know this day existed, or rather, that it had a proper name and background, and that it was so widespread.

Well this will be all for now, see you next time!

Nana

Português

Olá docinhos de morango!

Hoje venho trazer-vos mais um pouco de cultura do resto do mundo! Este porém vai ser um post curto, estou em época de testes, a época mais temida pelos alunos, mas não queria deixar-vos sem um pequeno presente!

Hoje estou aqui para falar do Mardi Gras, também chamado de “Terça-feira dos Gordos”, este dia marca o início do Carnaval (em alguns países), começando depois do Dia dos Reis e terminando no dia seguinte.
Tipicamente no Mardi Gras as pessoas usam máscaras e fatos, vão a várias festas locais, ou até de férias para fora, dançam, jogam, organizam desfiles e muitas outras coisas. Este dia foi criado porque marca o início da Quaresma (que dura até ao Domingo de Páscoa) onde pessoas rezam e absolvem-se dos seus pecados. Eu vejo-o como os últimos momentos de diversão e festa antes de se enfrentar as consequências dos seus atos (claro que isto de um ponto de vista religioso, principalmente cristão, pessoas com religiões que não celebrem estes eventos, ou pessoas sem religião podem aproveitar para ter uma razão para festejar a vida com os amigos e família).

Claro que este dia e a sua definição variam muito de país para país, nem todos têm os mesmos costumes, alguns festejam em dias diferentes, ou de diferentes maneiras, outros (como eu) nem sabiam que este dia existia, pelo menos não por este nome.

Bem vai ser tudo por agora, até há próxima!

Nana

Befana

Hey guys!!

Two days ago the Befana was celebrated in Italy! Although I don't know to what extent it's still celebrated nowadays (for example here in Portugal barely anyone really celebrates the Epiphany (Dia dos Reis) which was yesterday), but here is a little bit of background about that day and how it came to be!

In Italian folklore, Befana  is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on the night before Epiphany, like Santa Claus!

A popular belief is that her name comes from "La Festa dell'Epifania". Other suggest that Befana is descended from the Sabine/Roman goddess named Strina, but no one knows exacly.

In popular folklore Befana visits all the children of Italy on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany to fill their shoes with candy and presents if they are good. Or a lump of coal or dark candy if they are bad (I know exacly like Santa). She supposedly is a good housekeeper, so many say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. 

To some the sweeping meant the sweeping away of the problems of the year. The child's family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few morsels of food, often regional or local, for the Befana, although milk would be better in my oppinion, after so many houses she is sure to get wasted!

She is usually portrayed as an old lady riding a broomstick through the air wearing a black shawl and is covered in soot because she enters the children's houses through the chimney. She is often smiling and carries a bag or hamper filled with candy, gifts, or both.

Many also call her the Christmas Witch due to these similarities!

This will be all for now, see you next time!

Nana

2016 Expectations and Delusions

Hey guys!

So I just wanted to drop by today and make an overview from what I learned in 2015 and what my hopes are for 2016!

Well what to say, what to say...

As so many times before, I started seriously studying Japanese, learned Hiragana and Katakana completly finally! (still they need some reviewing, especially Katakana) 

I learned more Latin but unfortunatly put it on hold because summer vacation kicked in and I was having private lessons from my middle school Portuguese teacher!

Also started Italian in the middle of August, with some Spanish reviews here and there... In reality I didn't finish either courses, but I'm learning a lot form different sources, not only Duolingo trying to make sense of it all!

Well I think this was pretty much my 2015 language-wise, but I have higher hopes to 2016!

I want to start a Youtube channel, even if to just practice my speaking and having you all judge me there, this has been a little idea of mine for quite some time now, I follow a lot of polyglots on Youtube or just foreigners that are learning another language, and I always wished to become one of them!

Also, I wish to finish Italian and start French (That I should already know because I had it as a subject for three years in middle school, back when I wasn't really interested in languages other that English and Japanese) it's one of my biggest regrets not have taken advantage of the teachers I had at the time!

Getting into Kanji by the end of the year would also be perfect, if everything goes well I might have Japanese classes in colleage, so I'll certainly take advantage of that!

Kind-of-language-related wish is going to the UK to study, although I might not go to Languages, I really want to immerse myself in another country and learn as much as I can about that wonderful place! Besides from there I can travel to other places and experience a lot of more fun things and report it all back to you!

These are my main wishes for this year, I hope I can accomplish them all, if not I'll always have the next and so on, so on!

Tune in for more posts, I'm going to make some changes to the blog and the Tumblr page soon, so check that out!

Nana

The Emperor's Birthday

Hello minna!

So yesterday was a very, very important day in Japan!

Yes, it was the current Emperor's birthday!

明仁 or Akihito is the current Emperor of Japan. He was born on December 23th of 1933 and is now 82 years old.

His Majesty (how he's commonly refered to), was the eldest son of the late Emperor Shōwa, and his reign started officially on January 7th of 1989.

The Emperor's birthday is always a national holiday, and on this day the doors to the Imperial Palace are open where the Emperor and his Empress Michiko make a public appearance with several other family members and everyone congratulates the Emperor on this special day.

(Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on her 75th birthday)

Only on this date and on January 2nd may the general population enter the Imperial Palace, it beig restricted on every other day of the year.

Well hope you liked this small piece of information, see you guys later and happy holidays to you all!

Nana

Immacolata Concezione

Ciao belle persone!

Yesterday was December 8th, also known as the day of the Immaculate Conception. In many countries (such as mine, and especially in Italy) it's considered a national holiday, many people nowadays don't even know what it stands for, at least here in Portugal, they just take it as a day where they don't have to go to school/work and don't look further into it, but this year I decided to do it!

This holiday was first solemnized as a Holy Day of Obligation on 6 December 1708 under the Papal Bull Commissi Nobis Divinitus by Pope Clement XI. It is considered a day to be spent with family, eating ethnic foods, watching fireworks and parades, all in honor of the Virgin Mary.

Personally I'm not religious but I do know of people, especially elders that at least go to church on this day where the priest or other religious entity gives a special mass regarding this day.

Exacly nine months after, on September 8th it is celebrated the Nativity of Mary that it's the supposed birthday of the holy Virgin. Of course no one knows for sure when she was born this being just a speculation.

Whether you are a religious person or not the fact is that this is a public holiday in many, many countries (most of all predominantly Catholic) and now you know the reason you get to stay at home!

This will be all for now, see you tomorrow!

Nana