Academic Mobility
Student Handbook
Information about: Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the main cities of Mercosur.
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (RS), whose capital city is
Porto Alegre, is the southernmost state in Brazil,
bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (East), Uruguay
(South), Argentina (West) and the Brazilian
State of Santa Catarina (North). It is a strategic
development center of MERCOSUR, a common
market promoting free trade and the fluid movement
of goods, people, and currency between Brazil,
Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Its capital city, Porto Alegre, is the biggest city in Rio
Grande do Sul. Other highly populated cities in the
state are Caxias do Sul, Pelotas, Canoas, Santa
Maria, Gravataí, Viamão, and Novo Hamburgo.
Gaúcho Culture
In Rio Grande do Sul, the music, the cuisine, the
customs and the lifestyle are quite typical and
unique.
Everything from Rio Grande do Sul, including
people who are born here, is called GAÚCHO.
Cuisine
Churrasco
Typical barbecue where meat (especially beef) is
cooked in special barbecue grills with supports for
skewers or over embers of firewood burning on
the bare ground.
Charque
Typical Brazilian jerky made of boneless beef, cut
in wide stripes (mantas), salted and dried under
the sun for several days.
Carreteiro
A dish made of chopped charque and rice, cooked
in a cast iron casserole.
Chimarrão
Tipical drink of RS, it is an infusion of yerba mate in
hot water, served in a shared cuia (hollow calabash
gourd) with a sort of metal straw called bomba.
Its population is largely formed by descendents of
Portuguese, Spanish, German, Italian, and African
immigrants, as well as of Brazilian First Nations.
Video
Academic Mobility Student Handbook - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the main cities of Mercosur
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Dictionary of “Gauchese”
Bah = Expression used in the beginning of any
sentence, which may indicate annoyance, anger,
happiness, sadness, surprise, or any other type of
feeling.
Baita = Big, enormous.
Bergamota (or Berga) = Mexerica (similar to a
tangerine).
Basic rules of chimarrão
Cacetinho = Loaf of French bread.
• The chimarrão is served in a single cuia, and it
is shared by several people in a circle.
Em cima do laço = At the last minute, suddenly.
• The bitterest mate is the first. Therefore, the
person who prepares it must drink first.
Guri/Guria = Child, young man or woman.
• The water used in the preparation of the
chimarrão is very hot. Therefore, one must be
very careful.
• Although it is bitter, one must not add sugar to
the chimarrão.
Faceiro = Glad, happy.
Juntar os trapos = Get married, live together.
Lagartear = To sit under the sun on cold days.
Largar de mão = Give up on something.
Lomba = Any slope or steep ground.
• One must drink all the water in the cuia. One
should not just “take a sip” of the mate or drink
only half of the infusion.
Mate = The same as chimarrão.
• It is usual to drink all the water until hearing a
loud sucking noise.
Poncho = A type of woolen cape with an opening
in the center, to pass the head. It is the traditional
outer garment of the rural gaúcho.
• Never move the bomba. That may ruin the
chimarrão.
Pardal = Electronic
automobiles.
speed
controller
for
Prenda = The wife of the gaúcho.
Sacanagem = Especially cruel or distasteful joke.
Tchê = Man. Used to call someone.
Trovar = Have a conversation, chat.
Academic Mobility Student Handbook - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the main cities of Mercosur
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strongly influenced by Indigenous cultures; in the
Northeast, there is a marked influence of African
and Portuguese cultures; in Southeastern states,
there is a mix of Indigenous, African, Italian, and
Japanese cultures; the states in the Southern region
are characterized by Italian and German influence.
Brazil
The Federative Republic of Brazil is the biggest
and most populous country in the Americas
and the fifth in the world. It is the only country
in the Americas to have Portuguese as its official
language.
Brazilian Regions and States
North
Northeast
Center-West
One of the main cultural products of the country
is samba, a musical genre typical of the states of
Bahia, Maranhão and Rio de Janeiro, derived from
the culture of African immigrants.
Carnival is another important cultural practice in
Brazil. It started in the state of Rio de Janeiro in
the beginning of the 20th century, with the parades
of the so-called “samba schools”. Carnival takes
place every year in the month of February in several
Brazilian cities.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the country. The
Brazilian national football team has already won five
FIFA Soccer World Cups.
Southeast
South
Brazil is divided in five regions (North, Northeast,
Center-West, South, and Southeast) and 26
states, besides the Federal District where Brasília,
the national capital, is located.
Source: http://vejabrasil.abril.com.br
Brazilian Culture
Colonized by Portuguese immigrants, Brazil is
influenced by the Lusitanian culture. The whole
population speaks the same language, Portuguese.
Brazil has an heterogeneous culture, marked by a
diversity of cultural influences in each region.
States in the North and the Center-West are more
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Portuguese Language
Portuguese lessons
PUCRS offers Portuguese classes for foreign
students at the undergraduate and graduate
levels.*
• Beginner Level, emphasis is on the development
of Portuguese language skills for everyday
communication.
• Intermediate Level, emphasis is on learning
Portuguese for academic purposes.
*More information can be obtained from the secretariat
of the School of Letters (building 8,4th floor)
Academic Mobility Student Handbook - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the main cities of Mercosur
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Nearby Cities
to visit
Gramado
VEPPO APPLICATION
Official App of Porto Alegre’s Central Bus
Station, showing schedules of intermunicipal
buses departing from Porto Alegre, as well as
other information on the station.
VEPPO Ticket Delivery Service - 32100101
The city of Gramado is 120 kilometers away from
Porto Alegre, and it was elected the best winter
destination and the best city in Brazil by the
readers of the Viagem magazine in 2012. Mostly
colonized by German and Italian immigrants, the
city is considered the “Little Europe” of Rio Grande
do Sul. With temperatures that can go below zero
in the winter, Gramado is famous for two large
events: The Brazilian and Latin American Film
Festival, which takes place in August, and Natal
Luz (Christmas of Lights), which takes place from
November to January. In the latter, the whole city is
decorated with Christmas ornaments and several
shows happen every day. Points of interest and
sightseeing in Gramado are the covered street,
Lago Negro, the Gramado Zoo, Mini Mundo,
Mundo a Vapor, among others.
Source: http://www.gramado.rs.gov.br;
http://movida.com.br/blog/sem-categoria/as-belezas-de-gramado-rs/;
http://www.aprocura.com.br/natal-luz-gramado-rs-fotos.html;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rohdrygoramos/7365227174/;
Vale dos Vinhedos (Vineyard
Valley) – Bento Gonçalves
If you appreciate wine, food and breathtaking
landscapes, you cannot miss this destination. Only
120 kilometers away from Porto Alegre, the Vineyard
Valley represents the heritage of Italian immigrants,
with several small rural properties and charming
vineyards. It is the first Brazilian region recognized
as a geographical indication for wine production.
The region offers visits to vineyards, wine tasting
and typical dining in elegant restaurants, as well as
a Wine Museum, a Wine Spa and a choice of hiking
trails in natural landscapes.
Source: http://www.qualitaturismo.com.br/serras-gauchas-reveillon-20112012/;
http://www.revistasupersul.com.br/vinicolas-da-serra-gaucha-no-roteiro-do-7
-congresso-next-generation-jornada-de-conhecimento/vale-dos-vinhedos
Academic Mobility Student Handbook - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the main cities of Mercosur
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VEPPO APPLICATION
Official App of Porto Alegre’s Central Bus
Station, showing schedules of intermunicipal
buses departing from Porto Alegre, as well as
other information on the station.
VEPPO Ticket Delivery Service - 32100101
Foz do Iguaçu
Florianópolis
Foz do Iguaçu is located in the state of Paraná and,
with all its diversity and attraction, is one of the
most beautiful tourism destinations in the world.
It has incomparable natural richness, such as the
Iguaçu National Park, a World Heritage Site where
the Iguaçu Falls are located and an ideal destination
for ecoadventure tourism. In Iguaçu, you can also
visit the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant in
energy production, the Itaipu Hydroelectric Power
Plant. Foz do Iguaçu is 821 kilometers away from
Porto Alegre.
The well-known Island of Santa Catarina, also
known as Ilha da Magia (Island of Magic) is only 411
kilometers away from Porto Alegre. For its proximity,
it is a much sought-after summer holiday destination
for gaúchos, paulistas and Argentineans. The city
center offers cultural attractions and the possibility
to view examples of Brazilian architecture. The
island has more than 40 beaches. For nautical
sports, a good choice is Campeche; for surfing,
Praia da Joaquina is indicated; for ecotourism,
Lagoinha do Leste is one of the best; for nightlife,
Jurerê and Canasvieiras are ideal choices. If you
are looking for good bars and restaurants, Lagoa
da Conceição is a great place to go. The Costa da
Lagoa (Lake Shore) is ideal for boat rides and other
such activities.
Source:http://www.deturistaaviajante.com;
http://shoppingcidadejardim.com.br/cvc-leva-voce-para-foz-do-iguacu/;
http://turismo.ig.com.br
Source: http://www.sonobrasil.com;
http://www.dimensaoimoveissc.com.br;
http://blog.decolar.com
Academic Mobility Student Handbook - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the main cities of Mercosur
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VEPPO APPLICATION
Official App of Porto Alegre’s Central Bus
Station, showing schedules of intermunicipal
buses departing from Porto Alegre, as well as
other information on the station.
VEPPO Ticket Delivery Service - 32100101
Rio de Janeiro
Montevidéu
Rio de Janeiro, the celebrated Marvelous City, is
currently the main tourist destination in the Southern
Hemisphere, and it is only a ninety-minute plane
trip away from Porto Alegre. It offers a plethora of
options for entertainment and sightseeing, such as
the Sugar Loaf, the Christ the Redeemer statue (one
of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World since
2007), the Maracanã Soccer Stadium, the Municipal
Theater, the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, and the
dazzling beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema and
Leblon, among others. The main festive holidays
in Rio are Carnival – with the parade of samba
schools on Marquês de Sapucaí (Sambadrome) –
and the Reveillon – the New Year’s Eve party on
Copacabana beach is the largest in the world, with
several minutes of fireworks.
The capital of Uruguay, Montevideo is around 900
kilometers away from Porto Alegre, on the banks
of the La Plata River. Its main attractions are the
Ramblas, Teatro Solís, Ciudad Vieja, the Cathedral,
Estadio Centenario, Mercado del Puerto, the
famous neighborhood of Pocitos, as well as several
beaches. In the evening, you can visit the bars and
casinos near Plaza Independencia.
Source: http://www.abeoc.org.br;
http://www.executivehelp.com.br;
http://www.visitriodejaneirobrasil.com/;
http://www.turismobrasil.gov.br
Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Montevideo;
http://www.guiageo-americas.com/uruguai-fotos.htm;
http://www.abroad.pitt.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=programs.
ViewProgram&Program_ID=10020;
http://www.hoteis.com/de1399507/hoteis-em-montevideu-uruguai
Academic Mobility Student Handbook - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the main cities of Mercosur
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VEPPO APPLICATION
Official App of Porto Alegre’s Central Bus
Station, showing schedules of intermunicipal
buses departing from Porto Alegre, as well as
other information on the station.
VEPPO Ticket Delivery Service - 32100101
Buenos Aires
Santiago
The capital of Argentina and cultural capital of Latin
America, Buenos Aires is a destination for all those
who wish not only to contemplate a city, but also
to live a wonderful urban experience. Some cultural
attractions are Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada (seat
of the Argentinean Government), the Metropolitan
Cathedral, Caminito, Teatro Colón, the Recoleta
neighborhood and Luna Park. To have fun, you can
go to the charming pier of Puerto Madero, shop on
Calle Florida, or watch a nice show of tango, the
typical music genre of the country. You cannot miss
the Argentinean barbecue, which is one of the best
in the world.
Santiago is the largest city in Chile, and also its
capital. It is located in the Chilean Central Valley, next
to the Andes Mountains. It is the most developed
and most prominent urban, financial, cultural, and
administrative center in the country. The city of
Santiago is the seat of the main government bodies
in the country (except for the National Congress,
which is in the city of Valparaíso), as well as other
financial, administrative, cultural and commercial
institutions in Chile. Santiago is considered the 53rd
richest city in the world, with an estimated internal
gross product of USD 93 billion in 2005, which is
expected to reach USD 205 billion by 2020.
Source:http://blogdojeriel.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Santiago.jpg;
http://ushuaia2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/santiago2.jpg;
Source: http://sesiamericadosul.blogspot.com.br/2011/06/argentina-paisagens.html; http://vetebrasil.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Santiago_do_Chile.jpg; http://www.mundodastribos.com/pacotes-de-viagem-chile-e-argentina
http://www.hoteisemsantiagodochile.com/wp-content/uploads/noche-de-san
-cvc-2012.html
tiago3.jpg
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