Language Rant #1: Portuguese, but Which One?

It’s been a while since I wrote anything.  

A long while.  

As in I didn’t even have a bookmark to this site on my new computer, but I really need to write now.

Since last summer, I started a new job, still on the JET Programme in Fukui, but now as an advisor to other English teachers, and with what seems like 3 times the amount of work.  Plus, I’m in a very formal Japanese office all the time, and must be available for any emergency or counseling calls that come up, regardless of time of day or how busy I am.  I did apply for this position, and most days I really like it, but I am also constantly thinking about the next step in my life (hopefully as a Foreign Service Officer), so I need to make sure that whatever free time I do have to myself, however limited, I need to try to use it to help me get to the next step.  In practice, that means I use all of my free time during the week to study foreign languages.  My German has unfortunately gotten embarrassingly rusty, due to lack of practice (more on that later), but I do have the opportunity to take regular classes in Japanese and Portuguese. 

Portuguese is largely going pretty well for me.  It was technically my first language, though I largely refused to speak it starting around the time I learned the words “Speak English”, but I have always been surrounded by the language, no matter how much I used to try to block it out (wow, I was a stubborn kid).  I’ve been studying and taking classes now for over 6 months, and on the most part, they’ve gone pretty well.  My listening and reading comprehension are at a surprisingly high level (at least a B1 level, using the EU language standards), but unfortunately my spoken and written Portuguese is still a bit pathetic.  It’s gotten to the point that every time I freeze when speaking in class or when writing my homework, I look up or ask what the forgotten word is, I’m always frustrated because I knew the answer.  There’s still a huge mental block.  For example: “I met my new coworkers today.  They are very friendly” comes out “Eu conheci os meus novos colegas hoje. Eles são muito… friendly.”  How do I keep forgetting basic words that I do know?

I know I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself with Portuguese, but I really do need to work on it so I can pass the foreign language test once I pass the Foreign Service interview.  Plus, I have latent fluency in Portuguese, so I -- at least theoretically -- have the potential to master it to a native level.  I just need to work on producing all the vocabulary that is stuck somewhere in my brain.


I also recently decided to try for a Portuguese language proficiency exam, which leads me to a huge frustration when attempting to learn Portuguese: Which Portuguese? 

I grew up with European Portuguese, which will always be the basis for my accent and is pretty deeply ingrained in my cultural identity, but Brazilian Portuguese is much more internationally accepted now as standard Portuguese, especially due to its economic and cultural importance within Latin America.  As much as I love to tell anyone who will listen that the Portuguese are the ones who brought tempura, bread, and various popular pastries to Japan, in the modern world Portugal barely registers when compared to the global importance of Brazil as an emerging economic and cultural powerhouse. 

So I’ve pretty much accepted the fact that I should try as much as possible to learn standard Brazilian Portuguese (Brazilian slang is another issue altogether).  However, the Brazilian Portuguese exam is only available at the intermediate level, which my speaking and writing is still no where near.  There is, however, a European Portuguese test (the CAPLE) at my upper-beginner level (A2), but of course, most books and language resources that are available are Brazilian Portuguese, plus my teacher and any other Portuguese speakers I regularly find in Japan are also Brazilian.  This wouldn’t be an issue if the accents, vocabulary, and even grammar weren’t so different between the two dialects.  From what I've noticed, Portugal Portuguese tends to be somewhat excessively academic and complicated, while Brazilian Portuguese relies heavily on slang and loan words.  I really wish there was some middle ground, but for now I’m stuck attempting European Portuguese at this level, then switching mainly to Brazilian Portuguese at the intermediate level. 

All my Brazilian friends and the exam administrators will just have to deal with my Portuguese-American accent.  That’s never going to change.  And, to be honest, I’ll probably always lean a little bit toward the needlessly academic and complicated.  

It is my culture, after all.

Vasco da Gama: Portuguese Food in Rural Japan

Today I’ve decided to post something a little different: my review of a Japanese restaurant.  Not just any restaurant, but a Portuguese Restaurant in Fukui!  Crazy!  It’s called Vasco da Gama, which is one of the only Portuguese people that is covered in pretty much every high school history class (he’s the first guy to navigate around Africa to trade with India – yeah, that’s our big contribution to history).

Now, given that I’m 100% Portuguese-American, a bit of a foodie, and was raised in a family of fantastic cooks, I was a little cautious about the Japanese interpretation of Portuguese food (anyone who has been to Japan and eaten at Sizeria, their version of “Italian” food, knows exactly what I mean).  I have to say, though, I was pleasantly surprised at my dinner.

First, it’s a good sign when the chef speaks the language (I didn’t actually have a chance to speak to him to see if he was Portuguese or Brazilian, which is common in Fukui prefecture, so I’ll have to update next time I go).  Also a good sign: when the only non-Japanese writing on the menu is Portuguese, and, from what I could tell, there weren’t any weird spelling/translation mistakes (OK, so my Portuguese reading skills are pretty terrible, but I am pretty much fluent in Portuguese menu reading).  Oh, and every table had a galo napkin holder from Portugal (these roosters are called o Galo de Barcelos and no Portuguese household or restaurant is complete without at least one. 

 If you're ever in a Portuguese kitchen, please play "Spot the Galo" - Trust me. It's there.

So, we were off to a good start.

Now, since it’s Japan (which has a zero tolerance for drinking and driving) and I had drive myself home after dinner, I could not try any wines, which usually complete the Portuguese dinner, but I was excited to see TWO varieties of Portuguese vinho verde (the young, dry white wines which are a Portuguese specialty).  They had both Avaleda, my family’s go-to wine, and Casal Garcia, my sister’s favorite brand.  I’m looking forward to going again with a DD to sample how these wines compare to my usual American imported ones. 

For dinner, I ordered Bacalhau com Nata, a gratin of dried and salted codfish, potatoes, and onions in a cream sauce.  For those who have never eaten bacalhau or its Spanish or Italian equivalent, it doesn’t actually taste salty, since it’s soaked to rehydrate and remove the saltiness.  The salting concentrates the cod flavor and creates a firmer texture.  There’s a reason why it’s the national food of Portugal.  And my bacalhau was wonderful!  The only critique I have is that I would have liked more fish, but then again, they could have handed me a platter of plain bacalhau and I would have been happy.

 Bacalhau, potatoes, onions, cream, and cheese - What's not to like? (Oh, and there was originally also an olive on there, but that didn't last long enough for a picture - sorry)

Dessert was an even better surprise for me.  I ordered the pastéis de nata, which is a custard pastry, and basically the most delicious thing on earth (and if you’ve ever had one freshly baked and warm from the oven, you’d completely agree).  And, once again, the pasties were delicious, with a great flaky and crispy crust and warm filling.  Since the dessert came with two pastries, I was originally planning on taking one home with me for breakfast the next day, but, for some reason, I completely forgot about that plan one bite into the first pastry.

Heaven in pastry form

My dinner at Vasco da Gama, was definitely memorable, and I will have to go back again.  (Next time, I think I’ll order what they call bouillabaisse, which is a French seafood soup from Provence, but I’m curious if they actually mean caldeirada, which is a similar stew from Portugal).  So I’ve learned that occasionally restaurants in rural Japan can have authentic western cuisine, even from a tiny country like Portugal.  At least I found some place to tide me over until I visit home later this spring!