Interviewed by Oisin Ó Murchú
O: Hello! Guilherme, this is your last full day in Belfast. Before we do a little quiz, I want to first ask :-
O: How did you find yourself coming to NI?
G: At first I knew about a contest in Brazil that English UK was organising – I entered. I had to record a video for it. And then I was one of the winners. It was really cool.
O: How did you find out about the competition?
G: Actually there is a Brazilian ‘you tuber’ who was at the student fair last year and she promoted for them – her name is Marcella.
O: And what sort of film did you make?
G: I had to make a one-minute video about what English means to me, and I based it on ‘How I met your Mother’ which is a TV series I really enjoy.
O: Before you leave I firstly just want to ask you about your time here and then I want to quiz you on how much you have learnt while you have been here – about local knowledge!
O: What do you think you will miss most from your visit when you go home?
G: I think I am really going to miss the weather, because Brazil is really hot and I really enjoy cold weather. I’m going to miss the people – all the people I met here. Because the people I met here are so nice and kind and you can talk to everybody, they will help you. I will miss the classroom – because it was a long time since I’ve been in a classroom as a student. And I will just really miss this experience.
O: I can’t believe you will miss the weather – everyone else just complains about it!
O: What is the first thing you’ll do when you arrive home Sao Paulo?
G: I want to east rice, beans & meat – that’s like the main meal in Brazil. And maybe have a BBQ, because my father is really great at it.
O: You’re complimenting him so as that he makes you one!
O: Do you think you’ll miss being filmed all the time!?
G: (he laughs) Actually I don’t think I’ll miss it – but it was a great experience being part of this, having to record my experience and being able to show people how life here is.
O: If you could take one thing from Northern Ireland back to Brazil with you, what would it be?
G: A little of the weather I think.
O: Really?! The rain?
G: Maybe I could take 10 degrees from here [Belfast] to there [Brazil] to reach a balance. Here would be hotter and there would be colder. It would be great!
O: OK – now I just want to test your culture. How much more cultured you are!
O: Who is the most famous person from Northern Ireland?
G: (he laughs & lists a name no-one has ever heard!)
O: What do Northern Irish people like to eat?
G: Fish and chips. I think so. It’s like the most common meal they have here.
O: What did you think of the Fish and Chips here?
G:Ya I really like it. In the chip shops, its chips plus everything here! Chips plus chicken, chips plus sausage, chips plus chips!
O: And you’ve heard maybe some weird expressions. Can I ask what one you think is the weirdest?
G: The weirdest? I think at the beginning ‘Mucker’. It was like, is that a bad name or is it something cool? ’Hey mucker!’ Come on – what? (he laughs)
O: And did you learn where it comes from?
G: Yes. It’s similar to friend – it’s how you would call your friend.
O: We moved around Belfast quite a lot on the social programme. Quite a lot in the taxi’s! What is your favourite area of Belfast?
G: Does the Giants Causeway count?
G: Like from the City… Umm, I think the City Centre around the City Hall. Near the stores and all the places you want to visit. Lots of different types of food…
O: You mentioned the Giants Causeway… who is Finn McCool?
G: (He laughs) I don’t remember it – I know he is like a Giant. From the legend. A mythical creature.
G: Is he like the Irish Giant? Because there is the other one whose name I don’t remember – from Scotland.
O: The Scottish Giant, (he laughs) whose name I can’t remember either! Ya – he is the Irish Giant from the story of the Giants Causeway.
https://www.facebook.com/englishisgreat.speaktotheworld/videos/744985832302353/
Guilherme 360 degree video at the Giants Causeway
O: Lastly – the Game of Thrones is filmed here.
G: Yessss!
O: Did you get to go to any locations?
G: Ya. I went to four locations of Game of Thrones, and it was amazing because – actually it’s difficult to recognise because on the TV show they have a lot of CGI and stuff – but it is great to imagine that it’s the same place that they recorded at. And I posted the pictures on my Facebook and people were like ‘ahhhhh… oh look that’s crazy’. People’s reaction was great.
O: A question about street art because we went to a lot of murals. What’s the real different between what you would see in Sao Paulo and what you would in Belfast?
G: Well I think in Belfast you would find more artistic murals. You know. They always have a cause. They always want to show something, tell something, to leave a message. And in Sao Paulo – we have this art on the street, but I think they are different. They seem dirty. It’s different. You don’t really have a background to it.
O: Ummmm… A few quick-fire quiz questions. Okay?:
O: Samba Music OR Irish Traditional Music?
G: Irish Traditional Music. Definitely.
O: Street Art OR Murals?
G: Murals here – totally!
O: Rice & beans OR Potatoes?
G: (he laughs) or potatoes? I actually really like both. Rice and beans with potatoes! But I think if I could choose now… it would be rice and beans.
O: Football OR Rugby?
G: Football.
O: Caipirinha OR Guiness?
G: Caipirinha
O: Nightclub OR Pub?
G: What about a Pub with a Nightclub. In Brazil I really prefer to go to nightclubs.
G: I just want to say that it was an amazing experience being here, being able to study in another country was one of my dreams. This was my first time abroad and I had like … I don’t even have words to describe it. But I’m going to do my best to come back here.
G: Definitely I would recommend it. It’s a great country, with a great history, with great places to visit and great schools.
