diff --git a/app/controllers/application.rb b/app/controllers/application.rb
index f057400..7f147a8 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application.rb
@@ -70,20 +70,15 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     end
   end
 
-  include GetText
-  before_init_gettext :maybe_save_locale, :default_locale
-  def maybe_save_locale
+  before_filter :set_locale
+  def set_locale
+    FastGettext.available_locales = Noosfero.available_locales
+    FastGettext.default_locale = Noosfero.default_locale
+    FastGettext.set_locale(params[:lang] || session[:lang] || Noosfero.default_locale || request.env['HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE'] || 'en')
     if params[:lang]
-      cookies[:lang] = params[:lang]
+      session[:lang] = params[:lang]
     end
   end
-  def default_locale
-    if Noosfero.default_locale && cookies[:lang].blank?
-      cookies[:lang] = params[:lang] = Noosfero.default_locale
-    end
-  end
-  protected :maybe_save_locale, :default_locale
-  init_gettext 'noosfero'
 
   include NeedsProfile
 
diff --git a/app/helpers/account_helper.rb b/app/helpers/account_helper.rb
index 0c1b349..7ec71e9 100644
--- a/app/helpers/account_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/account_helper.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 module AccountHelper
 
-  include GetText
 
   def button_to_step(type, step, current_step, html_options = {})
     if current_step == step
diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index 05da3b0..7b4321d 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ module ApplicationHelper
 
   include AccountHelper
 
+  def locale
+    FastGettext.locale
+  end
+
   def load_web2_conf
     if File.exists?( RAILS_ROOT + '/config/web2.0.yml')
       YAML.load_file( RAILS_ROOT + '/config/web2.0.yml' )
@@ -664,7 +668,6 @@ module ApplicationHelper
 
   # Should be on the forms_helper file but when its there the translation of labels doesn't work
   class NoosferoFormBuilder < ActionView::Helpers::FormBuilder
-  include GetText
   extend ActionView::Helpers::TagHelper
 
     def self.output_field(text, field_html, field_id = nil)
@@ -687,13 +690,7 @@ module ApplicationHelper
     (field_helpers - %w(hidden_field)).each do |selector|
       src = <<-END_SRC
         def #{selector}(field, *args, &proc)
-          column = object.class.columns_hash[field.to_s]
-          text =
-            ( column ?
-              column.human_name :
-              field.to_s.humanize
-            )
-
+          text = object.class.human_attribute_name(field.to_s)
           NoosferoFormBuilder::output_field(text, super)
         end
       END_SRC
diff --git a/app/helpers/categories_helper.rb b/app/helpers/categories_helper.rb
index d2a2972..1605b91 100644
--- a/app/helpers/categories_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/categories_helper.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 module CategoriesHelper
 
-  include GetText
 
   COLORS = [
     [ N_('Do not display at the menu'), nil ],
diff --git a/app/helpers/content_viewer_helper.rb b/app/helpers/content_viewer_helper.rb
index fa4a46e..f9dd3d9 100644
--- a/app/helpers/content_viewer_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/content_viewer_helper.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 module ContentViewerHelper
 
-  include GetText
   include BlogHelper
 
   def number_of_comments(article)
diff --git a/app/helpers/countries_helper.rb b/app/helpers/countries_helper.rb
index 56466a2..944c519 100644
--- a/app/helpers/countries_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/countries_helper.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@ class CountriesHelper
 
   include Singleton
 
-  include GetText
-  bindtextdomain 'iso_3166'
-
   # a dump of iso_3166.xml from Debian source package iso-codes
   COUNTRIES = [
     ["Afghanistan", "AF"],
diff --git a/app/helpers/dates_helper.rb b/app/helpers/dates_helper.rb
index fb47d98..4ecd670 100644
--- a/app/helpers/dates_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/dates_helper.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-module DatesHelper
+require 'noosfero/i18n'
 
-  include GetText
+module DatesHelper
 
   # FIXME Date#strftime should translate this for us !!!!
   MONTHS = [
diff --git a/app/helpers/language_helper.rb b/app/helpers/language_helper.rb
index 5b185d7..e7640de 100644
--- a/app/helpers/language_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/language_helper.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 module LanguageHelper
   def language
-    if Noosfero.available_locales.include?(locale.to_s) ||
-      Noosfero.available_locales.include?(locale.language)
-      locale.language
-    else
-      Noosfero.default_locale || 'en'
-    end
+    locale
   end
 
   def tinymce_language
diff --git a/app/helpers/profile_editor_helper.rb b/app/helpers/profile_editor_helper.rb
index f2f4d5a..a004d88 100644
--- a/app/helpers/profile_editor_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/profile_editor_helper.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 module ProfileEditorHelper
 
-  include GetText
 
   AREAS_OF_STUDY = [
     N_('Agrometeorology'),
diff --git a/app/models/task.rb b/app/models/task.rb
index d7b8f04..acccea3 100644
--- a/app/models/task.rb
+++ b/app/models/task.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 class Task < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   module Status
-    include GetText
     # the status of tasks just created
     ACTIVE = 1
 
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/application-ng.rhtml b/app/views/layouts/application-ng.rhtml
index 17e9923..d97d602 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/application-ng.rhtml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/application-ng.rhtml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
       }
     </script>
 
-    <a href="#content" id="link-go-content"><span>Ir para o conteúdo</span></a>
+    <a href="#content" id="link-go-content"><span><%= _("Go to the content") %></span></a>
 
     <div id="wrap-1">
       <div id='theme-header'>
diff --git a/config/environment.rb b/config/environment.rb
index ad53b41..0706a74 100644
--- a/config/environment.rb
+++ b/config/environment.rb
@@ -10,17 +10,6 @@ RAILS_GEM_VERSION = '2.1.0' unless defined? RAILS_GEM_VERSION
 # Bootstrap the Rails environment, frameworks, and default configuration
 require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'boot')
 
-# locally-developed modules
-require 'locale'
-require 'gettext/rails'
-require 'acts_as_filesystem'
-require 'acts_as_having_settings'
-require 'acts_as_searchable'
-require 'acts_as_having_boxes'
-require 'acts_as_having_image'
-require 'will_paginate'
-require 'route_if'
-
 # extra directories for controllers organization 
 extra_controller_dirs = %w[
   app/controllers/my_profile
diff --git a/config/initializers/dependencies.rb b/config/initializers/dependencies.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44cc43b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/initializers/dependencies.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# locally-developed modules
+require 'acts_as_filesystem'
+require 'acts_as_having_settings'
+require 'acts_as_searchable'
+require 'acts_as_having_boxes'
+require 'acts_as_having_image'
+require 'route_if'
+
+# third-party libraries
+require 'will_paginate'
diff --git a/config/initializers/fast_gettext.rb b/config/initializers/fast_gettext.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..43ef457
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/initializers/fast_gettext.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require 'noosfero/i18n'
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/internationalization_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/internationalization_steps.rb
index 6e2e299..92cde6f 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/internationalization_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/internationalization_steps.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-def language_to_header(name)
+def language_to_code(name)
   {
     'Brazilian Portuguese' => 'pt-br',
     'European Portuguese' => 'pt-pt',
@@ -17,29 +17,25 @@ def native_name(name)
   }[name] || name
 end
 
-def language_to_code(name)
-   language_to_header(name)
-end
-
 Given /^Noosfero is configured to use (.+) as default$/ do |lang|
   Noosfero.default_locale = language_to_code(lang)
 end
 
-After('@default_locale_config') do
+After do
+  # reset everything back to normal
   Noosfero.default_locale = nil
+  FastGettext.locale = 'en'
 end
 
 Given /^a user accessed in (.*) before$/ do |lang|
   session = Webrat::Session.new(Webrat.adapter_class.new(self))
   session.extend(Webrat::Matchers)
   session.visit('/')
-  session.should have_selector('html[lang=en]')
+  session.should have_selector("html[lang=#{language_to_code(lang)}]")
 end
 
 Given /^my browser prefers (.*)$/ do |lang|
-  @n ||= 0
-  header 'Accept-Language', language_to_header(lang)
-
+  header 'Accept-Language', language_to_code(lang)
 end
 
 Then /^the site should be in (.*)$/ do |lang|
diff --git a/lib/noosfero.rb b/lib/noosfero.rb
index 69ddc65..709cbc8 100644
--- a/lib/noosfero.rb
+++ b/lib/noosfero.rb
@@ -12,12 +12,15 @@ module Noosfero
     attr_accessor :locales
     attr_accessor :default_locale
     def available_locales
-      @available_locales ||= locales.keys
-    end
-    def each_locale
-      locales.keys.sort.each do |key|
-        yield(key, locales[key])
-      end
+      @available_locales ||=
+        begin
+          locales_list = locales.keys
+          # move English to the beginning
+          if locales_list.include?('en')
+            locales_list = ['en'] + (locales_list - ['en']).sort
+          end
+          locales_list
+        end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/noosfero/i18n.rb b/lib/noosfero/i18n.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24f8206
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/noosfero/i18n.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+require 'fast_gettext'
+
+class Object
+  include FastGettext::Translation
+  alias :gettext :_
+  alias :ngettext :n_
+end
+
+class ActiveRecord::Errors
+  default_error_messages.update(
+    :inclusion => N_("%{fn} is not included in the list"),
+    :exclusion => N_("%{fn} is reserved"),
+    :invalid => N_("%{fn} is invalid"),
+    :confirmation => N_("%{fn} doesn't match confirmation"),
+    :accepted  => N_("%{fn} must be accepted"),
+    :empty => N_("%{fn} can't be empty"),
+    :blank => N_("%{fn} can't be blank"),
+    :too_long => N_("%{fn} is too long (maximum is %d characters)"),
+    :too_short => N_("%{fn} is too short (minimum is %d characters)"),
+    :wrong_length => N_("%{fn} is the wrong length (should be %d characters)"),
+    :taken => N_("%{fn} has already been taken"),
+    :not_a_number => N_("%{fn} is not a number")
+  )
+
+  def localize_error_messages
+    errors = {}
+    each do |attr,msg|
+      next if msg.nil?
+      errors[attr] ||= []
+      errors[attr] << _(msg).sub('%{fn}', @base.class.human_attribute_name(attr))
+    end
+    errors
+  end
+  def on_with_gettext(attribute)
+    errors = localize_error_messages[attribute.to_s]
+    return nil if errors.nil?
+    errors.size == 1 ? errors.first : errors
+  end
+  alias_method_chain :on, :gettext
+
+  def full_messages_with_gettext
+    full_messages = []
+    errors = localize_error_messages
+    errors.each_key do |attr|
+      errors[attr].each do |msg|
+        next if msg.nil?
+        full_messages << msg
+      end
+    end
+    full_messages
+  end
+  alias_method_chain :full_messages, :gettext
+end
+
+
+module ActionView::Helpers::ActiveRecordHelper
+  module L10n
+    @error_message_title = Nn_("%{num} error prohibited this %{record} from being saved", "%{num} errors prohibited this %{record} from being saved").flatten
+    @error_message_explanation = Nn_("There was a problem with the following field:", "There were problems with the following fields:").flatten
+    module_function
+    def error_messages_for(instance, objects, object_names, count, options)
+      record = _(options[:object_name] || object_names[0].to_s)
+
+      html = {}
+      [:id, :class].each do |key|
+        if options.include?(key)
+          value = options[key]
+          html[key] = value unless value.blank?
+        else
+          html[key] = 'errorExplanation'
+        end
+      end
+
+      if options[:message_title]
+        header_message = instance.error_message(options[:message_title], count) % {:num => count, :record => record}
+      else
+        header_message = ((count == 1) ? _(@error_message_title[0]) : _(@error_message_title[1])) % {:num => count, :record => record}
+      end
+      if options[:message_explanation]
+        message_explanation = instance.error_message(options[:message_explanation], count) % {:num => count}
+      else
+        message_explanation = (count == 1 ? _(@error_message_explanation[0]) : _(@error_message_explanation[1])) % {:num => count}
+      end
+
+      error_messages = objects.map {|object| object.errors.full_messages.map {|msg| instance.content_tag(:li, msg) } }
+
+      instance.content_tag(
+        :div,
+        instance.content_tag(options[:header_tag] || :h2, header_message) <<
+        instance.content_tag(:p, message_explanation) <<
+        instance.content_tag(:ul, error_messages),
+          html
+      )
+    end
+  end
+
+  alias error_messages_for_without_localize error_messages_for #:nodoc:
+
+  # error_messages_for overrides original method with localization.
+  # And also it extends to be able to replace the title/explanation of the header of the error dialog. (Since 1.90)
+  # If you want to override these messages in the whole application, 
+  #    use ActionView::Helpers::ActiveRecordHelper::L10n.set_error_message_(title|explanation) instead.
+  # * :message_title - the title of message. Use Nn_() to path the strings for singular/plural.
+  #                       e.g. Nn_("%{num} error prohibited this %{record} from being saved", 
+  # 			       "%{num} errors prohibited this %{record} from being saved")
+  # * :message_explanation - the explanation of message
+  #                       e.g. Nn_("There was a problem with the following field:", 
+  #                                "There were %{num} problems with the following fields:")
+  def error_messages_for(*params)
+    options = params.last.is_a?(Hash) ? params.pop.symbolize_keys : {}
+    objects = params.collect {|object_name| instance_variable_get("@#{object_name}") }.compact
+    object_names = params.dup
+    count   = objects.inject(0) {|sum, object| sum + object.errors.count }
+    if count.zero?
+          ''
+    else
+      L10n.error_messages_for(self, objects, object_names, count, options)
+    end
+  end
+
+end
+
+module ActionController::Caching::Fragments
+  def fragment_cache_key_with_fast_gettext(name)
+    ret = fragment_cache_key_without_fast_gettext(name)
+    if ret.is_a? String
+      ret.gsub(/:/, ".") << "_#{FastGettext.locale}"
+    else
+      ret
+    end
+  end
+  alias_method_chain :fragment_cache_key, :fast_gettext
+
+  def expire_fragment_with_fast_gettext(name, options = nil)
+    return unless perform_caching
+
+    key = fragment_cache_key_without_fast_gettext(name)
+    if key.is_a?(Regexp)
+      self.class.benchmark "Expired fragments matching: #{key.source}" do
+        fragment_cache_store.delete_matched(key, options)
+      end
+    else
+      key = key.gsub(/:/, ".")
+      self.class.benchmark "Expired fragment: #{key}, lang = #{FastGettext.available_locales.inspect}" do
+        if FastGettext.available_locales
+          FastGettext.available_locales.each do |lang|
+            fragment_cache_store.delete("#{key}_#{lang}", options)
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  alias_method_chain :expire_fragment, :fast_gettext
+end
+
+FileUtils.mkdir_p(Rails.root + '/locale')
+Dir.glob(Rails.root + '/locale/*').each do |dir|
+  lang = File.basename(dir)
+  FileUtils.mkdir_p("#{Rails.root}/locale/#{lang}/LC_MESSAGES")
+  ['iso_3166', 'rails'].each do |domain|
+    target = "#{Rails.root}/locale/#{lang}/LC_MESSAGES/#{domain}.mo"
+    if !File.exists?(target)
+      orig = "/usr/share/locale/#{lang}/LC_MESSAGES/#{domain}.mo"
+      if File.exists?(orig)
+        File.symlink(orig, target)
+      else
+        alternatives = Dir.glob("/usr/share/locale/#{lang}_*/LC_MESSAGES/#{domain}.mo")
+        unless alternatives.empty?
+          File.symlink(alternatives.first, target)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+repos = [
+  FastGettext::TranslationRepository.build('noosfero', :type => 'mo', :path => Rails.root + '/locale'),
+  FastGettext::TranslationRepository.build('iso_3166', :type => 'mo', :path => Rails.root + '/locale'),
+  FastGettext::TranslationRepository.build('rails',    :type => 'mo', :path => Rails.root + '/locale'),
+]
+
+FastGettext.add_text_domain 'noosferofull', :type => :chain, :chain => repos
+FastGettext.default_text_domain = 'noosferofull'
diff --git a/lib/tasks/populate.rake b/lib/tasks/populate.rake
index 07330da..381babf 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/populate.rake
+++ b/lib/tasks/populate.rake
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../config/environment'
 require 'noosfero'
-require 'gettext/rails'
-include GetText
 
 DEFAULT_ENVIRONMENT_TEXT = <<EOF
 <h1>Environment homepage</h1>
diff --git a/lib/unifreire_terminology.rb b/lib/unifreire_terminology.rb
index 42b3b49..3c9d596 100644
--- a/lib/unifreire_terminology.rb
+++ b/lib/unifreire_terminology.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 require 'noosfero/terminology'
 
 class UnifreireTerminology < Noosfero::Terminology::Custom
-  include GetText
 
   def initialize
     # NOTE: the hash values must be marked for translation!! 
diff --git a/lib/zen3_terminology.rb b/lib/zen3_terminology.rb
index 2fb8377..09f4f4f 100644
--- a/lib/zen3_terminology.rb
+++ b/lib/zen3_terminology.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 require 'noosfero/terminology'
 
 class Zen3Terminology < Noosfero::Terminology::Custom
-  include GetText
 
   def initialize
     # NOTE: the hash values must be marked for translation!! 
diff --git a/test/unit/communities_block_test.rb b/test/unit/communities_block_test.rb
index ae1cf72..07cceba 100644
--- a/test/unit/communities_block_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/communities_block_test.rb
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../test_helper'
 
 class CommunitiesBlockTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
-  include GetText
-
   should 'inherit from ProfileListBlock' do
     assert_kind_of ProfileListBlock, CommunitiesBlock.new
   end
diff --git a/test/unit/enterprises_block_test.rb b/test/unit/enterprises_block_test.rb
index 3b3be1a..ec8f204 100644
--- a/test/unit/enterprises_block_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/enterprises_block_test.rb
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../test_helper'
 
 class EnterprisesBlockTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
-  include GetText
-
   should 'inherit from ProfileListBlock' do
     assert_kind_of ProfileListBlock, EnterprisesBlock.new
   end
diff --git a/test/unit/friends_block_test.rb b/test/unit/friends_block_test.rb
index 82c9f60..9004ff1 100644
--- a/test/unit/friends_block_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/friends_block_test.rb
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../test_helper'
 
 class FriendsBlockTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
-  include GetText
-
   should 'describe itself' do
     assert_not_equal ProfileListBlock.description, FriendsBlock.description
   end
diff --git a/test/unit/language_helper_test.rb b/test/unit/language_helper_test.rb
index 5cc3ff0..11a7c8e 100644
--- a/test/unit/language_helper_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/language_helper_test.rb
@@ -4,14 +4,9 @@ class LanguageHelperTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
 
   include LanguageHelper
 
-
   should 'return current language' do
-    locale = mock
-    locale.stubs(:to_s).returns('pt_BR')
-    locale.stubs(:language).returns('pt')
-    stubs(:locale).returns(locale)
-
-    assert_equal 'pt', self.language
+    expects(:locale).returns('pt')
+    assert_equal 'pt', language
   end
 
   should 'remove country code for TinyMCE' do
--
libgit2 0.21.2