When we got here, a newly-made friend described our future life as a "never ending BBQ". I would tend to correct him and say it is a "never ending food tasting event"... Nothing to complain about!
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Friday, May 31, 2013
Petites Madeleines
Some of us are born bakers, while others chefs. I love being invited to my friends E, she makes these amazing petites madeleines, a treat that is absolutely impossible to find here.
When we got here, a newly-made friend described our future life as a "never ending BBQ". I would tend to correct him and say it is a "never ending food tasting event"... Nothing to complain about!
When we got here, a newly-made friend described our future life as a "never ending BBQ". I would tend to correct him and say it is a "never ending food tasting event"... Nothing to complain about!
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Equal Rights
On May 14 2013, Brazil turned a historic page: the country legalized same-sex marriages. Brazil is consequently placing itself at the forefront of the LBGT rights, with a handful of other countries (namely Canada, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, England, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, even Uruguay and a few more). Recently France also have joined the ranks, but the French created much more havoc about the issues than the Brazilians.
Here or in other places in the country there was no demonstrations against the passing of the law. And when you look around, the Brazilians appear to be pretty open, specially in places like Rio and Sao Paolo. Guinness is saying that Sao Paolo has the world biggest gay parade in the world. And yet, as I am writing this, I learn that Brazil remains a country with a very high level of violences against the LBGT community.
Tonight we were invited with friends to a party. The same-sex marriage topic came to table.
And then I fell off my chair.
The thing is that as expats, we evolve into a generally super open super intelligent super life-loving crowd of people. People who have lived in many places, people who are often in mix-cultural marriages, people who have often gown up in a culture that is not theirs, people who generally need a pretty good sense of openness to be able to evolve comfortably in cultures that are foreign, people who are used to being out of their comfort zones. So I found myself very surprised, and then very upset by the fact that I needed to debate the values of the liberals laws that were just passed in both countries. Laws that are about freedom of sexual orientation, freedom of family choices, freedom of adoption for same sex couples. I even needed to defend the benefit of a law allowing single mothers to procreate medically or to adopt (like in Canada or Israel). I felt I was replaying a discussion set in the 50s. It just did not make sense with my views of the world, with my values, that someone from my entourage would not share these values.
There was no way of changing my interlocutor's point of view, tainted with religious dogmas.
Then I was reminded that yes, even if it is a world trend, LGBT rights are absent in most parts of the world. Only a handful of countries have jumped over the fence of prejudices and discrimination and started protecting legally these people. Yes LGBT are vulnerable in most places of the world. Consequently it is normal to bump once in a while into people who are not yet aware of the issues at stakes.
At least my friend and I were able to debate, to hear each other, and to agree to disagree.
photo from wiki
Here or in other places in the country there was no demonstrations against the passing of the law. And when you look around, the Brazilians appear to be pretty open, specially in places like Rio and Sao Paolo. Guinness is saying that Sao Paolo has the world biggest gay parade in the world. And yet, as I am writing this, I learn that Brazil remains a country with a very high level of violences against the LBGT community.
Tonight we were invited with friends to a party. The same-sex marriage topic came to table.
And then I fell off my chair.
The thing is that as expats, we evolve into a generally super open super intelligent super life-loving crowd of people. People who have lived in many places, people who are often in mix-cultural marriages, people who have often gown up in a culture that is not theirs, people who generally need a pretty good sense of openness to be able to evolve comfortably in cultures that are foreign, people who are used to being out of their comfort zones. So I found myself very surprised, and then very upset by the fact that I needed to debate the values of the liberals laws that were just passed in both countries. Laws that are about freedom of sexual orientation, freedom of family choices, freedom of adoption for same sex couples. I even needed to defend the benefit of a law allowing single mothers to procreate medically or to adopt (like in Canada or Israel). I felt I was replaying a discussion set in the 50s. It just did not make sense with my views of the world, with my values, that someone from my entourage would not share these values.
There was no way of changing my interlocutor's point of view, tainted with religious dogmas.
Then I was reminded that yes, even if it is a world trend, LGBT rights are absent in most parts of the world. Only a handful of countries have jumped over the fence of prejudices and discrimination and started protecting legally these people. Yes LGBT are vulnerable in most places of the world. Consequently it is normal to bump once in a while into people who are not yet aware of the issues at stakes.
At least my friend and I were able to debate, to hear each other, and to agree to disagree.
photo from wiki
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Counting our Blessings
When I got here, it was really difficult for me to adapt. There is no doubt that many things are still challenging. I am not going to list them here, it is not my point. Rather I just paused this weekend, while we hosting a few of our friends, and realized that we are blessed in so many ways here.
We have this beautiful weather, most of the year. It is sunny and warm.
Nature here is just stunning. And pristine. And there is no absolutely no pollution like we had in Beijing.
We made so many good friends, so many good people are surrounding us now. So many interesting and special individuals.
And we are very blessed to have landed in the house we have now.
We have this beautiful weather, most of the year. It is sunny and warm.
Nature here is just stunning. And pristine. And there is no absolutely no pollution like we had in Beijing.
We made so many good friends, so many good people are surrounding us now. So many interesting and special individuals.
And we are very blessed to have landed in the house we have now.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Preparing for the walk
Tonight, a bunch of us gathered at Miss E's house, who kindly offered to mix some caipis, to discuss the details of a special expedition. Similarly to an earlier yoga escapade, we are planning to escape our responsibilities for five nights, leave our darlings behind and put our lives in the hand of a cute guide to walk over a great number of km around a remote area of the province of Bahia on a historical trail called Chapada da Diamantina. This is a hike entirely set in a out-of-cellphone-network-coverage area (How many of you have done this recently - gone entirely offline for a few days?).
Despite my ski boot, I have to admit I am quite excited. We discussed very important details - like the hiring of a mule or not (general consensus is positive), the size of the backpack and the type of water container to carry. A number of elements still need further clarification - will we need to carry the week's worth of provision among ourselves (or the mule might?), will we have possibilities for showers along the way? will we carry our whole day worth of water? Should we take along a pocket knife or a flashlight? We also discussed the relevance of a nail cutter and tweezers. I also sensed some doubts about my capacity to recover promptly enough to successfully complete this hike, but it happily provided everyone with a great excuse to hire this mule, with its capacity to carry my dead body if ever so the circumstance requires it.
Yesterday night, we were nine moms getting excited to follow the steps of some gold diggers. With the difference that we will probably walk around like a bunch of girls freed from their daily responsibilities: enthusiastically. The caipis probably helped us forget about the future blisters.
Be reassured, I love my kids and my hubby, but my love resurface even stronger after moments like these, in the wild.
Despite my ski boot, I have to admit I am quite excited. We discussed very important details - like the hiring of a mule or not (general consensus is positive), the size of the backpack and the type of water container to carry. A number of elements still need further clarification - will we need to carry the week's worth of provision among ourselves (or the mule might?), will we have possibilities for showers along the way? will we carry our whole day worth of water? Should we take along a pocket knife or a flashlight? We also discussed the relevance of a nail cutter and tweezers. I also sensed some doubts about my capacity to recover promptly enough to successfully complete this hike, but it happily provided everyone with a great excuse to hire this mule, with its capacity to carry my dead body if ever so the circumstance requires it.
Yesterday night, we were nine moms getting excited to follow the steps of some gold diggers. With the difference that we will probably walk around like a bunch of girls freed from their daily responsibilities: enthusiastically. The caipis probably helped us forget about the future blisters.
Be reassured, I love my kids and my hubby, but my love resurface even stronger after moments like these, in the wild.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Trailing Low
I woke up feeling crapy, wondering if this tightness on my chest will turn into a normal cold or into pneumonia. So I laid low most morning.
After lunch, a friend came by to drop her kid for play date with my boys. Since returning from our travels, my boys have been in Lego LaLa Land, playing hours non-stop, almost making me feel obsolete. So the idea of a play date while feeling unwell is not really dreadful, as their little friend is as much of a Lego passionate as them. And my dear Empregada is watching.
Yet I was enjoying my decaf when the mom and son pair came in, and used this as an excuse to get some company to my sipping. We nicely chatted about mundane things. Then she eventually opened up, talking about her own difficulties to be an efficient, productive, home-based contractual working mom. And self-estime issues related to performing such role.
In this life, where simple errants require logistics and planning (ever gone to the bank for 2 hours? or twice a week? or driven 10 km for it?), it is not difficult for me to equally feel incompetent at performing the regular stuff. In a way, since I arrived here, I have been mostly absorbed with mundane things in the morning, and kids care for the rest of the day.
It brings me back to two elements: self-confidence and work. Since I started my expatriate life, I have met many types of expat wives (the trailing spouses, as we are often labeled). Those who try to keep a professional life, and adapt their career and occupation to their new surroundings, despite the odds. And those who, for various reasons, decide to just make the best of their situation, without a professional take on their occupation - either by painting, golfing, charity work, coffees and chats, language learning, sewing, shopping, hosting, knitting, writing, you name it. In Beijing I even met a group of women, self-labelled "snitch and bitch", meeting around a yarn in a coffee shop. These women who give up their careers are not always doing it by choice, but they seems to enjoy much better time during their posting. I guess I have a guilt factor that hinder fully enjoying these activities as full time ones.
As women who studied for a long time, and worked hard to get (close to have) a career, we give a great value to what we do, and it is always a little difficult to be reduced to be "the wife of" and to really only be remarkable for the quality of your housekeeping skills.
So many of us will try really hard to keep at it, sometimes working remotely, sometimes creating a new career path, sometimes accepting work conditions we would usually rebuke, sometimes creating our own business. Sometimes it is easier, as we have a comparative advantage - maybe our language skills, maybe our own international experience. But most time it won't be easy.
My friend's pain certainly comes from working in isolation, on tight deadlines, in a very competitive environment where she is somewhat disadvantaged, by working remotely and intermittently. I share her pain. I have experienced this in China, and now, although I am not officially working, I am somewhat feeling this, the disadvantage and the loneliness of writing articles on my own. The feeling of not really being able to realize oneself fully, professionally and/or personally, and to feel lost or forgotten behind the action.
But in fact this post will probably need to be expanded later, as there is so much to be said about being a working mother, a home-based working mom (there is a contradiction just in this label), and a mutant-always-reinventing-yourself-professional due to our constant rotation of postings linked to our expatriate status. Have you ever imagine how much energy it takes? Maybe that is why today I just laid low in the morning. That felt better.
After lunch, a friend came by to drop her kid for play date with my boys. Since returning from our travels, my boys have been in Lego LaLa Land, playing hours non-stop, almost making me feel obsolete. So the idea of a play date while feeling unwell is not really dreadful, as their little friend is as much of a Lego passionate as them. And my dear Empregada is watching.
Yet I was enjoying my decaf when the mom and son pair came in, and used this as an excuse to get some company to my sipping. We nicely chatted about mundane things. Then she eventually opened up, talking about her own difficulties to be an efficient, productive, home-based contractual working mom. And self-estime issues related to performing such role.
In this life, where simple errants require logistics and planning (ever gone to the bank for 2 hours? or twice a week? or driven 10 km for it?), it is not difficult for me to equally feel incompetent at performing the regular stuff. In a way, since I arrived here, I have been mostly absorbed with mundane things in the morning, and kids care for the rest of the day.
It brings me back to two elements: self-confidence and work. Since I started my expatriate life, I have met many types of expat wives (the trailing spouses, as we are often labeled). Those who try to keep a professional life, and adapt their career and occupation to their new surroundings, despite the odds. And those who, for various reasons, decide to just make the best of their situation, without a professional take on their occupation - either by painting, golfing, charity work, coffees and chats, language learning, sewing, shopping, hosting, knitting, writing, you name it. In Beijing I even met a group of women, self-labelled "snitch and bitch", meeting around a yarn in a coffee shop. These women who give up their careers are not always doing it by choice, but they seems to enjoy much better time during their posting. I guess I have a guilt factor that hinder fully enjoying these activities as full time ones.
As women who studied for a long time, and worked hard to get (close to have) a career, we give a great value to what we do, and it is always a little difficult to be reduced to be "the wife of" and to really only be remarkable for the quality of your housekeeping skills.
So many of us will try really hard to keep at it, sometimes working remotely, sometimes creating a new career path, sometimes accepting work conditions we would usually rebuke, sometimes creating our own business. Sometimes it is easier, as we have a comparative advantage - maybe our language skills, maybe our own international experience. But most time it won't be easy.
My friend's pain certainly comes from working in isolation, on tight deadlines, in a very competitive environment where she is somewhat disadvantaged, by working remotely and intermittently. I share her pain. I have experienced this in China, and now, although I am not officially working, I am somewhat feeling this, the disadvantage and the loneliness of writing articles on my own. The feeling of not really being able to realize oneself fully, professionally and/or personally, and to feel lost or forgotten behind the action.
But in fact this post will probably need to be expanded later, as there is so much to be said about being a working mother, a home-based working mom (there is a contradiction just in this label), and a mutant-always-reinventing-yourself-professional due to our constant rotation of postings linked to our expatriate status. Have you ever imagine how much energy it takes? Maybe that is why today I just laid low in the morning. That felt better.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Shopping Habits
Similarly to when I lived in other emerging (or depressed) economies, supply chains in Brazil do not always equal demand. In other words, you might find a lot of an item one day and never see it again later. For example these large jars of sun-dried tomatoes in oil that were available in Carrefour in the fall, and completely disappeared since. Or I might never find a specific item, until I stumble on it in a very unusual store - recently here I found blueberries, fresh. Or at times some items are getting the exotic tax (so the blueberries are US$30). The taxation has a lot to do with this unreliable supply of goods. Who would pay for US$10 for asparagus or 15 for endives - apart from me?
In terms of shopping habits, it means that if I see something I might eventually need later, I buy it now, and usually in quantity. Or I might not remember exactly where that specific store was in the row of these very nondescript facades. Or some items are so hard to come by I might as well buy a collection of them, for the future. Or just because I hate waiting in line for these things I need week after week. Any of these are essentially a good excuse for really bad shopping habits, and make it difficult to achieve my ideals of simple living.
In practice, for us expats, it also means using our visitors as mule. Our friend D came one time with a delivery of cereal and mac&cheese boxes. My dad carried kids underwear, cereals and French language exercise books, all for the kids. Another friend lugged gin bottles. My husband shrugs to the idea of going to the US, as the terms "mission" aptly applies. The kids are always thrilled when we have visitors, except when they carry alcohol.
It also means that when I travel, I already have a list of items to purchase, mostly food items. This latest trip to Tel Aviv was a special stocking moment, an unique occasion to fill my pantry with fresh spices, sun-dried tomatoes, cheeses, olive oil, yogurt, typical israeli snacks, bread, what not. I came back with 35 kilos of goodies. I just could not help myself.
As I am writing this post I realized that you might find me slightly neurotic. Until you come over for dinner.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
An Invitation to Collaborate
I felt very grateful when I was invited to meet some local architects. The friend who invited thought as a Canadian architect, I could contribute to an international design competition. A multidisciplinary team is designing an entry for a new modular lab for the Brazilian Antarctica station. In 2012, the Ferrante site burnt down. Today Brazil intends to rebuilt the station entirely, with some environmental requirements, as it would be expected for such location. The competition is sponsored by the the Brazilian navy and the Institute of Brazilian Architects.
Quite an interesting program indeed. Modularity. Cold climate. Extreme conditions. All things that are interesting to me.
The group was really welcoming, it was very nice to attend a few meetings all held in Portuguesse. Just that feels like some kind of accomplishment for me. I'll write more about the language later.
It was nice to be back at the designing table, and to experience again the joy of doodling and discussing ideas. The group is composed of mostly young professionals, and headed by a couple and the wife's dad. He and his son-in-law own a small firm in Lago Sul. And they have put together a team of energetic young professionals motivated to win this competition. Here is an image of the final entry.
In the end, they were doing what most architects do when working on a competition: working at night and over the weekends. On a schedule that is just not compatible with my own. So I just could not really integrate the team. But it was nice for a few meetings to exchange ideas over a sketch paper.
In the end, another team won the competition (here is the winning entry). What is interesting is that we tried something similar to this form...
Quite an interesting program indeed. Modularity. Cold climate. Extreme conditions. All things that are interesting to me.
The group was really welcoming, it was very nice to attend a few meetings all held in Portuguesse. Just that feels like some kind of accomplishment for me. I'll write more about the language later.
It was nice to be back at the designing table, and to experience again the joy of doodling and discussing ideas. The group is composed of mostly young professionals, and headed by a couple and the wife's dad. He and his son-in-law own a small firm in Lago Sul. And they have put together a team of energetic young professionals motivated to win this competition. Here is an image of the final entry.
In the end, they were doing what most architects do when working on a competition: working at night and over the weekends. On a schedule that is just not compatible with my own. So I just could not really integrate the team. But it was nice for a few meetings to exchange ideas over a sketch paper.
In the end, another team won the competition (here is the winning entry). What is interesting is that we tried something similar to this form...
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Seder
Juggling this religion multiplicity in a multicultural family and environment is a balancing act. And at times there are friends or organizations who are able to provide a lifeline, making the exercise one that is meaningful and fun.
Here it is where we celebrated the best Seder with another mixed faith family. The selections of songs came from a american kids book, and we measured our success when my boys were caught signing the songs in the car the next day! My big boy also loved the fast track approach, making the entire meal a rather pleasant one.
Monday, March 25, 2013
A special lunch
I invited my girlfriends around this afternoon to surprise and celebrate together the birthday of one of us. It is always a good excuse to cook, eat loads and to drink wine before dinner time.
It was specially nice that what started as a lunch ended up transforming itself into a gathering where friends fluctuated in and out, returning after an errand, or with their kids just released from school. A vibration of happiness radiating in our home.
It was specially nice that what started as a lunch ended up transforming itself into a gathering where friends fluctuated in and out, returning after an errand, or with their kids just released from school. A vibration of happiness radiating in our home.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
It is All in the Icing
We are just returning from another birthday party. Again. This one, thrown by an expat mom, was low-key with a nice gathering of select parents and kids (as opposed to the entire class).
The memorable moment was the cake. The bakery forgot to make the poor kid's cake and the parents had to rush over there to collect something. They came back with some superb tier cake, with the theme of jungle animals. Very cute. When the cake was finally cut, the crowd realized that a huge portion, a entire tier of it, was fake. It was styrofoam covered in icing.
It kind of left me thinking: an amazing look, yet so hollow. I hope that this cake is not the metaphor of our brazilian connections.
People are often so unnaturally nice here. They get out of their way to help us. They are always pleasant when you talk to them. They are nice and patients in ways that feel sometimes totally unreal. I mean, in Israel, someone (or many) would loose patience after waiting 30 min in the fast lane at the grocery store because the lady is chatting away. I mean, in Canada, someone would get fired for incompetence.
This cake made me wonder about what is a facade here. We have fences in front of our houses, and secret ones in front of our hearts. Are the fences of the brazilian their niceness? Will I get to know them better? To really meet them? For who they are, without the fluff and the frizz?
The memorable moment was the cake. The bakery forgot to make the poor kid's cake and the parents had to rush over there to collect something. They came back with some superb tier cake, with the theme of jungle animals. Very cute. When the cake was finally cut, the crowd realized that a huge portion, a entire tier of it, was fake. It was styrofoam covered in icing.
It kind of left me thinking: an amazing look, yet so hollow. I hope that this cake is not the metaphor of our brazilian connections.
People are often so unnaturally nice here. They get out of their way to help us. They are always pleasant when you talk to them. They are nice and patients in ways that feel sometimes totally unreal. I mean, in Israel, someone (or many) would loose patience after waiting 30 min in the fast lane at the grocery store because the lady is chatting away. I mean, in Canada, someone would get fired for incompetence.
This cake made me wonder about what is a facade here. We have fences in front of our houses, and secret ones in front of our hearts. Are the fences of the brazilian their niceness? Will I get to know them better? To really meet them? For who they are, without the fluff and the frizz?
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Playdates
With the help of online groups, I was able to connect with a group of very interesting women. They have organized weekly get-togethers, where kids play while moms chat away. There is of course a few obligatory expats from the diplomatic corps, but a majority are either foreigner with a Brazilian spouse or Brazilian with a mix background (dual citizenship, parents of mixed origins or past expatriation experience). It makes for lively conversations and a fun time. This week it was our turn to host. I pulled the black tarp on our front yard/hill, every time it is a huge hit with the kids.
Monday, February 11, 2013
My Own Rio
So for many of us, Brazil is synonym with Carnival. So, with our first Brazilian season approaching, I just assumed we would go. But for different reasons, my overworked husband could not make it to the Carnival. Maybe next year. In spite of this, I threw the idea around with some girlfriends - why not go together, just for a night, and catch a glimpse of the craze?!
And before we could think of it, we were there, me and the two Fionas, ready to Samba!
We first walked around Ipanema, posing with a sandcastle architect, buying jewelries from a native, drinking refreshing capeirinhas, people watching, chatting away. When I spotted a lady selling these sparkly sequined sets, hand made, sold on a blanket on the sidewalk, I just encouraged the three of us to "adapt" to the local customs (or is it costume?)! Specially after seeing a number of body types not necessarily benefiting to be exposed as they were (this city is well known for the lack of modesty of its inhabitants on its beaches and sidewalks), our own boldness did not really put our decency at stake!! So here we go, Rio, we are going to the Carnival!
And before we could think of it, we were there, me and the two Fionas, ready to Samba!
We first walked around Ipanema, posing with a sandcastle architect, buying jewelries from a native, drinking refreshing capeirinhas, people watching, chatting away. When I spotted a lady selling these sparkly sequined sets, hand made, sold on a blanket on the sidewalk, I just encouraged the three of us to "adapt" to the local customs (or is it costume?)! Specially after seeing a number of body types not necessarily benefiting to be exposed as they were (this city is well known for the lack of modesty of its inhabitants on its beaches and sidewalks), our own boldness did not really put our decency at stake!! So here we go, Rio, we are going to the Carnival!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Samba for the People
Carnival is about music, it is about the samba. Thanks to a cool Belgian friend, we ended up in this very cool, unassuming local, where live samba music is played. People dance between the tables, the ambiance is festive, relax, so "brazil". This is the Brazil I was dreaming of. It feels more real than so many other places and other things I have visited here in Brasilia. Quadra 714 Asa Norte. Tartaruga. Only on Saturday nights, between 5 and 10. Then the neighbors need to go to bed.
We brought back more friends last night. A discovery like this need to be shared!
We brought back more friends last night. A discovery like this need to be shared!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
A Beautiful Gift
A friend wanted to surprise me for my birthday. A creative, beautiful friend. Fiona Murphy, you really surprised me! Thank you!!! How touching!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
New Arrivals
When moving to a new place, we can shed our uncomfortable stranger's coat more quickly with the help of a few new friends. In fact, finding friends is maybe the most important thing when moving. Much more difficult than finding my way to the supermarket. I have the impression I already mentioned this before (here here and there).
In any cases, there is this family that has been preparing his relocation for a few months, making a pre-assignement trip with his wife in november, dropping suitcases along the way, finding a house, choosing a school, getting a visual on what it is to live here. In other words, this family is arriving here much more prepared than us - not only mentally, but logistically and linguistically. I am envious. Furthermore, a couple weeks ago, on their first week, a greeting crew" was generously organized by a colleague's spouse, emailing a bunch of us to meet the newcomer. How wonderful. It touched me again, thinking how much such small gathering can make a immense difference in the adjustment process.
So in the matter of one morning, this lovely new lady got to meet a bunch of other lovely ladies, and get a full briefing on the situation here. All this while our kids met each other andscreamed their head off played. And this while we binged on coffee and cakes.
Our conversations quickly geared from light to introspective, from serious to desperate: "what do you do? what kind of work can be found here? what kind of work permit can we get?" Answers are candid, desperate or frustrated. But one of us summed it all: either make a baby, work from home or go golfing/horse ridding/kyte surfing.
A few weeks later, it is all business as usual, with the integration process running its course: the newcomer invites us all to celebrate her son's birthday. Cake, pool, furniture breaking, kids screaming wildly. All back to normal, no need anymore to talk about what we expat wives cannot do here.
Have a bit more cake, dear.
In any cases, there is this family that has been preparing his relocation for a few months, making a pre-assignement trip with his wife in november, dropping suitcases along the way, finding a house, choosing a school, getting a visual on what it is to live here. In other words, this family is arriving here much more prepared than us - not only mentally, but logistically and linguistically. I am envious. Furthermore, a couple weeks ago, on their first week, a greeting crew" was generously organized by a colleague's spouse, emailing a bunch of us to meet the newcomer. How wonderful. It touched me again, thinking how much such small gathering can make a immense difference in the adjustment process.
So in the matter of one morning, this lovely new lady got to meet a bunch of other lovely ladies, and get a full briefing on the situation here. All this while our kids met each other and
Our conversations quickly geared from light to introspective, from serious to desperate: "what do you do? what kind of work can be found here? what kind of work permit can we get?" Answers are candid, desperate or frustrated. But one of us summed it all: either make a baby, work from home or go golfing/horse ridding/kyte surfing.
A few weeks later, it is all business as usual, with the integration process running its course: the newcomer invites us all to celebrate her son's birthday. Cake, pool, furniture breaking, kids screaming wildly. All back to normal, no need anymore to talk about what we expat wives cannot do here.
Have a bit more cake, dear.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Things that Live With Us
Returning in Brasilia means returning to sharing our house (read my previous post). Since we moved in, we also have enjoyed the beautiful view of numerous birds, who come around all day. Sparrows, hummingbirds and green parrots are the three types I can recognized, but there a number of other (unidentified by me) species who come around our garden. The green parrots are the loudest and the funniest, keeping on flying around arguing in pairs at any hour of the day. They are so numerous, and come around so often that the kids have dubbed our house "la maison des perroquets".
Upon our return, we discovered a family of birds nested in the branches of a plant in our deck. Mommy bird probably suddenly worried to see little blond heads peering every now and then on their fragile abode. The little chirps opened their beaks hungrily every time the branches holding their nest were rattled. In less than two weeks, they were gone, the nest was left empty. This is the third nest we find around the house, the first one was hidden in the foliage of the vine with colorful eggs. The other one was hidden in the roof structure of the terrace, from which a little birdie ended up dramatically falling.
Another day, as I opened the dining room window, I noticed the fattest toad nesting in a flower pot. I am talking about a 2 or 3 pounds heavy guy, completely immobile, not blinking even an eye, comfortably tucked in the little dip created by the shoving of his body in the sand of the pot. The kids worriedly asked me to close the window, expecting the beast to jump in any second. For a couple days we saw him there, sometimes his body to the right, sometimes to the left. And then after another heavy rain, he was gone. I kind of liked him, thinking of him as a good mosquito repellant.
And recently, some kind of strange loud and deep cry was heard, and repeated at regular interval, in the growing darkness of the early evening. At first my mind imagined some kind of large bird - a toucan maybe. It would make sense that something big makes such a loud noise. Looking out and around the house, force to realize that it was not that. The sound was emitted around the pool, and rather from something low. After a few minutes of unsuccessful search, I went to consult my local expert. My gardener confirmed it was probably a little frog, sitting in the pool pipes, signing its head of. She did, all night, for two nights. Her call had more to do with the barking of a seal than anything frog-like. Who would have thought? Or maybe Canadians cannot imagine the wildness of Brazilian wildlife!
I still prefer my fat toad.
Maybe he is a prince?!
Upon our return, we discovered a family of birds nested in the branches of a plant in our deck. Mommy bird probably suddenly worried to see little blond heads peering every now and then on their fragile abode. The little chirps opened their beaks hungrily every time the branches holding their nest were rattled. In less than two weeks, they were gone, the nest was left empty. This is the third nest we find around the house, the first one was hidden in the foliage of the vine with colorful eggs. The other one was hidden in the roof structure of the terrace, from which a little birdie ended up dramatically falling.
Another day, as I opened the dining room window, I noticed the fattest toad nesting in a flower pot. I am talking about a 2 or 3 pounds heavy guy, completely immobile, not blinking even an eye, comfortably tucked in the little dip created by the shoving of his body in the sand of the pot. The kids worriedly asked me to close the window, expecting the beast to jump in any second. For a couple days we saw him there, sometimes his body to the right, sometimes to the left. And then after another heavy rain, he was gone. I kind of liked him, thinking of him as a good mosquito repellant.
And recently, some kind of strange loud and deep cry was heard, and repeated at regular interval, in the growing darkness of the early evening. At first my mind imagined some kind of large bird - a toucan maybe. It would make sense that something big makes such a loud noise. Looking out and around the house, force to realize that it was not that. The sound was emitted around the pool, and rather from something low. After a few minutes of unsuccessful search, I went to consult my local expert. My gardener confirmed it was probably a little frog, sitting in the pool pipes, signing its head of. She did, all night, for two nights. Her call had more to do with the barking of a seal than anything frog-like. Who would have thought? Or maybe Canadians cannot imagine the wildness of Brazilian wildlife!
I still prefer my fat toad.
Maybe he is a prince?!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Celebrating Again
In each new destination I lived in, whether it was Vancouver, Brazzaville, Ziguinchor, Lausanne, I have met the right person who because literally a "door opener" for me in my new environment. I think of Jodi in Beijing, of Jeana in Vancouver, of Isabelle in Toulouse. Here it is not different. I am indebted to Steph for all the friends and contacts she has allowed me to meet, and all her help to get us settled. With some of her help, I have been fortunate enough to meet many people here that have share their insights on how to maximize the Brasilia stay and take advantage of what this place has to offer. So today, I opened my house to her and all our friends to celebrate her turning of age. Her husband organized a very special evening, gathering about 40 of her best friends, hiding everyone in the living room, to surprise her. It was a very fun evening. Happy Bday Steph!
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