New start, new adventures

We always say it's hard to step out of our comfort zone and push through the challenges it brings, but over the years I have realized that I only want to live out of my comfort zone. Some years ago, I remember standing in the same place for years, doing the same things and making my life a routine. Although some routines are great to have, or rather habits I should say, it is never good to become complacent. Complacency breeds fear and only paralyzes you. I have learned that through every experience, the more I fear the better the experience. It has been exactly a week since I have moved to Brazil, and for the time being the fear has subsided, but I know there are many challenges to come. My first week has been a blessing so far as I have been able to eat (insane amounts of delicious food ), meet family, and enjoy the hot weather. Things are however very different, the city here is simple and people's mannerisms are so different. When people do not know you they kind of look you up and down to get a feel for who you are, a little rude for my taste, but it's not like I haven't done it before. To be completely honest, it does not make them rude either, because each person and culture has their way of doing things and you can't condemn people for doing what is normal to them. Similarly, showers don't get too hot and have settings for winter and summer, pretty hilarious. More stories to come about my adventures as the Brazilian gringa in the motherland. Here are some pictures to last until then :)

Yummy Pasteis de milho e pao de queijo (cheese balls)

my little clown

Grandma's surprise birthday

Dancing at my cousin's 15th birthday :)

Estamos en Barcelona!

Hola! Estamos ahorra en Barcelona y estoy aprendendo hablar Catalan. Just checking into our hostel now at 2pm. Can't believe we already left paris and now are in a new big city. For a little while I forgot to change the language haha so I was saying pardon instead of perdon. Hilarities. A little recap of last night in Paris though.

Me and vida woke up and went out to explore some more Parisian sights. We started out taking the metro to the Arce de Triomphe where we took loads of pictures and met some Brazilian Capoeiristas performing in front of it. They were amazingly nice and we were able to exchange contact info to send them the great shots we go of them performing. On another note, I swear all Brazilians are vacationing in Paris right now. Everywhere I turned I saw them. To make matters worse I was leaving a video at the apple store by the opera house and some brazilians kept walking into my video for my aunt in Brazil and then I went on to say that there were some crazies behind me and low and behold they were Brazilian and laughed at me lol. Of course this would happen to me. We had our first sit down lunch at a cute cafe next to the Jardin des Tuleries. It was amazing! I had a croque monsieur just to be very french haha. If you don't know what that is it is a sandwich with cheese and ham on the inside and shredded cheese melted on top. Can you say AMAZING? It was soooo delicious, then for sake of being in France and stuffing my face with crepes, I had a crepe du chocolate. Tres maginifique. After a long day of sightseeing we called it because we were sooo exhausted and had an early flight to barcelona. I have to admit leaving was sad, but I will be back there in a few days for more Parisian escapades. Now on to some Spanish fun! Hasta luego!

premier jour

so me and Vida have arrived in Paris :). We got in at 1am US time and 10am Paris time and now it is 12:40 and after a long day we are about to head to bed! We got to see the Eiffel tower in all it's glory at night and to make it more of a welcome someone decided to turn on all the shiny lights to welcome us off the metro. Unbelievable! Before crepes du fromage et chocolat under the Eiffel tower we got to see the Sacre-coeur and sit in the church for a little bit. Amazing and beautiful architecture. any recommendations for Paris and Barcelona are welcome :). bonne nuit!

and so it begins...

Oh THE PLACES WE'LL GO :)