Around 3:00 a.m. on Monday morning, I woke up. My alarm wasn’t set to go off for another hour, but I just kept twisting and turning in the dark. My dog side-eyed me to make sure I didn’t wake him up just yet. I grabbed my phone to pass the time.
A Week in Bangkok
May has been a whirlwind so far.
Gustavo is packing everything up in the apartment and canceling all our services. In just four more days, he leaves Rio to set up our home permanently in the United States. Continue reading A Week in Bangkok
Packing It Up: Moving from Brazil
Last month, Gustavo and I celebrated him being approved for his CR1 (Conditional Resident, or “green card”) in the United States. When we first started dating, our original plan was to stay in Brazil for a few years to save up some money and, for me, to experience life elsewhere for a bit. Afterward, we’d move to the US.
Saying Goodbye: Our last week together in Rio
I remember the first time I stepped foot in this apartment. Gustavo had moved in earlier that year and, still, barely had any furniture. As a result, his place was a hub to gather before heading out to parties in the city. The wide-open layout meant everyone could drink, dance, and take pictures (god knows there were a lot of pictures) before heading out into the night.
Continue reading Saying Goodbye: Our last week together in Rio
Visiting Rio: Beach, spa, and ramen
This month, Gustavo and I had our interview a the US Consulate in Rio. Rather than just coming down for a short trip, we decided that I would stay for about a month – both so I could join him for the interview and so we can start clearing out the apartment. Continue reading Visiting Rio: Beach, spa, and ramen
Kobe: First Trip to Japan!
It’s a little bit unfair. Gustavo is a huge fan of anime and is much, much more familiar with Japanese culture than me. But I ended up being the one to visit first.
Learning English for Remote Work – Pt. 1
When I started working in web development thirteen years ago, I realized that there was a very visible ceiling on how much money I could earn in my profession in Brazil. (For reference, I’ve always worked on website development using the WordPress platform.) Continue reading Learning English for Remote Work – Pt. 1
Brazil through the Movies
One of my favorite things (and possibly one of Gustavo’s least favorite) is comparing our favorite movies together. I’ve always been a bit of a film buff. When I was growing up, my dad had a video rental store, so I always had access to all kinds of movies. It didn’t hit me until later that my love for the movies was probably closely tied to being surrounded by them so often. Continue reading Brazil through the Movies
More than Samba: Brazilian Music to Check Out
Before going to Brazil, my impression of Brazilian music was, primarily, “The Girl from Ipanema.” I knew that samba existed and bossa nova was a type of music, but that’s about it. Continue reading More than Samba: Brazilian Music to Check Out
Reading Latin America: The House of Spirits
For something a little bit different than the norm, I just finished reading my first Isabel Allende book: The House of the Spirits.
I love Gabriel Garcia Márquez and, subsequently, quite like magical realism. Over the past year or so, I noticed a dearth of both fiction books and female authors in my roster of books to read. I picked up The House of the Spirits in paperback form in LA, at some point, and then purged it on one of my cleaning frenzies after never having read it. Continue reading Reading Latin America: The House of Spirits