Tuesday 21 December 2010

My first week in Brazil


Today it's exactly a week ago that I arrived in my new city Sao Paulo.
It has been a week of very mixed emotions, culture shock and good vibrations! For the first 3 days we stayed in the hotel where my DH has been living for the past 6 months. Friday we got the key to the apartment and a bed, table with chairs and two fauteuils were delivered by a rental company. It will be all very basic until our container with our own furniture will be released by the customs authorities in Santos. When this will happen, nobody knows.... Our first impression of Brazil is of a very bureaucratic country where setting up life is very hard, but when you have taken that enormous hurdle, life will be great.


There is so much to tell but maybe I should tell you a little bit about my first Sunday in this city. That morning we went to the Ibirapuera park which is only a 10 minutes walk away from the apartment. On Sundays one lane of the main street, going along the park, is cordoned of for bicycles only. In the park many joggers in fancy outfits are running by, dogs are walking their owners and kids want to buy a fancy coloured toy. I simply love to watch the beautiful trees and flowers in the nursery.


Later that day we went to a street market and bought some delicious fruits and fresh vegetables, it feels so good to have this so close to the house. People are all so very kind and helpful although I can hardly explain what I want as I do not speak Portuguese yet. With my Italian and Spanish I can somehow survive, but the Brazilian Portuguese is a bit different...

This week the kids will join us here for their holidays and hopefully the gas in the kitchen will be working so we can cook a decent Christmas meal! A new friend borrowed us some plates, cups, pots and pans, and mattresses for the kids, so Christmas time will be celebrated in a kind of camping style!

As we do not have our TV yet, amongst so many other things (!), I want to get out my scissors, needles and fabrics that I stuffed in my suitcases. Hopefully I will find a quilt shop and meet like minded people soon! Hilde

8 comments:

  1. Hilde this must be a culture shock, but I hope a very nice one.
    I hope you will have your own things very soon.

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  2. Wow Hilde! What an adventure. Life in Singapore sound easy in comparison. But maybe not as exiting either ;). I see that the dogs got their own beds already (the only ones). Thinking of you. Hope the kids will arrive alright! LoL Vreni x

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  3. Hilde, wat een veranderingen! Wel fijn dat je nu een eigen appartement hebt. Veel succes met het zoeken naar een quiltwinkel daar!(Ik blijf gewoon in het Nederlands reageren, hou ja dat ook nog een beetje bij!
    Groet, Hennie

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  4. Glad you arrived safe and sound with the dogs. You look quite at home already. The kids will love the camping, I'm sure. You survived the first week, so it will only get easier. And without all of us bothering you, think about the hours you can spend quilting and boxmaking. Just be patient, your container will arrive sooner than you think. Enjoy Christmas with the children.

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  5. Je maakt wel wat mee in je leven. Het lijkt me daar heel mooi, maar wel enorm aanpassen elke keer. Heb je inmiddels een quiltwinkel gevonden

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  6. Blij te lezen dat jij en de honden de reis goed overleefd hebben. Ze liggen al weer heerlijk in hun mandjes :)
    Nu jij nog een Quiltwinkel vinden en alles is weer terug naar normaal. (nou ja, ik bedoel maar, wat is normaal nou eigenlijk?)

    Groetjes,
    Evy

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  7. Wat kun je je quiltspulletjes missen hè,...
    Ik zit hier lekker bij je naar binnen te koekeloeren,... ben gewoon bij het begin begonnen.
    ;o)
    Wat heb je een pracht van een hond!

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  8. Sorry, beide honden zijn geweldig!
    En je huizenquilt ook,...
    :o)

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