Today we continue with the Rio Gringa Reader Profile series, this time featuring an American in Brazil.
Tricia is yet another American who fell for a Brazilian and made a life for herself in Brazil--Rio, to be exact. She writes Postcards from Brasil, and lives in both Rio and Cleveland with her husband and doggies.
1. It looks like you're in Brazil now, but it seems you split your time between Rio and Cleveland. How does that work?
Well, we're working through the logistics of things now...I am originally from Cleveland, Ohio which is where I met my husband, a Carioca. We bought our first home there last year...with the real estate market the way it is in the U.S., we were able to get a great deal on a multi-family home. We rent part of the space and have a small apartment we can return to when we are in the U.S...as you've probably discovered, with a green card, you can't "live" outside the U.S. so we'll have to be there at least part of the year, which will hopefully be timed in the spring or summer months.
When we visited Brazil the first time, I just felt at home and knew I wanted to have a life here too. I cried for the final two days of our trip, anticipating leaving...the experience made me understand saudades, the word Brazilians use when they're missing something or someone. In English it's translated to longing. We returned to the U.S. after our first visit, and I waited for close to a year to return. Now, we are living with our Brazilian family here in Rio which is giving me an opportunity to speak and learn Portuguese while we decide where we want to plant our roots here in Brazil.
2. Where do your dogs go? What is it like bringing them on that long flight?
The trip here...that's a long story with lots of drama, and a torturous 20 hours in a flight bag for Lua and Tango who were wearing little diapers. The dogs were much better than we expected in terms of their behavior and mood and we're so glad we brought them!
Fortunately, they were an instant hit since they are super cute and rather unusual in Rio (Pomeranians or Lulu do Pomerania as they are called in Portuguese), so we've already had "babysitters" volunteer to take them when we travel... We were also pleasantly surprised to learn that our dogs were ''expecting'' when we arrived (my brother-in-law and his wife are both veterinarians), so now we have three girl puppies that are about 3 weeks old, all going to various members of the family once they are ready.
3. What's your favorite thing about Rio so far?
Wow just one thing? I'd have to say the diversity. I love that there's no such thing as a "typical Brazilian" and that anytime I've been out in a group, whether it's to the mall, the beach or a social event there is such an amazing blend of personalities and ethnicities.
4. How'd you meet your hubby?
We both worked and lived on the same street in downtown Cleveland -- he as a chef at a Brazilian churrascaria and I as a manager of a condominium. A mutual friend of ours from a Spanish restaurant had a Texas Hold 'Em poker game and that's where we met for the first time. We became instant friends, and the rest is history!
5. What has been your greatest challenge living in Brazil?
Discipline for keeping a regular schedule! It seems that there is always something going on, be it a feriado (holiday), a birthday party, an event to go to or an errand to run.
6. What part of Brazilian culture do you find the most strange/foreign? the most interesting/appealing?
Strange/foreign:
Most definitely the TV media. The news is a lot more ''in your face'' here for a couple of reasons: in contrast to the U.S. where cable TV is very popular and DVR makes it easy to flip through anything you aren't specifically wanting to see, here there are a handful of stations that you can get for free that show wide-encompassing programming from Sábado Animado (a kid's show with a 7 year old hostess) to Pánico (think vulgar MTV prank-style shows), along with popular night-time novellas (dramas/soap operas that run for a year or less) that seemingly everyone watches to some degree.
With a large and captive audience, demonstrative news reporting is sandwiched in several times a day. Where in the U.S. when there is a big drug initiative by the FBI, you'll likely read about something happening online, or the news will talk about it and interview witnesses, here GLOBO will actually be there filming the police raid inside a favela as it is happening. I definitely feel like the U.S. keeps us very much in a bubble with all the diversions available, very different!
One wonderful thing, the news media here seems to be more interested in other countries' issues and events of all varieties, even when its not related to war or its impact on Brazil. Although it's an adjustment, I'm feeling much more informed here than I was in the U.S.
Interesting/Appealing:
Parenthood in Brazil. [First let me preface this by saying I have two incredibly amazing parents that are still married to one another, who gave me a wonderful and loving childhood and were always the ''cool parents'' that all my friends enjoyed spending time with]
My impression has been that the culture here lends itself to a more hands-on, affectionate and loving parenting experience with your children for a few important reasons.
Maternity leave is five months here by law, giving women an opportunity to actually feel like a mom for a few minutes, if they have to return to the workplace after giving birth.
Material items and gifts are valued less than time spent together with the family. At a kid's birthday party, you'll probably see 100 people and 10 presents.
It's not typical to leave your kids with a sitter and head out all the time, once you have a family here, you have a family even at a fancy restaurant or into the wee hours, you'll see Mom, Dad and the kids in tow, and everyone's cool with it.
The men seem to be taken more seriously here as husbands and dads, and in turn, they are much more affectionate and hands-on!
7. What did you miss most about the US?
Family and friends, of course. But if I could telepathically transport a few things: Scrubbing Bubbles & Clorox Wipes, Taco Bell and my TiVo.
looks like a poster from Brazzil forums found his way into this blog...
Posted by: RogerPenna | December 14, 2009 at 05:37 PM
Geez Ashley, what did I do to you?
Must be snowing where you are or something!
Among many other things he does incredibly well, my husband can in fact cook a mean churrasco! Tell me something, because I'm not totally fluent yet like that huge demographic in the US you're referring to...does "loirinha gostosa" mean "frumpy" in Portuguese because I am hearing that an awful lot...rsrsrs
Um beijao RG: How ever do you deal with all these haters?
Posted by: Tricia | December 14, 2009 at 08:24 PM
Tricia,
I get one of these ohhh maybe once a week, on a bad week maybe more. I delete them if they're highly offensive (as this one was) but I find ignoring them and not replying to them makes them crawl back into their caves of self-loathing and sexual frustration. It's harder to ignore them but it works! Don't give them a spotlight and they lose their power. :)
Posted by: Rio Gringa | December 14, 2009 at 10:29 PM