I just have to say a huge thank you to everyone who replied to my last post! I never was really sure why I started this blog in the first place until now. It was so I could be a part of this community of people that share similar interests and experiences in relation to Brazil and Brazilians. I wrote my last post searching for some advice and guidance, but I never expected to get so many responses and to feel so much love and support for everyone! There were a couple people especially who went above and beyond in giving me a ton of advice, even though are simply fellow bloggers that I have never met. I can't tell you all how touched I am and how much it really means to feel so much kindness from so many of you.
As for my plans, well, I'm still figuring it out. I am definitely going to Brazil, and I definitely want to settle in one place, I just have to figure out where. Although I LOVE to travel, and I've been fortunate enough to do a lot of it, I really want to get to know one place well. There are tons of places in Brazil that I'd still liketo visit, and I'm hoping to do a bit of that when I go, but it's not what I want to do for several months and I don't really have the budget for that anyway. At first I was really feeling set on going back to Salvador, but I've been really reconsidering that. I absolutely love the city, but I'm not sure it's worth it to endure all the pain and discomfort of going back there when I could just go somewhere new. At the same time, trying to figure out what other city I'd like to live in and be able to find a job too is daunting. I would love to go somewhere similar to Salvador (particularly on the coast and with similar culture and liveliness), so I'm thinking it would be good to stay in the Northeast.
I'm considering a few places but would love to hear more if anyone has personal experiences or any input on the following places. I'm thinking about Recife/Olinda, because I've heard there's great cultural stuff, lots to do, on the coast, and I think job prospects are good. But I've heard Recife is dangerous (is this more true than Salvador, because I heard that a lot about Salvador, and while it can be dangerous I felt ok most of the time). Plus, aren't the waters there shark infested? I also have heard Joao Pessoa is nice and safe and great beaches, but it seems that there are lots of foreigners there and finding work teaching english would be hard, plus I wonder if it would get boring because it's a smaller city. These three cities are within a couple hours of each other (Recife and Olinda are right next door) so I like the idea of spending my first couple weeks in Brazil visiting these places and at least having a few easy options. Then I'm also considering Natal, Fortaleza, and Maceio, but I don't know much about these places and they seem to get mixed reviews. These cities are further spread out though and I would have to just go to onevand then if I didn't like it I'd have to spend lots of money to go somewhere else.
So...if anyone knows anything about these cities or has any other suggestions of where to go, please let me know!
Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart,
Elena
We broke up. And by that I mean, he broke up with me. Shocked? So was I. I won't go in to all the details because it's obviously personal and I'm not into sharing the most intimate details of my life with total strangers, but I will explain a bit. The past couple months haven't been ideal, but I thought things were going ok. We hadn't been talking as often, or rather, he wasn't available to talk as much, and when we did talk the conversations weren't as great as they used to be. But I figured it had to do with the distance and busy work lives. As far as I knew, I was expected to arrive in Brazil in February (although I hadn't yet bought a ticket) and everything would be ten times better once we could be 'together.'
Well, it turns out not-so-dear boyfriend had been very happy with our relationship and just didn't really feel the way he used to about me. Which came as a shock since he never, not once since I visited him in August, mentioned this or hinted towards it! I was am crushed. Betrayed. I could list a million different emotions that seem to come and go like waves at the beach, but I'm not going to get into that. We dated for almost two years, and now it's over. It sucks. A lot. And thats that.
Except it's not, because now I have to figure out what the hell to do with my life. I've been thinking of/planning on going to Salvador (Brazil) for so long now (about a year) that it became about more than just going to be with my boyfriend. It also became about being abroad, about being engrossed in another culture (did that for 6 months in Chile and loooved it), about perfecting my portuguese, about the new challenge of teaching english, about moving out of my parents' house and being more independent. And now, despite the fact that the major reason for considering this move in the first place doesn't exist anymore, I still want to go. And not just to Brazil, but I still want to go to Salvador. Some of my friends think it wouldn't be a good idea. But I love the city. Then again, I fell in love in the city on my fourth day there and have gone there twice since then to visit someone I loved. So I find myself questioning how much of adoration of Salvador is the city itself and how much it has to do with my state of mind and my relationship. Don't get me wrong, there are things I don't like about it, but there are way more that I do (beaches, relaxed atmosphere, awesome music/dancing, wonderfully friendly people (in general).
Combine that with getting sick of my nannying job here in the states and considering this might be my only easy chance to go abroad for an extended period of time. So do I still go? I'm not entertaining any fantasies that we might get back together if I go, and I know it will be hard in a lot of ways because of all the memories I have there. But I also almost want to reclaim the city for myself. If that makes any sense at all. Should I consider going somewhere else in Brazil? Anyone want to sell me on where you are? Sorry
Danielle, but I'm not sure Caipiropolis is the place for me! Would it be better to heal and move in some place new? I don't know....
This just makes my life so freakin complicated. Now if I do go I have to figure out where to live (and either pay for an apartment by myself when i thought I'd be splitting it) or risk moving into a shared apartment with people I don't even know (but maybe they'll become friends?). I won't have someone to help me buy a cellphone. Or to show me how to pay bills. Or to call the landlord when the faucet breaks. Or to help promote me as an English teacher. Gahhhhhh, it's not fair. I hate this.
So I did my best to wait and post this so that it wouldn't be a totally down in the dumps, depressing, complain fest (I know it still kind of was), but I need your help! Obviously this has to ultimately be my decision since I know the situation best. But I would love some input please!
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