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Drumroll please....
Posted by Elena B. , Saturday, January 15, 2011 11:12 PM
I'm going! To Brazil that is. As in, I actually purchased my ticket! Don't you want to know where I'm going? I'm sure the suspense is killing you, because obviously my choice of city is all you've been thinking about for the past several weeks, right? Oh wait, no, that's all I've been thinking about.
So, I bought my ticket to.....RECIFE!
(image found here)
Now, having said that, I'm not sure if I'll actually decide to live in Recife, but here's my reasoning. Recife is a large city (3 million plus people, depending on how you count the city versus 'metropolitan area) and seems to have a lot going for it in terms of cultural interest (music scene, architecture, etc), is on the coast, in the northeast, and I don't think I'd be bored. It also has a reputation for being dangerous though....but, if I don't like it, Olinda is a smaller city right next door, and I have a feeling I'll really like it there. Then there's also Joao Pessoa, which is only a couple hours away. JP seems perfect, except for the fact that there seem to be a ton of foreigners there, so I think I'd have a hard time finding work teaching English. So I'm planning on spending my first couple weeks visiting all three cities and seeing which one I like best, and to check out job opportunities.
Have I ever been there? Nope. So I'm excited to get to know a new part of Brazil, but I'm also freaking out a little. Let's review the situation. For a year and a half, I dated a Bahiano (Brazilian from the state of Bahia) long distance. We were totally in love, and for the last 10 months of our relationship, I considered moving there to be with him, and eventually decided to. I spent months researching, fantasizing, and mentally planning out how things might turn out. Then, out of no where, he broke up with me. So.....I decided that he didn't get to take away all of my dreams and excitement, so I was going to go anyway. At first I was set on still going to Salvador, because I love it there, and it felt comfortable. I knew my way around (more or less). I knew what neighborhoods I would want to live in, and those that I should avoid. I had a couple (two, exactly) friends there. Basically, the break up caused the world to collapse in under me, suddenly my plans were stolen, and even contemplating taking on the challenge of going somewhere new gave me butterflies. But I gave myself time to think about it, and I talked to a lot of people about it (a special shout out to Paulistinha from My life in Havaianas for forcing me to think about things from another perspective), and I realized that going back to the city that held so many memories of my relationship and where my ex still lives, would make my life really really difficult. And in the end, I think I'll be much happier somewhere new, even though it will mean starting over. Or perhaps because it will mean starting over.
So, I'm going to a new place, by myself, where I don't know anyone, have to find a place to live, and have to find a job. Who came up with this plan?!?! Ok, so I do sort of know someone, a friend from college who is from Olinda, but she's a senior now so she won't be there when I arrive because she'll be in Massachussets. Luckily, I think she'll help connect me with her friends and family, and possibly even a job opportunity, so that may help. But, I'm still getting nervous! I leave March 10th, in less than 2 months!
Oh! Also, I think I'm going to try to rent a room in a shared apartment with other young people. It'll be a good way to meet people, improve my portuguese, and have a bit of a support system, and it'll be cheaper. But I could end up with roommates from hell...I'm mostly just worried that I'll feel very isolated in my own apartment (though I can afford it if I need to). What do you guys think?
So....if anyone has advice for going to LIVE in a new place (I've travelled alone but that's totally different) basically on your own, I'd love to hear it. And if anyone has any connections in Recife/Olinda/Joao Pessoa, please do share :) Especially any housing/job info, but I'm up for new friends too! Basically, I just love comments :) So any lurkers out there, feel free to join in, I promise I don't bite!
Wait! I almost forgot! What the heck do I do about my blog name/title? I guess I have to keep the url the same, right? Or is there any way to change it through blogger without starting a new blog? If I do have to keep the url, I can at least change title that shows up on the page....but I'm drawing a blank as to what I should title it. Girl Meets Brazil? It doesn't quite have the same ring to it...
Hooray! Congrats!