Polyana Ferreira de Oliveira - Brazil Travel Expert

Life Without Facebook (and French Fries)

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:30:00 +0000

I haven't written here since about, Carnival. I also haven't been on Facebook since about then.
I actually "quit" Facebook about a week or so before Carnival, because I realized it was getting in the way of my productivity. I could say I quit writing here too, but I honestly just haven't had much to say.

And so you ask:

"Well, why didn't you just stop logging in?"

"Because it's frickin' addictive and I just can't do iiiitttt." I would reply.

Like with many things I attempt, I tend to be drastic, because I've learned this is the only way I can help myself get at least on track.

The idea was to just stay off for a couple of weeks until I could get my work and priorities in order, and then I'd go back, no problems. But then with Carnival and the Lenten season coming up on us, I figured I'd stay off. And so until this past weekend, I hadn't had Facebook. Or french fries.

And here's what it was like + what I've learned:

1. Stop doing business on Facebook

I've never liked this, and getting off has forced clients and providers to contact me via email (or Whatsapp, but that's another issue). This has made organizing client requests SO much easier, with history of requests in a neat email chain and wonderful results!

2. If someone really needs to talk to you, they'll figure out how.

If they haven't, then they didn't really need to talk to you, did they? I got messages coming in from all sorts of places from people who genuniely needed to talk to me. Including a former student who found me on Linkedin to ask for help at work!

3. People worry about friends not on Facebook.

Did you know that people quit Facebook after break ups? I had a few friends discover they couldn't find me, and email/text asking if G and I had broken up. WHAT? Apparently it's a way to get away from the fuss of "Are you okay?" On that note, we're still happily together :-)

4. Your social life tends to slow down.

I remember one weekend G asked me if I had any ideas for plans, and then joked "Ah, you're not on Facebook, and haven't gotten a million invites this week." And it's SO true! I apparently missed my friends' band's show last week, and only found out about it on Instagram. I've been back on Facebook for 2 days and have gotten at least 6 event invites. Gone are the evite days. This wasn't a problem most of the time, though. Please refer to number 2 ;-)

5. You don't get caught up with or angry at other people's bullshit.

During my time away from Facebook, many in Brazil were up in arms about domestic politics, corruption, the weak Real, impeaching Dilma and whatnot... I didn't get angry at anyone for voicing un-intelligent copies of what other un-intelligent people were saying. My life was so stress free! And although I was still on instagram and twitter, I saw less wedding photos, baby pictures, unsolicited selfies, yoga posing for photos, and public pity parties. It also helped me learn I should probably do less of that on Facebook once I was back on. Life not-stalking and not-digitally-gossiping can actually be quite fulfilling. Who'd've thunk?

6. You get a lot more done.

In other words. You live a little.

I'm back on Facebook, but probably won't be using it as much, now that I know how productive I can be without constantly opening it when I feel somewhat idle. I may limit my usage with a browser app from now on, just to make sure I don't peruse for longer than I should.

I can't say the same for french fries though <3 p="">

7 (SEVEN!) Year Braziliversay

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 17:16:00 +0000

I'm currently in Rio, enjoying Carnival, hopefully dancing and drinking the day away, but I thought it was important to schedule this post because today is my Braziliversary! I've been living in Brazil, and writing here, for seven years now!

I've "celebrated" here on the blog in my more active times, with year 1, 2, and 3... Don't know what happened with 4-6, but I did stop writing here for a few years, unfortunately.

I know today's my Brazil anniversary, because I remember the night and day I left.

Here's what I remember.

It was f'in FREEZING

A bunch of my girl friends came over for a sleepover. My flight was in the morning, so we spent most of the night up, chatting. A few other friends and family friends came by to say goodbye as well. I had a wonderful safety net, and the feeling of leaving was so bittersweet.

Once I left the house, I left my mom in tears. Like, desperate tears. It was heart wrenching.

I got sick at the airport. Literally, right after checking in and before going to the gate, I told my dad I had to go to the bathroom. And was in there for a while. Left him worried sick. But I was really sick. That was literally stomach wrenching.

On my flight, I sat next to a chubby lady with a chubby baby. She was visiting her family in Minas with her baby and American husband. I would have liked them if the baby didn't scream so much. On the other side of me was a gaúcha who was an au pair in the US, who wouldn't stop raving about américa. Since then, I've despised the accent from Rio Grande do Sul. And au pairs (Ok, not all au pairs. Only some).

My flight was delayed leaving NY, so I missed my connection to BH in São Paulo, and wasn't going to make it until the next morning. That story and the rest of the way to GV City is here.

This all seems miserable, but by the time I got to my family, everything was wonderful. I couldn't have imagine a better homecoming, and although the days before the day I arrived at my grandmother's house were stressul and emotional, it really did feel like coming home.

So how does it feel 7 years later?

Good :-)

They say there's a 7 year itch, when you're married, right? That after 7 years, you start to get an itch and not feel as happy?

I would say I'm not itching as much as I thought I would. I have not ruled out living in other countries, and would actually enjoy leaving Brazil for a couple of years over the next decade or so. But one thing is certain in my mind - I think that no matter what happens to this country - I can't see myself settling permanently anywhere else. I love it here, I love being home.

How to Eat All Day, Guilt Free

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:02:00 +0000

As you've probably already noticed, I love to eat (see photo to the right). But since passing that 25 mark, and having to actually watch what I eat, I've been coming up with alternatives, along with a nutritionist, to what I used to eat, without doubling in size.

A couple months back, I wrote about guilt-free main dishes, and so now I thought I'd share a few ideas for delicious snacks I've been having recently. With these, you can eat all day (well, almost - don't take this too literally), without having to worry about doing an extra hour at the gym on Monday (because who goes to the gym on the weekend? You do? Really?).

Yogurt, Fruit, Oats

What is it?

- 1 cup skim natural yogury

- 3-4 strawberries

- 1 Tablespoon granola or oatmeal

Why it's guilt free

At 117 calories, and with 8.9 g protein, this snack is super filling and gives you lots of energy in the "good for you" carbs in the strawberries and oatmeal.

When to Have it

Have this as an afternoon snack, a few hours after lunch. It'll keep your hunger in check until dinner time, and is also great to have an hour or so before working out.

Apple + Cheese

What is it?

- 1 medium sized apple, any kind

- 3 small slices of white cheese (queijo minas frescal in my case, halloumi or similar works too)

- 1 teaspoon honey

Why it's guilt free

This snack comes in at about 150 calories (120 if you forego the honey!), and lots of healthy carbs from the apple and honey, and protein from the cheese. And it literally has like, 3 grams of fat. Pair this with water!

When to Have it

Midmorning snack. If you don't have crazy amounts of protein at breakfast, like me, this is a great snack to keep you awake, and it something you can nibble on at your desk! I have this almost every day, these days, haha.

Kani + Cucumber Sandwich

What is it?

- 2 slices light multi-grain bread

- 2 small slices of white cheese (queijo minas frescal in my case, halloumi or similar works too)

- 1 piece of kani kama

- 1 smal piece of cucumber, sliced

Why it's guilt free

This filling sandwich is only 170 calories, and has a whopping 14 grams of protein! The carbs are all healthy carbs, and won't weigh you down or make you feel stuffed, but satisfied.

When to Have it

Late night snack or post workout. The protein in the kani and cheese, carbs in the bread, and water in the cucumbers will help replenish you after your workout. And it's great late night if you want something to eat that won't weigh you down once you're in bed!

"Australian" Bread, Tomatoes and Cottage Cheese

What is it?

- 2 slices pão australiano, or 2 small loaves (don't know what the english word is for this bread - but it's like the stuff they serve at Outback).

- 1 tablespoon cottage cheese spread

- 1 tomato, chopped

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

Why it's guilt free

This snack is, delicious, and packed with protein at 13 grams of it! This type of bread has more protein than most, and cottage cheese is one of the best things to have in your diet. I think. Maybe. It's yummy too. The snack is 292 calories, but only 185 without the olive oil, and just as delicious! Plus, it's super filling. Have with a cup of green tea.

When to Have it

Mid-afternoon or post workout snack, since it's got so much protein and is filling. You may not even want dinner. Then you can just have a kani sandwich late night :-)

Guacamole + Chips

What is it?

- 1 portion tortilla corn chips (about 10)

- 1/4 cup (about 3 tablespoons) guacamole dip

Why it's guilt free

Guac and chips is only about 160 calories, and is chock full of dietary fibers and vitamin C! Don't look at the fat count so much - since there's so much fiber, you'll be fine ;-)

When to Have it

At the bar with friends :)

My Favorite Online Yoga Classes and Instructors

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 20:23:00 +0000

I'm not one to talk too much about my yoga practice, because... well, there's not much to talk about, except that I love it. I mentioned it once here on the blog, a few months back, when I started taking yoga classes again. I refuse to post pictures of myself doing asanas all over the internet because I think a yoga practice should be something that's personal. I even try doing it in my room, or when my roommates aren't around (except for yesterday when I was in downward dog when my roommate came in from work! haha).

It's the only time in the day where I can focus on me, my body and on relaxing, all at the same time! So it's not really something I'm going to talk a lot about here. BUT, recently I've been doing a lot of targeted routines, with classes I've been finding online, and I thought I'd share some of the channels with you, because these are amazing people who offer free classes on the internet :-)

Ekhart Yoga

My all time favorite is Ekhart Yoga. They are very clear in their explanations for the classes, and have short classes, including tutorials on more complex asanas. The video I use the most though, is one that's for runners, since I've been keeping at that. Since I have crappy knees and sometimes don't stretch after my runs, this helps keep my muscles loose and firm for my runs:

Tara Stiles Yoga

This girl has hundreds of videos on her channel. A friend of mine introduced me to her videos a few years back, and I started my "YouTube Yoga" lifestyle with her (untill stopping for a while). She has a yoga class for everything, and a great series of playlists for people who want a complete "course," so to speak. Her instructions are a little fast, so if you're a complete beginner, I'd mix her videos in with the others'. One of the videos I've been working on the most with Tara Stiles is this one on strength training:

Ali Kamenova

Ali's videos are a little less produced than the others, which makes you relate to her a little better (except for her incredibly flat belly...) Her videos also go from beginner to advanced like the others, but the ones I like the most are the high intensity ones, like this video that's perfect for a morning sweat:

Sarah Beth Yoga

Sarah, can we be friends? I love Sarah's classes. They're usually quick and to the point, but her hatha yoga classes are also great for relaxing and unwinding. The other night, I hadn't exercised yet, but it was already late, so I found this class with her, and slept beautifully, feeling great the next day:

Right now, I'm actually going to go do a 50 minute video with Ali!

If you have any yoga class or video recommendations, I'd love to hear.

If American Tourists Acted Like Brazilians [Video]

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 18:49:00 +0000

Hey Everyone!

It's been a crazy few weeks, and I haven't posted in a while, I know, but I'm going to do my best to get a few quick posts in when I have something fun and/or interesting to say.

I just came across a video that I think has lots to do with this blog, and that's stereotyping Americans x Brazilians.

Here's the video and my comments below:

If you look at the comments, there are a lot from Brazilians who find it offensive and stupid.

Others, mostly Brazilians say something along the lines of, "Brazilians are idiots, they're right."

My thoughts?

1. I actually laughed out loud at some parts of this video.

2. Selfie sticks are huge right now. Everywhere. Considering what I've been seeing around the city, definitely here too.

3. The short sentences and not knowing how to communicate clearly are typical of any tourist who doesn't speak the local language - notice the workers at Disney are super patient with this. That being said, most Americans can't speak a word of Portuguese either and look exactly the same trying to communicate with Brazilians when they come here.

4. Cutting the roped lines = classic.

5. Saying their family is inside the ride is typical of a "jeitinho brasileiro"

6. For a lot of Brazilians, a visit to Disney World is the first time outside the country,

Finally, don't take it so seriously if you find it offensive at all. It's not meant to be offensive at all - if anything, these guys love Brazilians, don't really get us, but think we're fun, polite (notice all the thank yous!), and quirky :-)

ps - are there really so many Brazilian tourists out there wearing fanny packs?

São Paulo [and Brazil] First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Dear, sweet Tunde, is a Hungarian who fell in love with a Brazilian, and moved to São Paulo just a few years ago. She has a passion for film and for Brazil, and the Brazil part shows in her fantastic Portuguese, colorful personality, and cultural knowledge of the country.

And she just realeased a series of videos on her first impressions of Brazil from over 2 years ago, and how she feels about these things now.

Watch the first video here (Portuguese, English subtitles)!

Watch the rest of the videos on her YouTube page.

Bandido Bom é Bandido Morto?

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:52:00 +0000

This week is going to be a whirlwind for me, and unfortunately I'll have to put my own posts on hold for a bit. So I've scheduled a couple of posts with links to friends' posts and articles around the web.

The first is by my friend Rachel, a.k.a Rio Gringa, who wrote a great piece on the Brazilian who was executed in Indonesia, and why maybe we should be more worried about the executions going on in Brazil, and not abroad.

In Brazil, there's a saying: "Bandido bom é bandido morto." A good criminal is a dead criminal. It's the kind of perspective that forms when under the constant threat of violent crime. Though the death penalty is banned in Brazil, killings of alleged, assumed, and accused criminals happen often. More often than not, victims of extrajudicial murders, particularly at the hands of police, are black and poor. When a white, middle class person becomes the victim, it's a different story... Continue reading @ Rio Gringa's blog.

Weekend Links + "Americanizada" in Portuguese!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:02:00 +0000

Yayee! FRIDAY! This week flew by for me with lots of interesting new projects and partnerships.

My big news for the week is, due to "popular" demand (considering this blog's size and readership), I've started to translate some of my posts and have made Disseram que eu Voltei Americanizada, a live blog in Portuguese! I've always been shy with writing in Portuguese, since I never formally studied it... but I hope you Brazilian readers will help me catch my mistakes and give me ideas for posts I should translate. I'm doing it slowly but surely, and will soon have fresh new posts on there.

Here's the link: Disseram Que Eu Voltei Americanizada [em português!]
You can also access it via the little Brazilian flag at the top right corner of the blog.

Because of these news, my weekend links for you are going to be a few of the posts from the new blog in Portuguese (you can always access my twitter feed to see what I've been reading as well!) :-)

Hope you enjoy reading my blog em português!

Women in Travel Summit - I Can't Go, But You Should!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 18:39:00 +0000

A couple months back, I mentioned I'd been nominated a Women in Travel Summit (aka WITS) ambassador, and I've been posting about it in my weekend links posts, but I hadn't gotten around to explaining what it was, exactly, and why I'm an ambassador, and why I can't go (and how you can take my spot with a deep discount)!

So here's the breakdown for you.

What is WITS?

It's quite simple. A travel conference geared towards female travel bloggers, tourism professionals, and travel lovers. It's the ONLY travel blogging summit for and by women in the world! WITS is the creation of Go Girl Travel Network, an online resource and community for adventurous, independent,globally minded female travelers (like me!). The first one was last year in Chicago, and the second, this year, will be in Boston, from March 27-29th.

Why You Should Attend + What You'll Learn

I'm a bit of all three of these personas who attend WITS, so when I heard about it, I thought it was a wonderful idea! Being in the travel and digital marketing industry, most conferences I attend, especially in the digital realm, are about 98% male, and it gets a little tiring to see all male speakers representing the type of work you do. The cool thing about this conference is, it flips the table and you learn from other women that there is a way to be a great entrepreneur, great a digital marketing, and travel on your own.

Here, you'll also have the opportunity to network. As you all know, I hate conferences. But I also feel that in a mostly female environment, there are more opportunities to break down my anti-social barriers and connect with someone on a different level that isn't strictly work related.

Why I Can't Go + How You Can Have My Seat!

As most of you know, I'm banned from the US as a tourist until at least 2018. That being said, I still applied to help with WITS because I think it's a wonderful event concept and networking can be done from overseas as well! Since I'm not attending, I get to give away my 50% discount! Do you want my discount? If so, all you have to do is share this post on Twitter or Facebook, and comment it with the link + why you want to go to WITS by Sunday, Jan 19th. The winner will be chosen at random using RandomPicker on Monday.

If you're too lazy to do all of this, don't really need that much of a discount, or just really want to go and wouldn't mind a few dollars off, use the code polyana15 when registering for a 10% discount!

Please also let me know if you have any more questions regarding the event.

beijoss,
-poly.

This is NOT a paid post. I am a volunteer ambassador for the WITS Summit and truly love the idea of it all, making it more legit why this post was written + you should go!

Update - Winner has been emailed!

Many Weekend Links to Prove 2015 Won't Suck!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 14:08:00 +0000

Happy end of the first week of the year :-) I caught a cold right at the beginning of the week, so it's been tough to get back into the rhythm I need for the year since I've been resting some more, but as one of the links I have posted here, I'm in no rush, as slow and steady wins the race. Best to get well now than maintain a cold for weeks!

Here are some links from the end of last year and this past week. It's been a tough first week of the year for the world with the drastic weather all over the globe and the bombing in Paris (#jesuischarlie), but hopefully we'll all be able to make the best of it while we still can, no? So for starters, a positive link, followed by many interesting others I've been saving throughout the past couple of weeks :

Why 2015 Won't Suck - Love these reasons for this year to be a good one!

Social Media is dead.

Marisa Mayer x Steve Jobs?

Comic strips on our deepest, darkest fears. See if yours made the strips.

How you really feel when your startup fails.

How to work with dev teams on SEO projects.

FUN songs for January 2015.

Amazing entrepreneur's life story. And the great dresses she makes.

The difference between the pay gap and the wage gap.

Oregon Trail is BACK.

Gorgeous - Best Sartorialist shot from 2014.

What I and many others have given up by becoming self-employed.

The online travel sector in 2015 - what the horizon looks like for us all!

If I'm going to pick a Hollywood actor to admire, it'd be Anne Hathaway. This sort of response to a bad interview question is one of the reasons why.

The most classic cool look of all time.

I need the whole weekend to go through these, but definitely worthwhile to read a few - Longform's Best of 2014.

Why Slow and Steady can be beneficial when it comes to raising capital and entrepreneurship.

Private São Paulo Tours with Poly (yes, me!)

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 19:00:00 +0000

As I mentioned, I would have a few updates this week. And my first is, an all new system to book tours with me (or one of my trusty tour guides) in São Paulo!

The first project is making my private tours in São Paulo more readily available for my readers. I have been receiving a couple of messages from readers who are planning trips to Brazil and asking for my help, so I thought maybe you'd also be interesting in taking a tour with us in São Paulo if you happen to pop through!

I've partnered with a company owned by a former Airbnb guest and fellow travel startup owner, AnyRoad, and their new app called "AnyGuide" where I can offer my tours on my own site, using their technology.

You'll notice in the sidebar, there's a cute little new listing:

If you clieck on the Book a São Paulo Tour, you can take a look at the 3 different tours I'm offering so far.

Please feel free to send these to your friends who are traveling to São Paulo, and if you're here as well, and would like to offer tours via our company, we can always chat about that as well!

Happy touristing :-)

Happy 2015 - New Stuff on the Horizon!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 13:44:00 +0000

Happy New Year + Feliz Ano Novo!

How was everyone's New Year's celebrations? Mine were wonderful! I am officially about 10 shades darker than in 2014, from a wonderful week at the beach with old friends, new friends, G, and Severina.

See below, photos from NYE -

But even more exciting than my wonderful 2015 celebrations, is that I have all sorts of new goodies lined up for you and for my in this new year! I worked quite a bit during Christmas week and over the next week, will fill you in on everhything I've been working on. I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions, if you read this blog enough, I give myself enough resolutions throughout the year, but this year it just so happens that I'm putting a lot of exciting things together.

The SUSPENSE is killing you, I know. It's really not all that exciting, don't worry. :-)

beijos!
-poly.

Best of 2014 and Internet Hiatus

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 07:57:00 +0000

Hey Kids!

I haven't written in a while, nor will I write for another week or so.
I've taken the down time of the holiday to work on a few side projects, which I'll be happy to share with you once I'm back, but now I'm heading to the beach tomorrow for NYE and will only be back to my digital life in 2015. I've decided to take this time off to relax, reflect, and spend some QT with my honey and my friends. Hope you have the opportunity to do the same this week :-)

In the meantime, remaining true to tradition with mine and the rest of the internet's year in review, here are my top monthly moments of 2014:

January I spent a wonderful NYE on the beach with great friends. And this year will be going to the same beach town!

February was a pretty uneventful month. I might have been working a lot. Or saving money. So I'll just post this funny video of Severina riding a skateboard.

A video posted by Polyana de Oliveira (@polydeoliveira) on Jan 1, 2014 at 12:41pm PST

March Carnaval.

April I took the cutest vacation ever. I planned a trip for my mother, grandmother and I to Uruguay. My grandma says it was the best trip ever!

May I visited family and my mom, aunt, and 2 cousins celebrated their birthdays in one big bash

June + July The World Cup in Brazil. Everything about it was wonderful. From the growth professionally in learning more about the travel industry with this opportunity, to having been the beginning of a loving relationship, to meeting people from all over the world, and seeing old friends for game watching. I love the World Cup 2014 (despite the 7 x 1)

Late July This guy came to Brazil and I got to hang out with family
(My brother, in case you can't tell)

August Spent a few days in Ilha Grande with G, my brother, and my brother's lovely girlfriend!

Also spent a weekend in Belo Horizonte with G, where we went to a Cruzeiro match at the Mineirão. My first live match watching my team play!

September I started writing here again, consistently! And I also launched my travel business' website in September which was pretty exhilirating :-)

I also got new roommates who have been absolutely wonderful to live with! September was a good month overall!

October Two beach getaways in one month <3 br="">

November I attended one of my best friend's wedding in Punta Cana, by her side, as her bridesmaid, AND saw my mom who was traveling there at the same time... on my birthday! Triple WIN!

December Christmas with my ridiculous family. <3 nbsp="" p="">

Weekend Links: Wise Words for Reflecting on 2014 + Resolutions for 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 10:00:00 +0000

I was intereviewed by the lovely Sarah Von over at yes&yes, about my morning routine, being in Brazil. She's doing this great series with women from around the world. You should read my interview and the others as well!

This week's posts are filled with 2014 wrap up posts, fun facts, and interesting reads to keep you going in 2015. Enjoy :-)

If you also want to read these posts throughout the week, I share most of them on Twitter after reading them, so feel free to follow me there!

- 100 Tips from a Wise Teacher [oldie but a goodie]

- Interesting, Lithuania is the country with the best public wifi - see if your country made the list!

- 10 São Paulo Finds for 2014, by Andrew (<3 bar="" biu="" do="" nbsp="" p="">
- Actionable Marketing Resolutions for 2015.

- Did you know it's okay to go out in the cold with wet hair, after all? And that eggs' cholesterol isn't bad for you? sweet.

- I always love the Google Year in Search videos. There were the top related searches of the year - sounds about right, right? (and for my SEO nerds - the year in search for the industry and top 2014 Google doodles)

- Why it's [unfortunately] important to play games in business.

- Some more tips on working from home... I should really start to use these last couple of ones myself.

- Best thing I've read all week. Shonda Rhimes talking about women and Glass Ceilings.

Bitch in Business - How Being Assertive Can be Confused with Bitchy

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:09:00 +0000

A friend of mine who worked with me a few years back, sent me this video below saying,

"You have to watch this. It's totally you."

Normally, people wouldn't think "compliment," when seeing a video entitled "Bitch in" anything, but I knew exactly what she meant, and smiled a little even before watching the video.

The reality of the matter is, socially, I can be almost too nice. So people get a little baffled when they know me both socially and professionally. Because professionally, I've learned the hard way, that sometimes, to get things done well, you're going to be called a bitch.

I'd always been a sort of cheerful, bubbly, and "nice," leader in college and employee in other businesses. Then in business school, I was told by a professor that under no circumstances should we cry at work. I thought this to be a bit harsh, especially since I'd allowed people to make me cry in front of colleagues by calling me incompetent and saying I wasn't apt for certain tasks. It hurts, and my parents brought me up to think it's ok to cry if you have to. However, I also saw this ended up taking away from my credibility at work, and so I begged my professor to tell me what to do to not cry. She said, "Just. Don't do it." And also said to work on my assertiveness.

I believe assertiveness is the key to being a successful professional in many given situations. When we are assertive, we pass on not only confidence in ourselves and our work to potential clients and colleagues, we also do this in a positive light. It's the fine line between being passive and doing everything everyone else wants, and being agressive and insisting on your opinion and wants.

The problem is, as a sweet woman, standing tall at 1,57 m (5 ft 1"), some people mistake assertiveness with "bitchiness," and this is where some people, especially women, come off as being agressive. Because that's not what they're like "usually," or people don't think it's a way that person should act in the workplace because he or she is not a part of management, or what have you.

Recently, a friend of mine witnessed a phone call between myself and a client. I got wound up because he was rude to me when I refused to put in work that was not previously agreed upon, and told him exactly what the conditions for our project were in what I thought was a reasonable tone.

To which my friend who overheard this said,

"Wow, you're mean to your clients."

And I replied,

"I'm not mean. I'm just fair to myself. I know I'm right, this is how you get clients to respect your work."

Why yes, I smoke cigars, should I not?

This client, at the end of the project, told me he'd passed on my number and recommended me to 2 other business owners.

In my job before starting my own business, I worked in a department that was 96% male. This means hearing and seeing things that you wouldn't want to - being a feminist woman or male. I was 'forced' to hear that I wasn't "feminine" enough because I drank whiskey and sweard as much as my male colleagues, and my only negative feedback on a report once was to watch my language (in a department full of people who would make any sailor blush). I also witnessed the only other female manager in the company be called a bitch over and over again. Was told I had a "strong" personality (which in Portuguese translates to - You're a bitch, but I'm being polite about it). And when a guy was a jerk, he was called a son of a bitch or would hear things like, "Have you seen his wife? No wonder he's bitter."

One conversation in which I was considered a bitch, that sticks out to me from the office was when my coordinator was told by two managers that his pregnant wife would never be the same after having the baby and it was all downhill from there. That she'd put on weight and become bitter. Everyone in the office laughed. Including the 2 other women. To this, I turned around to them, both overweight workaholic men whose wives were at home mothers who gave up successful careers, and said, "I wouldn't be the same either if my husband was fat and neglectful." Nobody laughed, and I was told by a colleague that that was "harsh."

In other jobs, I've been told that I'm an incompetent gringa, been lectured on how I should work overtime (for free) because I don't have a husband and kids, been 'complimented' on my ass and legs by colleagues and managers in the middle of the office, and in many other uncomfortable situations in which the bitch in me was forced to come out.

And we have to admit to ourselves that the world isn't at a place in which women are seen as equals by everyone yet. We're not seen to many as strong and independent. And so for me, the best way to not cry about it, was to own the bitch in me, and tell it how it is. I started to educate, and say I'm not going to take this sort of biased opinion and pre-determined belief system. I may be the bitch in the department. I may not get to close certain deals with some clients. But at least I know I'm getting business done well, and not letting anyone push me around.

Blog Category Themed Weekend Links

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 10:30:00 +0000

Aaahh, two weeks since writing one of these. My bad.

But that also means I have been able to curate a fantastic list of links, which I've organized by my random blog categories :-)

BRAZIL:

- A documentary on street parties in São Paulo. in Portuguese with English subtitles.

- Architecture guide to São Paulo (picking this up ASAP).

POLITICS:

- On How extreme wealth is bad for everyone. Really, everyone.

- Livestreaming and the future of activism.

RELATIONSHIPS:

- Long, but beautiful story of the life of a transgender in Malawi.

- Wonderfully Terrible Tinder Pickup Lines.

- Kid asks to switch seats so he can be next to his crush <3 -="" a="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1tVbD2aQ7E" more="" ps="" target="_blank">cute kids

dancing.)
WORK:

- How to email a busy person - guaranteed response!!

- A video worth embedding - Joanne Wilson (angel investor and entrepreneur) on Dreaming Big, plus another inspiring link from her on having equity:

- For those of us who have had many career/job changes. Read THIS.

FOOD:

- For my friends in the northern hemisphere, how about this take on hot chocolate for the holidays?

- Cheddar + Rosemary + Sweet Potato. Need I say more?

TRAVEL:

- Why we feel so weird on and after flights.

- Mobile apps for travel that are #winning.

- GET EXCITED! Next week, I'm going to post about Women in Travel Summit and give you all the discount code for the summit!

Have a wonderful weekend.
See you on Monday!

beijosss.

BarkPost in Brazil!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:38:00 +0000

Recently, I was asked to help launch a US site in Brazil. I usually do a lot of SEO and translation work for sites in English that want to get into the Brazilian market.

For this company, especially though, I was ecstatic because... Well, it's about dogs. And as you all know. I love dogs. Especially this one:

So I embarked on helping them translate, edit and create articles and the site is now born! BarkPost Brasil has all sorts of articles about dogs, from educational to simply long lists of funny things and cute dog gifs, you can find anything and everything about cães.

Here's the link: BarkPost Brasil

There are a few articles in there that are my original posts, which I hope you'll enjoy. And if you do, please help us share the BarkPost love for pups in Brazil :-)

If you are also in Brazil, can write in Portuguese, and would like to contribute, please let me know!!

(My) Lecture on Inbound Marketing [in Portuguese]

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:26:00 +0000

Last week, I was invited to lecture at a small startup incubator here in São Paulo to talk about inbound marketing. It was done via livestream and the video was published.

I don't talk too much about the specifics of my work here on the blog, and one of the things I enjoy the most in any of my many lines of work, is the public speaking bit. I genuinely enjoy sharing information and exchanging ideas with people who are just as interested in learning as myself.

The lecture's in Portuguese, but basically I talk about how marketing is changing, and especially online marketing, which is evolving from the traditional banner ads and paid links to more organic interaction with users. I focused on startups and how entrepreneurs can take advantage of this. If you're an entrepreneur, marketer or just curious to hear how squeaky my voice is, click play below!

On Conferences and Networking for Introverts

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 22:52:00 +0000

If you have met me in real life, you would think I was a complete extrovert. I'm chatty, have befriended to some extent more people than the average human being, and actually enjoy public speaking.

However, I'm actually much more of an introvert. I love my home office and not having to deal with people face to face on a daily basis, I binge on Netflix and love to write, and I feel claustrophobic in multitudes of people. Plus all of these articles and tests say I am.

For these reasons, I also tend to abhor conferences. The idea of them is incredible. Listen to great speakers, meet fascinating, like-minded people, and coffee breaks with free food! You're think I'd be all, #ConferencesFTW.

But the meeting people and networking, filled with small talk and selling oneself is incredibly difficult for me. And I have no problem with this. I don't want to become a conference networker. But because of this, I tend to avoid conferences, and so hadn't been to one in over a year.

I'll usually attend conferences if 2 of the following 4 items are checked:

1. It's free.
2. It's on a topic I really really really want to learn about/am interested in.
3. There is an announced coffee hour.
4. It's relatively close to me.

Today, I went to a conference on my own. It filled all prerequisites. Free, on the future of business and entrepreneurship, sponsored by a coffee BRAND, and a 10 minute walk from my apartment. So I couldn't NOT go.

The lectures were really quite fascinating and inspiring, especially with me being in a point where I'm feeling unmotivated career-wise. So it was great to get me thinking about new possibilities and to start working on them this end of year.

But I was also reminded as to why I tend to avoid these things.

1. There were a lot of people "self-promoting." I think I always look like I don't want to talk to anyone at these things, so nobody approached me at all. I did, however, listen in to other people's conversations. Entrepreneurs tend to be big ego-ed or are simply trying to sell an idea. So you can imagine all of the self love and prophesizing going on here.

2. Criticism galore! People love to criticize at these things. You're at a FREE event, with incredible speakers, and you sit here in this air conditioned auditorium while it's 30 degrees celsius outside, complaining that "they're trying to copy TED," or "I wish we'd gotten little notebooks for notes". Really?

3. Bathroom lines. Ugh.

4. Awkward eye catching. I hate that sometimes I'm walking along and I'll catch someone trying to read my name tag. Once I look up, I immediately look away in hopes the person won't try to start conversing, and pretend to be looking for the bathroom line or a pão de queijo.

5. Mentions of the weather. In the rare occasion my glance away doesn't work, I'll be approached by someone who will comment on the weather, or the bathroom line (see number 3) or to complain about the conference (see number 2) or to talk to me about their business (see number 1) as if I looked like some investor?

6. Why are all Brazilian conferences given English names or taglines? Was there no translator to copy the original idea?

That being said, the sitting in the auditorium frantically taking notes on whatever the speaker is saying and relating it to my goals and ambitions, is glorious. In general, it was a good conference. I was able to attend seamlessly, and saying hello to the only 2 people I knew (who were also way too busy networking for small talk with someone they already have in their LinkedIn contacts).

The conference was Impacto 2014, and it really inspired me to do big things with my business. But I still prefer to not network.*

That being said, I love small group encounters and coffee with interesting people. So I'm open to these conversations, in case you've now become too afraid to send me a message via the blog! Please don't be! :-)

*Note: I DO like tradeshows! They're more direct, less fake. Everyone knows you're there to do business and business gets done! And there's always lots of great free stuff <3 i="" nbsp="">

What Are You Reading and How do You Read?

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 17:33:00 +0000

Do you ever find yourself reading about 8 books at once and when you finally get a chance to pick one of them up for a quick read or on a commute, you're so overwhelmed you don't know where to start? Well in case you are, and feel alone, no worries, I'm like that too!

I'm curious to know what other people are reading and how they end up organizing their reading lists. I always just want to read everything but don't make as much time for it as I should.

Right now, I've been reading (more consistently, but there are a few others) -

Midnight in Siberia

I've been slowly reading David Greene's new book, which talks about his adventure and trip across Russia on the Trans-Siberian with his friend Sergei.

I really like it so far, because it gives all sorts of insights into what it's like to be in Russia (one of my bucket list destinations!), and cultural tidbits on Russian culture.

He was an expat in Russia, for NPR, for a few years, so it's better than "just" a travel book, because he becomes almost nostalgic in some parts of the book when he talks about places he would frequent whilst living there.

How Am I Reading This Book?: Kindle
Frequency: About 1x week, 1 chapter each time.

Not That Kind of Girl

I actually just bought this book on Friday (my ONLY Black Friday purchase) on my kindle, and have been wanting to read it for a while, because of my positive experiences reading Tina Fey's and Mindy Kaling's memoires. It makes me feel like I have a lot in common with comedy writers after reading them, haha.

I'm also a fan of Lena's TV show, Girls. I like how she doesn't try to spruce up life for young, single people, albeit in exagerated situations on the TV.

I feel like I'll probably devour this in under a week. It seems like a pretty easy and good read so far.

Book Format: Kindle
Frequency: Just started, will probably be done in a week.

O Jogador (The Gambler, in English)

I told G a while back that I wanted to start reading more literature in Portuguese, and when I saw he had this book, I asked him to borrow it. I've essentially been "reading" this book for ages now. Dotoiévski in Portuguese is much harder for me than books by the author in English. Well, any book, really. But especially when you're talking about a translation from Russian existentialist writers (I've also tried to start Notes From the Underground with overwhelming unsuccess).

This is all a long story short to say that I barely pick up this book to read because it makes me feel awfully dumb. But I will get through it (and Notes from the Underground)... eventually. Maybe after the above two.

Book Format: Paperback
Frequency: Once in a blue moon. Carry it in my purse in case of a commute where I run out of emails and instagram to check.

I've been dabbling in a few others that I'm quite frankly too embarrassed to share here :-)

What have you been reading?

Confession: I Took a Nap Today, and I Don't Regret It

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 01:15:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to nap soooo bad when you should be working? Come back from lunch, from that heat or that cold, and all you could use was a nap. 10 minutes is all I need, you start to think.

Well, I for one, don't take as much advantage of working from home as I should, on the nap front. I oftentimes get so caught up with the screen in front of me, and try to get as far away from my bed as possible "to produce," that I end up feeling more tired than I should at the end of the day.

Today, however, I allowed myself a nap.

And it was a gloriousss nap, if I do say so myself. I decided to read for a few minutes on my hammock a little after lunch. I'd had a quick bite, so I figured I deserved at least a few minutes to read a new book. And then as my eyes started to get heavier, instead of running for the bathroom to wash my face, I turned my Kindle off, and fell asleep right there. My dog also jumped on my stomach and joined.

And you know what happened?

- I didn't lose any clients.
- I was still able to answer all of my emails.
- I didn't roam aimlessly on my Facebook or blog feed.
- I woke up feeling ALIVE an hour later and ready to get to work!

I feel like sometimes we try to challenge ourselves to get as much done as possible in our waking hours, but get lost in meaningless things when our brains get distracted.

This probably won't become a habit, of course. But I'd like to nap some more whenever I get a chance. It does a body good :-)

Obama's Executive Decision on Immigration and Why I Don't Really Care

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 23:06:00 +0000

I know, I know, I'm such a spoiled brat who tanks on US politics and immgration policy and spit in the dish I ate off of, and blahblahblah.

I've had a little bit of a busy week and haven't even seen much of my blog feed, nevermind read actual news. I think everyone deserves a break. I heard about the Executive Decision in passing and skimmed through a few headlines amongst the ones that were about the Ferguson trial (quite disgusted by that decision, btdubs). And while a few years ago I would ignore any and everything to read about every little detail and recount my opinions here, this time around, with an executive decision, I didn't care much and enjoyed my long weekend in São Paulo.

And now, after reading about it, I've seen that, well... It's been touted to be something much bigger than it actually is.

Why's that?

First off, here's who will be "protected" with the program -

image from vox.com

Very important "groups" of people are going to benefit from the program. But what exactly does this protection consist of?

Obama is promising certain classes of immigrants that they won't be deported for a three-year span of time. The program will also issue work permits that are valid for the same amount of time. And in most states, deferred action is also enough to make someone eligible for a driver's license. But as soon as the three years are up, if an immigrant hasn't applied for renewal, he or she is vulnerable to deportation again.

And that assumes that the administration — or a different presidential administration — doesn't stop accepting applications or renewals, killing the program slowly over three years — or eliminating it immediately. Source.

Which means... that once Obama is out, these privileges could be lost all together. And let's not forget that in order to actually obtain this sort of protection, with millions of people applying, and the USCIS not being a well funded program, it could take months, if not years for these people to obtain the protection in the first place. The good news though, at least for parents of American children, is that eventually, they'll be able to apply for permanent legal status.

That also leads us all to believe that more of an actual program to ameliorate people's lives, it's a way to get the Latino vote in 2016. And Obama trying to protect his legacy.

This is the largest effort to protect undocumented immigrants in the US since... forever! In numbers, at least. In percentage of undocumented immigrants, Bush senior implemented a program that offered a path to the same amount (about 40%) through the Family Fairness program. I remember this time and seeing some of my own family members becoming permanent residents.

Obama is not legalizing immigrants. He's making it so that they can't be deported. He's also helping those who are married to Americans. His whole plan is very similar to Bush Sr's.

This means they will now be less likely to be deported in the near future.

Is it a step in the right direction?

Yes, it is.

Is it also a band-aid on a cut that will leave a scar?

Yes, it also is. In Portuguese, we call this a tapa buraco. Something to cover a hole of sorts.

I think the US is still far far away from decent immigration reform that will benefit a majority of immigrants and Americans alike. This has to do with many factors - one is the fact that Republicans and Democrats are divided. The other is that there are so many undocumented immigrants in so many different situations that it makes it a little more difficult to find something to fit most's need.

I guess the fact that it seems so underwhelming to me, is that it just looks like other things that have been tried before just to "do something, anything" about immigration.

But with that being said. Cheers to Obama for finally putting his foot down and showing quem manda nessa porra. At least as much as he can, I guess.

My Dominican Vacation - All too Quick, but Priceless!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 20:33:00 +0000

This is an actual picture I took myself...

Many... well, all vacations really... are pretty priceless. But this one to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic was so much more than most!

For the following reasons:

1. I drank margaritas with my mom at 10 AM in a pool.
2. I saw my college friends who I haven't seen in so many years and it felt like we'd never been apart.
3. I saw one of my best friends getting married!
4. I added a couple more stamps to my passport (La Republica Dominicana, whaatt)
5. It was MY BIRTHDAY!
6. So many people told me my Spanish was "perfect," that I'm officially changing that intermediate to advanced on my resume.

Besides all this, I also visited a number of resorts and met some lovely people in the hospitality industry in Punta Cana, went out into the country and had freshly roasted and ground cocoa, smoked a cigar that was made in front of me, drank mamajuana in the Caribbean (literally, in the water, off a boat), and enjoyed the luxuries of a higher end resort for once!

Here's some photo evidence of the trip and mini related stories.

This was my welcoming in my room at the Bavaro Palace Deluxe.

Cigar smoking post factory visit.

Views on resort grounds <3 br="">

Mamãe!!

My friend who rolled a cigar for me. Love the tobacco drying above him.

My freshly ground cocoa. Incredibly delicious!

Mirna's bachelorette ON A BOAT!

Me with the soon to be bride. The photo is blurry on purpose...

Fullfilling bridesmaid duties!

The PC family after the ceremony. So much love in this picture!

The gorgeous newlyweds

And finally, I had an incredible stop at this Dominican family's house, where they showed me how they ground their cocoa.

Travel Checklist for the Woman Traveling Alone

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:56:00 +0000

I have recently been selected as a Women in Travel Summit (@witsummit) ambassador for Brazil! This is a volunteer position, and I think it's a great initiative for the future of travel and giving women more confidence in moving ahead in travel. For this, to spread the word about the summit and share my experiences as a woman who travels and a woman who is in the travel industry, I'm going to be writing a series of posts on, well.. women and travel :-) To start, a little bit about how I prep for a trip on my own! Hope you enjoy this series of posts! beijoss.

Also, If you're short on time - just download the following checklist here.

-----

I do lots of traveling on my own. This time around, I'll be alone part of the time, and surrounded by loved ones the other part. But the whole packing and plane flying and whatnot is going to be done on my own, so I'll consider this a "me time" trip. And as we all, know, as with other things in life, solo traveling has its pros and cons.

Pros + Cons of Traveling Alone

PROS: The good parts are getting to make your own itinerary without having to cater to someone elses, wearing those outfits you're always too embarassed to wear in your hometown and around your friends, and not feeling guilty about exploring the destination's food more than its museums (because nobody's looking).

CONS: Not having someone else to share the memory with (which is why meeting people along the way is always a good bet!), feeling awkward when you wake up drooling on a stranger's shoulder on the plane, asking random people to take narcissistic pictures of you hoping they won't run off with your camera, and doing all the thinking/packing/planning yourself.

Thinking, Packing and Planning On Your Lonesome...

This to me, is the worst. The thinking about the trip part is awesome when you picture yourself on the beach and whatnot, but the "Am I forgetting something?" and checking your purse 5x on the way to the airport to make sure you have your passport feeling is gut wrenching!

So over the years, I've developed a travel checklist, which especially comes in handy for international travel, and is mostly composed of things that I have forgotten to do in the past, and have made my travels suffer miserably because of this.

If you're in a hurry, and want to just download this neat little PDF I put together of my travel checklist - just click here for it.

If you want to see my rationale behind it, read ahead :-)

What to Pack - Clothes/Luggage-Wise

Underwear, 2 pairs for each day you're away - yes, I've forgotten this before, and this is why I double pack. It sucks to not have enough panties.
One outfit you would never wear at home. For this trip it's these cute short-alls that are never weather or occasion appropriate in São Paulo.
One black bottom - whether it's shorts, pants or leggings, it'll go with several tops, which helps you pack less. In my case, I never leave the country without a pair of black pants or leggings.
One pair of versatile shoes. I mean shoes you can walk in all day and wear out at night. Usually a pair of black ballet flats or casual sneakers (gotta love the dress + sneaker look!)
At least one pair of socks - for the airplane. Bc it's cold.
One scarf. This should go in your carry on. If you're going to a warm place, it can double up as a blanket for when you're stuck in air conditioned places, and a head wrap for when you burn your scalp (yup, it's happened).
A watch. I always have my watch on, because I can never rely on my cell phone battery lasting all day when I'm traveling!
A small purse or backpack. For obvious reasons.
Havaianas. Why don't you own a pair yet?
A long skirt you can convert into a strapless dress. This came in super handy when I traveled to the middle east and then southern France in the middle of the summer, and I've kept doing it since (see photos below)

What to Pack - Toiletries

This section really depends. If you're staying at a hotel that provides shampoo, conditioner and soap. Don't bring it! It's less bulk for you! I also will pay extra to stay somewhere that provides towels. As many as I may need.

Toothbrush / Toothpaste / Floss
Sunblock
Deodorant (stick or roll on - bc aerosol won't get on carry ons)
Mini perfume samples - collect them, they come in handy for travel!
Face wipes - these can be super useful and are a great way to freshen up your hands and face in between flights.
Repellent (mosquitos love me, and I like tropical places)

Documents!

Passport with visa or tourist entry card, if needed. There is yet to be a passport where you don't need a visa to go anywhere. So you know, just double check.
Vaccination card with vaccinations needed. (hint for life: just get your yellow fever shot out of the way - it's valid for 10 years and could save you a lot of heartache)
Travel Insurance card - it's cheap, just get it, you never know!
Credit Card, unlocked to work in different countries
Currency valid in your destination (or US Dollars)
Checkin Online - it takes two minutes and could save you many more minutes.

Etc.

Make sure to charge all your batteries! Laptop, cell phone, kindle, tablet, camera, whatever you're taking with you. And then don't forget to bring the batteries, cords, etc.
Outlet adaptors - find out what it looks like in the other country, sometimes they won't have adaptors at the hotel (or anywhere) that match your country's plug. I always have this issue from South African clients in Brazil! Have you seen those plugs?!
Lip Balm + Mascara - this is probably the only essential makeup I'll bring with me. The lip balm for the flight, because my mouth gets super dry, and the mascara to brighten up my eyes for when I get to the destination, so I don't show up looking like hell.
Small packets of medication you might need: headache medicine, stomach upsets and some allergy medicine (which can also put you to sleep when you need it in some cases). And for Brazilians traveling abroad, Engov, of course.
Sunglasses, and/or a hat. In case you forgot.
Make sure you get a pedicure - you'll be taking a lot of pictures of your own feet.

What to Wear on the Flight

I used to wear my pajamas on my flights. But I soon realized that wearing a backpack and pajamas doesn't get you much respect in airports or through customs. Getting too dressed up to travel I think is just tacky. There is NO NEED to wear heels and shorts on the flight. JUST STOP DOING IT. I also never wear makeup on flights. I don't want to get to my destination with racoon eyes from my mascara and eyeliner. Just saying.

So I usually try to wear something comfortable, yet somewhat stylish. If you're going somewhere cold, it's a perfect opportunity to wear cute boots, and not have to stuff them in your luggage. In my case today, I have a pair of sandals that have stones on them that I really don't want to come loose, so I've packed flip flops and socks in my carry on and am wearing them - they will be stuffed under my seat as soon as I get on the flight, but I know they're safe.

I'm wearing my essential "black bottom" pants - black skinny pants that are loose at the waist = gold, and a boyfriend button up shirt which is super wrinkled, but kind of looks like it should be that way. So pretty much, I look comfortable, but also like to think the sartorialist would want to take a picture of me in the middle of the street and Joanna would approve.

Everything else is negotiable - just make sure you look up the weather and pack accordingly.

Again, here's the PDF to access a printable and easy to read version of this travel checklist.

What do you usually pack to travel?

ps - I'm at the airport as I write and my flight should be getting called soon. Wish me safe travels, and I'll do my best to update over the next few days!

On How São Paulo is Underrated.

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:12:00 +0000

This video doesn't need much explanation - it's what I say ALL the time: São Paulo is a wonderful city that is super underrated. So much to explore!

Watch as this American takes you around with his funny gringo pronunciation of Portuguese words, haha.

A few things to note.

- Best neighbourhood to live in = Bela Vista - where I live!

- Centro is a city center that's not just a financial district.
- At first sight, Liberdade doesn't have much to see, but it's a neighbourhood with the most incredible history in regards to immigration, and of course the best Japanese and Chinese food in the city <3 nbsp="" p="">- What he says at the end about the blending of classes + races can be a bit tricky... In most social circles, you won't find much of that. But certainly opportunity for making friends from all walks of life!

Polyana Ferreira de Oliveira - Brazil Travel Expert

Life Without Facebook (and French Fries)

7 (SEVEN!) Year Braziliversay

How to Eat All Day, Guilt Free

Yogurt, Fruit, Oats

Apple + Cheese

Kani + Cucumber Sandwich

"Australian" Bread, Tomatoes and Cottage Cheese

Guacamole + Chips

My Favorite Online Yoga Classes and Instructors

Ekhart Yoga

Tara Stiles Yoga

Ali Kamenova

Sarah Beth Yoga

If American Tourists Acted Like Brazilians [Video]

São Paulo [and Brazil] First Impressions

Bandido Bom é Bandido Morto?

Weekend Links + "Americanizada" in Portuguese!

Travel

Politics

Brazil

Food

Relationships

Work

Women in Travel Summit - I Can't Go, But You Should!

What is WITS?

Why You Should Attend + What You'll Learn

Why I Can't Go + How You Can Have My Seat!

Many Weekend Links to Prove 2015 Won't Suck!

Private São Paulo Tours with Poly (yes, me!)

Happy 2015 - New Stuff on the Horizon!

Best of 2014 and Internet Hiatus

Weekend Links: Wise Words for Reflecting on 2014 + Resolutions for 2015

Bitch in Business - How Being Assertive Can be Confused with Bitchy

Blog Category Themed Weekend Links

BarkPost in Brazil!

(My) Lecture on Inbound Marketing [in Portuguese]

On Conferences and Networking for Introverts

What Are You Reading and How do You Read?

Confession: I Took a Nap Today, and I Don't Regret It

Obama's Executive Decision on Immigration and Why I Don't Really Care

My Dominican Vacation - All too Quick, but Priceless!

Travel Checklist for the Woman Traveling Alone

Pros + Cons of Traveling Alone

Thinking, Packing and Planning On Your Lonesome...

What to Pack - Clothes/Luggage-Wise

What to Pack - Toiletries

Documents!

Etc.

What to Wear on the Flight

On How São Paulo is Underrated.