Disseram Que Eu Voltei Americanizada

#ChangeBrazil Protests and Manifestations in São Paulo + Beyond

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:55:00 +0000

It's not about the 20 cents.

Go straight to the links below the video on how to help or keep reading for background:

For those who know me well - you know I love me a protest and manifestation against the unfair and for the good! However I have not been to any of the manifestations here in São Paulo - yet. First, because I didn't know about them until I went to the bar one night and saw Av Paulista on fire (literally) before jumping into the metro. Secondly, because I didn't know how I felt about going onto the streets and rebelling against something that seems menial compared to other problems in the city. And then once I realized it was more than that, because I promised my mother I wouldn't and because of the violence that had arisen from it.

Those who are wondering what these protests are all about and questioning the revolt against a 20 cent hike in bus fares, it's not about that at all - it may have started as that - but now it's a manifest against the whole system. Brazilians here and abroad are protesting against violence caused on passerbys and passive protesters by police officers. And here, we're especially focused on the money that's irresponsibly spent by our government on overbudgeting and their own corrupt desires, all these years we've been made into fools by policy makers! We want an end to the crime and violence we're exposed to or afraid of facing each day. The poverty we see on our streets and in our familie. And above all - we're fighting for democracy!

A journalist who I follow on Facebook posted a quote that I think is perfect for this occasion:

The quote by Clay Shirky states - "A democray works when its citizens are happy enough to not go to the streets; when they do, it's a sign that something's not right."

And that's what we should do - whether you're on the streets or tweeting/blogging/telling all your friends, or hanging a white sheet or curtain on your window -

SPEAK OUT!

I'm still not sure if I'm going to attend tonight's manifestation (due to my promise to my mother!) which is going to be the biggest and hopefully most successful - but I will say I am proud of those involved who have commited to the cause sans violence and property destruction, and if you are keen and able - attend tonights rally and support those of us who are fighting to change Brazil one way or another - for the better!

Here's a list of links + a great video on the protests and what you can do to help!

#changebrazil

Attend tonight's event - but stay safe!!

What to wear to protect yourself from the tear gas police officers have been using
Print your signs off for free
Participate in the Facebook event for up to date info before attending!

Show your support

Through photographs in honour of a journalist + all injured last week
By hanging a white sheet from your window
By making your wifi available if you're near the protests
Sign a petition
Wear white today!

Find more information on the details

Go to the streets no matter where you are in the world!

World Wants to Change Brazil

If anyone has any more links or useful information - please collaborate in the comments below!

And remember -

Vergonha Alheia: Why Ignorant Brazilians Make me Angry

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:17:00 +0000

A recurring theme I've been noticing amongst many who travel from Brazil abroad - namely to the US - is they return talking all kinds of shit (excuse me ahead of time - this post will be filled with inappropriate language) about Brazil.

Take this asshole's video for example. He has 250 thousand views and thousands of controversial comments. He's driving along a highway in the US (most likely Orlando-ish) and is venting about why he doesn't want to return to Brazil. He starts by saying Brazil is the country where people fight for "meaningless" things like gay rights, women's rights, and prices being raised on public transport - but that we don't worry about the "basic" things. And then he goes on to talking about how cars and video games are so expensive in Brazil.

Huh.

Basic needs, né?

People will also say things like how they feel so much safer in the US. And how people are much more polite. And people are more equal.

What bothers me is not these references or comparisons. They're all true! Overall, yes things are cheaper in the US. Yes, if you compare New York to São Paulo, there is less crime in the former. And yes, socioeconomic gaps are much lower in the US than they are in Brazil.

What annoys me is -

1. The generalizations. If you were to tell me you did a road trip across the US (I'm thinking real rural Alabama), and spent time with Americans (your Brazilian friends with American citizenship don't count), watched the local news while you were there, and didn't spend all your time at amusement parks and outlet stores, then I'd probably respect your opinions... in part.

2. The hypocrisy. These are the same people who are underpaying their domestic help and for their general services, complaining about how expensive they are, but travel to Disney World every year. And they're happily paying for absurdly expensive schools for their children because they don't believe in the public school system - but at the same time don't demand a better public school system either (coisa de pobre)! They're the same people who would rather talk down on those of us who see light at the end of the tunnel for Brazil because they expect our 28 year old democracy to be up to par with the US's 224 year old one, and don't write letters to senators and congressmen and don't protest unfair legislation! They're the same people who turn a blind eye to the homeless, don't volunteer, don't give back and are always looking for a jeitinho brasileiro to things. Not to be a hypocrite myself - I know this isn't the case with everyone but simply the majority I have encountered - so if you are complaining and are taking the above actions as well - I commend you and encourage you to encourage others who complain about Brazil to do the same!

3. The phrase só no Brasil. Just today, I've seen about 5 posts between Facebook and Twitter on the prices of things getting higher in Brazil because of the upcoming Confederations + World Cup and the events are costing us too much. News flash: The same thing happened in the South Africa World Cup. The same thing happened in the London Olympics. And the violence comparison kills me! It's become a run of the mill thing to hear in the US media - "Hey you hear about the last school shooting?" And I see Facebook status' like this one:

So how does this make the US some sort of utopia again? Yes - Brazil is facing a serious problem with violence. But don't só no Brasil me on this one.

How about being thankful your government doesn't spy on you? Or the fact you have an entire paid month to take off from work and play in New York instead of 2 weeks if that? Or would you prefer to take away your four months for 1 week maternity leave? I'd like to see if this smart guy would give all of the benefits and "vida boa" he has here in Brazil for a sweet car.

You know why, guy from the video and people who agree with him, things work in the US better than they do in Brazil? Because hypocrites like you are harder to find in the US than in Brazil - not because our politicians and media are crap - they're like that everywhere! Stop watching Globo News and watch Fox News to see what "good" media, journalism and politics is (I'm being completely ironic here just in case you didn't get that).

By the way - I feel the same towards Brazilians who live in the US and then come to Brazil and hang out in Governador Valadares or wherever you're from the entire time they're here. I have no shame of being where I'm from and am a proud mineira, but to say one city or one incident is a reflection of an entire country the size of Brazil, is just as ignorant as calling Orlando, America.

You know who lives in Brazil and who I don't see making negative uneducated statements about Brazil AMERICANS. But we can talk about the equally ignorant ones another day.

And for those who don't agree with me -

Donald Byrd Tribute - Hump Day Music

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:18:00 +0000

You guys probably don't know this, but I have kind of a thing for music.

Musicians as well. Trumpet players + Percussionists especially. I've dated both genres, and for the former, I don't know what it is, but something about a guy who can blow a horn while simultaneously magically work his fingers to make beautiful music... it just makes me smile. And makes him oh-so-sexy. The percussionists... Well, they're just sort of inherently fun!!

But back to the trumpet. I also have a thing for jazz. I have always loved working while listening to Miles Davis. Chet Baker. Dizzy Gillespie. and Donald Byrd.

For fellow trumpet jazz musicians, you've probably hear Donald Byrd passed a few weeks ago.

And whilst looking for some inspiration to work, I came across this tribute to him which got me going this morning I wanted to share with you!

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Listen, Love, Work, Share. And always remember Donald was the man.

Also, if you are a trumpet player, or know of any you'd like to introduce me to, I always love making new friends whose musical ambition I admire :-)

Immigration Reform 2013 - The Facts!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:12:00 +0000

As those of us who have followed this blog throughout the years, you probably already know that I'm pretty pessimistic about immigration reform in the US. I've been studying and writing about it since 2002 (one year after the last reform), and I always hit a dead end because there are too many political misunderstandings, interpretations, and down right ignant people out there.

With this new proposition that President Obama has set to work on reform once and for all, there have been a few really good articles out there that give economic reasoning as to why we need reform, and a path to citizenship for millions of the immigrants in the US today - and also why immigration to the US should not and can not stop - for the sake of the economy. I talk a lot about economy because I've learned that, it's when you mess with people's pockets that you get them to listen, so this is why you, American reading this post, should listen and tell all your friends about it!

First, what Obama said:

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Watch More News Videos at ABC | Technology News | Celebrity News

Now if you don't read Economix, the NY Times blog, you should start. It has great, short, easy to read articles on anything Economic going on!

Two that I found particularly interesting were:

Immigration and Innovation - Talks about how a lot of the innovation and development of new technologies involves international doctoral/masters/university students. About half of Silicon Valley startups alone, are founded by immigrants (and this number falls every year)

and

Are Immigrants Taking Your Job? - NO. They're NOT. Get OVER YOURSELF.

Foreign Policy is another favorite of mine in reading up on international politics, and they just published a great article called, "Don't Fear the Migrants" - which tells us how the US needs immigrants. Legal ones. For myriad reasons. The skilled and unskilled kind!

I thought this was interesting - one article said the Republican party could become extinct if they don't pitch in with this immigration reform now!

Oh, and stop calling it illegal immigration, would you?

"When you inaccurately call me 'illegal' – no human being is illegal – you're not only dehumanizing me. You're offending them." - Jose Antonio Vargas to the US Senate.

Have you guys seen any good articles on reform lately? I'd love to see them and hear what you think!

ps - I'll write up on Carnaval next week :-)

Carnaval 2013 Has Begun!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 01:21:00 +0000

Next week? Nope. Carnaval started yesterday for me! There were a bunch of bloquinhos in my neighborhood this weekend, so we decided to join in on the fun.

a. Because they were free.
b. Because there's awesome Carnaval marchinhas and music.
c. Because the guys who attend are SO cute.
d. Because it's the weekend before Carnaval and why the hell not?

If you want to read more about them, here's an article I wrote on Carnival 2013 in São Paulo.

As for my weekend? Here's the photographic evidence!

trying to find a place to stand! loving the costumes

packed!!! Bangalafumenga!

Sargento Pimenta records

some of the girls. you can't tell because my binti fell off,

but i was dressed as an 'indian girl' as my costume

i love how in Brazil soda's the same price as beer

the end of the festivities on sunday

bloco Cordão Carnavalesco Confraria do Pasmado

taking over the streets of vila madalena!

Easy Recipes - Moqueca Improvisada

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:05:00 +0000

Sometimes I feel like making something traditional. But I lack all the ingredients. And so I make with what I have on hand.

A Moqueca Capixaba is a stewy fish dish from the state of Espírito Santo, that sliver between Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. It's similar to the moqueca you'll find in Bahia, except there's no coconut milk or dendê oil.

I'd been craving it, so I bought some dogfish (shark) in slices, and made due with whatever else I had at home. It's also usually made in a clay pot. Which I don't own.

Here's what I came up with:

Moqueca Improvisada -
prep time, 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients -

1 kilo sliced dogfish (cação, you can also use whiting)
2 tomatoes, 1 chopped, 1 sliced
1 onion, chopped
scallions and cilantro to taste
garlic and salt to taste
1 teasppon saffron diluted in 1/4 cup sunflower oil.
1 lime or 1 teaspoon vinegar
Pinch of black pepper and cumin, ground
water
olive oil

Method -

1. Make a paste with garlic and salt (I used a teaspoon of salt and 2 garlic cloves).
2. Season the fish with salt, pepper, cumin and lime. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 of the chopped onion with a little bit of olive oil. Add the garlic paste, mix and let simmer until the onions are golden. Add tomatoes.

4. Lower the heat, and add the fish to the mixture.
5. Add the saffron and oil mixture, placing the fish strategically so it's submersed. Add 1/4 cup water.

6. Let cook for 15 minutes, turning pieces of fish until you see it looks cooked.
7. Add sliced tomatoes, rest of the onions, cilantro and scallions. Let cook for another 5 minutes, covered.

Turn off heat and serve with fresh white rice!

(I don't have a picture of the final dish because I was on the phone with my parents at the same time I was cooking. Sorry!)

Working from Home - How to Being Productive?

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:42:00 +0000

Today I'm going to talk a little bit about how I stay productive (when I do) whilst working from home! Today hasn't been one of those productive days, hence this blog post, to remind me of what I need to do to start being more productive today!

Here are a few things I've been doing that have helped.

To-Do List - Kanban Style

1. To-Do Lists - I've never been one to have these sorts of lists, but I have started to use a few recently that have definitely helped. There are all sorts of kinds of lists that can help. Post-its on the wall with columns entitled "Need," "In Progress," and "Done." Or a plain to-do list on a sheet of paper. There are all sorts of online tools as well, but I tend to ignore those.

2. Pomodoro Technique - Have you heard of this? It's been a life saver for me. You're supposed to work for 25 minutes, and then stop for 5 to do whatever. Check your email, social media sites, get up and make yourself a sandwich/grab a snack (I do this the most), and then go back, work another 25 minutes, and start over again. Definitely one of those subconscious tricks to get you to focus because then you get a "treat" at the end. But really, 25 minutes is perfect for my short attention span! Use an alarm or cell phone app. I use Pomodoro Me.

Quick lunches can be healthy! 5 minutes prep time.

3. Schedule times to workout, have lunch, and housework. Use the pomodoro time for this as well. I usually set a 1/2 hour to have lunch if there's food ready and an hour if I need to prepare lunch - and I always try to make these healthy. If I'm alone at home, I'll read a book in that half hour while I eat or watch a TV show on Hulu or something. With working out, I try to set aside time at least 3 times a week to do a 1/2 hour of YouTube Yoga, or (when it's not raining or I don't get too lazy to leave the house) go for a job.

4. Keep your space clean. I feel like I work the best when my desk and room are tidy, or if I'm working in our guest room, which is always clean. Maybe it's because a mess makes me anxious and distracts me from my work!

5. Get up and get dressed for work. My morning routine usually involves getting up, taking a shower, getting dressed into jeans and a blouse or a day dress and then have breakfast while watching the news. All of this BEFORE checking my emails and logging on to Skype. Having this me time in the morning helps making going to my desk at home seem like more of a commute than it really is and more like a "real" work space.

Pomodoro time's almost up! See you next post :-)

Do you work from home? What do you do to get things done throughout the day?

Links for the First Week of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:08:00 +0000

Ok, so it's late in the day, but at least I remembered this time! Progress people, progress. What are you doing this weekend? I'm going to try to hang out at home and do healthy things like run in the park and finish it off with açaí (fattening, but healthy nonetheless).

But first... sign this petition: Ending the War on Women in India - I'm sure most of you have seen what happened to a young woman in Delhi last week, and it's horrendous to even think about it. If you haven't, the story's in the link as well.

Ok, now here's the week's list.

For some extra cash, I'm selling clothes on Enjoei. Have you heard of it?

I'm obsessed with Vine.com, and just bought some natural cosmetics for my aunt to bring from the US next month!

Any other Brazilians feel like this?

Did you all know Rachel, from Adventures of a Gringa, has a tumblr? And that it's hysterical?

I just discovered this post - I wrote an article for an Israeli blog on my visit there!

That's it for today. Have a fabulous weekend!

Top 12 Happenings for 2012 in the Life of Poly

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:10:00 +0000

I can't stand anymore of these lists. Yeah, I know that's what you're thinking. But oh well, I think it's cute. Some of this you may have seen a few posts ago. Deal with it :-)

Here's mine, and in keeping with my "links on Fridays" or what have you, I've added a link to each post related to the happening!

12. Seeing one of my best friends get married (this is a not so "fave" because she moved to Australia right after!)

11. Working full time from home.

10. Not gaining or losing any weight. This is always great for any woman! This has helped with it.

9. Reaching 500+ status on LinkedIn. Good times for my networking ego.

8. Being here... (look in the water, bottom middle. I'm the one on the left!)

7. Going on a week long romantic trip with my mom to Jericoacoara

6. Starting the year off with this guy (i.e., my twin!)

5. Oktoberfest with the parents

4. Visiting Israel

3. I saw my beautiful and generous Aunt Rosa get married for the first time at 43! Why generous? The wedding gifts she and her husband asked for were donations to an educational center for needy children.

2. Launching my own website/business coming to life

1. Seeing my high school friend get married in Lebanon... because, really? When am I EVER going to do this again? <3 div="div" nbsp="nbsp">

There's my 2012 top 12, what's yours?!

Feliz Natal! Christmas Far From Home is Christmas Still!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Feliz Natal! Merry Christmas! And in whatever your language is too :-)

The important thing here is, we're celebrating a wonderful occasion, a very special time of year for those who celebrate and believe!

For me, this year is going to be quite atypical for me as I'm not going to Minas Gerais to visit my grandmothers and slew of aunts, uncles and cousins. Neither are my parents coming to Brazil. Or am I going to the US, obviously.

This year I'm staying in São Paulo for a number of reasons, primarily because it was too expensive to fly out to Minas and I also wasn't going to have time to stay there because I need to work this week!

And so this is as festive as our home's Christmas decorations:

Our mini nativity scene, tree and angel

Tonight I'll be going to mass with my aunt and her family here in São Paulo, then we're going to have a Christmas eve drink at her house, and I'm sleeping over and having lunch with them tomorrow. Then I'm going to an expat's dinner with a couple of friends and their friends, which I'm also excited for!

So despite it not being a traditional Christmas for me, per se - not being surrounded by loads of family and eating like there's no tomorrow - I know I'll still maintain the Christmas spirit by... still eating like there's no tomorrow, attending a Christmas mass to give thanks, and spending time with family, friends and new acquaintances to share in the spirit of giving and birth!

What are you all doing?!

In sharing with the Christmas spirt, and since I've been lax on the links, here are a few feel good links for you as my interwebs gift to you! Feliz Natal! :-)

I <3 a="a" buy="buy" did="did" feed="feed" good="good" here="here" href="http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi0wNDc2MWIzYmRiZDhmZGFm" i="i" laugh="laugh" loud="loud" metro.="metro." my="my" nbsp="nbsp" not="not" on="on" one="one" out="out" read="read" s="s" someecards.="someecards." target="_blank" the="the" them="them" when="when" whilst="whilst" why="why">Christmas gift

s this year.

Here's a lovely list on "things that make you happy" which made me smile.

I've recently become obsessed with Jango, since we don't get Pandora in Brazil... Have you heard of it? They have a great Christmas pop songs station that I've been listening to all week!

Look at how PACKED Avenida Paulista has gotten these past few days. I've been avoiding it in the evenings...

An article I wrote for My Destination on where to buy gifts in São Paulo anytime of the year!

One of the reasons I love my alma mater so much is that even in our sports you are taught to be generous, thoughtful, and to always be praying for those in need of it. The PC Friars wore Sandy Hook jerseys to a recent game.

Ideas on what to wear for a Brazilian NYE! Since this year I'm being frugal, I'll be on the beach with friends drinking un-classy prosecco, so I'm wearing a white eylet long skirt converted into tube top mini dress :-)

Chicken & Potatoes Stew Recipe for a Rainy Day

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 13:18:00 +0000

Ok, so this constant posting this is going to take some time. But I'm working on it!

Here's another delicious recipe we made at home the other day. It's been pouring rain here for the past few days, so it gets hard to leave the house, and is a wonderful time for stewy-type foods. Usually when it gets like this, we get too lazy to leave the house to eat or buy groceries, so my roommate Cinthia and I will cook whatever's in the fridge and cupboards. This time around, it was chicken and potatoes. We had cut up cubes of chicken breasts and a few potatoes... and some other fixings. So we looked up a few recipes and came up with this new recipe:

Chicken & Potatoes Curry Stew

Serves 4, Prep 30 minutes

Ingredients:

- 1 lb chicken breast in cubes

- 2-3 medium potatoes, sliced thinly

- 2 carrots, sliced

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 tomato, chopped

- 1 cup coriander (cilantro), chopped

- 1 cube of curry sauce mix + 1 tbsp flour (we use this one)

- salt, cumin and black pepper to taste

- water

- olive oil

Prep:

- After chopping and slicing everything you need, place 500 ml of water in a small pan and leave it to boil.

- In another pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, the onions, and cilantro and fry for a few minutes until the onions start to brown.

- Add the chicken, mix it in, and let it brown.

- Leave the pan half covered for a few minutes and stir.

- Add the tomatoes, potatoes and carrots.

- Mix curry sauce mix with a bit of water and flour to make a paste. Add this paste and stir.

- Add cumin, salt and black pepper, and stir.

- Cover the pan, and let cook for 3-4 minutes.

- Add the water that's been boiling and slowly evaporating, stir for a minute or two, and then let cook for another few minutes until the potatoes are soft.

And, voilà!!!

A delicious and hearty stew. We didn't even make rice or anything like most Brazilians would :-) Just served it with a green salad and a glass of red wine!

Sometimes Things Aren't Meant to Be

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:51:00 +0000

Hey Kids!

So I didn't write the past few days because I was kind of in a slump... and then I decided to party that slump away.

Last Thursday I was supposed to attend the My Destination annual conference in Bangkok, Thailand. I'd even scheduled a post to be published once I was flying high over the Atlantic towards Thailand via Istanbul, Turkey.

But I didn't go.

I showed up with my backpack and passport in hand to the Turkish Airlines checkin on Thursday morning surrounded by Corinthianos heading to Japan for the world soccer championship; and of course, since I'm paranoid when it comes to travel plans, confident I had everything ready to board.

At checkin, the attendant asked if I had my vaccine card. "Não, porque?"

Long story short - I needed a yellow fever vaccine to board and did not know about this. WHAT. AN. IDIOT.

In my defense:

1. The Thai embassy in Brazil does not have anything on this requirement to enter Thailand - only a page on Tourism in Thailand and how beautiful it is.
2. The requirement is for people transiting from Brazil. And of course, all my research was done on sites in English, and tips on what to do there were from European friends.
3. Yellow fever in São Paulo? Since when? Do you know anyone who's had yellow fever here? Yeah, me neither. Frickin' WHO.

I ended up figuring out the yellow fever shot issue and how to get around it with a tip from the Thai consulate + ANVISA, but in the end... There were no seats on the next flight out, which was Saturday, because of the Corinthians game in Tokyo and their connection was also in Istanbul - because of course I bought a ticket with ONE route to Asia. Fantastic.

If I'd wanted to, I could have gone today, but then I would get their halfway through the conference, and have to pay an extra 500 euro.

So I decided to stay in São Paulo. And be a "Pollyanna," about it all. I believe that when things go this horribly wrong, then it's God's way of telling me it just wasn't supposed to happen. Don't you think?

And so I proceeded to not stop the entire weekend (okay, I may have worked a little Saturday + Sunday, I confess). I went to a friend's play, 2 samba school rehearsals (TWO!), hosted a last minute birthday party for my roommate at a bar Saturday afternoon/evening, celebrated another friend's birthday dancing the night away at a gay club Saturday night, and went for a run in the park Sunday. My body hates me right now. But it'll love me come bikini season (i.e., now?).

Long story short. Not in Thailand for those who knew about my trip. And will do my best to make the best out of the next two weeks and work and play twice as much as normal!

Avocado Toast Recipe - Quick, Easy & Healthy Snack!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:38:00 +0000

One thing I've been doing a lot more since I started working from home is... cooking! I've been trying to keep a healthier diet overall, using fresh ingredients to cook, less salt & fats (which I consumed A LOT during my "office life"), and using recipes I find online to experiment.

So I figured I'd share some of my experiments with you! Some of my recipes are super Brazilian, and others not so much. They're also very much "quick and easy," for the busy entrepreneur/business person, and person who lives along or with very few people! I'll try to post these regularly, since, after all.. I've been cooking regularly!

Last week, I bought all ingredients needed for a guacamole craving. And then when I got to the chips aisle, there were no nacho chips. Just Doritos. And I can't bring myself to eat Doritos with guac. So I got home and saw we had some plain bread, and remembered seeing something about avocado toast somewhere. I researched and found a few recipes, and made my own adaptation with what I found in our pantry and LOVED IT. It was the perfect afternoon snack.

Avocado Toast Recipe

2 servings. appx prep time: 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

- 1 small avocado - RIPE.

- 1 slice of lime or 1 tsp vinegar

- olive oil

- 4 slices of bread (I used multigrain)

- red pepper/chili flakes/pimenta calabresa
- a pinch of salt

Prep:
- Pop the bread in a toaster
- While that's toasting, open and seed your avocado.
- Spoon it out into a bowl - or just use the avocado skin itself, and mash the avocado with a fork.
- Add lime juice - I just used one slice (1/4th lime), a sliver of olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
- Take your toasted bread, and spread the avocado mixture onto it
- Sprinkle some pimenta calabresa onto it for a little bit of spice.

And you're done!! A delicious and healthy snack for mid-morning or afternoon food breaks. Goes great with mint tea, I only had 2 slices and was satisfied but also only used half an avocado - which is why I say 2 servings!

Sampa Weekend Links! 30.11-02.12

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:30:00 +0000

I told you I'd be legit back :-)

So since I'm back to writing, I'm going to make this a little more organized as well!

Every Friday, I'll be featuring São Paulo related links or just Brazil/politics related links that I think would be fun to read or do (if you're in SP) over the weekend. With My Destination now, I can officially say I'm a São Paulo expert, so I'd love to pass some of that knowledge on here as well! And of course shameless plugs/links to My Destination.

photo from last week of my friend How-Ru's visit to São Paulo - at a Vai-Vai rehearsal!

So here goes this week's list -

- I plan on checking out this Folk Music festival in Vila Madalena tomorrow night. I love folk music, and seeing a mix of Brazilian and international folk all in one spot? Lovely.

- This Elevator Prank has been ALL OVER the internet this week. Have you seen it yet?

- I have a new favorite tumblr or quirky Facebook page every week. This is this week's favorite: Indiretas do Bem. This was my favorite indireta thus far. <3 p="p">

- This is from a few weeks ago, but I love the NY Times' Frugal Traveler, mostly because he's also based in São Paulo and always writes great pieces on the city and Brazil in general. Here's one where he convinces his buddy to love Sampa. Which I also tend to do when my friends come to visit! You Will Love São Paulo. Please?!

- Brazilian Band (from São Paulo!). English Rock. Free Album download from my friends at Single Parents. You're welcome.

Hope you like this whole list thing :-)

beijos!

And We're Back! Once Again...

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Yes, we're back.

For good.

"But that's what you said last time!"

Yes, I know, but I really need this blog right now.

"Why?"

Because I've been writing so much for my site and clients, I really just need to write for myself and I guess here I'm allowed?

Please bear with me, I've scheduled a few posts for the next couple of weeks \o/

But in a nutshell, here are some highlights on what's been going on with me for the past 6 months:

May: I ran a 5k and then told myself I would keep running after this. I did not keep running. But like this blog, I plan on starting again... tonight.

June: I went to Rio for a long weekend. It rained. ALL WEEKEND.

So we did this.

And this.

All weekend long. And it was so relaxing. AND - I did NOT take my laptop so I would force myself to not work!

July: Was spent pretty much locked up working on my website. With the occasional work done at a coffee shop!

August: I went to the Middle East! And Europe! It was probably one of the most amazing trips of my life. It was the first time I was in countries where I didn't speak the local languages, or even understand their alphabets... And when I realized Brazilians are a lot like Lebanese and Israelis - and it was heartbreaking to see these two beautiful countries don't get along. Needless to say, the conflicts in the Middle East have become more close to home for me now. Here are all the pictures for that: Mediterranean Adventure.

And here is a picture of reuniting with high school friends - in Lebanon!

September: My website launched! Woot woot! Welcome to your premier São Paulo Travel Guide! (yes, that is complete and shameless link building), and watch our video to see what it's all about

October: My parents came to Brazil again! My aunt got married in Minas Gerais, and then my parents, a few of my friends and I went to Blumenau for Oktoberfest. It was pretty epic.

November: I turned 27. It was pretty sloppy. Image is of me cradling my whiskey.

December... Watch out, you promise to be exciting, and I promise to make it worth my while!

On Being MIA and Working Way Too Much

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:41:00 +0000

Ok, so I warned you I'd be gone for a while. I just didn't realize it would be so long!

But just so you have photographic proof of my absence, I haven't been writing for the blog, because I've been doing a lot of writing for My Destination São Paulo, the site I hope to be launching NEXT MONTH (eek!).

Before I start, I need to put in a plug... If any of you readers:

1. Know of anyone who owns/runs/promotes any establishment in SP, please email us.

2. Have any opinion or photos on anything in São Paulo, and would like to share with us, email me.

3. Know of any cool events going on in SP in the next few months, submit them!

Okay, now to the fun pictures. Here's what Cleyton, my business partner, and I have been up to...

I've been writing...

And since we got our SUPER AWESOME camera equipment...

Cleyton's been taking A LOT of pictures...

And he's been so happy doing so... but gets so miserable when he feels he hasn't accomplished a good day's worth of photos:

He's also been selling. His trusty car, which I've nicknamed "Emo," (see license plate), gets him and I to all of our clients. <3 Emo.

I help him out occasionally though, and pretend I'm listening to his explanations on how to work the camera...

And with sales!

And we'll bring Cinthia, my roommate along occasionally, as Cleyton's trusty camera assistant, because she's AWESOME.

And because we pay her in beer.

I usually always go back to writing some more (those post-its are so I can organize what I've written, what I'm writing, and what I still need to write. The latter always seems to be the longest list)

We've had some glitches along the way (our logo is not supposed to have an oil infested ocean in it) ...

But also some really exciting moments (here's to hoping we never have to use this checkbook). PS - Itaú Business sector, F*#K YOU.

Overall though, it's been fun getting to know the city some more, and attending some great events!

Until I get tired and need a seat...

And right now, I need to lay down because it's 1:30 AM, and I may have worked a good 30 hours this weekend.

Good night, <3 you guys, thanks for the patience!

beijosss,

-poly.

ps - Ladies, yes, Cleyton's a cutie, and yes, he's single ;-)

São Paulo vs Rio

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:29:00 +0000

Have you guys ever seen the Paris vs New York illustrations? I'm obsessed with them being they're both cities i <3 and aime beaucoup, so when I saw this post on São Paulo vs Rio today, I want to turn them into prints and plaster them on my walls!

For those who have visited both, which is your favorite? São Paulo or Rio? To live in? To Visit?

Despite living in and loving São Paulo, I also love and would live in Rio in a heartbeat!

Be Right Back

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:53:00 +0000

My mother is still in Brazil, and before I drown myself in work on my site and she leaves me (sniff sniff), we took a week off for a mommy-daughter trip to the northeast of Brazil, to Jericoacoara - Ceará.

Coming home meant triple the work, but I keep dreaming of going back to this place:

In the meantime, I'll be right back, promise! :-)

beijoss,
-poly.

Braving the Entrepreneurial World

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:18:00 +0000

I've been trying to figure out how to write this post for a while, but haven't figured out how, exactly. And then I got to rereading "Brave New World," and realized that juxtaposing my recent decisions with the novel would be a fun way to do it. Probably one of my favorite books of all time, I first read it in my senior year of high school at Wooster School in Mr. Eynon's classroom (my fellow Generals will understand) and ever since then, have felt as if we're still living in the world Huxley was criticizing back in the 1930's.

Since I have started working, I feel like I have never been fully happy. Benefits, bonuses, and promotions have been my soma. While for some people it is the end all of their happiness in the office, for me, this sort of stuff has been nothing but a cheap thrill. In Brazil, there is this whole notion that if you're a registered worker, or, even better, you're a public worker (!), you have made it and have the epitome of job security. Which makes sense considering the country's history of monetary and employment security. But like we read into Huxley's characters as being duped into manipulative propaganda, I feel the same way about this comodismo, we live in.

And so I decided I want to be an "individual," and live my own life and pursue my own endeavors (sort of like Bernard, but hopefully not ending up like him). I've hinted over the past few months that I quit my job and am opening a business with a friend of mine, and now it's all finally official!

When I told a friend of mine this weekend, whom I had worked with at the advertising agency a couple of years back, he says to me, "Yeah, I'm not surprised. You've always been so independent in your work ethic, always going after what you believed in." Which made me smile.

It's been tough to break through all the barriers in this "Brave New Brazil," I live in, but I am finally very happy to say I am my own boss :-)

My buddy Cleyton, and I, have purchased a franchised website, we are now officially partners, and are developing content and selling like crazy for our site's launch in late March/early April. We've partnered with My Destination, a travel website with everything you need to know about a city/state/country, and bought their "São Paulo," directory, which means we're the only ones in the network who can publish on São Paulo state. The good news for you, my English speaking blog readers - it's all in English! The cool thing about My Destination is, they're very focused on...

a.) Having local partners, people who actually live in the locations, so that they can write about the true essence of the city, and not look at it as a tourist, like many other travel websites do.

and

b.) Wanting their local partners to succeed (that would be Cleyton and I)!

We met the company's owners in December, and have already signed and started payments (making me somewhat broke). I should be getting my business cards in the mail tomorrow, and have been busy typing away hopefully useful content over the past couple of months!

What made us want to invest in this opportunity, has been the flow of ex-pats and tourists to São Paulo, both our desires to do something for ourselves and be our own bosses, and the pure fact that exploring the city, taking pictures, selling (in his case), and writing (in my case), is fun!! We also hope to make some money out of it all eventually :-)

So there you go, my big news that I'm now a grown up business woman!

Do any of you own your own businesses? What's it like?!

And area any of you planning on moving to SP, or are already expats? We're looking for freelance writers!

Looking forward to sharing stories from our experience with you all.

beijos,
-poly.

São Paulo in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:09:00 +0000

Anyone else here obsessed with Pinterest?

Last week was São Paulo's birthday, and so I decided to create a Pinterest board as an ode to the city with pictures I and my friends have taken around the city over the past few weeks.

São Paulo Photos.

I am willing to open the board to contributors. Who's in?!

My True Story on Yes & Yes

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:44:00 +0000

A few months back, Sarah Von from Yes & Yes, a blog I follow religiously, e-mailed me to ask me if I would like to talk to her about my experience living in the US and moving back to Brazil, which I promptly accepted :-)

She's pretty "OCD," so three months later, she scheduled the post to be published and it was posted yesterday!

If you'd like to read it, you can find it here: True Story: I Immigrated to America... And Then Moved Back to My Home Country.

What's funny is, I'm so used to my "story," and telling it here, that it's almost become sort of blasé to me and I never realize how some of my struggles while living in the US and then moving back, to a lot of people, are seemingly "courageous," "brave," and "amazing."

I realized this yesterday when I posted the link to Sarah's post and was overwhelmed with comments from friends and relatives, and even strangers, who congratulated me on the above adjectives.

You can read all the comments here.

In short, I just wanted to say to those of you who spoke so kindly of me and look up to me, that I couldn't be as brave, courageous, and inspiring if it weren't for those around me - which is what I suggested in Sarah's interview to anyone who is in a similar situation I was in when in the US. Surround yourself with wonderful people, and you shall succeed :-)

"What advice would you give to someone else who feels out of place where they live?

My biggest advice is surrounding yourself with people you trust who you can vent to and cry with. Having good friends to talk to who I can relate to has always been a great way for me to keep my sanity and not go around pessimistic about everything. And also, always be positive and try to see things in a good light. I’m you’re average “Pollyanna,” and think this was all really just meant to be!"

beijos no coração!

-poly.

Hey America, STOP SOPA!

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:24:00 +0000

As a search marketer, I'm obliged to spread the word:

Also, from a short spiel I wrote for a blog post on the matter, yesterday:

Like many things in life, despite being an American law, all internet users in the world will be affected by SOPA and/or PIPA (not an exaggeration). In the law's description, found on the US congress website, it is clear that any site that links to a page that has "pirated" content, as they put it, can and should be taken down if that link is not removed, even if the site is foreign. Now, how am I going to know the content I link to is pirated? What about Google or Wikipedia? Wikipedia was on strike yesterday, and they told us on the strike's page that the law can end the "free" internet. Free as in monetary and liberty! Also, who is a congressman in the US to tell us that we can't access sites we want to access? Or to end access to important information we have access to today? Who needs to be punished are those who plagiarize or priatize information online. One of the law's clauses, which hasn't been given much attention, is that SOPA will end the use of "private government information," that is publicly online. Wikileaks ring a bell? I don't see this as a law that will protect intelectual property, but will protect US government officials.

In Portuguese:

Como muitas coisas da vida, apesar de ser lei estadunidense, todos os usuários de internet do mundo serão afetados pelo SOPA e/ou PIPA (sem exagero). Na descrição da lei, encontrada no site do congresso dos EUA, está bem claro que qualquer site que linkar para alguma página que tenha conteúdo “piratado”, como eles dizem, pode e deve ser tirado do ar se não tirar o tal link mesmo se o site que está com o conteúdo plagiado seja estrangeiro. Agora, como que eu vou saber se o conteúdo do site que eu linkei foi piratado? E o Google ou a Wikipédia? O site em inglês da Wikipédia está de “greve”, hoje e eles mesmo disseram na página onde explicam o porquê da greve, que a lei pode acabar com a internet “grátis e livre”, que temos hoje. E outra, quem é um deputado lá da gringa para dizer que não posso acessar os sites que eu quero acessar? Ou para acabar com informações úteis que estão disponíveis hoje. Quem precisa ser punido são os infratores de conteúdo plagiado ou explícito. Uma das cláusulas da lei que tem tido pouca atenção em matérias sobre o SOPA, cita o uso de informações “governamentais particulares” (irônico, não?) como parte do conteúdo piratado. Não vejo esta lei como uma lei que vá proteger a propriedade intelectual, mas sim, os podres do governo americano.

More in portuguese here: O que é o SOPA e o que muda?

10 Reasons to Love or Hate São Paulo

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:49:00 +0000

I've been reading a lot of different Brazilians blogs and columns recently, and one of my favorites is Xico Sá's blog over at Folha de São Paulo's blogs, where he wittingly talks about relationships & sex, culture, society and politics. He'll use a lot of literary references I don't know about, so it's a great reason to look this sort of stuff up! haha

He recently posted on the top ten reasons to love or hate SP in honor of the city's upcoming birthday, and I can't help but agree! Here's his list in Portuguese. And my simple translation below, because I'm not nearly as clever as he is. :-)

For those who are planning on moving to Brazil and considering São Paulo, here's the fabulous and harsh reality of it all.

10 reasons to love SP

- The women and their incomparable elegance. :-) I must say that, since living in SP City, I have upped the notch on my style. And I don't mean I've been following every fashion trend out there, but there's something about looking effortlessly classy in SP's women you don't see much elsewhere in Brazil, that is contagious once you move here.

- São Paulo nights. Av. Augusta with it's clubs hosting the world's best DJs, classy bars, brothels, and dive bars until... well, 24h a day... is just the beginning.

- Great waiters. Unfortunately, the 10% included on all tabs aren't always passed on to waiters. When the service is great, I'll usually ask to not pay the 10% and tip my waiter separately.

- Mondays when Corinthians wins on Sunday. The coffee is warmer and the beer cooler.

- The street Art. The biggest outdoor art gallery in the world. Despite the city's efforts to paint over some prime work, there's always something beautiful and new around the corner.

- Xico Sá references 2 Paulistano music artists. The number of local artists and the local music scene has grown so much and is so good, it makes me smile that I have the opportunity to see so many great artists live so often.

- Sugar cane juice and pastel (deep fried wonderfulness filled with whatever you desire) at the farmer's market. The most organized institutions in the city. Nevermind the market's vendors giving you a self esteem boost and free fruit tastings. Yum!

- The metro.

- Italian cantinas downtown.

- The "baiano immigrants" from every state in the Northeast.

10 reasons to hate SP

- Kassab. Our mayor. Who Sá mentions "does so little and prohibits so much."

- Traffic, obvi.

- How much you pay for a cab to the international airport, Guarulhos.

- The assault in restaurants on the west side. On a number of levels - by thieves themselves or the restaurant owners in their prices (TRUE STORY).

- The closeted gay men who beat up openly gay men on Paulista.

- The metro. At around 6 PM.

- The tapioca which is being meddled with and practically turning into a specimen of pizza.

- People on Oscar Freire (street with upscale shops - or as my British friends would say - the posh part of town) who think this is New York, when really, it's more like Mexico City.

- Lines.

- The police.

---

And to add a little of my own loves and hates -

Love:

the parks, the art scene, sunday afternoons at bars in vila madalena, vai-vai samba school rehearsals, japanese food on every corner.

Hate:

any public institution which makes me wait endlessly for the simplest things, really really wealthy paulistanos, cars, lack of cheap greasy pizza, prices on any and everything.

Ex-Pat Interview Series: Helen Joyce of The Economist

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:46:00 +0000

A few months ago, I read this great article a journalist for the Economist had written in More Intelligent Life on living in São Paulo, which she entitled, São Paulo: Being There. While reading the article, I found myself nodding a lot in agreement, laughing a little thinking, “She’s such a foreigner,” and after reading it said, “I want to meet her.”

And so I did. My cara de pau self wrote Helen Joyce, The Economist’s Brazil Bureau Chief, an e-mail inviting her to coffee and asking if I could interview her for my blog. She more than made herself available for a chat, and we met up for breakfast.

I had prepared all sorts of questions and notes and thought of possibly recording the interview, but as soon as I got there, Helen was so friendly and chatty that I thought, “To hell with it, let’s just have a chat and then I’ll write about the more fun stuff on the blog.” So here goes, a little bit about Helen from what I recall and the few notes I jotted down, and her thoughts on Brazil, politics, economics and just overall being an expat here!

Intro

Originally from Ireland, Helen had been living in England for quite a few years and has been with the Economist for about 5 years, where she started as an Education Correspondent. She told me that at the magazine, after about four years, journalists are often asked if the would like to switch to different assignments or departments. In her case, she was invited to go from Education Correspondent to Brazil Bureau Chief.

Oi? What’s that? Basically, it’s a fancy word for “The only correspondent to cover stories for the entire region that encompasses the country of Brazil, and maybe manage a few other South American regions... sort of.”

The Educational Aspects

One thing that was probably most interesting about meeting Helen, was having the opportunity to talk to someone as smart as she is!! She would throw out random words I would nervously jot down and then think to myself that I may or may not have seen this in Economics classes in college, but probably not since my education was American (... oops, did I just say that?). There were two concepts we talked about that greatly concerns Helen when it comes to Brazilian politics and the economy which I thought I’d share, a - because she’s right. and b - because I’ve always thought this as well, just didn’t know the terms for them...

Brazil is... an economy of scarcity... Brazilians, in general, especially rich Brazilians, have this sense that what’s expensive, is better than whatever is cheaper. They are prone to purchasing veblen goods (a term Helen taught me!), roping off VIP areas at clubs and concerts (odeio pista VIP), making sure their children attend the best schools and public university (which is free!), and limiting access to the lower ranks of the economy on a number of occasions. What Helen was trying to say of all of this is, Brazil seems to be a country in which everything seems limited to those who have economic means. Sure, there’s public health, but what are the waiting lines like? What about public universities? How many spots are available? And do those who attend public high schools have a chance of being admitted?

All of these were things Helen and I talked about and it was great to talk to someone with a different perspective from middle class Brazilians who I usually hang out with awho accept all of this about Brazil.

Expat Life

I also asked Helen about Expat life, since my own experience wasn’t exactly that of
an expatriate. There were a couple of things she mentioned I thought would be good to share with those who have either recently moved to Brazil or are planning on moving to Brazil!

Nine Month Rule - Helen told me that when she first got to São Paulo, it was all a big
adventure. Getting to know the city, trying to find her way around, learn the language,
get her children settled into school, etc. And then at one point she started to feel
miserable and want to go back home and really just hated a lot of things about Brazil
and São Paulo... Until she went to the UK, and vented to a friend who had lived here
for a while, who told her about the 9 month rule in which at around 9 months, expats
tend to fall into this slump... For her to not worry, it would be over soon enough and
she would get through this and start to feel better soon enough. And she did!!

Family - Since Helen relocated her husband and 2 boys to São Paulo with her, I
asked her a little bit about what they thought of the move and how they’ve been
getting along. Her husband, as she put it, fortunately, is very easy going! He’s a
writer, and I’m sure it hasn’t been easy to find much inspiration amongst the concrete
blocks that make up this city. Her 2 children are at an international school here, but
unfortunately, their transition hasn’t been the easiest, but it's getting better as time goes on.

Difficulties - So what have been some of Helen’s difficulties? Besides the language? And maybe her kids’ school? Like most of us who move to Brazil, accepting the prices of things!! Need I say anymore? :-P

Overall, Helen’s Feelings on São Paulo...

Likes... Friendly people who are always willing to help out. At some points, it almost
makes her feel bad that people waste so much time trying to help her out!

Dislikes... The Tietê River (I don’t blame her), Rich Brazilians and their obsession
with having domestics, and getting around the city (ahem... traffic, much?).

Finds Funny... Relationships between Brazilian women and foreign men. She
thinks it’s funny how “average looking” foreign men get here and all of a sudden
are so attractive to beautiful Brazilian women who here, are so “average looking”
themselves. Oh, and of course... muffin tops.

So there you have it, my interview with the Brazil Bureau Chief of the Economist. A
delightful, funny, intelligent, and sarcastic journalist! Needless to say, it was a great
breakfast, and I’m looking forward to more with her!

Do any of you have questions for Helen?

And some more questions for you, my readers!

What do you all think of the rule of scarcity in Brazil?
Did any of you experience the same sort of slump at 9 months?
Did you find any trouble in adapting or your family adapting?
And has anyone else noticed the excess of muffin tops in this city/country?

Hope you enjoyed, and let me know if you have any more suggestions for interesting people to interview for this blog (or if you'd like to share your experiences yourself!)

Photo Credits: Helen's husband, Andrew! Check out his blog at - Meanwhile, In São Paulo

Feliz 2012! 2011, We Had a Great Ride...

noreply@blogger.com (Polyana Ferreira De Oliveira) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:36:00 +0000

I know these year reflection posts can be super tacky, but I have to put into writing what 2011 brought me and share some of the experiences I had throughout the year. So here's another story in photos that I know you all love!

Dear 2011,

There is no way to thank you enough for the year you've given me. There were many firsts, many reencounters, new friends, fabulous family moments, and travel throughout Brazil. How could a girl ask for more?

I mean, you started off low key. With a small get together of close friends chez moi

But of course, this was because I had already planned on a pricey and fabulous Carnaval in Pernambuco. Which was a success!

I danced on the hills of Olinda

Watched shows in downtown Recife, and swam in its warm beaches

And went scuba diving for the first time ever, in Porto de Galinhas!

Still, who would have known the rest of the year would have been so fantastic and exciting after this?

Twice in one month, I saw two of my favorite bands live!!

U2 in early April for the first time

And The Roots (feat. John Legend) for the 4th time in late April with a newly found soul crew

(I also saw RHCP, but don't have pictures to prove it!)

Easter was spent on my friend's father's farm, where I rode a horse, and where the clouds look like cartoon clouds...

And was surrounded by some of my favorites, and new friends altogether

I learned rodeios can be fun when you're surrounded by a fun crowd (decked in plaid)

I also learned that despite sucking, I love playing soccer. And have done so on the beach. With the boys!

Towards the middle of the year, I felt like I needed something new. Maybe I was lacking travel, or felt blah because of the blah weather. So for the first time, I put some (tiny bit of) artificial color into my hair.

My favorite time of the year in Brazil, and when I lived in the US, was June, because of Festas Juninas, where we all get to dress up all "country", dance around a fire, make up silly choreography to a fake wedding, and eat lots of paçoca, and drink lots of vinho quente.

This year, I got to be the funny pregnant bride

and everyone was there!

In July, I made plans to take my vacation time to visit family and old friends.

I spent a weeked in historic Ouro Preto and rural Luz, Minas Gerais, with my college friend who'd recently returned to Brazil...

Gui :-)

Then I ventured to my hometown for some family loving, and to see my beautiful cousin tying the knot

After that, I spent a week in Espírito Santo, visiting my best friends' parents whom I hadn't seen in over 10 years

And touring around the Vitória area with my cousin Michely

I visited for the first time, our nation's capital in late August...

with my lovely roommate...

and there, stayed with my fabulous ex-roommate and her husband - the perfect Brasília tour guides

My girl friends and I scored cheap tickets to Belho Horizonte in early October, and made a trip to Inhotim, museum/botanical gardens out of it

And since I couldn't get enough Niemeyer, we played tourists in BH too.

I partied a lot with my friends in São Paulo too!

I quit my job to open a new business with my already partner in crime (details to come soon)

And until we start making money with the business, I'm consulting part time with a great group of professionals (who know their karaoke & tequila almost as well as digital marketing)

Last, but certainly not least... you brought me my parents...

who I hadn't seen in nearly four years, for Christmas.

This was by far the biggest present I've ever gotten on Christmas, never mind in 2011! :-)

And then helped me ring in 2012 surrounded by great friends, and my little brother, in Rio.

Hope this small year in review was enough thanks to you. But to my friends and family who helped me make this year one of the best yet, thank you for being there for me. Or as my friend Ana aptly put at midnight this past Saturday night "Thank you for coming into my life. I love you"

2012. Bring it on. You have BIG shoes to fill!

<3,
-poly.