Trying to play catch up - 18 days

E and I have been living in Brasilia for 18 days. I don't feel like I've really summed up what we've been doing these past 2 and a 1/2 weeks and so I'd like to play catch up. First off, I'd like to say that we are both happy here. E particularlly thinks that the city is beautiful and he really is enjoying being back in his home country. In fact, he said last night, while waiting in a looooong line at a rock concert, that he missed this - people having a good time, drinking in the parking lot, chatting with friends, just having fun. He said at the end of the night that the US is not fun (I do believe he meant in comparison, or at least it's a different kind of fun).

I'd say our first week here was predominantly settling in to our new apartment, unpacking, shopping, cleaning, and trying to orientate ourselves. I also visited the school a couple of times to talk to administration since they wanted to make sure we were comfortable and not lacking anything in our apartment. We also hung out with friends in Brasilia (one of which I had been introduced to by a friend I have in the States) and another is a childhood friend of E's who lives in Brasilia. We had lunch, drove around the city in the neighborhoods where they live, met their family members, and were given a friendly introduction to the city. In addition, my friend AP took us to the post office to make sure our CPFs (the equivalent to the SSN) were "regular" and that my maiden name was changed to my married name on mine. (I had gotten it years ago in Manaus when I was single). So we had to visit voting registration for E to pay a small fine for not having voted while living in the U.S. for 4 years. This constituted a lot of running around, but in the end it all got resolved (at a cheap price) and then AP treated us to a delicious afternoon meal.

Once the other two Americans arrived we had a short tour of some major attractions in Brasilia and then went to lunch with our executive director and we spent time with her. Our second week was then spent driving around to various places to make sure that we have registered with the federal police, that the other girls have their CPFs, that we have bank accounts, etc. We also had to have our medical exams for our health insurance (and that doctor was from Manaus - small world). We've filled out information for our dental plan as well. And finally, at the end of last week we had orientation and introductions to the school - just for the new teachers. We were given a tour of the school and the elementary school teachers were given their classrooms. The middle and high school are in the process of having new classrooms built, so I don't know yet where I'll be teaching, but it'll all be worked out. At least I have my schedule.

And this last week was the first week of school; it was the pedagogical week for teachers. It was full of meetings and introductions, delicious breakfasts and lunches, a time for us to collaborate (if just a bit), and I was able to look over my curriculum maps and plan out the first quarter for the three classes that I'll be teaching this year - 9th, 11th, and 12th grade. I'm very grateful to the English department for their assistance, especially to the other 11th/12th grade teacher, a friendly/knowledgeable Canadian, and my coordinator, a North American born/raised in Ecuardor and now living in Brazil. There are not just a number of nations representated in the students at my school, but in the staff as well. There are Brazilians, a Canadian, Ecuadorian, Cuban, Spanish, Americans, and probably more.

I was given lots of resources to help me start out the year - articles, a movie, lesson plans, a workbook, and textbooks. I'll need to do a lot of reading on my own this weekend and make sure that my plans are all set for the first week of school. I'd say I'm more nervous than excited. I'm just glad to have support from other teachers to make my transition smoother. If I were on my own I'd be in trouble...With that being said, my schools follows the North American curriculum so I'm not too much out of my element.

This is basically how my last 18 days have gone. But what I should throw in here is that it's not all been work. I've done city explorations on my own, with E, and with friends. I've watched famous MMA fighters train, E and I have eaten Brazilian food that we'd missed greatly, we've taken the bus and the metro with no problems, we've gone to a huge rock concert with bands from all over the country and the US, and we've still got a lot more to do. E has returned to school; he's taking a course that he is really enjoying a learning a lot at and is busy job searching, getting his transcripts from Manaus, and finding schools where he can continue with this studies.

I feel like we have just only begun our sightseeing. In fact, I have just made plans (that still need to be finalized) to travel to a neighboring state next weekend to "get out of town" and to see more of Brazil. As of today I've only been to 5 states - Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas, Sao Paulo, and Distrito Federal. There are still 22 more states to visit, and I barely "know" Brasilia. I'm beyond excited about all that I will get to experience, see, feel, and taste while in this gorgeous country. So with that said, time for me to clean my apartment and head out.

Cheers to Not Going Alone

I've been doing more and more thinking about the actual day that we move to Brasilia and may I say, I'm increasingly becoming more excited. Big surprise, I know. See, the last time that E and I really traveled internationally together was when he moved from Brazil to the U.S. (I say "he" because I arrived first and then returned to get him). We have traveled outside of the U.S. together, but our drive across the Canadian border to Niagara Falls and our cruise to the Caribbean don't really count. I mean, we don't even have stamps in our passports to prove we even left the country. Therefore, now that we're moving all the way to Brazil, I'm feeling quite excited. You know how I much I love to travel. travel. travel. And travel abroad is even more exhilarating. Add that to moving abroad and you can imagine how I feel. The thing is that I love to live overseas.  

It's actually kind of funny that each time that I graduate from school/college I'm simultaneously preparing for a move abroad. In high school it was my adventure to Bolivia to be an exchange student. Two months after my college graduation I embarked for Brazil to spend a year teaching in the rainforest. Fast forward 7 years and I've graduated again and now I prepare to head off to Brazil (again) in fewer than 6 weeks. Each time in the past I was going alone, unfamiliar with my destination, yet extremely excited about the adventure and the unknown. But this time is different. Brasilia is still a city I can only daydream about since I have never visited it nor thought much of doing so in the past 5 years or so. However, I'm not going alone. I don't have to worry (though I never really did previously) about not having any friends or not knowing too much about what to expect. Yes, I've been to Brazil before, and even lived there, but I still don't know what my life will be like there - as an expat in the capital with a job similar to the one I have here.

This time, this move abroad, I will not go alone. I will go with my husband. Oh yeah, and the cat :).  Not only do I get to travel again with E, which I love, but I also will be able to hold someone's hand as I move from my old life to my new life. I will already have a friend, I will know someone else who's going through the same uncertainties as me, and I can double my luggage allowance. 

Flight number...well, almost

We heard back from the travel agent today who heard from the school. They've made another reservation for us to fly from Orlando to Brasilia (the first one may not have been the best situation for us), and hopefully by tomorrow our tickets will be purchased. Yeahhh!

I won't say too much until they have been bought, but this appears to be the best deal for us.  I'm excited and will feel wonderful once everything is taken care of regarding our flight.

I don't want to worry about packing, shipping, or travelling with a cat, but I do realize that this is all part of moving abroad. I guess I should be grateful that we don't own a home or that we won't be moving to an unfurnished apartment. Now that would give me something to complain about. All of this, well, it'll all work itself out in the end.

I'll keep you updated as to who we fly with, what's the deal on shipping and our cat, and when we depart.

We have a lot to look forward to, that's for sure.




PS: By the way, this is my 100th post :)

Time to buy the tickets

I am so excited that I can feel my emotions whelm up inside of me. I almost don't sound how cheesy that sounds. The travel agency in Brasilia that the school uses contacted me today to make our travel arrangements. Under my contract, the school has to pay for my travel to and from Brazil; they will purchase my ticket moving to Brazil, and then again after my 2-year contract (even if I renew my contract and continue to work at the school).

The school is generously buying E's ticket (for us to reimburse) so that he can fly with me, for sure. I thought that was kind and it's welcoming because this means one less thing for me/us to take care of.

The travel agent contacted me with information that they need from us in order to purchase the tickets:

Passport number:
Expiration date: day, month, year
Nationality of passport:
Nationality of passenger:
Date of birth:
Last name as it is on the passport:
First name as it is on the passport:
Middle name as it is on the passport:
Date of departure:
Airport of departure:
Frequent flyer number:
Preference of seat:
Any relevant information will be welcome:

Once I sent the answers to the travel agent, she provided me with the possible airlines and their schedules to Brasilia so that we can see what our options are. God knows that Copa Airlines is much much cheaper than either TAM or Delta (we have sky miles with them). That's fine with me! Their pet policy is pet friendly :).

I'll post more once our tickets are bought.

I passed!!

I am happy to announce that I have passed my MA comprehensive examinations, with distinction. I will be graduating in less than a month. What a sense of accomplishment. Hard work does pay off.

Shipping media mail to Brazil

Tonight I received the teacher handbook from my school in Brazil and it was full of helpful information and great tips for someone moving to Brasilia. Makes the trip even more real and me an even more very excited and anxious person!

In addition, I found out that there IS a way to ship books and other printed matter to an international address. Great news! I thought that media mail was only a treat for us bibliophiles shipping books/magazines within the United States.

This is what my school sent regarding "m-bags":

"The cheapest way to send books from the USA is M-Bag through the U.S. Postal Service. Mbags

are a special service to send books or printed matter to an international address at a

reduced postage rate. It usually takes one to two weeks, but it might take much longer. Send

books in your name to the school. Be sure to pack all books in strong boxes!!!"

For more information, visit the USPS website:

260 Direct Sacks of Printed Matter to One Addressee (M–bags)

261 Description

261.1 General

M-bags are defined as direct sacks of printed matter (see 261.22) sent to a single foreign addressee at a single address. There are three types of M–bags: Airmail M-bags, International Priority Airmail (IPA) M-bags, and International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) M-bags. All M-bags are subject to the following conditions of mailing:

1. Maximum weight of a sack: 66 pounds (including the tare weight of the sack). Lower maximum weights apply to certain countries. See the Individual Country Listings.
2. Availability: All destinations that are referenced in the Individual Country Listings for Airmail M-bags, in Exhibit 292.452 for IPA M-bags, and in Exhibit 293.452 for ISAL M-bags.
3. Identification: PS Tag 158, M–bag Addressee Tag, must be completed and attached to the neck of the sack.
4. Postage: The applicable postage for Airmail M-bags, International Priority Airmail (IPA), and International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) must be affixed to PS Tag 158.
5. Extra services: Certificate of mailing is available. Registry and insurance are not available.

261.2 Eligibility

261.21 Printed Matter

Printed matter is admissible in M-bags. Articles that meet the definition of “printed matter” include newspapers, magazines, journals, books, sheet music, catalogs, directories, commercial advertising, and promotional matter. “Printed matter” is defined as follows:

1. Papers upon which words, letters, characters, figures, images, or any combinations thereof appear.
2. Papers that do not have the character of a bill or statement of account.
3. Papers that do not have the character of current and personal correspondence.

261.22 Other Articles

Certain other articles may be enclosed in M-bags, provided that all of the following conditions of mailing are met:

1. The articles being sent are limited to discs, tapes, and cassettes; commercial samples shipped by manufacturers and distributors; or other non-dutiable commercial articles or informational materials that are not subject to resale.
2. The articles are related to the printed matter (see 261.21) with which they are being mailed.
3. The articles are affixed to or are otherwise combined with the accompanying printed matter.
4. The combined weight of each printed matter mailpiece and the related articles may not exceed 4 pounds.
5. The M-bag must be accompanied by a fully completed PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN 22 — Sender’s Declaration (green label), which is to be affixed to PS Tag 158, M-bag Addressee Tag.

261.23 Mail Not Sealed Against Inspection

M-bags are not sealed against inspection. Regardless of physical closure, the mailing of an M-bag, including an airmail, IPA, or ISAL M-bag, constitutes consent by the mailer to inspection of the contents.

Going once....going twice....sold!

My husband told me this afternoon that he feels like he's in Brazil. He means that in his mind he's in Brazil; this of course was said as he was taking off his t-shirt while driving. To my delight, he's constantly talking about the move, and since it's almost March and I've applied for my visa, we're starting to feel like we're really on our way. I can't concentrate as much at work and when I'm supposed to be studying. I read blogs and make lists and dream of Brazil. Probably not the most responsible thing to do, but I can't help it. I'm excited.

I have started to post ads on-line about the sale of our belongings and to my surprise have received a lot of "hits" from interested buyers. We are basically going to sell everything, with the exception of our valuables, my books, and our electronics. Anything that is of value in Brazil, or a rarity, is what we are going to ship down, or take with us.

The first item that we sold was an old laptop. It was one that I bought when I first moved to Florida and used extensively, especially when E was still in Brazil and the phone and computer were our major means of communications. The laptop was easy to sell and we received a good deal for it, considering it's age and current capabilities.

I am also working on making arrangements with people who are interested in buying our furniture - desks, bookshelves, drawers, etc. My goal is to sell everything little by little so that we're not overwhelmed later and so we don't sell all of our furniture now and spend weeks or months sitting on the floor and with no place to put anything that is left behind.

Also, my family is planning another trip to Florida before we leave and I can't ask my parents to sleep somewhere uncomfortable because we sold everything.

In addition to selling things, we will also need to buy items that we want to have in Brazil. My husband wants a GPS (well, he's wanted one for years), and I want a Kindle. I never thought I'd ever want an e-reader because I love books: the feel, the smell, the pages, etc.; however, as I started to think more about the lack of English language books in Brazil, I decided that it was something that I couldn't do without. So I got excited about the Kindle and figured if E was going to get his GPS, then I'd might as well put them on the same order.

I also plan on buying DVDs of shows that I know I'll want to watch in the future - like Tru Blood and Sex in the City. What I don't already own I'll need to make sure I purchase before we depart, and I'm afraid that is just the chip off the iceberg. Well, at least all of the shopping will be fun.

And next thing we know, we'll be in Brazil before we know it.

I can't wait to have a maid

You know I tell E all the time that one of the reasons I want to move back to Brazil is to have a maid (or rather a housekeeper/cook). This is not entirely true, of course, but there is a reason I say it. Although he doesn't say much, as he is a man of few words, I know he's thinking "yes, me too".

Now I don't know how (in)expensive it is to hire someone in Brasília to help you out around the house a couple of times a week, but it is an investment I am willing to make. I should start out by saying that I do prefer the word "secretaria" (secretary) to maid, but I think it's just easier to say the latter since it is not common to have a maid (for lack of a better word) in the United States and that's the word we know. In Manaus, most of my friends and students referred to their maids as their "secretaries" and I thought that that was appropriate. I mean, let's be honest, that's what they were. Now I don't want, or need, to have someone live with me (never!) or even to come to the house every day. We're only two people; we don't make that much of a mess. But I have a husband who loves to eat Brazilian food and who better to cook it than a Brazilian woman? Also, I'd LOVE to have help cleaning, so that is what I look forward to more than anything.

Now as far as maids go in the U.S., I only knew of one man  when I was growing up who had a housekeeper visit his house weekly to help clean up, but he had money. Apart from him, I had never met people with maids until I moved to South America. Everyone had one or two there. One of the families that I lived with in Bolivia had two live-in maids. I didn't even have to make my bed or clear the table. Now I do see a lot of families in Florida with housekeepers since there are a number of women who have cleaning companies and/or work as housekeepers to help support themselves. It is actually less expensive at this time to hire a maid in central Florida because of all of the competition.


Anyway, back to my excitement.....I'm really looking forward to hiring a woman to come to my house on a weekly basis to cook and (help us) clean. I mean, I've seriously considered hiring someone to help me on a monthly basis now, or at least during the week of my birthday, but it hasn't happened - and therefore probably won't before we move. I was never too sure I wanted to part with whatever money we would be charged in the event of hiring a maid.

But now just thinking that housekeepers/cooks are affordable, and quite frankly common, in Brazil makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. Now E can have all the rice and beans that he wants - and I can pay to have my bathroom cleaned.

South America: What's not to love?

I have had the absolute pleasure, and let's be real, the extraordinary opportunity(ies) to travel, work, and study in various countries in South America. For some reason, out of the blue - while working out at the gym (because there you'll have time to think), I thought about this tremendous, diverse continent and how much I love to be there.

Not only am I anxiously awaiting my move to Brazil, but I'm secretly planning adventures to surrounding countries that I would either like to return to or that I'd like to explore for the first time. I'm not going to say too much more about that yet except that we do have an invitation to a wedding in Colombia in December 2011. Yeah!!

Until today I've been fortunate enough to live, work, travel to, and/or study in:

Bolivia (Cochabamba, La Paz, Santa Cruz, Sucre)

Perú (Cusco, Ayacucho, Lima)

Uruguay (Montevideo, Punto del Este, Colonia, Flores)

Argentina (Buenos Aires)

Brazil (Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Manaus, Itacoitiara, Presidente Figueiredo)

Show me Brasília

As I attempt to avoid my school work, I ran across an interesting, educational video on Brasília and its culture that I wanted to post; but because the image was not very clear, and it was in Portuguese, I decided to search for others. Instead, here are a couple of videos that I found about Brasília that show some of the beauty and uniqueness of this man made city. 

Brasília is barely 50 years old and was created to transfer the capital city awat from the southeast of the country. It was planned and built with the intention of being an asthetically pleasing city. I'd say that the architect Oscar Niemeyer succeeded. Enjoy!







Of course after watching these videos I'm even more ecstatic and anxious about my move; just thinking that this city will be my home soon enough gives me the goosebumps. I can't help that all that I want to do is travel (and live abroad). So, with my move only about 6 months away, I think about it all the time. I'm especially excited because I know very little about Brasília and the unknown is always exciting for me.

In fact, when I ponder back on the trips that I've made abroad, whether for school, pleasure, or work, I realize that when I ended up in cities/countries that I knew little or nothing about, I always had the best time. I don't expect this upcoming trip adventure to be any different.

For more information, visit Brasília: The Brazil's Capital

Brasília's Metro

I don't know why stumbling across a map of Brasília's metro made me even more excited to arrive in the city, but it did. I guess it just makes it more "real" since I am seeing a layout of the city that I will soon be calling home.

The map that I found is of the metro's numerous routes and they are color coded like other major cities do (i.e. New York City and Rio de Janeiro). I like this particular map because the city's neighborhoods are labeled and this should help us orientate ourselves better.

The school where I will be working is located in Lago Sul, adjacent to Brasília's Botanical Garden. I really like that fact. We haven't found an apartment yet so I can't way where our neighborhood will be, but I hope that it's relatively close to the school and the garden.

Source: Companhia do Metropolitano do Distrito Federal

200 days

So we have about 200 days before we move to Brazil. Even though our departure is months away, I'm trying to feel the excitement of the new opportunities for BOTH of us, of upcoming travel to a city we've never been to, and at the same time, return to a country that we both love.

In short, I have fewer than 200 days to sort, discard, donate, sell, and pack. In a nutshell.

Sounds like a lot of work, but I don't mind any of it, even driving back and forth to Miami in one day so we can finally register our marriage.