Things to Bring When You Move to Brasil

Okay, so whenever moving to another country, people always want to know what they should bring. I have decided to compile this list after living in Brasil for seven months. I love living in Brasil, but there are is also something to be said for having products to use that you are familiar with. Creating a home in a new country must be a mix of the old and the new. Little comforts from home can make a big difference when you are adjusting to a new life. The first time you come to Brasil (if you have a work visa) you can bring in almost anything you want. We had a number of friends bring in all of these items, though of course I cannot promise you wouldn't have problems going through customs. Anything with a star is something that I have not been able to find yet. Everything else is just so much more expensive, its worth dragging here in your suitcase. Brasil is also one of the only countries that you can bring two 70 lb suitcases to for free. I am not sure how the policy was put in place but all of the airlines we have flown have this exception for travelers coming or leaving Brasil. It's great!

Packing List
Electronics in Brasil are very expensive and not quite as reliable... at least the brands we can afford. These are all items we have learned to live without, but would use on a regular basis.
-out flat screen t.v.
-dvd player
-speaker set for Ipod
-waffle iron
-large george foreman grill
-toaster oven
-blender (the ones here are entirely plastic)
-mixer

Clothing
-men's polo shirts
-men's dress khakis
-men's leather sandals
-workout clothes
-running shoes (they can be up to 4 xs the price here)
*I don't seem to have a problem finding affordable women's clothes, there are a lot of cute dresses for sale

Food Items
-pancake mix*
-real maple syrup*
-Ghiradelli brownie mix*
-chocolate chips*
-peanut butter*
-ziplock bags*
-cereal (kashi crunch, organic brands)*
-trail mix

Doggie Wish List
-squeaky tennis balls*
-jerky bones
-bully sticks*
-peanut butter*

Household
-fluffy towels
-linens

Toiletries
-high quality shampoo and conditioner
-deodorant (we can only find roll on)*
-spray on sunscreen
-contact lenses

If you live or have lived in Brasil and have anything to add, I would love the input. This list is a work in progress and I want to compile as complete a list as possible for expats.

Bad Dog Pele! Very BAD Dog!

It began on a hot steamy Wednesday night. Jake was sick with a high fever one degree away from taking him to the hospital for ice baths. I was pretty beat from trying to run around and do a million things. I awoke in the middle of the night to a horrible smell. It was as though something had died in our bedroom and the air conditioner and fan had thoroughly spread the god awful scent to every corner of the room. Some people say the scent of your own baby's poop won't really bother you. Personally, I have always been highly suspicious of such an optimistic statement involving poop. However, I can assure you that one never stops smelling a puppy's poop and tonight it was especially fragrant.

I threw a pillow over Jake's head, luckily he did not think I was trying to smother him in his sleep as he was drugged up on Nyquil. Then, I flicked on the lights and began to peer around. I couldn't find the poop anywhere and the smell wasn't getting any better. I tried to fall back asleep but was eventually driven to sleep in the hammock in our living room because of the stench.

Thursday morning, I scrubbed the floor on my hands and knees and mopped it three times. We found one spot that seemed a little extra stinky, but could not find any actual signs of poop. Now, Pele likes to add the occasional self created snack to his menu (he is now on special don't eat your poop medication) so we gave up. I bought some verbena oil to mask the vile scent and it did seem to get better. Only that night it wasn't. The smell was haunting me, I felt dirty just being in the room, much less trying to sleep there. Where was the (insert some vile words) poop?

Friday morning arrived. Now, I can be fairly easy going, most of the time, but sleeping in a poop/verbena scented room was not going to happen again. I was determined and armed with a role of paper towels, cleaner, and trash bags. I sprayed, scrubbed, and cleaned. Finally, driven to desperation I moved the bed and started cleaning under it. As I stretched my arms under the bed to reach a spot, something small, brown, and torpedo shaped caught the corner of my eye. What kind of dog would commit such a horrendous crime?

Recently, Pele had taken to scooting around under the bed on his back. It was really pretty cute. However, on that dark and steamy night, Pele took his fun one step farther... he dug into the box spring. He crawled up and scampered around. But that was not enough for Pele or maybe he got trapped up there and had to go. I must say my instinct perceives darker motives. Pele pooped four times in the box spring before he returned to sleep innocently on his dog bed.

Since his conviction, life had changed a little for Pele. He now sleeps in the bathroom. Cesar Millan says dogs need boundaries, well Pele now has four tiled walls and a door. Could even Cesar Millan have predicted such outrageous behavior?

6 Months in Rio...

We have lived in Rio for six months, rapidly approaching seven months. How has my life changed? What hasn't changed? In Colorado, I worked, worked out, took the dog to the dog park, went climbing at the Boulder Rock Club, ate Sunday dinners with my family, and hung out with a few good friends at CB&Potts regularly. Life seemed pretty straight forward. I started to get restless when I realized it made more sense to save for a down payment on a house than it did to continue renting. The idea terrified me. In many ways, I knew I would enjoy decorating a home, planting a garden (though I cannot keep house plants alive), and having a place to truly call my own. I think Jake and I could have made a good life in the U.S. I always would have wondered though... what would it be like to take the plunge and move to another country?

I miss seeing my mom and dad. My dad always made me give the cat a kiss, though it is quite clear the cat does not want a kiss from me. Have you ever tried to give an unwilling cat a kiss? The dog would snuggle against Jake and get him as furry as possible. For five years, Jake would accidentally wear black up to my parent's house every Sunday. Jake's more of an intellectual than a planner. I miss seeing the Rocky Mountains jutting out of the golden prairie as I drove home from work each night, the nights when the sunset was so spectacular, I almost wrecked the car. Honestly, one time I was craning my neck out the window in awe of the swirled palate of colors and I hit the curb. I never did tell Jake about that one, the car seemed okay. However, missing life in Colorado does not consume me. It is good to miss some things, it helps you to know what you value.

In Rio, I am not on the extended vacation people assume when they hear you've moved to Rio de Janeiro. People picture gorgeous babes in thongs on the beach. A nonstop party every night of the week. Endless samba dancing. Living in another country can be a lot like living in any country. After all, you are living a day to day existence where you have to find a way to feed and clothe yourself. In many ways, work is the same as it was in Colorado. There are petty frustrations, the usual bureaucracy, and long work days. The work week flies by, a mixture of every emotion. So what has really changed about my life? Why did we move to another country?

It all comes down to moments like last night.

After work, I showered, guzzled some caffeine, went to two stores to find xixi (pee) pads for our puppy and headed home. All pretty normal and boring. We grabbed the dogs and headed down to Ipanema beach to meet friends. Drinking beers, watching the sun set, and getting kicked off of the beach because of our dogs (this happens a few times a week), moving our beach chairs to sit by the board walk with the dogs... all pretty normal. Just some of the perks of living in a beach town.

Later on, Mark took Xuxa down to the water for a joyous run... he came back up and his flip flops were missing. I felt a little guilty since the flip flops had been within a few feet of me. Then, my eyes zoomed in on a homeless man wearing some navy blue flip flops with white straps, definitely Jake's. Our friend Chivas, a Canadian married to a Brazilian, offered to go and get Mark's flip flops back. They went over and started talking to the guy. The guy offered to give them back to Jake, he had thought some one had just forgotten them on the beach. This make sense, because few people hang out at the scene of the crime.

As the guys were talking, I took in a glimpse of this man's life. One ankle had a duck tape rigged cast. His feet were dirty with cracked and swollen heels. Over his shoulder was a black trash bag full of cans he was collecting. He had passed by our table a few times that evening and always been gracious and polite when he asked for our empty cans. Our lives were very different.

Then, in the same moment Jake look over at me as the guy was passing back the flip flops. A realization flickered across his face... he turned and gave the flip flops to the man. He needed them more than Jake did.

These are the moments...moments when I fall in love with my husband all over again. Moments when I see my life with more clarity. Jake and I have opened ourselves up to another culture and country. To new experiences. I hope I grow as a human being in my experience, compassion, and knowledge of the world's people. I am so lucky in so many ways. I have so much, so many have so little, I think I need to start doing more...

Why didn't I? The least I could have done was buy the man a cold beer on such a hot night. It wouldn't have been much, it would have been something so little, but maybe all of the little somethings could add up to a big something someday.

Sweat

Okay, okay, so maybe this is not the most life changing or soul searching topic you have read... but have you ever spent significant time in the tropics? Vacations and travel do not count! I thought I had experienced the heat before, but living it is another matter. Working, cleaning, cooking, walking the dogs, grocery shopping, I should just throw the towel in and wear my workout clothes. I find myself pausing in front of stores that blast their air conditioning out onto the sidewalk. Shamelessly, standing there and feeling slightly cooler, if only for a moment. Do they leave their doors open to tempt us in with their cool air? Is it cheaper than advertising?

You may also be wondering about the graceful "sweaters". Yes, they are out there. Somehow, these women (and some men) wear their sweat as an elegant healthy glow. Their hair curls ever so wistfully, and their clothes never soak and stick. They stroll the streets in temperatures in the high 90's as cool as chameleons. Is there a secret I do not know? Do they smear deodorant all over their bodies? Where does the sweat go?

I am not an elegant "sweater". The moment I am in the heat the sweat begins to creep down my skin. I am sweating so much, it feels as though there is something crawling along my back. It runs in mini streams down my legs. By midmorning, my sweat-stache is in full force. I never knew my upper lip was prone to sweating profusely. It would be easy to feel angry at one's upper lip, but then I realize the poor thing is just trying to do its part. Every other conceivable place is dripping sweat, why shouldn't my upper lip. My ears have yet to start sweating, but I will not even pause when the medically improbable event occurs. This is the tropics or subtropics (input from Jake) after all.