My mom and sister arrived today from Canada to visit us and meet our new daughter. (Let's get serious, there's just one reason there's here...)
Having a baby away from home was easier than I thought. I thought it would make me incredibly homesick. It hasn't. Maybe that's because I knew my mom & sister were coming?
The expat community in Rio have been fabulous to us. We've had dozens of meals delivered, many visits, and there is even a baby shower planned. It sure makes it easier to be away from family and old friends back home with this kind of support. Amazing.
My husband's coworkers have also been incredibly supportive and generous. Although one thing did really surprise me - as I've written about before, since arriving over a year ago there have been VERY FEW gestures or efforts made towards social contact with us by his coworkers. Ok, fine, fair enough. But then I have a baby and all of a sudden everyone makes us a priority. We had to pretend to check out of the hospital earlier than we did to prevent a bunch of his coworkers from coming to see us there. I found this very interesting - it seems to be a cultural difference. Back home, new hospital rules restrict anyone other than the baby's parents, siblings and grandparents from visiting the hospital unless they are a "birth coach" support person. Here, it's a free for all and everyone you've ever met shows up, it seems.
I was not exactly okay with having these people there for such intimate moments, considering that in the past they could not have even been bothered to ask me to lunch when I was new in town, but yet expected to come to the hospital to be among the first to see my new baby when we were exhausted and enjoying our own alone time. I didn't see any need for it! Yes I did have friends visit us in the hospital, but they were invited by us. And it was great to have them.
I definitely was a bit put off by this attitude by the coworkers. Even when Mr. DRL first shared the news of my pregnancy with the coworkers, a few offered tips/suggestions/to have their wife call me/get together. I was not interested. By that time I'd made my own friends and after having been completely ignored by all of these people when we were new in town I felt like - now that I'm pregnant I'm all of a sudden important? Strange. Where were you people when I needed to find out where to buy meat? haha!
All of that aside, baby's reception has been very positive here in Brazil, be it our friends, the coworkers, strangers on the street, you name it. Although everyone does think she is a boy (she does not have pierced ears).
I will write soon about my hospital experiences! Until then, I am hanging with baby, nana & auntie...
(It's a good thing I am the only one who can feed little baby DRL otherwise for the next couple weeks I doubt I'd even get to hold her!)
Just stopped by to say Congratulations! So glad all went well and I hope you are having an awesome time getting settled with your new baby girl. I've been traveling and not keeping up with my expat blog reading lately. Best wishes!
Posted by: Lori | June 10, 2009 at 06:52 PM
Thank you!
Posted by: Daily Rio Life | June 22, 2009 at 09:46 PM