After nearly 8 months of no real fixed address, my family and I moved into our home in Calgary, Canada in November. Although I had many reservations about returning to Calgary, I love the home and community we've chosen and it's been wonderful to reconnect with old friends and family. Of course it's no Vancouver but I'm doing my best to bloom where I'm planted ;) We bought a 1930s home and I'm having a ball decorating it in vibrant colors after 3 years of white walls! We are also enjoying incorporating our treasures from Brazil into our new decor.
I am constantly asked if I miss Brazil, and yes, I do. I always will. The Canadoca spends time each week with a Brazilian "Baba" who speaks only Portuguese to her, and yes, she still watches Xuxa and we listen to her in the car. I wasn't sure how much Portuguese she was really retaining but the other day when the baba told her she could watch Xuxa after she finished her snack and she hightailed it into her chair the evidence was certainly there.
We make feijoada, listen to more Portuguese music now than we did while in Brazil, gaze at our Brazilian art, and cherish our memories of our three year adventure. I still haven't watched the Rio movie, though... However, it had to end sometime and the time was right for Mr. DRL. He is enjoying being a founding member of yet another startup here in Calgary and we are both enjoying having him work less hours and having a less-than-10-minute commute.
I don't think I ever allowed myself to fully process how difficult it was to be away from family with a young child, or perhaps I didn't realize it being that she was my first baby, but now I don't think I could leave that behind again anytime soon. My parents now live 4 hours away, which is still quite far by some standards, but feels like a treat to us. Last weekend my mom decided at 5:30 pm on Friday to spontaneously come visit for the weekend. It's great.
Now that the dust is starting to settle (and is it ever - especially without a Brazilian maid!) I'm starting to think about what's next for me, I need a new project.... I miss blogging about Brazil. Thank you for allowing me to share my experiences over the past few years, it has meant more to me than I could possibly express.
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