Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Ola,
Feliz Natal
Merry Christmas.
I feel like the Grinch atop of Whoville looking down (via instagram) on those below, enjoying all their festivities and their xmas boozing, driving home for Christmas and fireplace snoozing.
I say this because here, there is no Christmas excitement, a few things in the window and a few polar bears on TV. But there's no atmosphere around it, and with the heat pushing the 40's it doesn't really feel like Christmas at all. I think I've listened to about 4 Christmas songs, not including the annoying jingle bells jazz on repeat in the supermarket.
Here, I'm hearing from many people that the families tend to get together on Christmas eve and although they will spend Christmas day together, its more low-key. it's more about the day before, families celebrating the turn of Christmas at midnight and some exchanging gifts then instead.
I have no idea how Santa gets them here, or why he comes here first from the north pole, maybe he pops over after Australia but still, shouldn't he fly with the time zone? There's a few other holes in their Santa story that probably need answering first, such as why he wears a coat down here? Stresses me out. It's far too hot, I have the fan on full blast and I am still sweating my baubles off. Before I crossed the road to get to the sun, I now cross to hide in the shade. It's only the first weekend of summer and I'm genuinely a little scared of what's to come.
Though with the weather heating up there is a building excitement towards summer which means Carnaval, but before that everyone is talking about and looking forward to New Years Eve, where they will all wear white and in Rio, they will gather on Copacabana beach for what I hear is the best fireworks I'll ever see. Big praise, I've seen Andrew explode a plant pot at face level, whilst we all poked our heads over a wall.
So there's plenty to look forward to and while it may not feel very Christmassy and I'm not counting on there being snow, that's okay, I can skip it for one year, I'm already promising myself that I'll be home for next year. For this year I caught wind of a hostel who feeds the homeless so I thought that might be a good thing to do.
I was right, it was great fun and very interesting, they all seemed to appreciate it. I must be honest, I wasn't the most helpful in terms of actually feeding them. There seemed to be many gringo hands, which is a great thing, so I began chatting with the homeless people. One man, Romeo, began telling me his story, in fluent English. Why he chose his sleeping spot and his views on the world. He has a sister in America, who he is beefing with, and another who died of a drug overdose even after he went Liam Neeson to get her back from some bad men. He tells me how he lost everything and people were trying to contain him, how he's into sex, drugs and rock and roll and doesn't feel free in the enslavement of society, although he did agree he doesn't feel free in his current situation either.
It developed into a fantastic conversation on the education system and was really interesting to speak with him and a few others, of whom I could only speak a bit more basically with. There were two Americans giving them hair-cuts and a group of the homeless who played instruments while others sang along, all in Santa hats. The food looked good and I had not had lunch but I couldn't really, could I? I didn't. I already felt a bit guilty sharing a few beers with a local barman, particularly as one or two asked for some and I wasn't really sure whether I could. But they appreciated the food, many coming up to us to thank us and tell us how tasty it was. Although I wasn't sure if they were describing the food or the 'waitresses'. Some definitely were.
There were a few sketchy moments, a few began to argue with each other, shouting across tables and had to be calmed down. Also when a transperson came into the bar and a few began heckling her and the gay guy she was with. She obviously did not appreciate this and it became more heated when the barman I had drank with began to give the gay guy shit aswell. Their friend tarred me with the same brush as him and looked at me with a face like thunder even after I told him I agreed with him. But thankfully the barmen left as did a few of the louder homeless people and it calmed down a bit.
It was a great thing overall for most, they appreciated the company and it felt good, but to balance things out, I hope to be on the golf course one day this week, taking inspiration from my Uncle Gino who chose to do this last year, although I can't quite understand how he played in the cold. I'm definitely a fair(or more)weather golfer. So from the homeless to the golf course, I'm swinging both ways on this one... well when in Rio.
Its been nice to have a few weeks to myself and relax, catch up on things, particularly as I have had no phone to distract me or grab my attention.
I've spent days in coffee shops and bars reading or at times just sitting, and am finding myself being able to read for longer or let my mind wander off on ideas or solutions without it cycling back round to me and my mind. Mostly.
I definitely felt better for not having a phone for a while and honestly would like to go without one, but for all the downside it is a necessity and I have a new one, well old one, so my new number is +55 (21) 97246-4759. Holla at ya boy.
As I said, it's been nice, for all the good that comes with this lifestyle, it can feel very busy and unsettled at times. From the first month travelling, to settling into a new job and two apartments, sorting a second visa, learning a new language/culture and meeting lots of new people, it can be quite a lot of things to do.
I'm definitely feeling more settled but time flies by very quickly and before you know it, they want to kick you out of the country again and the visa procedure has many niggly bits to it, so it's important to start early. So from now and throughout most of January, time will be spent sorting the next visa, becoming a student and studying Portuguese so I can stay here just a little bit longer, for at least Carnaval.
First looking at all the procedure, was quite overwhelming and the amount of effort required seemed like a lot and would seem to take up the majority of my time, and also not that cheap considering I want to stay for like 1 month. It seemed long and I could not be arsed, already turning my thoughts about which country to head to next.
But when Jose called me out for being lazy. I laughed as I realised it was exactly what this is and I have began making movements.
Truth being, the visa feels like a cloud over me. Not a particularly dark or large cloud but a cloud nonetheless, it's the uncertainty of it all. I had a few weeks where I could live without having to think to the future or to the next thing as well as having no obligations. But for now, its back to making sure I can stay here, I'm taking the steps, and having already completed most of them, that I can do for now anyway, the cloud seems to be fading and what was once overwhelming is becoming increasingly easy. one step at a time.
Now although I call it a cloud, and it feels like that, it got me thinking about how lucky I am. The toughest part of my life is going through bureaucracy, but if that fails me, my next move will be where to live next? Argentina, Chile, Peru or Colombia, all of which will make me richer by default. Or go home to England, after the cold. That's a pretty cushty deal and despite the stressors that will inevitably occur throughout this process, the back up options are great paths also.
There are people who will be going through the same bureaucracy and uncertainty in countries around the globe and the importance of their outcomes could break up families or even be a matter of life and death. There are people in America right now going through these procedures to be with their young daughters and sons. There are people seeking asylum from countries who, if denied, could be sent back to a war-zone. There are those who are gay who could face deportation to a country where they would be killed for being who they are and loving who they want.
This has put things in perspective. I may have a cloud blocking a clear blue sky, but the sun still shines, brightly. There are those with blankets of grey, those with thunderstorms and those who have never seen the sun.
This includes those who are currently European citizens living in Britain and Brits living in Europe who are under massive amounts of uncertainty at the moment, I believe, and they may be forced to leave behind lives they have created. I haven't caught a lot of whats going on back home with Brexit but from here it appears to be a shit show. I have a lefty and a righty feeding me strands of information together and there seemed to be a lot of fuss over Jeremy Corbyn calling the sky blue or something?
But these things aside and to the now, I will be thinking of you all back home drinking together and getting cosy from the cold. It's been lovely to speak to people back home and hear of their respective Christmas plans. I synchronised watching Die Hard with Berty which was a Christmas itself and been in a lot of contact with my Mum and Dad who will be over to visit for a week in January!
In the meantime in between darting between government offices filling out forms, I'm finding great solace and peace of mind in coffee shops and bars as well as in even the smallest interactions with friends and locals alike. I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and a fun-filled new year.
Feliz Natal a todos e a todas uma boa noite!
