10 years

Exactly 10 years ago I was living the first day of my life abroad. I had just finished my masters at the university in Portugal and left my country thinking that it would be temporary. Then, I moved to Szczecin, in Poland, a city in which being a foreigner was as difficult as to pronounce its name. 

Three years later, and tired of the closed minds that seem to surround me constantly, I moved to its antithesis: Brazil. It couldn't have been more different. I went from winter to summer, from half a million people to three and half, from a country with bad fruit and good meet to a country with bad meat and good fruit, from closed personalities to please don't share so much of your life with me. A year and half later my life changed forever and for so much better: me and Johan finally moved in together. Not only to the same country, but to the same apartment. We had fantastic experiences in South America. We explored places, very special places, otherwise so far from us. That was the best! That and our giant banquets of tropical fruits!

After living for three years in Brazil I moved again (and so did Johan) to Prague, in the Czech Republic. A city with incomparable charms and probably the most beautiful place I have ever lived in. The name was easier to pronounce, but my life was not that much better than in Poland. Again, I had to face closed minded people, including my boss, coming to regret my choice many times. I don't if I still do. I also don't know if it was really harder or if it felt harder because I was older and had other expectations for life. I did learn a bunch of lessons though, among which that it was time to choose a place to live, because it would make me happy and not just because there was a temporary job there. Slowly, we both understood that the right place to be would be Gothenburg, Johan's hometown. Our wish came true when Johan got a permanent job here and I quitted becoming jobless. That was 11 months ago.

When I talk with friends or ex-colleagues back in Portugal, I hear often how time goes so fast and has it really be ten years since you left? I do not feel that way. Actually, I feel quite the opposite. Has it really been only 10 years since I left? Have I really lived this much in just 120 months? Was it really just 3653 days since that terrified naif girl left her family and friends in tears to go and see the world? It was. 10 years of experiences, growth and lessons. So many lessons. 

I'm so different from that innocent girl with big dreams who dared to face world. I'm so proud of her! Life wasn't really as she dreamed but it was all worth it. The path might have been rough but I'm grateful for all the stones put in my way, because they made who I am today. I think I have never been this happy before. Deep inside, I'm still a small girl with big dreams. Different dreams, but a lot of them. The biggest difference between then and now is that, now I know that even if some of my dreams come true, it won't happen the way I think. I know there are a lot of hurdles waiting for me and a lot of stones on my way, but that's ok, because now I know. That's also why when asked if I wouldn't like to go back and live everything again I usually reply no, thank you. It would be really tough to go back and be my 10-years-ago-self again.

I prefer to celebrate! Celebrate these 10 years lived so intensively. Celebrate the now and everything I have achieved. Celebrate the future, uncertain and doubtful as it may be, but as it is supposed to be.

Let's celebrate!
Cheers!

The Newbie - Exercising outdoors in the winter

I remember moving here in January and thinking how these people were crazy to go out and run even if it was freezing. I also promised myself that one day it would become one of them. It turned out that it was not that difficult and with the right advice and clothes anyone can do it. Sure that if it's pouring rain I opte to exercise at home, but the cold doesn't scare me anymore.

I wrote a text about it for the Newbie Guide to Sweden. I included some tips I learned with my experience, although I feel I still have a lot more to learn. Always. 

If you are curious you can read the text here.

Lembro-me de me mudar para aqui em janeiro e pensar como essas pessoas são doidas porque saem para correr mesmo se estiver tudo congelando lá fora. Nessa altura também prometi a mim mesma que um dia me tornaria uma deles. Pouco tempo mais tarde descobri que afinal não é assim tão difícil e que ouvindo os ensinamentos dos que sabem e com as roupas adequadas qualquer pessoa o pode fazer. Claro que se estiver a chover a potes eu escolho fazer exercício em casa, mas o frio por si só já não me assusta.

Recentemente escrevi um texto sobre isso para o Newbie Guide to Sweden. Incluí algumas dicas que aprendi com a minha experiência, embora sinta que ainda há muito mais a aprender. Sempre.

Se quiserem ler o texto podem faze-lo aqui. 

My Tango career*

When we went to Buenos Aires we couldn't miss the opportunity to go to a tango show. Among the options we chose a package with a dance class, dinner and the show itself. It was fantastic! The teachers of the class were also performing later in the show and they we were so good that it is hard to describe. 

With those memories in our heads we didn't hesitate in signing up for a beginners course of tango, here in Gothenburg. We started by finding out that there are different kinds of tango. We would be learning the most common type, the one for milongas (dance gatherings), which is less expressive and less wow!, if compared to the one seen in the shows. That put me off a little bit, because I though if I was going to put my money, effort and time in learning a dance, let it be so I can shine like a star. That was still not a problem because every time the teachers danced with each other it look really cool. The problem was that it is waaayy more difficult than it looks. In the classes we were not just learning automatic steps, but the teachers insisted in correcting the whole body, and that is the most difficult. When I got the feet right I was told to watch out my frame, or my back, or my eyes, or whatever. Every time I tried to correct one of those I lost the feet. Or the frame. Or the back. Or the eyes. 

We almost looked like this... (photo from the internet)

It didn't help that my time to train was zero, because of everything else going on in school.

It didn't help that sometimes it felt like a business, with suggestions of more classes, workshops and training sessions during the weekends, for exorbitant prices (well, all prices are exorbitant in Sweden!).

It didn't help that we were forced to change partners now and then. Between the guy who thought he was better than he was, the guy who refused to speak to me (at first I thought he couldn't understand english, so I switched to swedish and it didn't work either. Later on I heard him talking a lot to another person in english, so I have to suppose the problem was me) and the guy that was so tall that made my arms hurt, the change became extremely stressful for me. Similar to Johan.

It didn't help that the class actually had others who were not beginners and I felt hopeless when dancing with them.

It didn't help that the other beginners missed classes now and then. Maybe as frustrated as we were?

It didn't help that winter came and leaving our warm and cosy flat, when it's dark and 0 ºC, became extremely difficult.

So last week... 20 minutes before we were supposed to leave for class, I said something like "I would rather go outside and run in shorts than go to class" (it was 2 ºC then). He stared at me, laughed and said "Should we really keep doing a hobby that we don't enjoy anymore?". The answer is obvious: no. A hobby shouldn't feel this hard! It shouldn't feel like an obligation. So we decided to stop. We were a bit sorry for the teachers because they are cool and made the class more fun, but it was really not working for us and we lost all our motivation. 

Maybe this was the end (and the beginning) of our tango career, or maybe one day we will try again. 

When we have more time. So probably when we retire or so!

*obviously a joke!

My blog's best friend

My blog made a friend - the Newbie Guide to Sweden. It all started when I became a guest blogger in the Newbie. I was afraid my blog would become jealous for having to share my attention with another page, but no, it behaved like a grown up. Of course, I had a serious conversation with both and explained how Às Voltas no Mundo will always be the light in my eyes, my world and my corner.

Still, both pages accommodated the other and they are now good friends. 

All this to say that my dearest Às Voltas no Mundo is recommended by the Newbie, and there is a new stamp on the side bar. 

Let's all give a warm welcome to the Newbie Owl! Welcome!

PS. First ghosts now friendship between blogs... I know... This new course is burning my brain!

Ghost Zé is back

Since university that I have Zé, the ghost, as my companion. It all started with a door that opened and closed alone in my rented room. I didn't believe in ghosts (I still don't), but just in case I decided to be friendly, naming and talking with Zé sometimes. Since then, every time something strange happens I simply say out loud "Zé, stop it!". In Brazil and in Poland he was quite active, turning off lights and opening wardrobe doors, while in Prague he was more quiet. The fact that Zé's activities increase with the age of the flats I have lived in is irrelevant for this post. I hadn't seen Zé for a while and I had actually forgotten about him until last week.  

1. Two girls in my class started talking about ghosts. One was a believer and had crazy stories of sights and strange sounds. That reminded me of Zé. I also got to learn related vocabulary in Swedish. Always useful.

2. The day after, me and Johan were at home using our laptop, when out of nothing it started to emit a really loud sound like a fire alarm. Yes, the laptop. I had no idea computers could make that sound!! Specially that loud, when the sound in that computer is actually crap and we can never hear anything in it even when it's set to maximum. We had to put it under a pillow, so the neighbours wouldn't panic, while trying to turn it off. Yes, I'm talking about a computer.

3. The day after that, I could swear I had boiled water. However, I found myself in the kitchen trying to make tea by pouring cold water from the kettle. 

I'm quite sure Zé is back. It's ok, we have missed him. 

Welcome to Sweden Zé!

The Newbie - Swedish weddings

My text about Swedish weddings was published in The Newbie Guide to Sweden. If you are curious click on this link to read. 

I really enjoy going to weddings in other countries than my home country. I think wedding parties say a lot about the culture of each place and I have to confess that my favourite have been Swedish weddings. They are always fun and there's always something unexpected. 

Kärlek is love in Swedish

Autumn in Göteborg

I learned how to love Autumn when I moved to Prague, when I understood that this season is not all about the rain, but is about the colours. It is no different in Göteborg and last weekend I took a walk in the botanic gardens, the natural reserve around it and also in my neighbourhood where there is a small forest (in Sweden one is never too far from a forest). The result was, obviously, a whole load of pictures. Everything is just too pretty to not photograph. 

Aprendi a gostar do Outono quando me mudei para Praga e percebi que esta é uma estação onde a chuva não importa mas sim as cores. Não é diferente aqui em Gotemburgo e no fim de semana passado fui passear ao jardim botânico, à reserva natural em volta e também pelo meu bairro, onde há uma pequena floresta (na Suécia, nunca se está muito longe de uma floresta). Obviamente que o resultado foi uma quantidade enorme de fotos. É tudo simplesmente demasiado bonito para não se fotografar.

 I feel in love with this red tree! / Adorei esta árvore vermelha!

 At the botanic gardens / No jardim botânico

 So much colour in a single leaf!!! / Tantas cores numa só folha!!!

 Almost out a leaves but overloaded with apples / Quase sem folhas mas com uma carrada de maças

This beautiful tree in the last picture is just outside my building and I have been staring at it every day from my window. I find it so beautiful and I'm so glad I get to look at it almost at any time I want. Happy Autumn!

Esta árvore linda da última foto está mesmo ao pé do meu prédio e tenho olhado para ela da janela todos os dias. Acho-a tão bonita e adoro o facto de poder olhar para ela quase quando me apetece. Viva o Outono!

Sara Jump - Stockholm

Stockholm, August 2014

To see more of my Sara Jumps around the world click HERE!
Para ver mais Sara Jumps à volta do mundo cliquem AQUI!

You got to love Sweden #13

Sweden is a safe country. I don't know how many times I have heard that it's much worse now than 20, 30, 40 or 50 years ago. Still, Sweden is a safe country.

I went to the supermarket. I was inside for over 30 minutes. When I return to the bicycle parking I see my bike there... unlocked! What? Did I forget to lock it? Yes and no. It was even dummer than that. My lock is not a chain but a hard iron bar U-shaped. The bicycle has a support on the back where I can lock the bar while I'm riding. When I want to park, I unlock it and remove the bar from the support, and then re-locked around the bike and a post or whatever. 

When I went to the supermarket I remember removing the lock from the support. Afterwards, instead of locking there, I simply put the bar back in the same support! Very smart.

Obviously, I will try very hard to not do it again! However, I'm very happy to finally live in a country where my bike can be left unattended for more than 30 minutes without anything bad happening to it. I have also seen several times, pairs of gloves forgotten over bicycles seats, and they have always been there when I return. I like that. I really like that.

Life is good again

Do you know that first day when you feel normal again after you have been sick with a cold? The day you can finally breath through your nose. The day you can finally climb the staircase of your building without becoming completely out of breath. I'm there now.

The sun is shining and it's relatively warm outside (as in 13 ºC and not 5ºC!). My new SAS course starts on Monday and until there I can just relax. And I, finally, had enough energy to do my favourite Friday routine: cycle to the library, choose a few books to bring and then go to the shop and buy Portuguese wine for the weekend. 

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Sabem aquele primeiro dia em que nos sentimos normais outra vez, depois de termos estado constipados? O dia em que finalmente podemos respirar pelo nariz. O dia em que finalmente conseguimos subir as escadas do prédio sem se ficar ofegantes. Estou nessa fase agora.

O sol brilha e está relativamente quente lá fora (13 ºC e não 5ºC!). As aulas do meu novo curso SAS só começam segunda-feira e até lá posso relaxar. E finalmente, tive energia suficiente para fazer a minha rotina preferida de sexta-feira: ir de bicicleta até à biblioteca, escolher alguns livros para trazer e depois ir à loja para comprar vinho Português para o fim de semana.

Desejo a todos um óptimo fim de semana!