On 7th day of the 7th month, 2007, I met a person who would inspire a change in my life. He lit a spark of creativity inside me, and pointed to the possibilities that exist if you just fucking go. Soon after our chance encounter (and kiss), I stumbled across his blog www.nyc2rio.com:
On September 13th, 2007 we’re driving out of New York City on an adventure through Central and South America, en-route to Rio De Janeiro.
Aside from making it there in one piece, our journey is about the experience Read more [...]
Posts tagged My Brazilian
One Drum: A film about a road trip from New York City to Rio De Janeiro
On 7th day of the 7th month, 2007, I met a person who would inspire a change in my life. He lit a spark of creativity inside me, and pointed to the possibilities that exist if you just fucking go. Soon after our chance encounter (and kiss), I stumbled across his blog www.nyc2rio.com:
On September 13th, 2007 we’re driving out of New York City on an adventure through Central and South America, en-route to Rio De Janeiro.
Aside from making it there in one piece, our journey is about the experience Read more [...]
Carnaval in July
Imagine millions of people on one street - dancing, singing, wearing bright clothes, drinking, kissing... that is Brazil's Carnaval. No exaggeration, it must be the greatest party on this planet. This year I've decided to throw my own little version of it in Oz: Carnaval in July.
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Ok, so I may as well admit it, it's for my 30th birthday. I'll blog about my (second) "quarter life crisis" some other time. Today I thought I'd use my blog to provide guests and anyone else who may be interested a Read more [...]
MY BRAZILIAN (… and a kombi named Betty)
102 days, 6 countries, 3 girls, x boys & 1 kombi named Betty.
So I've mentioned "my book" a million and one times, the travel memoir I've been working on every since my trip to South America some three years ago now. Think Eat Pray Love with a twist. As described in one of my proposals:
"Beginning by following others, and chasing love, Juliet finds herself travelling down a long and winding road to Brazil — through Paris, Japan and Christianity — the so-called “first world” that Read more [...]
A human life, one million hours
In the scheme of things when you spend two hours in traffic each work day, or half an hour waiting in line for a coffee, or forty hours a year gathering together your receipts and filling out your tax return, what % of your life are you spending doing things you don't want to be doing?
...
[A deleted scene from My Brazilian]:
At a restaurant in Argentina, after many-a glasses of Malbec and chocolate fondue, I found myself in an existentially mathematically reflective mood.
"How many hours Read more [...]
Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish
I love it when Spanish words resemble their English equivalent. Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish, illustrated by Andy Warhol, is a cheat code for English speakers to learn Spanish. Carried out with a sense of humour too. See if you can guess these words: diferente; conveniente; elefante; producto; intereste; nación; universidad; usé... I've been recommending this book to so many people that I figure I should share it on here.
Some the cheat code:
Words that end in ‘or’ are often Read more [...]
Learning Spanish y Juego con Ninas…
Ok, given my travels, my book, and living with Latinos most of this year, I should know more Spanish than I do. And considering the “peace” and "environmentalist" stereotype it may shock you to find out I’m (A) not a vegetarian (which really has nothing to do with this post), and (B) that in Granada I had my first ever experience with volunteer work.
Given volunteering in Granada didn't cost money (in case you didn't know, most volunteering projects do) and the bonus discount it gave for Read more [...]
Returning to mi paradiso
Colour fills the streets: the houses, the clothes, the people, the air. Excitement. A familiar joy. Why did it take so long for me to return?
Even the smell is familiar — a raw combination of trees, humidity, food, and dirt.
The sound of scooters, olden-day cars, horses trotting, children playing, salsa music and a sea of Spanish words — music to my ears.
Every day is the same: the sun rises at 6, sets at 6, 25-30 degrees — mi paradiso.
It’s been almost three years. I fell in Read more [...]
Step away from the book…
My sprained ankle had it's benefits - LOTS of time sitting on my arse. And so, one week ago, I finished my first draft of my first novel.
A first draft is a big achievement I suppose. The only problem is that it's far too long and, as I decided once I started editing it, it's also far too shit. As I read I crossed half the paragraphs out. Boring boring boring. The whole 690 page manuscript sucks.
When I finally allowed one of my friends to have a read I noticed something: he was laughing. Read more [...]
Chapter 28 – Size Does Matter (Rio de Janeiro)
When it comes to Brazilian butts, as you see in the clip below, SIZE DOES NOT MATTER. You got it, you flaunt it baby. But according to a drug dealer Rachel and Lola meet on the streets of Lapa, when it comes to something else size does matter...
Here's a funny little snippet from Chapter 28:
'Cool. Ok, so what happened next?’ I ask Rachel, interested in where this story was going.
‘Next we walk up the hill, and meet a young girl in really tiny shorts, a very tiny top and a belly Read more [...]
