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Stories Inspired by Life in Rural Brazil

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lessons-learned

You are here: Home / Archives for lessons-learned

How to stumble your way through the humble and humiliating

I’ve joined a writing class. In Portuguese. Yeah, it’s going as you’d expect: it’s a lesson in humility. Take action or stop complaining The thing is, you can complain about something or you can go learn to do better. I’m good enough at Portuguese these days that I know I have my failings and where …

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Category: NostalgiaTag: courage, humility, immigrant, immigration, lessons-learned, Portuguese, Portuguese classes

Strong

A Strong Cuppa Coffee in a chipped and cracked mug

I poured my morning cuppa today and looked down and realized this old boy was looking a little worse for wear. And this is the best one of the lot. Ceramic floors are really unforgiving. Nothing makes me long for the architecture (and hardwood floors) of my native New England than one more shattered coffee …

StrongRead More

Category: Nostalgia, PhilosophyTag: coffee, lessons-learned

Insect Bites

The ants were swarming all over the gate. Why? Who knows? They’d never done this before, but tonight, there they were. I paused a moment to size up their black motions in the shadows from the car headlights. There was no way to unlock that gate without standing right in the middle of them. Without …

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Category: NostalgiaTag: ants, culture-shock, insects, lessons-learned

Stars in the Sky

My students were bickering over who had stars on the Awards Wall. One was proud of her achievements, but disgruntled that there were other students’ on her heels–soon to achieve the same thing she did. Negativity is not allowed in my English classes. I watched the dynamic for a minute, conjugated a few verbs in …

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Category: PhilosophyTag: happiness, lessons-learned, nature

12 Things About Brazil the Guidebooks Never Tell You

Waiting in line is over-rated. Brazilians don’t really do lines. Unless otherwise directed, they tend to form a large, organic crowd and all push forward to the front. Why is this important? Banks, grocery stores, bus stations, they’ll probably have lines that people respect. But if you’re trying to get through a market or a concert …

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Category: Journalistic, Socio-PoliticalTag: culture-shock, lessons-learned, travel

Racial Panels and a Drop of Blood

I have this cringeworthy memory where I’m pretty sure I offended a whole roomful of people of color repeatedly. I mean, it’s one of those really bad memories where it flashes back and I mentally go: “LA-LA-LA-I-CAN’T-HEAR-YOU. LA-LA-LA-I’M-STILL-A-GOOD-PERSON-SO-GO-AWAY-LA-LA-LA-LAAAAA!!”  Sigh. It’s an “oops!” memory of Epic Proportions. All of us probably have them (well… everyone except maybe Donald Trump, …

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Category: Journalistic, Socio-PoliticalTag: culture, lessons-learned, politics, race

Be Careful What You Ask For

When I first arrived, it seemed to me that those crazy Brazilians sure liked to chop things down a lot. “That’s a gorgeous, living being!” I gasped. “Hah. It will grow back,” they said. Nowhere was the debate strongest than around the base of the huge tree in our back yard. Towering and shady, it …

Be Careful What You Ask ForRead More

Category: NostalgiaTag: lessons-learned, nature, rural life, trees

Time is Everything

pocket watch emerging from the sand

Hey y’all—I just wanted to share something with you. I’m wicked excited. I started this great course (Happy Birthday to me! Thanks Dad!). Why? You might have noticed that there’s been a lull in the writing over here at Minhas Crônicas do Brasil. Part of that is life with a toddler and a full-time job. Part …

Time is EverythingRead More

Category: NostalgiaTag: happiness, lessons-learned, writing

Daring-Do

“Heard of rainbow hair?” I said, “You wanted me to go more platinum blonde. Ok. Deal. And when I do, I want that.” I showed her a photo. She said, “You’re feeling radical?” I said, “I’ve always been radical, you just never asked.” But clearly this was beyond my hair stylist’s comfort zone so I …

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Category: Journalistic, NostalgiaTag: culture-shock, DIY, hair, lessons-learned, rural life

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