From Brazil to Portugal with our Kids

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Lisbon, Portugal

Living in Brazil and moving to Portugal couldn’t be more different and the same.

I was first surprised to see the same savory pastries in the bakery as I did in Brazil. I was surprised to see Christ the Redeemer across the ocean within a 24-hour period. It seriously shocked me. I didn’t know the statue was also here. I was also surprised that some people understood an American trying to speak Brazilian Portuguese in Portugal, which means the people here are really nice like they are in Brazil. They pat my kids’ heads the same way as they walk by.

But it’s different here. I saw a man with a foot that was backward. He was dressed nicely, and he was wearing custom-made leather shoes, walking down the street. I also saw a postman in Portugal with major face deformities, working. They were out working and enjoying life. This is different. There are sidewalks on all of the streets. This is also different. There are tons of families walking around all over. They aren’t sleeping on mattresses in between apartment buildings. This is different. I can barely understand what everyone is saying. It sounds more like Spanish that definitely isn’t Spanish. I also feel safe and can take my kids out across town by myself. I feel free.

I still had a sunburn from Rio when we arrived. We had to buy coats for our kids. Darian told me that he wants to stop traveling the world because the world got really cold. He was devastated to find that I sent all of his shorts back to Los Angeles with my mother. He loves shorts.

The chocolate here is wonderful. Rittersports aren’t as readily available as they are in Germany, but there are other great chocolates. And the chocolate croissants do not disappoint. The hot chocolate does.

It all feels so familiar. We love Europe. We loved living in Germany for two and a half years. It feels like we are home again. It hurts that we only have 3 months in Europe. Let’s make it count.