Bom dia gente! I am making some progress settling in Curitiba. I had a few minor setbacks this week and came back from Carnaval with a fever that I actually had a much harder time recovering from than normal – it turns out Curitiba is at 3,067ft. (Who knew? I really should have Googled this before I left). I have never lived above sea level before, so this is a bit of an interesting experience. It is nice to have an answer as to why I have struggled a lot when trying to run, and frequently get headaches that are only curable with Gatorade. A bunch of ETA’s were thinking of doing a half marathon in Florianópolis in June, and I may have to pass if I don’t adjust better. If you have any tips, please let me know!
In other news… we now have an apartment, a schedule, and I’ve figured out my side project!! (I will likely have a few as there’s so many things I want to try). We move into our new place April 1st, which feels like a small setback because we are so excited to settle, but our current place is very nice and comfortable so it’s all okay. Lauren and I will be living together and are searching for a third roommate – we are hoping for a female Brazilian or exchange student. The new place will be just a 15 minute walk from work, and close to the two other ETA’s in Curitiba.
Lauren and I will be leading intermediate and advanced conversation clubs, and teaching our “extension courses” at night. I will be leading a book club and a debate club, working on both speaking and writing (book recommendations would also be helpful!) Lauren will be doing a class on American arts & culture and a film club, and together we will be hosting an Environmental Club and a few workshops on American summer camps. One night a week we will take Portuguese classes, and we have Friday afternoons off to travel after teaching a US culture class in the morning!
Last week we went to see the capybaras at Parque Barigui. They live all over our state of Paraná.
Side project news!
As for my side project…… I will be doing my 200hr yoga teacher training!!!! In Portuguese! This has been a dream of mine for a few years now, and I finally have enough free time to do it. My wonderful mentor, who was here in Curitiba as an ETA for the past two years, really paved the way for me and found the perfect studio. It’s called Gaya Bem-Estar, and is located in a beautiful neighborhood called Juvêve. The training will give me an international certification, primarily focused on vinyasa (my favorite) but will qualify me to teach all types of yoga. It’s one weekend a month the whole time I am here, from 8am-5pm Sat & Sun. And it starts this upcoming weekend! The lead teacher speaks English, so I have a fallback if needed, and said I can do my homework for the training in English if I need or want to. But this will be a wonderful learning opportunity to improve my Portuguese, and no one at the studio seemed to think my level of Portuguese would be a problem at all which is exciting.
Last weekend, I went to meet the director, and last night I went to see the lead teacher of the course as she led a special meditation class for women to celebrate the full moon and feminine energy – uma aula especial para as mulheres e a lua cheia. It was outside, lit mostly by candlelight, and they had someone playing guitar. They spoke about the significance of the full moon for women and women’s bodies, and it was so beautiful. I understood almost everything (mais o menos), and I think my comprehension has improved significantly just in the past four weeks. I am really excited to have found a little piece of Brazil to explore and grow in by myself.
Below are a few photos from the class, and a few others of the studio during the day from the first time I visited.
And here are a few more photos of Curitiba since returning from Rio… There is a group of volunteers who organize events for foreigners, and they hosted a welcome week this past week. We went to a pub crawl with them last Thursday, and are going to a pool party this Saturday. There are a few people from France and Mexico, and no one from the US. The other photos were mostly taken around our neighborhood, Batel.
I’m sending lots of love (and sunshine!) home to everyone in the US. We don’t hear much about the coronavirus here in Brazil, but I am thinking of everyone and hoping everyone is doing okay. Beijinhos pra vcs xx
Claire in Brazil 
How wonderful! That’s great that you have the yoga training for forming networks and experiences outside of the ETA group and that the other ETAs are from France and Mexico. On you down time with other ETAs you can experience french and mexican perspectives instead of more US bonding. My take away on travel off the main paths….get your medical attention locally –they’ll be most familiar with what’s typical locally, whereas it could take a specialist back in the states…and it gives you another experience going thru a different medical system. The moon ceremony sounds amazing. This year they were calling it the Worm Moon in the convention of indigenous Americans from the south (otherwise Lenten moon) who associated it with the new worm activity breaking up the soil. Cousin Greg is getting married in three moons, on the Strawberry Moon!
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Thanks aunt pat!!
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Just lovely. I’m grateful for all the updates in between posts. You really have done so much already. So happy you’ll dig into the yoga!
Sent from my iPhone
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I think I’ve read 2 books by South American authors. I’d recommend them both, but am not sure if they are appropriate for your need.
“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. Short, non-fiction. wisdom based on S. American ancient wisdom if I recall correctly.
“100 Years of Solitude” by a Colombian author. Fiction. This book was widely acclaimed, but it is longer. I had to keep jumping back and forth trying to keep all the characters straight. No doubt contains some good writing. I took this impart as an effort by the author to speak to alot of social issues,such as exploitation of people/resources and cover up of government wrongdoing.
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Thanks uncle Jim! they both sound really interesting – I’m not sure what levels I’ll have in the book club yet but at least for my own reading they sound great!! I’ve definitely heard of both of them
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wow, Claire! you are packing in so much learning and so much fun — I am so happy for you, e ainda nós sentimos falta de ti. (Yes, I know in Brazil it’s você, but in the Azores, we say ‘tu!’) 🙂 . Bjs from j&d and little papi (Papinho).
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obrigada di!! bjs & abraços pra voces e papinho tambem 🙂 (papinho – que fofo!)
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