Maps.
I adoI've spent the past few days ogling maps and airline tickets and have loosely worked out some points I want to meet before I leave for Brasil. Of a list of 15, I realize that I might not be able to make it to every single spot in 30 days. Well. I believe I could but would really like to spend some time taking each place in rather than sprinting from point to point. If I can make it to my to-dos in Spain and Italy, I will be a happy girl. And while I constantly yearn for France, I know she and I can always see each other again on the next round. Don't get me wrong. Deep down I am still gonna try to make it over, even if for a couple of days!
Tonight I leave Lisboa for Sevilla by bus. It was a super tough decision as I was trying to chose between a few days there or in Porto (northern part of Portugal) but I keep reminding myself that I can always go next time. Any my daydream to know Sevilla has been floating in my head for as long as I can remember. So I am sitting here at Fabulas, having a glass of wine and some olives until it's time to head over to Oriente where the busses are. In the meantime I have started reading my book (The Creativity Book) which I wasn't ready to dive into these last couple of months. Now with some time to think and moments with my innards, I am ready. I'll keep you posted on each amazing thing I find on my journey though images will need to await my return to Lisboa in March...re it here, there are absolutely no ifs ands or buts about it. This past week i've been doing a ton of thinking and at the same time, no thinking at all. My mind has wandered everywhere. Including the thought of staying here for 5 years, which is the time it would take me to get citizenship. But I always have such a hard time making plans that involve making a commitment to a place. I've talked to several people, mainly who are not legal yet and I seem to get the same impression. That I could make it here, I would just need to work two or three jobs to do so. Many folks work long days, anywhere from 6am through 10pm and one girl I met from Romania who works three jobs in order to pay her bills. Could I do this? Absolutely. I've done the whole work several jobs at a time bit back home, remember Monica? But I feel like i've left NY in order to not run around like a complete bananahead anymore.
I want to make art. I want to concentrate for a bit on painting and writing and getting my photo project started. These wants and needs have helped me come to the conclusion that I need to go to Brasil for a bit. Not only will the money I have saved last longer there, but also the net of knowing I can work leaves me a bit more at ease. And as far as i've heard, I can give English classes without needing specific certification. The added bonus? My photo project can't ask for a better place to start! So after a wee bit of pondering i've decided that in March I will fly down to Rio, spend a month with my family and then head down to Florianopolis which I have always been curious about. When I arrive in Brasil I will begin my paperwork to have EU citizenship through Romania since my grandparents on my father's side were born there. The Romanian embassy in Lisboa has mentioned that it might take close to a year in which time I will make art in Brasil as well as build a new portfolio in order to get shop it around for exhibitions and work. I am super excited about everything and feel like it's what I need to do right now. And while I am champion at trying to decipher the future, i've decided i'm leaving that to when it comes...