VLOG: Chaos Personified

Sorry for the lame low sound. You can hear it better with headphones. I need to get myself a new webcam... 

A visit with an Ex - The US that is

I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. I am currently packing as much of the things as possible that I love about my culture, aka. ziplocks.

Seriously though, there's a separation each time I leave.  It's kind of like your first love.  I have a lot of history with this country.  Wow, we really go back far.  The things we've gone through together... Things I'll never share with another country.

We have a history.

As much as I know that it just doesn't work, after visiting my country, I get a bit nostalgic.  I mean, I know I used to get really annoyed. We argued a lot.  And the sex, well, in the end it was really bad.  Then again, how good can it ever be with an entire country.

There I go trying to see the positive.  No. I'm done. I don't live here anymore. I've been happier since we've separated. I'm a better person now.

But one more walk won't kill me.  And that's exactly what I did this evening. I put the kids to bed, took my parent's car, and I did my last American grocery store run. I needed dill seed, don't bother asking me why.

But once I got there, I left the car slowly.  I felt the warmth of my winter coat. I felt the cold of the wind on my cheeks.  I felt that little chill up my spine when the two finally combined.  Oh winter, you Minx.  It'll be a while before I see you again.

And then I came home.  I had my moment with my ex.  As lovely as it was to travel down that little lane, I'm staying with my man.  He's Hot, he's Latin, and nothing is covered in a winter coat! 

Packing up my Ziplocks and Heading Home

I'm going home in a couple of days and packing is in full motion.  All bags and belongings are downstairs and organized.

You see, when you are an expat, you have a tendency to stock up when you visit home. I have a list a mile long of random and very important items I have to bring back to Rio. # 1 on the list is taco and fajita seasoning packets.

Oh yes, you heard me right!  Those McCormick 89 cent wannabe Mexican food seasoning packets are gold for this expat American.  It makes it possible to make my very own medium quality tex-mex in the privacy of my own home.  This is much better than paying a fortune to get it outside the house. Hell, I even make my own semi sour-cream now.

Along with seasoning packets, I bring good peanut butter, licorice, lotions/potions, and the kitchen sink. Ok, the last one is a big of an exaggeration, but I did bring a facet back with me once.

Now add a half dozen items I found in the Target $1 isle, I'm a sucker for a deal.

You see, I'm a compulsive packer. If there's an empty spot, I must fill it.  I'm even bringing back tupperwear.  Tupperwear!

In my defense, it's the coolest freaking tupperwear ever. The lids snap to the bottom so you don't have to search around for them in your cabinet! Very practical, if I do say so myself.

Oh my goodness, I just turned into my Mother. Right now, at this very moment. But that's another post...

So here is your goal, fit it all in the alloted suitcases!  Don't forget the Christmas toys from Santa!

And GO

Really, it's not as bad as you think. You get very creative with your space. It's surprising how many ziplock bags (out of the box) can be stuffed into a Fisher Price toy.  You'll be covered for the year!

In reality, the problem is not the packing, it's customs.  No, not that they'll stop you. Brazilians normally bring in a stupidly large amount of stuff from the US.  I'm worried about physically getting there.

I have five 70 kilos (154lbs) suitcases to get from the carousel to the professional bag perusers.  Even with the "guys" that help out with bags in Rio de Janeiro's international airport, that's a feat.  Let us not forget that my Mother has 2 of her own.  So that's 7 bags of Christmas toys, Mexican seasoning packets, and ziplock baggies.

Eventually we'll get there, into the car(s), and back home.  Then the problem will switch from how to pack it to where to put it all! Whatever, I'll cross that beach when I come to it. 

Money, Stuff, and everything in between.

Why is it that money from my native land gets me all nostalgic.  Something about holding the green. Holding it, even the very few dollars (all 5s and 1s) that I have at this point living abroad, make me register that I'm going home.

So, as opposed to doing a corny little post on what I'm looking forward to, because I've already done that and I reached my quota for corny with last night's post, I'm doing something different.

There are things I no longer pack when I go home. I have a definite to US or to Brazil packing style.  It's efficient, it's crazy, it holds me off for the time I'm away from either place.

Since I'm going to the US and I'm being reminded of those neurosis, here is what I do and do not bring.

1. Skin care products. I buy them there, in bulk when possible, and bring them back.  That goes for face, body, and some hair. Not that hair. I live in Brazil, there isn't enough of that hair left!

2. Tennis shoes. Only the essentials because I prefer buying my tennis shoes, converse, boots, etc there. I do sandals, flip flops, and heels in Brazil.

3. I bring all my jewelry. I love earrings and always buy them in Brazil. Cool, big, and cheap.  Makes me sound like a hooker but I make them classy.

4. Books. If I'm mid-book, I leave it behind. I fly with kids, so no way I'm going to get to read on the flight. I'd much rather read new ones, bring back new ones, and pick up where I left off upon arrival home.

5. If beach is possible, I always bring my Brazilian bikini. I especially like to bring my littler ones. Shock factor. Nothing freak outs an Americans more than one of our own in a tiny ass Rio de Janeiro bikini on a US beach.  I've gone to Ipanema, I have no more shame.

6. Coffee and lots of it. My family is bored of most Brazilian things. That's a sign you've been somewhere a long time, when things you bring home stop being exotic. 'Oh more Pau Brazil beaded necklaces.  Great! One more and I can make a curtain.'  Coffee though, that is a staple asked for by every member of the clan.

7. Cigars. Brazilian ones. I swear.

Man, I'm getting all listy these days. I do believe packing and organizing is to blame. Procrastinators like myself need lists to make sure they only forget half of the stuff they are supposed to bring.

Anything I'm forgetting people?  Only 5 hrs to go!

I Hate Packing!

I hate packing. I seriously, utterly despise the act of putting things into suitcases.  And it has only gotten worse now that I belong to a family of 4.

There's the stuff you have to bring. Like little Jimmy is really going to cry if we forget Bear.  Need bear. Oh and Bobby has that issue with allergies so we need to bring the nebulizer.  We can't forget pretty shoes for everyone, just in case we actually go somewhere nice. 

Don't even get me started on carry-ons. It's like packing for a wilderness retreat but not really knowing if you are headed to the mountains or the beach.  Are they going to feel like coloring? Will they actually watch the inflight video or should we bring our own? Playdoh or Playno? And snacks.  They will get hungry. Must have snacks. Diapers, extra clothes for them, and extra clothes for me. Trust me, the moment you do not bring extra clothes is the moment your child starts to have motion sickness. No one, not the person sitting to your left, not you, nor your child wants to sit next to someone that smells like the inside of a stomach.

Oh and medicine.  The magic medicine. I always have space for you baby.

When it comes down to it, you can always buy what you forget. At least in the States anyway. I know this but I'm not made of money, no matter how much I attempt to meditate on it.  I never should have read The Secret. Damn you Oprah! **

Anyway, I have one bag down and good golly I have no idea how many more to go.  Let's just pretend and say I like to pack light, or pack lazy.  Take it as you will. 

**I took artistic license there. I have never read that book and my pride wouldn't let me let you think I have.