Journalled on Friday, 22 August 2025 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 28 degrees, hot, sunny and blue sky. It’s Friday, the end of the week. I’m a little tired, and honestly, my feelings are mixed right now. But when I step back and look at things analytically, I’m okay. Better than okay, actually. And I think it’s worth […]
When Guidance Becomes Letting Go and a Parent’s Uncertainty
Journalled on Monday, 25 May 2026 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 24 degrees, warm and overcast. Parenthood does not become simpler when a child reaches adulthood. The questions change, but the uncertainty remains: when should we give guidance, when should we step back, and how much of the present is shaped by the past? It is Monday, and […]
ENEM Exam Day in Rio | A Sunday Walk from Botafogo to Glória Market
Journalled on Sunday, 16 November 2025 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 27 degrees, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. It is Sunday, and I will take Yasmin to her ENEM exam. ENEM is a national Brazilian exam for all pupils who have completed or are about to complete second grade at school and intend to attend university, particularly federal […]
A Day Full of Nothing
Journalled on Thursday, 12 February 2026 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 33 degrees, very hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. There are two kinds of nothing. There is the good kind, the nothing you choose: doing nothing, going nowhere, speaking to nobody, not working, perhaps not even eating or drinking. That kind of nothing feels like freedom because you […]
A New Home, an Early Night and Old Roads
Journalled on Monday, 14 October 2024 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 24 degrees, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. Last night was my first at my new address, and the first time in a year and a half that I had slept somewhere entirely my own. After so long sharing space with other people, the quiet felt wonderful. I […]
Feijoada and Boats | A Perfect Saturday at Rio Yacht Club
Journalled on Saturday, 28 May 2024 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 27 degrees, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. This was only Julie’s second full day since arriving Thursday evening. After a grey, rainy Friday spent organising and enjoying each other’s company after six months apart, Saturday marked our first truly free day together. I had arranged lunch for […]
A Pint at Eleven | Lessons on Drinking
Journalled on Sunday, 25 May 2025 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 25 degrees, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. Yesterday I went to Guarabira’s birthday BBQ. I stayed until about 8:00 and drank a lot for me, considering I’m not used to drinking anymore. The BBQ was genuinely nice. Besides drinking and talking, I got to journal and read […]
Brasilia Is Burning | Why Brazil’s Own Court Handed Trump the Match
Journaled on Tuesday, 19 August 2025 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 25 degrees, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. It is Tuesday, and Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, is almost in flames. Since the beginning of the month, Brazil has been under tariffs from Donald Trump and the United States. It is nothing personal against Brazil; Trump has done […]
When Silence Says Too Much
Journalled on Sunday, 31 May 2026, | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 25 degrees, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. Sometimes a small silence can reveal far more than a long conversation. This post reflects on emotional distance, boundaries, self-respect, and the uncomfortable moment when we realise that love should not require us to abandon ourselves. I woke up this […]
The Rhythm of a Productive Week
Journaled on Tuesday, 28 March 2025 | Santo Cristo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 23 degrees, warm, sunny and slightly overcast. It is Tuesday, and all is well. I have always liked the beginning of the day. Early morning is when I feel most awake, most useful, and most ready to get things done. In many ways, I feel the same […]