Journalled on Wednesday, 14 June 2023 | Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25 °C, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast.
Rio is experiencing a relatively warm Autumn, with temperatures averaging 22 and 26 degrees Celsius. It feels warm in the sun but cool in the shade.
I recently watched a YouTube video from someone in England who said they were experiencing scorching weather, with temperatures reaching 29 degrees Celsius.
While 29 degrees Celsius may be considered warm or hot, it’s nothing compared to the temperatures in Rio, especially during the summer. The person in the video said that 29 degrees was more than enough because he did not like to feel so hot, sweaty, and sticky.
During the summer in Rio de Janeiro, temperatures can reach 45 degrees Celsius. As a result, you may sweat profusely, requiring multiple showers throughout the day. You may even find that immediately after drying off, you sweat again and again and again.
And Cariocas, like the English, like to complain about the weather.
It is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. When I was much younger, the Carioca summers of 40+ degrees would not bother me so much. Now that I am much older, it annoys me a little.
If you do not have an air-conditioner in your home or you have to go out into the street constantly, it is as if you are living in an oven turned to maximum; there is no relief. No matter where or what you do, you feel constant heat. As I have already said, Cariocas like to complain about the weather, especially in the summer.
Another theory or observation is that Rio is extremely hot from the middle of December to the end of April, with maximum temperatures.
Then, for the next six months, the mean temperature will be between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, until it gets hot again in December. I have concluded that Cariocas, during those six to eight months, get used to the lower, more comfortable temperatures and forget the extremely high scorching summer temperatures, so when December comes around again, they forget.
The temperature increases: everybody complains because they forgot how it was last year.
Weather is part of any culture, like food, money, topography, colonisation, etc. It is part of the culture of that country or region, which moulds and influences people’s lifestyles.
Cariocas in Rio are accustomed to warm temperatures and the beach, making it the norm to wear flip-flops and fewer clothes. Flip-flops are very strong in the Carioca culture, where people wear them everywhere: on the street, at bars and restaurants, in the shopping centre, and, in some cases, even for work.
I learned from my eldest daughter, Jessica, to wear classic white flip-flops.
They are the simplest model, with no pattern, emblem, etc., just classic white flip-flops, which I love to wear with jeans. I personally think they are very stylish, and I have adopted this style as my own for a long time while living in Rio.
People tend to wear fewer clothes due to the weather, so the general street style is usually more relaxed for men: a T-shirt, Bermuda shorts, shorts, surfwear, trainers, or flip-flops.
Women in Brazil usually wear shorts, leggings, jeans, blouses, dresses, or skirts. However, some women may wear clothing that reveals more skin, which can be regarded as vulgar in extreme cases.
The informal culture in Brazil can also be seen as somewhat more vulgar than in other cultures, depending on social class. Of course, there are exceptions to this, and I am speaking generally.
When I lived in São Paulo, I observed that young Paulista women dressed in a modern yet classic manner, similar to young Italian women. Their sense of style was elegant and tasteful, which I linked to the strong Italian European culture and colonisation still evident in southern Brazil.
The way we dress and present ourselves reveals a lot about how we see ourselves and how we wish to be perceived.
It is the middle of the week, and now I have to make big changes for the future. I will have to apply for a second copy of my Brazilian ID, finish the logo for Place Beads, continue building the sites, and start my YouTube channel.
I cannot delay or be afraid anymore; there is nowhere to run.
I will make small changes that, over time, lead to significant results. Two years ago, I wasn’t exercising, but now I am. I have completed more than thirteen online IT digital courses. I have managed to pay off several debts and have not accumulated any new ones. I have also laid the groundwork for new income streams besides teaching classes that I had never considered.
This is my time to take action and not stop; I am gradually progressing towards my goals despite the difficulties and obstacles. It is happening, but I must not stop or relax and must keep going until I reach the end.
We must value ourselves and our achievements despite life’s challenges and our own insecurity. No matter how small, we must acknowledge our accomplishments!!!
In bed by 9.30 pm.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
