Yesterday I thought about taking the subway and paying a visit to the best second-hand bookstore in the city: Sebo do Messias. It was a cold day, it was raining a little, and it’s a fact that a cold day = a happy me.

But instead I went to the market, just to walk and practice a little exercise since I work all day sitting in a chair, and surprise, surprise, half an hour after I left home the sun came out - São Paulo being São Paulo, right?

There I bought only a bottle of water and a little protein bar, just so I wouldn’t come home empty handed. Fruits weren’t necessary, there are still bananas and peaches in my kitchen and a little blueberry in my bedroom. Soda or cheap chocolates, well, they aren’t an option anymore, and there isn't much natural stuff on the market nowadays.

How can one be healthy if 90% of everything in a grocery store comes in packages? No wonder why obesity numbers are high, a dangerous sign that not a lot of people are paying attention to.

This September 13th I was able to start reading the book The Ballad of Never After, the sequel of the cutest book ever written, Once Upon a Broken Heart. And just before that, on August 30th, I started reading The Ink Black Heart, the sixth book in the ‘Cameron’ Strike detective series.

Facts that were only possible because I speak English. 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the internet that puts us together is the same internet that breaks us apart. The content is there, the information is there, everything nowadays is there. But in English.

Since the Soviet Union ceased to exist, all important documents, and all that that is necessary to be shared to the world is done in English - it’s not worth crying for that, padawan. Since man began living in society, only one language has been used for general communication.

Latin had been in this position, and so had French. And now, because the US is currently the most powerful nation in the world, English is used to this end.

Although I must say that the luck that I have for reading those two books I so much wished for is not because English is the language used for global communication, but because they were written in English - that is a tremendous coincidence, I admit. 

Can you imagine, the two books I most wanted to read this year were written in the language everybody needs to speak?

It was so hot in São Paulo these last few days that the devil himself wouldn't want to hang out in the city. Sure, most of those days it rained (thank goodness), but still...

Living in a city this hot means having to take a shower really early in the morning if you wish to wash your hair - I could do it at 5 or 6 pm but drying my hair with a dryer would take an eternity (... who has the time?)

And speaking of  "washing my hair", Brazilians have finally discovered that products with hyaluronic acid work not only for the skin, but for the hair too.

(about time, right?)

A few brands already had this component in their products, but only last year Elseve (from L’Oréal) released in Brazil a whole kit that includes shampoo, conditioner, and etc.

Last December I bought mine using a $ 50 cupom I won from PayPal - yeah, I'm still penniless. But that can change if you hire me to be your Portuguese teacher.

- I'm only charging $ 5 an hour

Now, if you all excuse me, I'm going to prepare some classes because my shampoo with hyaluronic acid won't buy itself.

Anne Rios - Brazilian girl writing about Brazilians things

(amodafala@gmail.com)

And now people ask me for Christmas tips like if I had enough money to tip them all. How can I be generous when I am penniless?

Seriously, I’m this close to start crying at the street market.

And even when no one asks me anything, they put their giant box wrapped with the kind of paper people use for the presents they are going to give (do you understand what I’m trying to describe?), making it clear that I’m supposed to give them a Christmas tip.

It makes me feel bad, you know, not being able to give them anything now. They are hard workers, they treat me well, and they have no fault if in my 30’s I’m a total loser who doesn't have two bucks to  tip in.

Now we are on December 11, and at every moment Christmas gets closer, the worst the situation gets. I might as well not leave my house until December 26.

And it’s not like if I don’t want to give Christmas tips, please don’t take me wrong. I just don’t have money, any.

(am I saying “Christmas tip” right?)

I’m well aware, indeed, that being in this situation is only my fault - and not because in Brazil children take infinitely to grow up.

So please, take my example and don’t quit your job for thinking you’re too good for it, or because you only have the hope to find a better one.

Otherwise you’ll live by hope only, and that doesn't put food on your table.

Anne Rios - Brazilian girl writing about Brazilian things

(diceraland@gmail.com)

Isn’t it funny (and even ironic) how this blog is called DiCera Daily News, but rarely I post more than a post by week?

First I started this blog with the intention of having a place to practice my everyday writing, as my marketing teacher, Icaro de Carvalho, is always suggesting. So, as a blog with daily posts, having the word “daily” in the name seemed appropriate. Add to that the fact that, when I was a teenager, one of my favourite shows was Gilmore Girls, where one of the lead characters studied at Yale University and worked at a newspaper called Yale Daily News.

Today I can’t stand watching one episode - I mean, could Rory Gilmore BE more annoying, spoiled, immature and incapable of living an adult life? (not pride to say that I am not that different, but that’s a conversation for another post).

That being said, bringing to my work a name that sounds good when spoken out loud, and that brings me back good memories of a time in my life when I don’t have many moments to treasure, seems appropriate.

I didn’t know exactly how this blog would work, but I knew I wanted to talk about life in Brazil, and show the country, to the world, from a good perspective since Brazilians themselves don’t seem much interested to do so when they’re in foreign lands.

What I also knew was that it had to be personal. It’s not interesting to visit a blog with “technical information”, the readers must feel an emotional connection to keep coming back. The weather is hot and dry? Who cares! Anyone can see this in the weather app.

How does the hot and dry weather affect me, and how do I deal with it? That’s the real “online gold”.

Anne Rios

a Brazilian girl writing about Brazilian things

Those last few days have been hot as hell, with an air so dry that (I think) if you break an egg in the middle of the street, it would cook in a matter of seconds.

But then suddenly, last night, I heard the sound of raindrops on the roof. Not the best moment, probably, since I was in the bathroom (when you have to go you have to go) and had to speed things up to go outside get the homemade soap that I left drying in the sun the whole week.

Once outside, I saw a blue sky “full” of stars and thought: “great, another quick rain…” But that sky was just São Paulo playing with my feelings, because not long after that the rain reached my house, and here stayed for the entire night, with the promise to keep falling all the time the next day.

From where this rain came, is beyond me. The weather app was showing sequentials days with temperatures above 30ºC and the probability of some “occasional” rain. And I confess that that scenario frightened me a bit since my nose was bleeding non-stop for the last few days. But now I’m so happy for me, yey!

I can even go, at any time I want, to the stationery store to print some images I need for my craft projects… speaking of craft projects, I should probably clean up my little studio. I can’t find anything in that mess.

Anne Rios

Brazilian girl writing about Brazilian things

Not long ago, I hated Brazil.

And couldn’t wait to leave the country forever - I even had plans, when I was younger, that later would end up in a divorce, but let’s not get into that today.

That was a nonsense (obviously), but understandable since I grew up learning to hate Brazil and everything that came with the packpage. But fortunately, over the years many people came into my life and showed me how wrong I was in having that idea, and how lucky was I for living in a country that so many people wish to live permanently (and legally).

Today I absolutely love living in Brazil (although it’s not that great when you’re penniless, like me), I love its history, and I never get tired of telling people about things and places they must know once they get here.

And apparently, foreigners loves Brazil too, because the only “bad thing” that any of them had to say to me when I asked about the difficulties they found in these lands was that most people don’t speak even the basic of English.

- the stupid plan of leave the country has definitely been abandoned, but I keep strong in my quest to find my English husband, who will live here in Brazil with me (because, from this country, I’ll never leave)

Anne Rios

a Brazilian girl living in São Paulo

Even though I made a “bonjour” video on Instagram at 5 am, I have been awake since 2 am. The air is hot and dry (good conditions for a daily nosebleed), but that’s not why I can’t sleep as much as I should.

One can study or work on the computer the entire day and lie down at night tired as hell, and yet it won’t matter how sleepy the person is, because the sedentarism that this way of living brings will deprive its adepts from a good night’s rest, with worries like the next month’s bills or regrets because of the excess of sugar in the food.

Maybe in bed ideas will come up for interesting projects, and there you may also think of an exercise routine to keep your body moving (and finally sleep well at night) and at homemade gadgets for the new lifestyle you want but that we both know that you won’t be able to maintain - your pillow is the ultimate playground for your paranoia.

Anne Rios

a Brazilian girl living in São Paulo

I have been having some worries (again) about the best way to show how great Brazil is as a country. From food to culture and so many other topics that I wish to bring. But my greatest concern at the moment, I think, still is mastering my English so that I can actually say what I want in a way that you will understand.

There are so many interesting topics, but about which one do you wish to hear? - I can’t just keep writing about the weather or my groceries shopping.

And if I want to bring travel topics, for example, how can I write about things and places I don’t know yet? YouTube and Google can’t do much to teach me.

Or should I write about Brazil’s history? Or about the things I love here? (after all, this is still a blog) Or should I keep writing about daily stuff, like yesterday, when I finally found the mysterious part of the bathroom that was stinking and cleaned?

It would be great if some of you could give me directions because, right now, my future and notebook are just an amount of blank pages that I have no idea what to fill in.

Anne Rios

a Brazilian girl living in São Paulo

I lost the last piece I had of my scrapbook paper from Graphic 45. For those who don’t know, Graphic 45 is a brand with vintage designs for lovers of collage technique. Each piece of them is unique, if I may say so, and I lost mine.

Maybe it was in 2009 that I found it in the craft store where I always buy my supplies, a place that at the time they used to sell Graphic 45 among other papers in the scrapbook section (good times). And the one I chose was so beautiful, with butterflies and steampunk elements.

I still can’t believe I lost it!

This situation wouldn’t be so frustrating if it were easy to find things from Graphic 45 in Brazil.

6 am

It's been raining since 5 in the morning!

What a magic way to start a day. The world is sleeping and I’m left with the comforting silence so rare in a city like São Paulo. I can write, like I’m doing now or read Douglas Murray’s columns, one of my favorite writers - plus, while reading him I can practice my English with one of the most beautiful sounds on Earth: the raining sound.

4 pm

Earlier today the rain stopped long enough for me to go to the market and to the stationery store - the most important place in today’s adventure. In a stationery store, here in São Paulo, you can also make copies of papers (and I’m not saying papers like in “documents”, but I don't know if I’m saying that right…) and print things you want. In my case, I needed to print a ephemera kit for my second attempt to make a junk journal - good thing that the papers from the inside are already done (now all that is left for me to do is the cover).

The next few days won’t exactly be the easiest ones. The dictator, I mean, the governor of São Paulo, João Dória established that until March 19, only essential services will be able to receive customers - the others, well, they can open, but their clients are not allowed to enter.

Protests are happening (finally!), which closes streets and generates heavy traffic. So, unless you really need to be in São Paulo right now, I highly suggest that you wait until the end of the “red phase” to come to the city.

Anne Rios

amodafala@gmail

I thought: “I can make a junk journal by myself, I’m an artist”. One might think “ok, but it can be tough, you know, as this is your first”, and they would be so right.

I did the pages, bought the tissue to use as “the spine”, sewed it and after two attempts the junk journal still looks like crap. No wonder why the ones I saw online were so expensive. Of course I know it’s difficult because I never made one, but still… Building a junk journal from scratch is like living a life without a job: extremely painful.

Anne Rios

amodafala@gmail.com

Today I changed the cover of my Patreon page - it was so abandoned!

Practically two months without a post with the excuse that I don’t have any subscribers yet, I should be ashamed of that…

Well, I can’t live in the past crying for things I should have done, can I?

So this week’s column on my Patreon will be about a girlfriend that a professor of mine had when he was a boy - a British girlfriend. He was always telling this story to his students, and if he is still a professor, I bet he still is telling it. And I think if I search on YouTube, the story will probably be there - but I am not going because “who has the time”, right.

Oh, and on the cover I did I used photos I took in random situations and two from the time when Brazil was still a monarchy, which ones I will let you to find out.

Anne Rios

amodafala@gmail.com

Not much is said outside the Brazilian border about how a candy mints can be so important in our culture. I myself didn’t have the best relationship with the candy until a while ago, when I heard Vic Ceridono saying it was one of her all-time favorites - now I can’t see myself without a package of this candy.

This candy mints is so unique, and goes so deep in our memory that it should be considered a national heritage. We could buy it at school, at the candy store, and since it never was very expensive it was a good option for children, who never have much money anyway.

And it is not just about affective memory, you know. It tastes unbelievably good. This candy  is fresh, and has a mint taste that fools your need for chocolate or any other type of unhealthy sugar - not that this candy mints is the most healthy thing in the world, but I think you get my point.

But attention pudding, because, once in Brazil, you can’t pick any ordinary candy mints that crosses your way, be careful with that. To get the full experience, to know how we feel in our hearts when we are tasting the best candy mints in the world, you must buy the one from Garoto, the only owner of Brazilians heart.

Anne Rios

amodafala@gmail.com

I bought this tea yesterday. I confess that my expectations were way too high, but the tea corresponded to them, as I knew it would. What a beverage, guys, what a beverage.

The tea has 4 ingredients: hibiscus, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. So you can imagine that at the same time that it is a tea that will warm you up, it is also a refreshing beverage thanks to the light feeling that the ginger leaves in your throat. Escape to myself how, for so long, I didn’t want to buy this tea.

And the price, thank God, fits my budget. The box cost me R$ 7,49 and came with 15 tea bags - they smell so delicious! I bought it at a local market called “Mini Extra”, that belongs to a big chain, but let’s talk about that in another post.

This “Mini Extra” is now all over the city, usually on streets that don’t have a big market nearby. The prices are very ok, but they don’t have a lot of products to offer. But if you are renting a house in São Paulo and don’t want to eat out on a Sunday, or if you just want to make something to eat, go for it.

But pay them with your credit card - apparently all the money to give change to customers has disappeared from São Paulo.

Anne Rios

amodafala@gmail.com

Bread.

That's it. That is my post today.

Because nothing more needs to be said about the king of all kings when we talk about Brazilian breakfast. But our bread, sorry to disappoint you, can only be eaten in Brazil. You can find something similar in your country, or find Brazilians selling the bread at a Brazilian bakery. But the actual bread, the one that tastes like heaven, THE Brazilian bread, you will only eat here.

Like I did today, while drinking a cup of hot chocolate and watching Brooklyn 99 - with English subtitles because I don’t live alone and it’s hard to fully understand a second language when people are talking or yelling next to you.

Anne Rios

amodafala@gmail.com