GA Days 55-59 (Jan 28 - Feb 1, 2024). After three weeks in Floripa and finally settling into a more regular routine, I am starting to regain some of my momentum and productivity. Yes…a return to the hamster wheel and the familiar cycle of emails, meetings, project work, writing, and passing deadlines. Sadly, not everyday can be a beach day to be carefree and let thoughts wander - there is still a necessity to justify one’s pay cheque and to do the mundane things like pay bills and rent. But there is something comforting about the work routine when all else around you is new and strange; there is so much to see, do, and experience...but only so much overstimulation a person can handle.
This past week I think I was starting to feel a mild case of culture shock, although it might have just been a combination of trying hard to fit in and the hypoxia of a dreaded man cold. To fit in, I have found it to be a lot of work to communicate with most people - while there are a few I can easily converse with in English, most often for others it requires much time, effort, and use of a translator app on my iPhone. And, as is the case when relying on AI technology, rare is anything perfect - not what it takes (always typos) and not what it translates (often it is imprecise and/or out of context). Fortunately, most people are so patient with me - thank Gawd!. Because as my Francophone people know, the language part of my brain is non-functional. And, aside from some common root words, Portuguese is not something that assimilates well with the French I have retained. Apparently, Portuguese is similar to Spanish, which makes sense given the geographical and historical origins, but that does not really help me as my understanding of Spanish is much less than French. I tried Duolingo, but it was so irritating I had to eradicate the damned bird and its annoying reminders to practice by deleting the app - like I have time to practice Portuguese (there simply is not enough time in the day!).
And the man cold did not help matters at all, since it turned into something a bit more protracted. It started out as a sore throat so out came the COVID test kits - negative for three days in a row. Then it simultaneously went to my sinuses and chest; because I have reactive airways and I am sure there are different allergens in the area, it then became an ongoing sneeze and cough fest. But I came prepared with a steroid nasal spray and inhaler, so I got on it quickly. And, because this is a familiar pattern of treating the symptoms and dealing with the resulting viral irritation, there really is not much to do but ride it out. Now try to explain all that to people when language is a barrier. Because trying to explain I know what I am doing, I can manage my illness, I am not going to die, and, no, I don’t need other medications, is not easy. In fact, the added energy this required and the frustration of not being understood (heard?) became quite stressful. I wanted to do what I always do when I am sick - just hide in my own corner of the world and be left alone. But, unfortunately, I am not in my own environment in order to hide.
As a true Leo, I am cat-like when I am ill. Cats usually go away when they are ill and prefer to be left alone. They come back when they are better and, if they don’t come back,… Anyway, it’s just a cold and I am not going to die!
Now that my routine is back on track, I get some kind of regular exercise each day. It has mainly been walking 8 - 10 km in the morning as it has been comfortable from a temperature standpoint; with the rains the past week things had cooled down, although we are in for another heatwave. One great thing about the walks is being able to familiarize myself with neighborhoods around Córrego Grande (we are located on the high ground). The university is 20 minutes away straight down the main road and there are all kinds of residential and business areas, as well as parks, within an easy walk. Now that vacation is ending for many people there is a bit more traffic and people out running, walking, and cycling.
Another great thing is being able to take in the local wildlife - there are a lot of different birds and they are usually quite chirpy in the mornings. The crocodiles are usually awake too, as are horses and cows. Yup - just 1/2 km to the south of us are some acreages with pastures and cattle. Apparently about 15 - 20 years ago there were small farms in this area but, as usual, urban sprawl has devoured the land.
And the other main great benefit from my walks in the morning is being able to process work and life issues. I have always found my exercise times, whether laps in the pool, runs back in my younger days, or walks, to be my best time for reflection, problem-solving, and creativity. There is something about the solitude, fresh air, and environment that nourishes my grey cells and energizes the synapses. These past few mornings I was lost in many thoughts about my transition here, the challenges (and exhaustion) of constant communication, and some of the practical challenges for ensuring Dan time. In the coming weeks I will be beginning my workshops and presentations, so now an overwhelming thought is “how can I be successful at that?” given the language difference. Because we are no longer talking basic conversation skills but academic research speak that is a language of its own. Some, but not all, of the faculty and grad students will have English as an additional language, so careful consideration is needed for what to put on the slides and how to share some very technical terminology. As an instructor, I do know the challenges of teaching new dense content to students who are fluent in English - but, again, nursing, healthcare, academia, and research have different terminologies, jargon, and unique abbreviations that are a lexicon of their own.
Fortunately, I got a wonderful respite and a needed dose of “home” last evening when a former nursing classmate, Tracy, and her husband Norm arrived in Floripa. A little backstory here - Tracy and I graduated from the Misericordia School of Nursing Class of 1990 in Edmonton. Tracy was originally from Manitoba then migrated to Alberta while migrated everywhere else and landed in Manitoba. So, it has become an exchange of sorts. We connected through Facebook several years ago and kept in contact and it was when I posted about my gig here as visiting scholar that Tracy realized we would be in Floripa at the same time. Talk about serendipity! And, not having seen each other in person for 33 years, we would come together in a different country on a different continent in an opposite hemisphere. And so it was we had a lovely reunion, a walk on the lengthy promenade along Floripa’s shoreline, and the start of a much needed catch up. For me it was a gift of familiarity, a touch of home, and a total of 17 km walking for the day.
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