THE CITIES OF MY LIFE...

Definitely I've learned so much for having the chance to live in so many different places...
HOW LUCK I HAVE BEEN!!!
Shut the fuck up, Laila. It has been all a matter of choice... And you know it!!!

ME - My first name is Laila and my second is Christina... I don't appreciate sharing my last name because they are many. Teaching is my main activity, although I do other things such as translating, interpreting, reading, writing poems, posts in blogs and flogs or making up English quizzes for tests or practices. I also do the dishes, pay bills, comb my hair once in a while, and scratch my ear canals with soft cotton swabs after shower - a sensational blast. My favorite pastime is getting in touch with friends, that I've made throughout these 30 years I have lived, through the web.

HOME TOWN - Originally, I am from a small town located in Sao Paulo state - a state of Brazil. The town is called Presidente Venceslau. What? Are you surprised? Yes! I was really born in Brazil, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This country is really huge, there are about 200,000,000 inhabitants, and all races and beliefs can be found here. On the other hand, my hometown is so small that people hardly believe that it exists.

São Paulo state is located in the Southest of this country, where the weather is enjoyable. But, unfortunately, my hometown is not the capital of the state. My town is located inland, something like eight hundred kilometers from the sea coast. It seems far, but Brazil is so big that those long distances are never amazing.

Presidente Venceslau is the name of the town where I got born (as I had mentioned before), a name that not everyone can easily pronounce. There are only 40 thousand people living in there. Its kind of boring place to me, since I enjoy living in bigger cities with more options for fun. Yet, my family still lives there. I left the city when I was very young, for obvious reason: that place was too small for me.

SÃO PAULO - By the age of 17, I had the chance to live in São Paulo city - the capital of the state with the same name. My parents sponsored my studies there. I used to live in a section of the city called Bela Vista. It's an area near downtown, very interesting although quite dangerous. It's hard for me to say whether I liked or not living in there. I just know that São Paulo city, with its 17,000,000 freaks all together, is more than just a city, it's an astonishingly vibrant spot on earth. I bet the astronauts from NASA may sense it from the outerspace.

LONDRINA - Later on, 1994, I had to move to another place. Why? College matters. Where? PARAN state. Be more specific please: Londrina. Just another city in Brazil whose name is a reverence of London. No! Not just another city in Brazil, that is completely wrong. Londrina is my second home. Londrina is magical. Little London, that's what the name means, is infused with great minds and free spirits, talented musicians and espectacular actors, theater actors. And I won't forget the views of that place which would elevate in me the wish to be hedonistic for a lifetime. Well, after saying all that, you may ask yourself, "Why aren't you living there, then?" I'll answer that question in a few paragraphs below.

I'd kept myself in Londrina until the end of 1997. I even got a bachelor's degree in MASS COMMUNICATION from the local state university named UEL. For all those years, my parents afforded my living and study expenses. I can say that I had an excellent education and received a great deal of love from them. I owe all my success to them with all my heart. At UEL, I ended up graduating in journalism, although I have never worked as journalist professionally.

SAINT PETERSBURG - In 1998... Well back then, I moved to Saint Petersburg - USA along with my sister Jennifer, and after Roberto arrived there. There, we lived together in an international student housing where we could make friends from different parts of the world. I still keep in touch with some of them and that helps me have clear in mind all the good memories from Saint Pete. Few months later in that year, Beto and I decided to move out to our own place. The day we officially got into our home was on October 31st - Halloween holiday. Our apartment was cozy but we didn't have much stuff in it, like television, VCR, etc. However, we wouldn't stay much time without stereo. In the very first week, Beto got ourselves a nice JVC stereo system which gave us some joy until we finally settled down. At that time, I started my Associated in Arts studies at a local school called Saint Petersbrug College. I graduated a few years later, meanwhile I could work and enjoy the "American Way of Life" which was unique and very helpful to my inner self: by going through all that gave me the chance to grow mature and become self-assured. I've learnt that the world up there resides within. I am here, on Earth, therefore I am everywhere.

Everywhere can be magical and dreadful simultaneously. Any place is soaked in good souls and evil spirits. We've got to learn how to manage with these contrasts!

My stay in Saint Pete can be defined as a REFRESHING "SICKENED" EXPERIENCE.Loved having known and lived in such a mixed cultural city...

NOW - I am 30 and now I live in Caxias do Sul, back in Brazil... I'll leave to talk about it later in another post... IT'S BEEN SO CALM THESE DAYS... Let's not mess with it!