The norm of my life as it stands...

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Things which have become the norm:

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Walking 5mins to the local food markets any time from 5:30am on a Sunday morning and buying 2 weeks worth of fruit and veges (for 2 people) for under AUD $20.
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Buying bananas - a whole stem cut from the tree (approx 10kg) for AUD $1.50
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Eating bananas!! This is new to me...
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The men at the markets drinking beer like its coffee at 6am. Given, they probably have been up since 4am - but what is the point of having a local market if there is no alcohol to drink whist chatting with your neighbours??
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Walking 10 minutes to the beach in a bikini at any time of day - but more comfortably at 6am...
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Working a 15 hour week and feeling like it was the hardest week of my life. Though it was done within 4 days! Teaching is very mentally exhausting work and I give so much credit to all those full-time teachers out there.
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Surfing. Being able to surf basically whenever I have wanted. Being in the water until the sun is gone and there is only a glimmer of light left in the sky and still catching waves. "If you're always looking ahead for the next wave; you'll miss the sunset behind you...."
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Being thirsty at the beach and either buying an ice-cold coconut from the guy behind me or having someone climb a coconut tree and pick a fresh one. And who said we didn’t originate from monkeys ??!!??
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Not going to the beach because I feel lazy. Staying in the house & relaxing because the beach feels oh-so-far-away...
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My closest neighbour being a rooster. NB: This is not - and never will be - a good thing! I'm not a vegetarian, I do eat meat.....watch out!
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Water so crystal clear with beautiful contrasting colours of the jungle and coconut trees surrounding. Greens, blues - and with a purple & pink sunset.....just breath-taking.... *sigh*
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Speaking Portuguese. I'm not fluent - I'm no where close! But I can converse about most (important) things around here and that's a hell-of-a-lot more than I could do 12 months ago when I left Australia. And for my first language, I think I’m doing ok..
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When I lived on the Orla (seafront) at the start of winter, being able to hear the waves at high tide when I was going to sleep or waking up with this sound every morning. It more than made up for the amount of mosquitoes we had in that house!
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Having the time to make breakfast every morning. I love breakfast. No, I seriously LOVE breakfast!! I can make whatever I want every day because I have the time. I'm generally not rushed. I make my eggs any way I feel depending on the day, with fresh rocket, tomato, onion, integral bread & fresh basil; I make my coffee; and then I sit down & enjoy before the day "starts". Though usually by this time I am so damn hungry because I have already surfed or ran or something, so it is scoffed down with enormous speed in a matter of seconds - but I assure you, still with great satisfaction!
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Time to think - maybe too much? Time to reflect. Time to enjoy. Time to appreciate.
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Wearing the same clothes over and over again for nearly 12 months. I challenge anyone (particulary a female) to pick out the most basic 3 singlet’s, 3 t-shirts, 2 dresses, 4 pairs of shorts and 1 skirt to wear every day for more than 3 months and I guarantee you will start to appreciate clothes in a whole new way! Add to that only 4 bras (just black & white) and 10 pairs of underwear. Needless to say, the final item seems to be 'forgotten' to be worn more often than not...
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Sleeping on the beach - in the day time. Amazing. If you think waking up to the sound of the waves in your house sounds good, you should try falling asleep on a sarong in the middle of the day with your mattress as the sand and your blanket as the sun... this, at times, is a daily occurrence.
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Sleeping before going out. At one stage I had nailed this to an art-form. Sleep for an hour until 12:30am where I then wake up, take a slip of the beer Patricia has been drinking (also known as "warming up" before we start the night) and walk out the door to the standard "Jungle & Favela Bars" and party until 4am.
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Teaching English. I can teach English?!? And I now know what a verb is! Ha! Take that Mrs. Strong (my Year 7-9 English teacher who absolutely hated me!!)! I am teaching adults and children to speak a language which is foreign and complicated to them.
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Patricia. I think "in my old age" I’ve become more of a pain in the arse to live with. Fussy about some things, lazy about others. But her being in Itacare with me for the past 3 months has been an amazing amount of fun and laughter and a whole lot of love and I worry I take it all for granted some days but I can only hope she knows how much I love her and am going to miss her...
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Living in Brazil! Who would have thought I would still be in the same country 10 months later. Sometimes, even now, I don’t actually appreciate where I am, what I’m doing or what I’ve done. And that’s the thing, when you stop appreciating what is beautiful around you and start to get annoyed at the small things, you know it is time to move on.

And on that note, I've decided to say farewell to Itacare - and maybe even Brazil.
People keep saying maybe I'll be back someday as everyone who comes here generally always does - if they were ever able to leave in the first place! 😊 But now for me, it is time for a new challenge. A new start. Maybe even a new country & language! So after almost 9 months of living in Brazil's little piece of paradise, it is time to say "tchau" to Itacare and hello to the unknown which lays ahead in the weeks and months to come...
I arrived with only a backpack and now I am leaving with a new surfboard, a tan and having become a blonde! Plus 9 months of living in amazing beauty, tranquility and peace - and memories which will last a lifetime. Thank you to all the people who made Itacare for me. The beach trips, the lazy days, the long nights. I may be a passing tourist who stayed a little longer, but you will always remain a special part of me...
Beijos. xx

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Photos

Fruit & Vege
Sunday shopping @ the feira!!

Banana cake cooked @ 4am
This cake was cooked between the hours of 4am-5am. It was completely eaten by 1pm the next day...

Vamos surfar....
.....painted white!

Love in Blue
Paty & I

Tiririca Beach
The stretch.

Birthday Love for 2!!
2 Birthdays in one day - we are specail :)

Laughs all round...
Party girls are all smiles!

Australia + Uruguay + Argentina
Cas, Vali & Alan

Engenhoca
As dusk approaches...

Stunning afternoon
And the waves became good for the afternoon session!

Comments

[Sharon Palmer]

Hello..........
Cassie, OMG how much has changed for you. You look great and relaxed and happy. Can't wait to hear where you are off to next....... I'll stay tuned. Shas xxx

[somewhere else]

Ah, Shas!! thank you :) life is good - future update to come soon! xx.