2001-07-25 | 5:02 p.m.

In 4 hours I will be leaving on a jet plane so I can go home. To where my heart is. To where the air is clear and you can see every star in the sky. Where I can smell the ocean and smile because it's not polluted. Where every one in the street smiles. Kids laugh. Where I find myself the happiest. I would after all. It was where I was born. It's my culture. My strength. My passion. My heart. And while I didn't leave my heart in Rio, I also sure as hell am not leaving it here in this city.

Don't get me wrong, New York is a good city to live in. It's just that sometimes I need to get out of it. I need to step away. I need to fray my edges and make sure that nothing is perfect and focused and organized. That's what New York feels like for me. It's crazy but in contained and organized little boxes. And I need to run away from them. Because sometimes I just want to be free. I want to run free and know that wherever I may fall I know that its ok. And I know that this all sounds more like my issues. But it's not. If you've ever moved around you know that there in one place you can go and it just makes you feel warm inside. and like London, Rio is that for me. Even more because I was actually born there.

I am a carioca da gema after all.

So I've packed everything. Not including the kitchen sink. I just need to hop into the shower before I get into the rented car that will drop me off at the airport. Today's weather so far has seriously not helped in the fact that I needed to run errands after I finished my half day at work. But I did everything and the only thing I'm missing is something I'm hoping to buy at the airport. And if I don't get it my cousin already said no problemo so I'm not stressed about it.

Which means I am done. Ready for my trip. Ready to see the family. Ready to see Dudu marry. Ready to see the nephew and run around with him. Ready to hug and kiss my grandma. Ready to see my uncle. Ready for the sun, the ocean, the smiles and laughs. I'm absolutely ready for everything!

And so off I go and hope that everyone ends up having a wonderful time this week and weekend. Because I know that I will. I know that I will come back with color in my cheeks, fire in my eyes and the Brazilian passion simmering in my belly. Oh yeah, plus goodies from Rio. Don't get better than that if you ask me.

Later...



p r e v i o u s // n e x t