Brynn Barineau

Tag: travel

  • Live and Let Parent

    Live and Let Parent

    This morning my husband was walking past the bookshelf and spotted a recent addition amongst the rainbow of spines. (Yes, he is that observant.)  “Breastfeeding,” he murmured out loud, taking a closer look.  He turned to me and said “Do you really need 200 pages on breastfeeding?  Isn’t it pretty straightforward?”  A few months ago I would have thought the same thing, but then I started reading pregnancy sites and the endless stream of personal anecdotes in the comment sections detailing difficulties with everything from breastfeeding to nose clearing.  Now, I’m pretty sure 200 pages is not enough address all the ways breastfeeding can go wrong.

    It’s complicated.  I’m not just talking about breastfeeding.  I’m talking about raising a baby.  Last night, I spent an hour researching diaper creams.  I’ve looked at swaddling blankets versus sleep sacks.  Pacifiers before she’s one month old?  What temperature for the bath water?  Do visitors need to wash their hands before holding her or is hand sanitizer enough?  If I give her peanut butter before she graduates from high school will she die of an allergic reaction?  And these are only the questions about physical development.  Never mind the ones about intellect and character.

    As I develop an appreciation for how complicated raising a person is, I find myself becoming more and more tolerant of other parents.  Recently Salon featured an interview with the creator of the website “Too Big for Strollers.”  The name is literal.  The site is a collection of photos of kids who are probably old enough to send text messages from their own cell phones being pushed around in strollers.  From the tone of the site, its creator (clearly the Salon interviewer too) thinks putting a four-year-old in a stroller is what terrible parents do if they want to raise a lazy, entitled, and self-centered human being.

    When I saw the pictures, I thought “Isn’t an older child in a stroller better than a lost child?”

    The majority of pictures on the site seem to be taken in crowded amusements parks or cities, places where strapping in a kid perfectly old enough to walk but young enough to distractedly wander away is not a bad idea. Maybe overboard but not a terrible lapse in judgment.

    I have also been in the presence of a hot, tired, and hungry kid.  If they haven’t used this creature at Guantanamo, they’re missing a out on an extremely effective torture method not banned by the Geneva Convention.  I have dreams of being the parent who looks at her child after the 80th complaint of tired legs and serenely says, “You are too big for a stroller,” but I know they’re just dreams.  I’ll cave.  I can only take so much whining and screaming.  I have a breaking point.  Be it a day out running errands or a 9 hour plane ride, I already know there will be circumstances in which I will cater to any demand as long as it keeps her quiet. And mommy sane.

    Turns out the woman who created that site and the one who interviewed her are both childless!  Figures. It’s so easy to think there’s a clear “right way” when you are not the one who has to do it. I’m a pretty critical person but I’m now trying to give other parents a break.  As long as someone is feeding his child and not bathing it with bleach, I’ve got his back.  At least I’m trying to, because parenting is complicated.

    So to the Mom I passed on the street holding the hand of a 4 year old using a pacifier, I understand.  Maybe it was the only way to get through your errands without constant screaming.  So no judgment without context.  That leopard print unitard, though?  That’s just tacky.

    UPDATE May 2015: It looks like Laura Miller, the creator of the tumbler site Too Big for Strollers, gave it up shortly after her interview in Salon.  Apparently, there were A LOT of angry parents who didn’t like someone without children passing judgement on them.  And on a personal note, I recently tried to get my 3 1/2 year-old daughter to start walking the five blocks to school. It lasted two weeks. Dang, that girl can put up a fight.  She’ll overthrow a dictator someday.  We compromised on a tricycle that I can take over and push if necessary.  I’ll try the walking again on her 4th birthday.

  • Flight Changed Due to “Meteor Delay”

    Flight Changed Due to “Meteor Delay”

    My husband and I arrived in Vitoria yesterday, three hours later than planned.  Our flight was eventually moved to a different airport because, according to the departure board, of a “meteor delay.”

    I can’t be certain, but I’m willing to bet had there been an actual meteor hurtling down out of the sky, I would have been much more amenable to changing airports.  A meteor crashing into Guanabara Bay would have put things into perspective and made having to pass through security at two different airports seem a comparatively minor inconvenience.  And it would have made for an awesome story.

    Alas, there was no meteor involved in our meteor delay.  You’ve probably already guessed that “meteor” is short for meteorological, which is a fancy way to say fog.  Our flight was moved due to fog.

    While not nearly as interesting as a meteor, this particular event is a curious yet common occurrence in Rio.  Cariocas call it névoa, or neblina.  It is a dry fog that blankets the entire Guanabara Bay reducing visibility in the area to almost nothing.  The névoa is a winter phenomenon and happens when the air is particularly dry over a body of water.

    I don’t have a lot of experience with fogs but the little I’ve had led me to believe fogs are always damp.  Rio’s dry fog was a truly bizarre phenomenon the first time I experienced it.  Our apartment in Rio overlooks Guanabara Bay and it’s pretty amazing to have the entire bay disappear from view.

    The fog quickly goes from amazing to pain in the ass when it closes the local airport and forces you to go across town with 150 lbs of luggage.  But we’re here.  We made it to Vitoria in one piece, as did the wine glasses.  A statement we might not be able to make if there had been an actual meteor.

  • Hostage Taking Leads to Flight Cancelation

    Hostage Taking Leads to Flight Cancelation

    My brother and his girlfriend spent the last week with me here in Rio.  Saturday night, I dropped them off at the airport and went back to my apartment.  Sunday morning, I got a call from my Dad.  “Did you know your brother and Lauren are still in Rio?”

    “What do you mean they’re still in Rio?!”

    “Their flight was canceled.  All they were told was that the flight crew was in no condition to fly.  Apparently something happened at the hotel where the crew was staying.”

    The “something” that happened was a mass evacuation after gang members got into a firefight with police and then invaded the lobby of the Hotel Intercontinental and took 30 hostages to the hotel kitchen.  The flight crew was staying at the Hotel Intercontinental.  Thus, my brother and his girlfriend got an extra night in Rio courtesy of US Airways and the Amigos dos Amigos gang.

    Officials at every level have been made frantic by the invasion.  Rio’s mayor and governor could not get to a microphone fast enough to reassure the world that Rio will be safe for the World Cup and the Olympics.

    For me, Saturday’s hostage taking only highlights how very fragile Rio’s stability is.  Everything in the city is at or exceeding capacity, the airport, the roads, the public hospitals. The government is notoriously corrupt. The city is among mountains making access points between neighborhoods limited and an event that blocks a single road has the potential to tie up traffic throughout the city. The situation at the Hotel Intercontinental is a good example.

    Saturday’s invasion occurred just in front of a tunnel connecting the city’s social center to its huge suburbs. Residents were basically cut off from the city for the morning. Thank God the gangs and police manage to avoid each other during rush hour.  The event also showed the trickle down effects of one outbreak of violence.  A hotel is invaded and the airport, located on the other side of the city, is having to cancel flights.

    I have my doubts about Rio’s ability to host the Olympics.  I agree with the need to diversify host cities and have the games in South America.  I just feel so much in this city is already at the breaking point, that a major event is going to break it.

    This month, Smithsonian magazine has a cover article on Rio and the challenges it is facing in preparation for the World Cup and Olympics. It’s an honest assessment by an author who clearly loves Rio.

    Of course, the Olympics could be the stimulus for real change and improvement in infrastructure but Rio’s past problems with corruption and inefficiency make me skeptical.  In the four years I have been here, I’ve seen the very slow pace at which things get done.  I know Cariocas pride themselves on a laid back attitude but the city is going to have to pick up the pace because there is a lot of work to be done.

  • Mad Expat Skills

    Mad Expat Skills

    Expats develop a unique skill set over many years of international travel.  For example, at airport security, I can strip off shoes, jacket, and watch: move my computer from backpack to plastic bin: get three bins worth of personal items, a backpack and myself through the metal detectors (without setting anything off) all in under 20 seconds.

    A well choreographed routine for security lines is something expats share with all frequent travelers. A week ago, I realized a skill exclusive to the frequent international traveler.

    At any moment, I can drop what I’m doing and be at the airport completely packed to leave the country in an hour. From zero to transcontinental in under an hour. How is that for an awesome, albeit totally unmarketable, skill?

    I remember the very first time I traveled outside of the US.  I was going to spend three weeks in the British Isles with a high school exchange program and I spent at least three days packing.  Lists were made, checked, rechecked and amended.

    Every single family member participated in the preparation and packing for this trip.  My grandmother told me to roll my dresses instead of folding them in order to avoid wrinkles.  My Mom bought me detergent tablets for washing clothes and a string for hanging them to dry in the bathroom.  My Dad made sure I had extra batteries for my camera.

    I have streamlined things considerably since that first trip abroad.

    Today, I have a set of strict rules when it comes to my luggage.  First, I must be able to lift my own suitcase and carry it up and down stairs.  I will not be dependent on others to move my own luggage. Second, if you haven’t had to sit on your suitcase to close it, then it’s not full.  Third, thongs are the go to underwear because you can pack a month’s worth inside of a shoe.  And finally, hoodie sweatshirts can cushion anything from computer printers to brass lamps.

    When I pack it happens in a logical and well established order.  Underwear, bras, socks, pajamas, bottoms (casual, dressy), tops (casual, semi-dressy, dressy), workout attire, one dress, shoes (1 comfy, 1 cute, 1 dressy pairs), and finally accessories (jewelry, belts).  Then I pack my carry-on with my laptop, iPod, book, snacks, plastic baggy with hand sanitizer and chapstick, and of course passport and wallet.  I pack my toiletries last because I take a quick shower and brush my teeth right before I head to the airport.  (I assume the other passengers appreciate this habit.)

    I can go through this entire routine, including the shower, and be in a taxi on my way to the airport in an hour or less. I believe most expats have an equally impressive travel prep routine.  We never have to search for our passports and we always have some cash in a variety of currencies in the house.  If I ever need to flee a country, I’m confident I’ll make it out and still be well packed for any occasion, be it casual, formal or sporty.

  • Road Trip Munchies

    Road Trip Munchies

    About a year ago my husband began working in the state of Espirito Santo, just north of Rio.  As a result, road trips have become part of our weekly routine.  And you know the best part about roads trips?  Junk food!

    I believe road trips offer a brief hiatus from rules of healthy eating.  Any car trip lasting longer than two hours puts the world into a state of suspended animation allowing you to eat whatever you want without consequences.

    True road trip food must come from either a fast food chain or gas station convenience store.  (Rest station vending machines work too.)  My go to road trip munchies in the US are Yoohoo and ranch flavored corn nuts.  Mmmmm, delicious!  Sadly, neither of these exist in Brazil, so I’ve had to explore new options.

    First, candy!  Brazil has two big candy makers, Garoto and Lacta.  Garoto sells many delicious candies including mini chocolate bars, only four squares, in a variety of flavors.  In my opinion, Lacta is a second-tier candy maker. The only Lacta product worth consuming is a Bis, a type of Brazilian Kit Kat.

    Another popular snack is Japanese peanuts.  They’re roasted peanuts with a crunchy, salty shell around them.  I don’t know what the shell is made of or what exactly makes them Japanese.   They sure are tasty though.

    You can also find small bags of pretzel sticks.  Based on the exclamations points and the word “NEW” all over the packaging, I can only assume pretzel sticks only just made it to Brazil and everyone is very excited about it.

    There seems to be a lot of dried fruit.  I don’t really know.  I don’t shop in that section.

    A favorite of many Cariocas is the biscoito de vento, air cookie.  It’s salty so it’s not really a cookie but it has so little substance I’m at a loss as to exactly what it is.  It’s crispy, filled with air pockets, and dissolves immediately upon hitting your tongue.  Is it corn?  Wheat?  I can’t say but it has a very satisfying crunch.

    Finally, potato chips. I can sum up the difference between American and Brazilian chips in two words, meat flavored.  Yes, the US has BBQ flavor but it’s referring to the sauce.  When a Brazilian chip bag says “roasted meat” the chip is going to taste like pot roast.  Unmistakably and disconcertingly like pot roast.

    If you’re not a red meat fan, there is also grilled chicken and turkey breast. Even the “herb” flavored reminded me, oddly, of tandoori chicken.

    And here we have the limit of my cross-culture understanding.  I do not want my potato chips to taste like meat.  Ranch dressing, fine.  Turkey breast, no.  My tolerance goes only so far. This is one tradition I will not be adopting.  I’m going to stick with my Japanese peanuts.

  • World Cup Trivia

    World Cup Trivia

    Americans are embracing soccer as never before.  According to FIFA, Americans bought more tickets to the World Cup than any nation other than South Africa.  Last Saturday, more than 17 million Americans watched the US play England, a larger audience than the first 4 NBA playoff games and twice the size of the audience for the Stanley Cup final. (Apparently, the Stanley Cup is a championship for some weird ice-soccer game.)

    While Americans are watching more soccer, by Brazilian standards we’re still novice fans.  If we want to call ourselves true fans,  than we need to have an appreciation of the history of the Cup. Here are some facts you can use to impress any Brazilian you might run into during the World Cup.  Toss a few of these out in conversation and you’re sure to earn his or her respect as a fellow soccer fan.

    Very Important World Cup Trivia
    1. Brazil has won more World Cups than any other country.  They are penta-champions, hence the five stars around the logo on their jerseys.

    2.  Brazil is the only country to have qualified for every World Cup.  That’s 19 Cups if you want to sound extra impressive.

    3.  Brazil holds the record for most consecutive wins in World Cup play.  They won 11 straight games from 2002 – 2006.

    4.  Brazil also holds the record for most games without a loss, 13 from 1958 – 1966.

    5.  Pelé has an accent at the end of his name which puts the stress on the second syllable.  His name is correctly pronounced pay-LAY, similar to the word touche. And he’s the greatest soccer player to have ever lived. (Maradona is from Argentina and therefore not eligible for consideration.)

    6.  Maracanã, the world’s largest soccer stadium, was built for the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.  173,000 ticket holders came to Maracanã to watch the final between Brazil and Uruguay but officials estimate there were actually more than 200,000 people in the stadium.  (Btw, Brazil lost that final, a fact you might want to avoid in conversation.)

    7.  Brazil will once again host the World Cup in 2014.

    8.  Brazilians call soccer the jogo bonito, beautiful game, and superior skill on the field is futbol-arte, football art.

    9.  Brazil has been, is and will be the best soccer team in the world.  Forever and ever.  Amen.

    You probably only need to use that last fact to impress the Brazilian.  That plus a joke about Argentina and you’ll be embraced as a fellow soccer lover in no time.

  • Hosting family

    Hosting family

    Last week, I played host to my cousin who flew down from Atlanta.  It was her first trip to Rio. And she did her research.

    We drank coconuts on Copacabana beach and watched footvolley on Ipanema.  We shopped in Leblon and rode bikes around Lagoa.  We hiked up Morro da Urca and fed monkeys.  We explored the botanical gardens and got harassed by some aggressive strawberry salesmen at the market.  Salgados, acaraje, tapioca, sushi, and pounds of red meat were consumed in addition to 16 different kinds of fruit juice.  (Not even half of the 41 fruits on the menu.) Her trip ended with the obligatory visit to Cristo Redentor.

    After a week with my cousin, I now have some idea what it’s like to have a five year-old on summer vacation.

    I’ve had to translate for all of my family but, unlike other visitors, my cousin has an endless supply of energy and tendency to shout recently learned Portuguese phrases at totally inappropriate times.  A pre-departure nightmare involving a kidnapping meant leaving her on her own was out of the question.  Her first question every morning was “What are we doing today?”  So, she couldn’t read or speak to anyone, couldn’t be left alone, needed to be entertained every day, and she found the Portuguese word for armadillo absolutely hilarious.  In Rio, my cousin becomes a 23 year-old child.

    Our week went like this.  “What would you like to do today?”  “What do you feel like eating?”  “What do you want to drink?”  “Who else do you need to get gifts for?”   “The word for opossum is gambá.”  “Where do you want to go now?”  “Let me ask him where the bathroom is.”  “Not a good idea to shout ‘gambá!’ in the middle of the market.”  “What would you like to do if it rains?”  “Fui assaltada means ‘I was assaulted.’”  “What size do you want?”  “It’s 35 reais.”  “Please don’t tell the taxi driver you were assaulted.”

    On her last day, she proudly announced that this was the first time she had ever exhausted a guidebook.

    For my cousin every new experience, no matter how small, was worthy of being celebrated, turned into a joke, and discussed repeatedly.  While her constant enthusiasm is tiring it is also her most admirable trait.  She still has that childlike wonder which turns a trip to the grocery store into an adventure and pot-roast flavored potato chips into a treasure.

    Our week together in Rio was great fun!  Exhausting but great fun.  She helped me realize just how much fun Rio can be with a sense of adventure and that I will probably be sending future kids to summer camp.

  • Winter Fashion in Rio de Janeiro

    Winter Fashion in Rio de Janeiro

    It’s 73 degrees and partly cloudy in Rio.  Lows are around 63 and the sea breeze is decidedly nippy.  You know what that means?  Shake out the sweaters and get the mold off that leather coat.  It’s winter in Rio!

    Of course, this only applies if you’re a Carioca.  If you are from pretty much anywhere else (ok, anywhere outside of the tropics) you grab a light jacket to wear over your tank top or opt for a long-sleeve t-shirt (the sleeves of which will be pushed up for the entire day until the sun sets).  But if you are Carioca, you’ll wear enough layers to be comfortable in deep space.

    The Carioca reaction to cool weather is charming.  The temperature drops below 80 and store mannequins are clothed in knee-length coats and turtleneck sweaters.  A drizzly rain plus a temperature of 60 degrees requires scarves, gloves, and boots.  While the Carioca may dislike having to wear closed toed shoes, it does give her a chance to wear that beautiful leather coat she bought in Buenos Aires.

    I’ll admit the last two days have been chilly.  I brought a jean jacket with me to class last night, but even with the jacket, I seemed to be dressed for an entirely different climate than the office staff.   One assistant was wearing what appeared to be a wool sweater over a long-sleeved, button-up shirt.  The office manager was dressed in a black suit, with jacket buttoned, black stockings and pumps.  While I don’t know how they avoided heat exhaustion, they both looked killer.

    And that’s what I miss about winter.  The clothes.  I do not like cold weather and unless you’re in a Lifetime Christmas special, snow is simply a cold, wet mess.  I do, however, miss the clothes.  Turtle necks, long coats tied at the waist, gloves, lined slacks, boots, sweater vests, corduroy pants, jewel toned anything.  The human race appears so much more competent in winter attire.

    Would you want the guy in the speedo and tennis shoes holding the nuclear codes?  No.  Nothing says “We’re doomed!” like a speedo accessorized with gold chains and athletic footwear.

    I do love the weather in Rio.  The lack of freezing temperatures is one of the city’s greatest assets.  But I miss the sophistication of winter clothes.  And a speedo with a parka on top does not count.