My winter vacation (January 2025) in Londrina

 

My winter vacation

My winter vacation (January 2025) in Londrina (Brazil).

Just ten days before I landed in Londrina for my winter vacation (yep, winter in China!),I had no idea I'd even be going on this trip. But wow, am I glad I did! It turned out to be an amazing adventure—despite a few unexpected hiccups along the way. Some people might have let those little surprises ruin their vacation, but not me! I embraced the chaos and had an unforgettable time.

Before I left home, I had a little pepper plant, and in a desperate attempt to keep it alive, I soaked it in water—hoping it wouldn’t wither away from thirst. Well…spoiler alert: it totally died. BUT, in one final act of bravery, it managed to grow a single pepper! And tomorrow, that tiny hero will live on—in my salad. Not bad at all! 🌶️😆

A few days after arriving in Londrina, I was all excited to test out my brand-new digital camera with zoom—straight from China! My mission? Capture some cool shots of downtown Londrina to show my students back in China. So, I snapped photos during the day, experimented with night shots, and was feeling like a pro…

Then, on my way home, bam!—I took an unexpected detour straight to the ground. I fell hard and seriously messed up my foot. It hurt so much that my vacation almost turned into a disaster (like I mentioned before). It was so bad that I even had to see a doctor to make sure I hadn’t broken it. Talk about a rough start! 😅

Guess what? I ended up rocking a casquet (yes, really) and hobbling around on crutches for a while—super stylish, I know. Even now, I’m still doing the world’s slowest limp-walk like some dramatic movie character. Looks like it'll be a few months before I'm back to full speed... but hey, at least I have a great story to tell! 😆

Enough with the sad vacation saga—let’s talk about the good stuff! Sure, I ended up staying home way more than planned and didn’t go out as much, but honestly? It wasn’t bad at all! I got to spend a ton of quality time with my mom and brothers, which was awesome.

The highlight? Meeting my brand-new nephew for the first time! He was born right after I left for China last time, so I hadn’t met the little guy yet. Oh, and as a bonus, I also got to witness the arrival of a very energetic new dog at home. This furry tornado immediately started an excavation project in the backyard, which did not make my brother very happy. But hey, every vacation needs a little chaos, right? 😆

One key mission on this trip? A sit-down with my financial advisor—because let’s be real, living abroad means I need a solid plan for my hard-earned cash. Gotta make sure I’m not just working for the thrill of it, right? After all, no one dreams of retiring broke—unless you’re into that kind of adventure, which I am definitely not! 😆💰

Spending time with family? In my case, it’s super easy—almost too easy! The moment I step into one house, boom! I’m automatically visiting everyone. Why? Because my mom and brothers are basically next-door neighbors, forming a little family village. No complicated planning, no long drives—just one visit, and I’ve seen them all! It’s like an all-inclusive family reunion, every single day! 😆

The sunsets and moonlit nights in my city? Absolute masterpieces! Nature puts on a breathtaking show almost every single day. And let me tell you, there was nothing better than kicking back on my mom’s porch, soaking it all in while chatting with family. Honestly, that peaceful vibe was exactly what I needed to help heal my poor hurt foot. Forget medicine (well not so much — I did use a lot of pain killers) good company and beautiful skies were the real cure! 🌅🌙✨

And let’s not forget the food—oh, the food I’d been craving! Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Chinese food and never once complained while in China. But let’s be real—who doesn’t miss their mom’s cooking? There’s just something magical about those homemade meals. Oh, and of course, we kept up our family tradition with a classic pizza night—because no trip home is complete without stuffing yourself with way too much cheese and carbs! 🍕😋

My aunt is turning 101 this year—yes, you read that right, one hundred and one! Even she didn’t expect to make it this far! 😂 I’ll probably miss yet another big family event (her birthday in April),but hey, that’s just part of the deal when you live abroad. What can you do, right?

But let me tell you, as you can see in the picture, she’s still got a killer sense of humor. At this point, I think she might just outlive all of us! 🎉😂

I’m a bit of a game addict (Uno, anyone?)—especially after lunch at the canteen with the students in China. But where did this love for games come from, you ask? Well, I’ve got a brother who's obsessed with them! So, naturally, during this vacation, we played games like it was our full-time job. He even took me to a game store, and guess what? I walked out with two new games to bring back to China. Now I’ve got a solid collection—three games total, not just the trusty Uno I used to play on repeat! 🎲😎

Last Sunday, I had the honor of giving a speech at church. And, as usual, all my church friends were dying to know what life is really like in China. I swear, it’s like they’ve all got a personal curiosity club about my China adventures! Every time I visit, they beg to hear my stories, and if there’s a free spot on the agenda, they always ask me to share a message. So, guess what? I always find a way to sneak in my China experiences—because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good story from halfway across the world? 😄🌏

Speech (Portuguese)

Well, well, well—all good things must come to an end, right? And so, my vacation was wrapping up. On my last day, my brother, the BBQ master, treated me to a farewell feast that was so good it should’ve been illegal. Seriously, the guy’s a genius when it comes to grilling! 😋

Now, I didn’t cry on my last day (I’m not that dramatic, I promise!),but yeah, I was pretty bummed to say goodbye. But hey, it wasn’t all that bad because I absolutely love my job and life in China. I’ve made some amazing friends here, and that’s why I keep renewing my visa year after year. After all, I’ve been here for seven years now, and trust me, if I didn’t like it here, I could’ve bailed after the first year! But nope, I’m still living the dream! 🌟

On my way back to China, I had a layover in São Paulo, where I took the flight to China. While there, I had the pleasure of visiting my nephew, who got married last December. I was so happy to meet his wife, a smart, charming, and incredibly focused young woman. It was clear that both of them have their priorities straight.

Now, here's the kicker: they both speak English, which in Brazil (where English is as rare as in China) is pretty impressive. Because of that, my nephew landed a fantastic job earning in dollars (1 dollar = 6 reais!),and that really makes a difference in life. That’s why I always stress to my students how crucial it is to learn English—it opens doors to opportunities.

And here’s another thought: while you’re at it, why not find a great person to marry in college too? I’ve written about how marrying the right person can elevate your life and bring happiness. A solid degree and strong English skills can also help land a great job, support your family, and lead to the good life every hardworking person deserves! 🌟

Article by Marcelo Gameiro

Published 15 Feb 2025