Both these pictures were taken during very important seasons of my life. For the next two weeks, I will be saying goodbye to my homeland. Brazil is such an amazing, magical country. I am grateful for the opportunity to have experienced the depths of its beauty and culture, like few can, living in the "portunhol salvaje" border, in this intersection of worlds.
Probably, I'm going to be writing more about my homeland once I'm gone, when my heart misses the heat, the beat, and the wild wonders. For now, the old goodbye will have to do: "Au revoir, beauté latine!". I promise to remain salvaje, to remain gaucha, to remain strong and kind, like you taught me to.
I come from the heart of that ancient jungle, from this magical dangerous land where the sea meets the sand and the flowers got drowned. ¡Adiós, mi sur! I come from a place where women turn into jaguars and pink dolphins turn into men, they jump from the river and invite you to dance - only to steal a kiss under the full moon. Adiós... I come from where men can fight and never die because they learn how to love so soon. A land of opened skies and red dirt that stains the walls like blood would. The birds sing and we beat with our feet and clap to their tune. I come from a place where the buildings will never become cages, for our hearts are too wild to be fooled. We are not impressed by your jewels! The horses will still run free around the pampas, and the gauchos will drink their mate, refusing to bow down, refusing to die, singing their chants. Here thunderstorms will soothe every pain and every wound will be healed, under the warm sunlight, by the feet of our mountains, in the majestic amplitude. ¡Adiós, latinoamerica! Oh, dear south lands, your rivers engraved my heart as a treasure map so my tears will always look back to you. I hope you understand, I had to - I had to go, I'm sorry I flew as a condor when I opened my wings. Adios, mi sueño. Adeus! Au revoir! Au revoir et à bientôt, beauté latine.