The Global Village and my Parents

My Darling Parents, José Carlos & Stila

If you've read my blog on Shanghai, you probably remember my comment on the surreal moment at the Brazilian Restaurant. After posting that entry, I got thinking how true this is, our world is indeed becoming smaller and smaller. Of course, not in real distance, because going from HK all the way to Rio de Janeiro to hug and kiss dear family and friends, takes anything from 32 to 38 hours, which is nothing compared to what my Portuguese ancestors took to go from Lisbon to Asia in late 15th century, but still, huge amount of hours to reach the opposite side of the planet. However, despite these geographical facts, people are not intimidated and they go up and down, moving East and West, North & South, quickly mingling with everybody they come across with.

The other day I was having lunch with some Brazilian ladies in one of the islands here in HK. At some point of the lunch, I started chatting with my friend's mother, who was visiting her also from Rio. After a couple of questions, we both discovered that she lived literally behind my parents in the huge city of Rio de Janeiro, which is located in a huge Country called Brazil. That on its own, is already a coincidence. But that is not all. When I was leaving the party, I suggested the lady to call my mom when she got back, because they're both of similar age and could go do stuff together. She agreed to it and started taking mom's details. I first gave the proper address, then the phone number and for last, I gave mom's name.

For those of you who don't know her, mom has a VERY unusual name, "Stila". I've only seen her and the cosmetic brand. So, when I told the lady "Stila Coelho de Sousa", the lady stops writing, looks into the air, quickly frowns her forehead and with a vague voice, she says... "hum... Stila... I remember having lunch at a Stila's house, back in 1973 in London... she was the wife of a Brazilian admiral posted in London". After collapsing and having a heart attack, I got back on my feet and said, "... so you had lunch at home"!

Can you believe it? This lady had been to our home, back in the 70's and there we were, having lunch together in one of the many islands HK has, so far away both from Rio and from London, thirty odd years later!!

Stories like this, are not my prerogative. We all have our own stories and that is really cool!

As I get ready for this move to Angola, which by the way will be my 21st "home sweet home", I stop to thank my parents. They did a pretty good job, engraving in my veins an adventurous fearless spirit that has helped me tremendously throughout life. I started this gypsy life at the age of 3 months old and till this day, this is the only life I've known. It's not bad nor good, it's just a fact and because of the diversity exposed to me, weird stuff tend to be not so weird after all!

That doesn't mean that my moves are all trouble or pain free... seriously, not at all, ... but I have learned with my parents (sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail terribly) not to turn the problems into "divas" feeding it until it becomes huge and out of control. Thanks mom & dad and trust me on this one, I'll need this spirit I inherited from you, as we move to Angola, LOL!