segunda-feira, 16 de maio de 2011

Death to Brooms, diary of a journalist who became a maid in Portugal

Death to Brooms, diary of a journalist who became a maid in Portugal

When I decided to go deep with this experience, many stones had already rolled ... Bread, coffee and a bit of culture, was my daily menu in Brazil. Either I would keep standing at the window, watching the spectacle of my country's economical crisis, or I would go to Europe to earn millions of Euros and culture!
I chose the second wreck and as I realized afterwards, thousands of Brazilians and Africans also had the same idea. Venturing as a prostitute and sinking as a maid.
On my return I brought in my luggage a rarity. A diary containing a critical analysis of a reality experienced by many emigrants, but recorded by few. A matchless historical controversial report
First Illusions
An unending crisis in my country made me take this decision
I joined a friend, we cheered our decision and began to prepare our great trip.
My first international journey. Until then I had never left Brazil, I had never gone out of my mother's home.
Through an ad in the newspaper, we found an employment agency. Work in Portugal, with the right to acquire a work visa, pay only half now and the rest later. Excited, we went to see this promise of paradise on earth. The agent was a communicative and picturesque Japanese. The value of the contract was twice the round-trip ticket to Portugal, but the great advantage according to his argumentation was the chance of getting an employment as soon as we would arrive, and the work visa.
The only problem is the culture shock, the adaptation on the first months, the first world organization, the responsibility of working hours.
Oh, and longing for our family and friends. Think about.
We finance the ticket in 12 parcels, due only after the first paycheck.
Full of interest, we returned to the agency, but this time we did not go alone.
We showed up there with my boyfriend, a taciturn German globetrotter, the father of my friend, a infinitely cunning negro and my mother, dramatizing and wondering all the details.
All wanting to unmask the villain for a possible scam.
The only ones who believed in the honesty of the Japanese, was my friend and me.
After many investigations, opinions and advices, we declined the promises of the Japanese and decided to go alone.
Europe for me was the beginning of bliss.
I have left my job, sold my furniture, my old bike, informed my family, left my boyfriend.
We have planned our trip so enthusiastically, that it would make a fine adventure film.
Suddenly my friend's father died, and with him her dreams.
Now I was alone, me and my dreams. I could not give up, I had no job anymore, no furniture, nor anything like that.
I just had one fixed idea in my head. Go to Europe.