Starting life in Brasil

This is where I landed after my Covid trip.
See more below about my arrival at Guarulhos customs  

Lufthansa upgraded me. To be able to sit comfortably and be served good food and wine sounded amazing. 

If you did not read about the first part of the trip then you can do it here. 

Saw Judy with amazing Renée and started Ad Astra but did not see the whole dystopian movie because I slept through the night and woke to hot coffey and warm omelette breakfast served by the face masked Lufthansa hostess!

Planting at the Virkkilä Garden, Penedo, Brazil. 

I had been recommended to use a greeter service. A greeter service meets you at the gate with a a sign and takes you "through" (you still stand in line and is questioned as normal)  customs, security and meets you (carries your luggage) by your luggage pick-up and since my biggest piece of luggage did not arrive, I was very happy to have someone that understood my intentions and spoke Português. 

Standing here I almost can not believe I am really here.
Many times I thought of  what I
would do if the Brazilian Federal Police at
the Guarulhos Customs at Sao Paulo sent me back to Sweden. 

Landing a bit late I check my phone as we are let out of business class. It´s 05.30 local time so we are half an hour late to Sao Paulo/Guarulhos. I see my greeter service guy with a sign with my namne spelled correct with the 2 dots over o : Ö in SCHÖNNING, that I know from the confirmation is called Marcelo (yes the same namne as my man, but spelled with one L) Marcelo had also been in contact with my  husband Marcello that is meeting me outside the arrival gate. 

My instagram is @jimmyschonninghem

Both photos from our bed at the Virkkilä House in Penedo, 

Brasil from my Instagram.  

Marcello woke me up with a flower delivery. 

I am standing in the line for customs. By myself. There are 5 busy officers talking to 
5 foreigners traveling 
in to Brazil in front of me. I have gone through how to put my case the easiest way as I get up to the customs officer. I have it all in my head. Not making a fuss. Pretending in a convincing way that there is no problem and I have the correct info. In fact I have no clue. The Embassies of Sweden and Brazil certainly did not help in any way. So I really  hope that I do have all I need because I do not want to go back to Sweden at this point. 

Back in Penedo : On our first site inspection looking
at the probable site for a SPA that has a long
list of specifications and this spot tags all the boxes. 

I am called to the customs booth. All of a sudden I feel totally warm all over. I feel like sweat is coming down from my hairline over my forehead down on my nose. I adjust my face mask with my left hand and swipe the sweat of my nose. I say - Bom Dia as I reach the booth that has a glass in between us. The mask carrying female customs officer offers smiling eyes as she says Bom dia. I deliver my documents after my passport. I say : I a travelling in to Brazil to my husband. I am married with a Brazilian. The customs lady looks me in the eyes and recieves the papers I am handing over and says : I need to talk to my manager. Stay here.

She walks off with our documents proving I am married to Marcello. I feel like I am trying to prove that I am just like everyone else and not a threat to the National health in Brazil. This wait feels like the longest of this Covid trip. Did she take a brake as well. Or are they checking the accuracy of our Swdedish marriage license? 

The customs officer I call mine is walking back across the huge arrival hall and comes in to the booth. She gathers our documents in her hands, hand them over and say : everything is in order. 

First I don’t get it. Totally dumbfounded. Then I say : Obrigado. Muito obrigado! I take the papers and put in my black bag and walk out.

All I need now is to get my bags and I can see Marcello outside the doors of the arrival hall. 

Sadly one of my bags, the biggest was lost and I have to fill out forms and talk to a security manager. 

All I want is to walk out and hug Marcello. Finally all lost luggage papers are filled in and Marcello waits outside and we are finally reunited! I say thank you and good bye to Marcelo the Greeter and : 

I love you Marcello Jordan! I have missed you so much. 

At the first job site in Penedo, the first week after my Covid Trip.
Travel wise Frankfurt to Sao Paulo was comfy but landing was nervous for me. 

Back in Penedo: The flora and fauna here is so different and I am spellbound ( and take to many  photos, according to Marcello...) 

The waterfall and the podlike bath will be
kept exactly the way it is and will always stay the same.
I  love it. 

I mean how could you ever produce something like this? The waterfall from a clear underwater water source cascading down the stone worn and wonderful with age. The surrounding nature to me is perfection. All you need to build anything close to this perfect nature is that you work completely ecologically and preserve all unique natural features, which is exactly what our client wants. 

I have a video of us when 

we are going for a dip in this 

lagoon like stone tub with the most unbelievable clear water. I will post on Insta most likely. 

Stay in touch. 

Jimmy