Newsies From New York

Okay, so it has been quite a while since I blogged last, and I figured I would start the New Year off with a new post.  We sincerely hope you and your families had a blessed Christmas!  With 2012 upon us, Jason and I wait with great anticipation for May 21 to arrive as we welcome our first child.  Needless to say, we are quite anxious to see what changes the year has in store for our family.

While Jason was able to escape Brazil for a few weeks, we used this time for a holiday to NYC before Baby Nuge makes his/her appearance.  There really is no place like New York during Christmas and no single picture can capture the essence of The Big Apple!

Happy New Year Everyone!   

Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center

Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network

The beautiful Natalie Morales, TODAY Show correspondent and her son Josh

Standing near the NBC Studio for the KL and Hoda Show

Suprisingly, Jason enjoyed the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular

To our delight there was even a scene about the "true" meaning of Christmas!

The horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park was a highlight of our trip



St. Patrick's Cathedral

Jason was pretty awe-struck at first glance of Times Square

 The wait was well worth it as the 9/11 Memorial was somber and moving. 

The department stores along 5th Avenues were sprinkled with Christmas illuminations

We couldn't pass up this store-front and not take a picture

Last stop of the trip was to Grand Central Train Station

 

Then There Were Three...

  By now I am sure most of you have heard our  news?!!!  Jason and I are expecting a little bébé in May and we are thrilled!!  We are so blessed and can't wait to be parents!!!! Needless to say, we are anxious for May 21 to be here, so we can be a family of three :-).

House Hunters International Edition

  Having spent almost two weeks in Macaé, we are starting to get a better handle of what we are in store for in our new environment; and, the reality of the situation is that life is Brazil is going to be a HUGE adjustment for us. Recently, I read in an online article where it mentioned that it is common for expats to experience (4) phases of reactions towards a new living environment: 1. Honeymoon 2. Irritation to Anger 3. Rejection and 4. Adjustment. It is safe to say that we skipped right over the "Honeymoon" phase...

  The whole house-hunting process didn't live up to the hype. We were only given the option of selecting between three places, as these were the only properties available from the company's inventory of contracted housing. While I was hoping for a dwelling with a little more charm and character that we are accomstomed to in Louisiana; nevertheless, we think the place we selected will help us to ease the transition.

  Enough blabbering.  Below is what everyone has been waiting for...pictures of the house-hunting trip and our house-hunting vehicle--enjoy!

This was our "house-hunting vehicle". 

Jason got a kick out of this ride...  I on the other hand, didn't find it to funny as I had to get in and out of this truck in a dress.

Option #1: Three bedroom high-rise condo with beautiful ocean view

Pros: The wooden floors, gorgeous view of the beach, pool and workout facilities, and easy access to the beach and seaside restaurants
Cons: Small rooms, no green space, and not much room for our furniture from home

Kitchen and dining areas

The bonus/office room was a plus

Master

Beach view

Option #2: Three bedroom/three and half bath shower house with spacious floor plan on gated and guarded street

Pros: Larger square footage, large master walk-in closet, outdoor kitchen, green space, neighborhood pool, loft/office space, safe area, and open floor plan downstairs
Cons: No bathtub, dated kitchen, small laundry space

Outdoor kitchen and shower

Kitchen minus the fridge and freezer

View of the living area from the loft.  The company has been storing furniture and appliances here; hence, the clutter below.



TV room

Master bedroom

Option #3 Three bedroom house with bonus room and nice green space

Pros: Private gated street with security guard, wooden floors upstairs, and a nice yard
Cons: Smaller living area and bedrooms

Laundry room - Ensco provides appliances, but we were advised it is best to bring American-made if possible because the Brazilian products aren't with the same quality control.

Master bedroom

Kitchen

Living room, which is in desperate need of a painting

The backyard

Jason was very fond of the outdoor grill

Both of the houses above are located in a gated and guarded area known as Vivendas da Gloria.  As an added bonus, there is also a community pool entertainment facility for residents at the end of the street.

  Which option do you think we selected?? In the end we went with option #2. The three bedroom house has more of an open floor plan, large master bedroom with double sinks in the bath and a spacious walk-in closet. The company has even agreed to have a bathtub installed (that was a deal sealer for me). It should take about a month to complete the tub installation and have the rest of the house cleaned. We can also have the interiors painted to colors of our liking, so I am already thinking that I will have plenty of painting projects to keep me occupied!

  In the meantime, we will head back to the States in the next week or two to pick up our permanent visas in Houston and ready our belongings to be shipped to Brazil. It is estimated that our container will take anywhere from 8-10 weeks to arrive in Brazil and clear customs. I am sure once we settle into the house, it won't take us long to move on to Phase 4. We hope so!

Tenha uma ótima semana!

Blogging from Brazil

Oi! (One of the few words in Portuguese I know...)

  So our new adventure in Brazil began Monday.  Departing from New Orleans Sunday evening, we arrived in Rio early Monday morning by way of Houston. I must say that the 10-hour flight from Houston is a much easier flight than the long, arduous one to Singapore. Not to mention, there is only a 2-hour time difference between Louisiana and Macaé, so we should not have a problem with jet-lag. The only downsides of the trip were the long wait to clear customs and the 3-hour drive to Macaé from Rio. Fortunately the drive seemed to pass quickly as our English-speaking driver, Marcello enlightened us on the Brazilian culture and answered a slew of questions we had about the area.

  Today we were taken on a tour of Macaé. Our guide, Maria took us around to the hospitals, shopping markets, residential areas, a Catholic church, Wal-Mart (Wally-World may be our saving grace!), the oil and gas area, seaside restaurants, and schools. Maria helped to ease our minds about some initial concerns and shared many insights about living in this part of the world.

  Tomorrow, Jason heads to the office to meet his new colleagues and learn more about his position.  So, I plan to spend some time learning Portuguese; and,  if I get brave enough, I may venture out.  Thursday is a house-hunting day for us, thus, we are both axnious to a find a suitable house and neighborhood as this may be home for the next few years. 

  Riding from the airport to Macaé on Monday, it became quite evident that the lifestyle we were accustomed to in Singapore would be a far cry from the life we will have in Brazil. Jason pretty much summed up our thoughts when he leaned over and jokingly remarked, "Alaina, we aren't in Kansas anymore!" Though Singapore probably spoiled us in many ways, Jason and I agreed that we would keep an open mind. And so, aside from the language barriers and primitive ways here (yes, we did see a few donkey-drawn carriages during our tour of the city today), the beaches are nice; the weather is tropical and breezy; the food has been tasty; and the locals have been most pleasant. While adjusting to our new way of life and surroundings may prove to be a challenge, I am sure in time we will grow to love Macaé and all it has to offer. If nothing else, this assignment has already made us appreciate the American way of life that much more!

We will keep you posted on the house-hunting adventure on Thursday...so stay tuned!

Drive-by view of Rio on Monday.  Due to the haze I was not able to catch a glimpse of the Christ the Redeemer statue

View of Macaé from our hotel



The building in the background is the Ensco office

Fish market

Houses like the one above and below are typical residences for expat living.