New York New Me

Bom dia babes! Happy Saturday. I decided to do a little blogpost while I sip my coffee and psych myself up for the cold walk to the gym. It has been freezing the last couple days. My long underwear isn’t quite cutting it haha. Yesterday was my last day of in-person school! We took our mock state board exam in the morning. They divided the class in two and I was happy to be in the group that went first. Now that I have a better idea of what the hands-on exam will be, I need to start studying for the written exam! I’ve always been better at studying outside of the house so I was thinking about finding a coffee shop in NJ where I could post up a couple times a week to study, since they currently have indoor dining and NY does not. I have two more weeks of online classes and I’m actually excited. My routine of going to the gym before class will be a bit more relaxed now that I don’t have to factor in my commute. I will actually have some free time in the morning to read, get creative, and just chill. With the hardest parts of school behind me I feel so much relief. It’s sinking in that in just two short weeks I will be done and have this whole new career (side hustle) at my fingertips! I am really proud that I took full advantage of my furlough and will have something to show for it that will be such an asset in my future. When life gives you lemons … I get it!

______________________________

Bom dia babes! Feliz sábado. Decidi postar um pequeno blog enquanto tomo meu café e me preparo psicologicamente para a caminhada fria até a academia. Tem estado muito frio nos últimos dias. Minha cueca longa não está cortando bem haha. Ontem foi meu último dia de aula presencial! Fizemos nosso exame simulado do conselho estadual pela manhã. Eles dividiram a turma em duas e fiquei feliz por estar no grupo que foi primeiro. Agora que tenho uma ideia melhor de como será o exame prático, preciso começar a estudar para o exame escrito! Sempre fui melhor estudando fora de casa, então estava pensando em encontrar uma cafeteria em NJ onde eu pudesse postar algumas vezes por semana para estudar, já que atualmente eles têm refeições em ambientes fechados e NY não. Tenho mais duas semanas de aulas online e estou realmente animado. Minha rotina de ir à academia antes da aula será um pouco mais relaxada agora que não tenho que levar em consideração meu deslocamento. Na verdade, terei algum tempo livre pela manhã para ler, ser criativo e apenas relaxar. Com as partes mais difíceis da escola para trás, sinto muito alívio. Estou começando a perceber que em apenas duas semanas estarei pronto e terei toda essa nova carreira (trabalho lateral) nas pontas dos dedos! Estou muito orgulhoso por ter aproveitado ao máximo minha licença e terei algo para mostrar que será um grande trunfo no meu futuro. Quando a vida te dá limões … eu entendo!

beijinhos

Mariamma

Say A Little Prayer For You

Hi there babes. I’m currently sitting in front of the fan, melting slowly in this sultry tropical heat. It is officially summer! This week my head has been in the clouds a bit. I’m trying to remember to stay grounded, appreciating that I am here in Brasil after all these years of saudades, and enjoying the hustle. My dance class keeps me in-tune. I could live here forever just because of that class. Last night two of the younger dancers in class performed something they have been rehearsing and it was incredible … African dance meets modern meets spoken word poetry. I teared up with gratitude that I was in the room, across the world from where I was nurtured, being nurtured by dance as a grown woman.  I feel so lucky to be who I am where I am in moments like that. I hope you are all having a lovely week! 

Olá bebês. Atualmente estou sentada na frente do ventilador, derretendo lentamente nesse calor tropical quente. É oficialmente verão! Esta semana minha cabeça esteve nas nuvens um pouco. Eu estou tentando lembrar de ficar ancorado, apreciando que estou aqui no Brasil depois de todos esses anos de saudades, e curtindo a agitação. Minha aula de dança me mantém em sintonia. Eu poderia viver aqui para sempre só por causa dessa aula. Ontem à noite, dois dos jovens bailarinos em sala de aula apresentaram algo que estavam ensaiando e foi incrível… a dança africana encontra a palavra moderna e a poesia da palavra falada. Eu comovei com gratidão que eu estava na sala, do outro lado do mundo, de onde eu fui nutrida, sendo nutrida pela dança como uma mulher adulta. Eu me sinto com muita sorte por ser quem eu sou onde estou em momentos como esse. Espero que todos vocês tenham uma ótima semana!

xoxo

Mariamma

Ivy

Bom dia babes! Today is my Monday so to speak but I have begun working more at night rather than in the morning so I've had a very leisurely morning. I went to the gym yesterday and am so sore today. I had trouble crouching down to get something from a bottom drawer in my dresser this morning haha. I love being sore though. It lets me know that I actually worked yesterday! With a work schedule that fluctuates, so does the rest of my schedule ... but so far it's working well for me. It's nice to sometimes have mornings off, and sometimes be done by noon. It's a nice balance. Plus, working so close to where I live means that no time is wasted on commuting so I still feel like have a lot of free time. Last year I felt like my life revolved around working ... making sure I got enough sleep for work, that my car had gas in it, and I didn't have a lot of time to grocery shop and focus on what I was feeding myself. I am so grateful for where I'm at. 

xx 

Mariamma

Fire & Ice

Ayyy bae bae. So much new! I moved into my own place this week and life is GOOD! I am living in downtown Long Beach, three blocks from work (a seven minute stroll), and three blocks from the beach! It has an amazing view and most my new coworkers live in the same hood too. I literally haven't driven and haven't needed to for the past three days. I can walk EVERYWHERE! I feel so so so grateful that this gypsy summer of mine is ending on such a high note. A space that is all mine and so fine. 

New life who dis?!

 It's Mariamma b*tches.