Journal Series 1.1.
From an Isolation Point of View
About a month ago I was finishing my first job contract. It was a full-time job as a receptionist in a small Bed & Breakfast on an island located south of Rio de Janeiro. Despite being a contract, it only lasted 3 months; They call it an experience contract, with chances of extension. However, the employer was aware of my intention to stay for a shorter time rather than longer: The truth is I was afraid of committing. I’ve had several previous jobs but they were always informal and freelance.
I don’t usually label myself but I am best known as a wanderer or a traveler. I often tend to avoid commitments, routines, labels, systems, and even some responsibilities, so does for half of my generation. Thus, before moving to the island I was doing what I like to do the best which was traveling. However, some unforeseen events came up causing me to return to my home country of Brazil and for that reason I decided to move to Ilha Grande because I couldn’t sit my tail on a couch for more than a few weeks.
For 5 months I effectively concealed myself in a lowly populated area, within the huge city of Rio. Living on a tropical paradisiacal island I would still find myself spending 60% of the time indoors; by reason of going through a rare antisocial and introspective stage of my life. I know many people who would love to find themselves living in such a place. There I was living almost rent-free in a rental home with all bills included, surrounded by mostly nice people and five steps away from the sea, and just ten minutes walk to local beaches, yet it wasn’t time to relish. Nevertheless, it seemed like an ideal opportunity to save energy and money for my upcoming travels. I was lucky to not have any major considerable expenses. The happiest times for me would be when my family would plan to visit me several times a month. They would take me out of my hibernation and cater me with various food.
Originally, I was planning to go to China as on my last trip I tore my Anterior Cruciate Ligament which led me to having an obsession with Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. In defiance of my doctors and family urging me to have the surgery, I was sure I couldn’t bear to lay in bed for considerable months recovering. After being away for sufficient time I was surely becoming a stranger at my parents’ houses.
There are about a few things I fear the most; Shark attacks yet I understand their nature, plane crashes yet I comprehend the odds, and people, just people, which I still haven’t got a clue about. I fear people in the streets, I fear people in control, I fear people in hospitals, I fear people touching me whenever they’re not invited; I fear people themselves: Meaning there wasn’t a single chance I would trust a doctor, making my injury seem insignificant despite the pain I still feel. I dedicated decent time avoiding social contact for no less than 5 months, I couldn’t just let them get in the way of traveling again, I even managed to bypass 10 days of Carnival¹ with ease.
So here was my former plan: Find an inexpensive flight to China, get a Workaway, absorb some of the Chinese Medicine practices — that by virtue of a friend whose major is in Chinese Medicine and others stories I have witnessed — have a bunch of acupuncture, then proceed to Southeast Asia and live there for as long as I possibly could with the budget I allocated, and potentially learn of ways to make money while traveling. Nonetheless, the Covid-19 virus outbreak happened, changing plan A.
“Carnival¹ is a festive season that happens right before lent. Followers of the Roman Catholic Church would indulge in the last day of dance, fun, alcohol, and sex just before the start of Lent, which is a period of abstinence from alcohol and other sins.”
In Brazil it can last for as long as ten days as they take Carnival very seriously.
Click here to read Journal Series 1.2.
