Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 30oC, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast.
I did not expect the day to be so good, but it turned out even better than I had expected.
It is Friday, so I have fewer classes, but I am wondering whether I should go to the Federal Police to inquire about my Brazilian ID. I have not yet received an email confirmation, but my solicitor informed me yesterday that it is most likely ready if 40 days have passed since the application was made.
I woke up at 5:00 am, walked, grabbed a coffee at the bakery, and taught a class at 7. I have another class at 10:00 am, but I know the federal police station opens early. If I go now, maybe I can pick up my ID and return for the 10:00 class. I could wait until Monday when I would have more free time, but why wait?
Let’s do it now!
I quickly put on a pair of jeans, shoes, a black top(of course), and a blazer. I grabbed my documents, passport, and protocol and then headed downstairs to look for a taxi. Luckily, I live in front of the main street in Botafogo, and the federal police station is only four kilometres down the same street at Santos Dumont airport.
I jumped into a taxi and asked the driver to take me to the airport as quickly as possible. In just 7 minutes, I arrived at the airport. Fortunately, there was not much traffic. I paid and tipped the driver, and in another 3 minutes, I was standing in front of the reception counter of the federal police on the third floor.
At a 90° angle to the main counter was the counter for document submission, where an extremely helpful old lady was working. I handed over my paperwork, and to my surprise and relief, she informed me that my application was processed and ready after confirming it on the computer.
I inquired why I had not received an email, and she explained that my email was not in my application. I could have been waiting much longer if I had waited for an email instead of taking the initiative to go in person.
I signed a document to receive my new Brazilian ID and left. It felt like winning the lottery with my new ID in hand. I was on top of the world. Another problem was resolved.
I quickly left the airport and took a taxi back to Botafogo. I called Nalva and invited her to have a coffee with me at the Portuguese bakery to celebrate. When I arrived, she was already there waiting for me. We sat at the back of the bakery as nearly all the tables were occupied.
We talked about the following stages and, more importantly, Yasmin. We discussed the problem we are having with her at the moment, particularly the clashes between her and me. We shared our opinions but did not talk for long as I had things to do at home.
I still had 40 to 50 minutes before my 10:00 class, so I decided to use the Nubank online banking app on my mobile phone. Now that I have my Brazilian ID, I can open a bank account again. I quickly filled out the questionnaire and took photos of myself and my new ID. I had to resend the pictures due to some problem, but I did. My application was accepted, and now I have a bank account. I feel like a normal person again.
It is usual for a person to have a bank account. Still, in the last ten years, I have faced challenges such as the school, experiencing a complicated separation, and being assaulted near the Maracana Football stadium at night. As a result, I lost my ID, making it difficult to find my way. I admit that I should have prioritised resolving these issues earlier, but I got distracted by many problems.
However, when I finally decided to concentrate on resolving the issue, everything was quickly resolved. I believe that where you focus your energy, things happen. For example, when I was thinking about Ana, she suddenly appeared in front of me out of nowhere. I got my ID and bank account sorted out in just one day, and much more happened.
I gave classes to Felipe, Renato, Heitor, and Eduardo one after another until almost 4:00 pm. I was a little tired, but there was one more thing that I had to do to put the cherry on top of the cake.
I opened the Wise Card app to apply for another account. It is linked to Visa and allows me to use it as a debit card while travelling to different countries. I can deposit different currencies into the card and do so at various locations. Essentially, I can receive and deposit different currencies on the card and exchange them for other currencies, depending on where I am. All of this is possible with just one card.
I can transfer Brazilian Reais to a card in Brazil. Even if I am in another country, I can still transfer funds to the card. While in England, I can exchange English pounds or any other currency, such as dollars or euros, at competitive exchange rates. It is a good and convenient option until something better comes along.
In just one day, I received my Brazilian ID, which allows me to travel and leave Brazil. Additionally, I have opened an online bank account, which I have been without for a long time. Now, pupils can pay directly into my account, and because of this, I can invest and build some financial stability. This will also give me much flexibility, as I intend to spend 50% of my time in Brazil and 50% in England or other countries.
I am happy to have resolved these issues. It is a relief to have them out of the way. I know it is not difficult for most people, but life has been throwing challenges at me for some time now. So, for me, addressing these things feels like a significant win.
I wanted to buy wine to celebrate, but for some reason, we did not. It is better for everyone to wait until tomorrow, as everyone is tired. What a way to begin the weekend.
In bed by 10:00 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
