1953-1962 Brazil 

I feel so lucky to have been in the right place at the right time. 

Our first stop was in Santos, a beach suburb of São Paulo. Our house was full of pets, a parrot, several cats, dogs, parakeets and canaries. We would bring home all stray animals we encountered. The picture with the cat was taken in the empty field next to our house. It was like a jungle. The other picture is my Dad being his usual goofy self with me at an amusement park. A couple of things I remember from that time:

– I had a very nice teacher called Dona Gracita who tutored me. As I did not speak Portuguese, I had to repeat the 2nd grammar year but with her help I could advance to my age group within just a couple of months. She once called me to go to her house to show me how her fish were having babies. It was the kind of fish that gives birth to full fish, not eggs. I was very sad when she died during a school year.

– On my way to play puppet theater with my friend, Solange, I was chased by a rabid dog and in order to get rid of him I grabbed one of the puppets I was carrying and threw it at him. Unfortunately it was my favorite, the princess!

Rua Constante Ramos, 34 

Catholic school and Religion. At that time in Brazil school consisted of 5 years of elementary school, where we had to wear bow ties, followed by 4 years of high school, where we advanced to wearing ties (oh what joy when that day arrived) and three years of  either ‘Scientifico’ or ‘Classico’. Scientifico and Classico were preparation for University depending what one wanted to pursue. I went for Scientifico as I was thinking of becoming a doctor. I was a very good student as I loved learning and was passed on to a higher grade twice therefore finishing high school at 17.

Funny story about wanting to become a doctor. When I was 16 my class prepared a baby trousseau that we were to take to a hospital that delivered babies for women from the ‘favelas’ (slums). Important to note that fact in order to understand what happened next. At the hospital, I made friends with one of the young doctors and told him that I wanted to become a doctor. When he asked me if I wanted to see an operation I very excitedly agreed. The next day, without telling anything to my parents I went back to the hospital where I met with the young doctor who gave me a gown and took me to the operation room where they were going to perform an appendectomy. I was watching as they cut through the belly but, to my surprise, instead of the appendectomy out came a fetus! It turned out that a woman was wheeled in front of the appendectomy in an emergency as she had an ectopic pregnancy and her tube had ruptured. Afterwards, the doctor asked me if I wanted to keep the fetus and I said ‘yes’. He put the little baby in a jar filled with formaldehyde and off I went carrying it home. I called it Pyewacket. I will never forget my Mom’s eyes when I proudly showed her the jar!! Unfortunately our African housekeeper from Bahia said she would quit if we did not get rid of it as she was afraid the soul of the baby would haunt us. I had to go to the beach and bury it in the sand.

Religion. I was baptized in the Greek Orthodox school but going to a Catholic school in Brazil the nuns would keep me after school to tell me that if I did not convert to Catholicism I would go to hell. Well, I was not afraid to go to hell but I was really hungry and wanted to go home to have lunch so I eventually agreed to become Catholic. But, I was also very mischievous. One of the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the recognition of the Pope as a representative of God on earth. During my conversion ceremony the priest asked me ‘Who is the representative of God on earth?’ I replied ‘The priest’. ‘No,’ said, the priest, ‘higher than that’. ‘the Bishop’ I responded. ‘No, higher’ said the priest. ‘Archbishop?’ I asked with innocent eyes. ‘Higher’ shouted a nun behind me. ‘Ah, Cardinal’ I said, knowingly. Eventually, having run out of the levels in the hierarchy I had to say ‘Pope’ and so the church welcomed one more Catholic soul.

In the afternoons after school and beach I went to an Institute where I would get twice weekly lessons in English, French, Ballet and Swimming. That is where, unbeknown to my parents, I got my first paid job. I skipped a weekly class of each of those and worked as a tutor for children to help them with their homework. I was so proud of myself for earning money and being able to buy my own clothes. My Dad was very upset when he found out but even though I had missed half the classes, I passed with flying colors so he could not be angry. I actually suspect he was proud of what I had done.

In the summer, when it got extremely hot and humid in Rio we would either go to a hotel in Petropolis or to a friend’s family compound in Teresopolis. Both are villages up in the mountains where it was much cooler.  I wished I had pictures of the place in Teresopolis. It was magical. It belonged to my friend Lila’s family. Her dad had a large collection of birds from around the world. I loved waking up early in the morning and doing the rounds to see the birds. I especially liked the 5 cocatoos and there is where I decided to have one of my own one day. They loved being scratched on the little bald spot under their head feathers.

This picture was from a World Congress of Fertility and Sterility where I worked as a translator. Marilyn Monroe’s doctor was there, it was the year of her suicide as well as the thalidomide scandal and translating on those subjects for doctors from around the world was extremely interesting. 

I also had to perform as guide during the sightseeing and fun activities after the meetings. One evening, there was an event at the Copacabana Palace theater with a presentation of Brazilian music and dancing. Since I was the one who spoke the most languages, they asked me to get on stage to present the numbers. I got on stage in front of a very large audience. Blinded by the flood lights, I had a bit of stage fright but managed to say my lines. Then I turned around to leave but could not find the center of the very large and heavy red velvet curtain. I fumbled with the curtain, pacing right and left trying to find the center while slowly, slowly the audience began to laugh. I eventually had to crawl under the curtain and by that time the whole audience was roaring with loud laughter. Then and there is when I overcame shyness.

A very sad thing happened after the congress finished. A plane carrying many of the doctors back to Europe fell in the ocean right after take off. Some managed to swim back to shore but many died.