For the past week and a half, I kept wondering what was so different about South America and United States. Finally, the word came to me “sterile”. Compared to days I spent dancing in Rio, my days in the US seems so sterile, so apart from bacteria, so safe, so clean, too clean, too safe.

Of course there are misconceptions of what Brazil is like. Not everyone is good looking, not everyone is the hot brown bod gentleman or lady. There are some seriously creepy men and the beaches are beautiful, but they are parts that aren’t that clean. Sanitary-wise, they don’t use disposable toilet seat covers and not everyone is that friendly.

Having said that, South America just seems so much more alive than the “to-the point” productive society that is LA. I’m trying really hard to analyze what is different and how I can transfer some of my travel lifestyle into my everyday life.

Some changes I am making:

1. Broaden my circle of friends: attend networking events, join groups, go to various demographic bars/clubs, events.

2. Go out more: in general, go out more…

3. Travel. Period. Sorry, I don’t think I can ever be normal again, travel just makes you weird. You just don’t think the same. You talk to strangers and want to be friends with people really unlike you and you get tired of the same environment. You get tired of the same demographic, the same roads, the same culture…

If you have any tips, help a sister out.

Dancing in Rio