If you are a teacher, and you manage to get out a family letter or holiday card, I salute you. I cannot. School lets out in December and I collapse. I’ve just written 85 report card comments and graded a ridiculous pile of essays.

That doesn’t mean I don’t feel some guilt and write it in my head. So here is my Easter update on the Griswold family.

As you may remember, after 5 years teaching middle school humanities, I have moved back to high school English. (Before coming to Graded, I taught HS English in Nashville for 7 years.) It’s been a great change for me. The most important thing a teacher can do is recognize when they need change.

Like teaching any new class, it has kicked my butt in the best of ways. I’ve felt really stimulated and energized by my new teaching teams. I’ve enjoyed reading and teaching new novels. And I am again delighted by high school students. If you are tired of the age group you teach, go check out another one. They have different problems and different strengths, and it reminds you that change and growth happen and kids aren’t static.

I’m teaching three classes, English 9, IB Language and Literature SL year one, and Theory of Knowledge year 2. 3 preps is hard, but I’m keeping my head above water.

My freshman are currently reading Romeo and Juliet–my heart leaps up. How I’ve missed teaching Shakespeare! My juniors are reading Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. What a revelation. My TOK students just finished their capstone TOK essay, and it was really awesome to support them through that process.

If there’s a big takeaway for me from this year back in high school, it’s that I love teaching writing. I love pulling beautiful sentences out of the texts we read. I love helping students plan and outline. I love conferencing and reading drafts. I love supporting student writing.

David continues to teach 9th grade math and IB computer science standard level and higher level, year one and two.

Calvin is starting to get into his groove in 6th grade. He is playing the flute in beginning band. Specifically, he is playing the flute I played in middle school and high school that was a gift from my grandfather. It’s really nice to have that instrument passed down through our family. Last semester he grudgingly ran cross country, but this semester he was cast as the Narrator in our school’s production of Into the Woods! He is really enjoying that. The production will be in May, and we are all very excited. I think Matilda and Everett will be able to sing along with every song.

When he’s not in school, Calvin codes, draws, whittles, plays D&D and reads. And antagonizes his siblings.

Matilda is loving 4th grade. She’s in student council and the green club, and she’s doing drama, wall climbing and swim team after school. She loves playing outside after school with her friends in our condominium. She’s at that awesome stage where she is always choreographing dances with her friends and singing in front of the mirror. She’s grown a lot as a reader this year, and is drawn to realistic fiction books that deal with themes of fairness and equity.

Everett is still his quirky oddball self. 1st grade has been an adjustment for our pandemic kid, but he’s growing and maturing. He is currently obsessed with being read chapter books. After exhausting Roald Dahl’s oeuvre, we’ve been reading Kate DiCamillo and are now onto Judy Blume. He still loves all things science and nonfiction. He is often the slowest of the bunch as we walk anywhere because he is examining and collecting dead bugs from the ground. He learned to ride a bike last summer, after years of insisting some kids just don’t learn to ride a bike. Now, he says he most looks forwards to our summers in Minnesota because he can ride his bike in the senior center across the street, making loops around the “road islands”–what Everett calls the raised grass beds in the parking lot.

As for David and I, we are both running and weight training, (David grudgingly weight trains but runs faster than me without really trying–urgh!). David plays Ultimate Frisbee about once a month with some colleagues from school. I am still running a race about once a month. Usually I do a 5K, but occasionally I sign up for a 7K or 8K. David and I are still playing music together occasionally, and now we are often accompanied by at least one kid.

We’ve done a lot of amazing travel over this school year. Over the December-January 6 week break, we went to the Atacama desert in Chile, the Amazon, and David and I took a solo trip to the Mendoza wine region of Argentina. Over Carnaval break in February, we went to the state of Bahia in the Northeast of Brazil to the town of Praia do Forte.

Last summer, we became the owners of the townhouse in Northfield, Minnesota where we have spent the past 5 summers. It belonged to David’s parents, but we bought it from my father-in-law in June of 2023.

What comes next for the Griswold Family Circus in 2024? We fly back to the US in June and all three kids are attending a camp northeast of the Twin Cities. Matilda is doing horse camp and Calvin is doing a teen adventure challenge with a friend from Brazil who now lives in India. Everett is doing a traditional overnight camp for his first sleepaway camp experience. While the kids are off at camp, David and I are going on our own camping trip to the North Shore, specifically to Grand Marais, in northern Minnesota.

We will be doing a trip to the beach in North Carolina to see my side of the family, and we are excited for boogie boarding and hush puppies.

I wish everyone health, happiness, and peace in 2024.

We have been on 4 camping trips this summer. Two 1-night trips, two 2-night trips. We had planned for at least one trip, but since camping has been shown to be very low Covid risk, and parks opened, we jumped on it. It’s been a great antidote to online learning. The kids bring no screens to the campsite and we all look at our phones rarely.

We did our first family camping trip last summer, and then we did one in Brazil. We’ve learned a lot and have found a camping groove. We keep saying we need to make a list of all the things we need to bring so that we can consult it before heading out.

What to pack for the kids:

• twice as many socks as days camping
• old sneakers, water shoes, flipflops or crocs (You want something that they can wear in a river or lake to protect their feet, you want something easy on and off for going in and out of the tent
• Hats
• Sunglasses
• Walking poles or sticks
• Water bottles
• Sleeping bag and pillow
• Hoodie for cold mornings/nights
• Pants for hiking or cold mornings/nights (if the weather is generally colder, more pants, but I find 1 pair enough for a summer camping trip)
• Pajamas: if the temp goes below 65, consider long sleeve or fleece pajamas. But I recommend bringing some shorts jammies and some warmer jammies in case of any kind of weather.

What to bring in general for camping:

• First aid kit
• Tent (we bought our Suisse Sport Wyoming 8-person tent on Sierra for $90. It was a closeout, so it’s gone now, but we like it. In Brazil we have the Coleman Evanston tent. Love that too and you can buy at Target and Walmart.)
• Tarp for underneath the tent
• Sleeping bags (or just a blanket, depending on weather and your desires.)
• Sleeping pads (we have these Klymit pads. They inflate with about 15 breaths, and roll up into an 8×4 inch bag.)
• Pillows (regular or inflatable.)
• Toiletries in an easy to carry caddy or bag
• Towels (we bring beach towels)
• Sunscreen and bug spray
• Citronella candles
• Camp chairs (or some kind of folding chair)
• A multi-tool
• Rain jackets for everyone
• Optional: Hammock. You can hang it between 2 trees. The kids love them!
• Flashlights and lanterns. I like a bunch of handheld flashlights, and then a lantern or two for on the picnic table or to hang in the tent. I also like a headlamp or two. Better than having to clench a flashlight in your teeth to cook in the dark!
• If you are camping at an electric site: an extension cord and power strip.
• If you are not at an electric site, battery packs, power banks, or other things like that are good to charge your phone.
• Table cloth. I had a plastic one that ended up getting gross quickly, and if you rested your arms on it with sunscreen or bugspray on, it dissolved the color into your arm. So, I got 2 yards of marine vinyl from Joann for 70% off. $12 total! It’s nice and heavy, meant to withstand water and weather, and we will be able to reuse it for a long time.
• 2 gallon expandable water carrier (We got this one at Cabela’s)
• Dish basin

A quick note on dishes at a campsite. It took until our last 2 trips for me to develop a system I like. We use the expandable water carrier to bring 2 gallons back from the water spigot (there’s usually one every 3 campsites in state/national campgrounds.) I set the water carrier on the picnic table bench, and put the dish basin beneath it. I put a little Dawn in the basin and an inch of water. As people bring dishes over, I have them drop them in the soapy water. Then, when it’s time to wash dishses, I turn on the tap of the water carrier and start scrubbing, the water falls into the basin and keeps filling it. I set the clean dishes to dry on the table as I go. By the time I’ve gotten to the bottom of the stack of dishes, the water is about full. I dump it out and voila! I kept joking that I invented the sink and running water. Here is Everett demonstrating.

You can see our marine vinyl tablecloth in that picture and the clear plastic bins we use to transport all of our cookware, flashlights, tools etc.

What to bring for cooking and building a fire

• A stove (we have this classic one from Coleman.)
• Camp stove propane cannisters (2 cannisters got us through 6-8 days of camping)
• Lighters (at least 2)
• A set of pots and pans (we have this set from Kelty)
• Plates, bowls, cups, silverware (Our Kelty set came with everything but the cups)
• A cast iron skillet or 2 (we have a 12 inch and an 8 inch)
• Cutting knives and cutting board (we have those thin ones)
• Foil and a container for leftovers
• A cooler
• We have a Coleman water jug that we put ice water in. That way the kids can get cups of water at will. (Otherwise, they drive you crazy asking for drinks)
• Dish washing liquid and sponge or scrub brush (my vote is a scrub brush because sponges tend to get nasty and stinky. The scrub brush we’re using came from my Dad’s camp set and it may 20 years old. Still works!)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Pot holders
• Spatula, slotted spoon, ladle
• Can opener
• fire starters
• newspaper for fire starting
• coffee cone and filters
• insulated mugs for hot and cold bevvies
• Marshmallow/hotdog roasting forks

What do we cook?

• Breakfast: Oatmeal, eggs and bacon, cereal. My sister in law made breakfast burritos that were already assembled and we warmed them in the coals of the fire. Super good! You could also just make cereal.
• Lunch or dinner: Grilled sandwiches, hot dogs, charcuterie (crackers, cheeses, meats, hummus, veggies), Camp chili (we made this on our last trip and it was delicious. We added ground beef), 3 ingredient mac n cheese with peas added, brats or hotdogs on the grill, grilled baby peppers or nectarines, burgers or steak, baked beans, grilled corn, there are lot of options!

We’ve also worked on our food box of items that aren’t really for any particular recipe, but are good to have:

• Coffee
• Olive oil
• Vinegar
• Cooking spray
• Brown sugar
• Shelf stable milks (preferably little ones so you only need to open what you need, like the Horizon kids’ milk boxes)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Hot sauce
• Snacks for the kids (goldfish, fruit snacks, fruit cups, fruit strips, granola bars)
• Mustard, ketchup (or a handful of ketchup packets)
• Honey and/or maple syrup
• A little mixed spice holder (Walmart sells this one)
• Raisins, cranberries or other dried fruit
• Walnuts, almonds, pecans

What we pack in our cooler:

• Beers, small wine bottles or boxes, tequila in a mason jar (or the liquor of your choice)
• Lacroix, cokes, etc.
• Yogurt pouches for the kids, maybe also yogurt drinks
• A variety of hand fruits
• Carrot sticks
• Hummus
• Mayo
• Cheese slices
• Deli meats

You have to buy firewood from an authorized dealer or from within 10 miles of the park, so we do that on the way into the park or at a nearby gas station. If the park has an office that is open, they usually sell ice. We usually have to add a bag of ice to the cooler once a day. We have two coolers, one 40 qt one for drinks and a 52 qt one for food.

For the funs:

• We bring everyone’s bikes. At least in Minnesota, there are awesome bike trails. The kids are often told to take off on their bikes around the campsite whenever they say they’re bored. Everett has a trailer that we bring and we go on family rides as well.
• If your park is flat, roller skates/blades are as well
• If you have room for them, lawn Jenga or lawn Farkle are really fun, and games of their ilk.
• Sand toys or dirt play toys
• Squirt guns
• Friendship bracelet materials
• Guitar or mandolin or other sing along instrument. Despite being a mandolin player, I haven’t brought mine on any trips. Mostly just tired and overwhelmed or busy. Ugh. Maybe next year.

We also had my sister-in-law’s mom make us a campsite sign!

You will also notice our car top carrier. That came out of my parents’ attic this summer and it was on our minivan in the 80’s! Super vintage and works great. We will keep that sucker going for as long as it will last.

Tip: Look for second hand camping equipment. You can get some from family or friends, or at Goodwill or Facebook marketplace. 3 of our camp chairs, 2 of our sleeping bags, one of our coolers and our Coleman water jug came from a thrift store. Then, go to Sierra Trading Post. We bought our Suisse Sport Wyoming 8 person tent there. Originally $150, we got it for $90. They get closeouts and old seasons’ stuff for a great discount. Our Klymit pads and Kelty camp kitchen set came from them too at a great discount. After that, I recommend Walmart first (shocking, I know) and Target second. Walmart has a larger camping section. Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops also have some good stuff, but also guns, so decide on your comfort level. Of course there’s Amazon and the internet and stuff.

Tip: Before you pitch your tent, especially if you are doing it with a spouse or partner, each of you should do a shot of tequila. A little liquid sense of humor is always called for when pitching a tent.

Tip: your kids won’t fall asleep until the sun goes down. So, that’s their camping bedtime! But, I find that in the darkness of the woods, they fall asleep fast.

Okay, I’m sure I’ve forgotten something. And I don’t want to pass myself off as some kind of pro camper. We forget stuff and we lose our cool sometimes and make dumb decisions. But camping is fun and you can dive in and have fun.

Now that we’re overseas, a traditional paper Christmas card was impossible. I’ll write this post instead and include photos that I might have put on a card.

2019 was our first full year in São Paulo, Brazil. We all felt more confident, our language skills grew, and our sense of direction improved (unless you’re me, in which case I’m always lost). I asked Calvin this year if he felt like Brazil was home. He looked at me like I’d asked him which farts he enjoys smelling the most. “Of course Brazil is home! Where else would be home?”

This is the kid, mind you, who was purposefully resisting his Portuguese classes at school because he thought we’d leave soon.

Matilda keeps asking if we’re Brazilian or American. She keeps repeating it to understand: “Are we Brazilian? No. We’re American ’cause we were born in Nashville.” But I can tell she’s wondering how Brazil fits into who we are and where we are from. As a kid who grew up overseas myself, that is not easy to answer and it will always be a challenge. Especially when she returns to the US for college. She won’t feel traditionally American, but she won’t be officially from any of the countries she’s lived in. It’s complicated.

We’ve just decided to move to a new apartment in our same building because everything started breaking, and our landlady has no interest in fixing anything. The landlord culture here is to just let your tenants make repairs. So we found a remodeled apartment a few floors down and we’re moving in early March! Hooray for a bigger kitchen and newer bathrooms. And hardwood floor pieces that don’t get stuck to your feet and pop out.

I have really enjoyed the return to teaching middle school. 7th grade is the hardest year of human existence, but there’s something rewarding about teaching them. Not sure I can even articulate why. They’re less jaded and guarded. They are super hyper and disorganized, but there’s something about their hearts being more open. There’s still a sense of wonder.

David is enjoying his computer science classes. It’s still his first year in this curriculum, so he gets frustrated as he learns and tweaks his teaching, but he’s enjoying the challenge. He is using an outside curriculum for his electives, but he’s realized he doesn’t love it and wants to go in his own direction next year. Year one is all about learning and growing.

Everett started a pre-school in our neighborhood this August. It’s a Brazilian school and his Portuguese has really blossomed. Colleagues from our school with a son his age also send their son there, so Everett has a buddy. He really likes his teacher and he’s happy. He goes there in the morning until noon, then comes home with our nanny.

2019 was the end of diapers for us! I could throw a ticker-tape parade! I got peed on last night, so it’s not perfect (it never is), but it’s such an improvement.

Everett will start at our school in the K3 program next August. It’s a half day, so he’ll ride to school with us in our car, then take the bus home at noon and our nanny will pick him up. Someone reminded me today that in our first year here we had one kid in school full day, one kid in half day, and one kid home with our nanny all day. Hard to notice that it’s hard when you’re so busy.

Matilda is learning to read and write in kindergarten and loves her teacher. We’ll be sad to say goodbye to Ms. Julia in June. Matilda has really enjoyed the Montessori program and I’m glad she’s had that experience.

Calvin is enjoying 2nd grade. He spends almost all of his free time after school reading books. He’d be playing Minecraft all day if we let him, but he gets some time on the weekends for video games. In the afterschool program, Calvin is doing some science and engineering classes, tennis, and piano in our apartment. Matilda takes tennis and piano as well, and she’s joined Calvin in the Mad Science class.

I helped coach the 2nd and 3rd grade swim team last semester. I enjoyed it, but I have a really hard teaching schedule, and losing those 2 hours after school each week was really pushing me to my limit. So, until next year, I bowed out. My plan is to return to coaching swimming next year when I go down to two different classes instead of three.

David helped with the Lower School musical last semester, which was fun for him. Similar to me, he struggled with losing that after school math help time with students, and the time to prep and grade. When our kids are older and off at their own activities, I hope that we can do more on campus after school. Right now, the evening shift of parenting is about all we can handle!

Our quality of life is very high living overseas. No place is perfect, but we are happy with what we our decision to make this leap. I will say that I’m grateful to work with an exceptional group of educators. They motivate me, they support me, they inspire me. I love being in an environment where everyone is working hard to teach kids in the best way possible. It’s intellectually stimulating and exciting. I feel like my talents are appreciated and my ideas are welcome. That’s a great feeling as an educator.

Brazil is great. The weather is amazing, the people are kind and friendly, and there are amazing travel opportunities. The food is delicious, the culture is active and healthy. Our condo has 4 pools, tennis courts and a restaurant. No place is perfect, but there are many wonderful benefits to living here. Are we still in our honeymoon phase with Brazil? Maybe. The fact that many teachers stay here at least 6 years is testament to the beauty and joy of this place.

I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the challenges. Unsweetened peanut butter takes some looking, kale is hard to find, as is breakfast sausage. Imported cheeses aren’t common and they’re very expensive. Plugs for the bathtub are super hard to find, the walls are hard to hang pictures on. It’s just little stuff. Potholes in the roads, traffic cameras that give you tickets. Socially, we’re still new in many ways, and making new friends and establishing bonds is hard. It’s hard as an adult anyway. But we’re working on finding our people, carving our niche, creating new routines.

The first semester living here was especially challenging and I took some time off of my own writing. However, as you may have seen in other posts, I’m finding a way to keep it a part of my life. Because my work life is demanding, I feel more grounded with regards to querying and pursuing publication. I can’t dwell on rejection or spin my wheels as much–no time!

If you’ve been thinking about visiting Brazil, we have a guest room and are happy to host. We recommend December/January because the weather is good and we’re off school. But early June or late July will catch us just after or before the school year. June and July are “winter” here, so you may need warm jammies and some sweaters and hoodies.

Here are some photos of our year.