Life in Needham
Moving from Atlanta, GA → Massachusetts
Though life in Atlanta was good, after seven years, Tania, her husband, and her two daughters moved to Boston. Her husband had transferred jobs, placing them in Boston, and her husband jokes saying “we brought the Brazilians to Boston.” They rented an apartment in Chestnut Hill following the move. However, what was supposed to only be eight months in the apartment soon turned into three years due to difficulties finding housing. Those three years, though long, helped Tania and her family understand where they wanted to live: Needham!
Tania in reference to leaving Atlanta for Massachusetts: "It took us three years to buy a place but it was good because by then we knew where we wanted to be. We wanted to be in Needham because my girls already had all of their activities in Needham which made it easier to settle into."
Tania's husband and two daughters this past summer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Tania's brother's family (to the left with his wife and children), Tania's mother (middle), and Tania's family (to the right with her husband and daughters)
Connecting to Brazil Across the Ocean
Despite Tania no longer living in Brazil, she continues to maintain and share parts of her Brazilian identity with her family by speaking Portuguese to both of her daughters (her husband also learned to speak some Portuguese), making classic Brazilian dishes at home, discovering new Brazilian restaurants, and attempting to travel to Brazil once a year. Her two daughters (one is twelve and the other is eleven) love Needham and were rooting for Brazil and the US in the World Cup. Additionally, they "love traveling, love saying that they’re half Brazilian, and are very proud."
Tania when discussing Brazilian communities in Needham: "I look for some Brazilian community to meet and make friends and be a part of, but it’s not my top priority, not in Needham."