Here is what my typical day looks like. I am officially one year into retirement. Retiring is an adjustment, and moving to a new country adds a level of adjustment that most don’t experience. You don’t just step off the plane, unpack, and go have some unstructured fun. Believe it or not, it took almost a full year to find a groove. I think I finally have.

There were things to get organized, and although those things did not consume every day for a year, there are still changes you go through as you slowly get your footing. It is like putting your foot in cold water. It is gradual, but I would say I’m in a flow now.

Mostly this is my routine. I get up and have my coffee, typically on the balcony, and I listen to the city wake up and the birds. This time of year, considered winter in Brazil, the mornings might be too cool to sit outside, so I sit by the balcony door with it slightly open. I take a look at the news, then I read any blogs that come in by email and like or comment on those posts.

Even in winter here, if it is not raining, the days are still comfortable, mid 70s to low 80s, and over the last month I have settled into a daily beach routine. I throw a blanket down in the sand and sit, usually around the foot volley and paddleball games. I actually listen to the conversations, and it has helped me understand words through actions in my Portuguese learning journey. I also sit and listen to the waves. It is scientifically proven that water and the sound of waves calm you and can even lower your blood pressure. I can say I sleep much better on the days I do this. Typically, I stay from 9:00 to noon.

Once I leave the beach, I walk to get a coffee or maybe some lunch, and I have two typical spots. The first is a place called GoCoffee, which is great for sitting either outside or inside. I get two pães de queijo and a coxinha with a large Americano. I’m basically Norm from Cheers there now. They all say, “Oi, tudo bem, Kevin?”

If I feel more lunch oriented, I hit BiBi Sucos, which is awesome. I may get a burger, fries, suco de morango with a Coke Zero, and top it off with a cafezinho. This is all set outside on a main street, and it is great for people-watching. I’m pretty frequent at both places, and they know me by now. Apparently, routine is contagious. Many times this takes me to around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m.

By the time my lunch routine is over, I may, depending on whether we need anything and if I remember, walk to the drugstore or the grocery store to pick up what we need. By mid to late afternoon, I have showered and settled into my chair, sifting through ideas for my blog, updating posts I have in progress, or playing around with new tools. Recently I moved all my notes, including my blogging ideas and writing, into Obsidian. It is a great tool. You may want to check it out.

By evening, we may have a small dinner, watch a little TV- I’m plowing through The Walking Dead- and end the day reading.

Depending on the day, the weather, or if something comes up, I vary my routine. I have settled into my monthly haircut and shave at my favorite place, Carioca Barbera, with Marcello. Yes, they know me there too. Maybe I walk to the mall, get a coffee and people-watch, have lunch, or even sit on the 19th floor with my computer, working on ideas for this blog. I can see the ocean from there and look down on a pretty cool city where it feels like I am at the bottom of a bowl surrounded by mountains.

That is it. That is how I spend my days. Nothing flashy, just a bit of calm after 40 years of work. I can’t complain. It is pretty good, and I really can’t ask for more. Yesterday I turned 63, one year into retirement, and it is great.

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