POV Ivy

London, September 1971.

First Saturday of September. I'm coming from the secretariat of the University of London. I did my matriculation to college Gastronomy that will last two and a half years. My name is Ivy Vieira Mendes. I'm twenty years old. I am Brazilian and I was born in Rio de Janeiro on July 19, 1951. I'll tell you a little of my story:

My parents Antonio Mendes and Miranda Vieira Mendes are Brazilians, they were born in Rio de Janeiro. Currently they are forty-seven years. My father has a degree in Administration and my mother graduated in Gastronomy. My parents have two restaurants in Rio de Janeiro: a Italian food and other French food, near the Copacabana Palace and the other in the neighborhood of Leblon, an upscale neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. The two restaurants are the best in Brazil, Italian and French food. There are distinguished clientele, as musicians, actors, dancers, businessmen, lawyers, etc. My father, being a degree in Business Administration takes care of business the two restaurants and my mother, who has a degree in Gastronomy is chef of the two restaurants. I have an older brother named Igor, he is twenty-two years is ending the faculty of Business Administration at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. In the future it will take the family business account. Thanks to my mother, as a child I am passionate about gastronomy. My mother has taught me and revenues from the ten years I've cooked. At age seven my parents put me in the English course to learn how to speak the language and was also part of the church choir who sang in church services. My family is very religious, I am also and always had a beautiful singing voice. From an early age my brother also learned English course. My parents always had a very good financial life and gave comfort to my brother and me. We can say that we are almost rich. Every year when we traveled to Europe, United States of America. During my childhood and adolescence, I met Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Berlin, Munich, Greek Islands, Santiago in Chile, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Morocco, New York, Tokyo, Liverpool and London, as well as meet other cities Brazilian and beaches of northeastern Brazil. My mother for being a chef traveled every year to know the cuisine of different countries. Usually we traveled in the beginning of the holiday and midyear. As you can see by my eighteen years old already met many cities in the world. But there is no better place to live and live as my Brazil. But after my beloved country, all these places I knew I fell in love with London and Barcelona. When I finished High School in Rio de Janeiro, with nearly eighteen years instead of entrance exams and study in my hometown, I decided to make a confectionery course for a year and shortly thereafter got a job in a big candy store in Rio de Janeiro as baker. The salary he received every month half always put the bank. But my dream was always to the right of gastronomy, but not in Rio de Janeiro, but in London. London has the best colleges of gastronomy, vying with Paris. When I finished confectionery course received a certificate as one of the best students of the course and continued to work at the bakery from Monday to Friday and on Saturdays and Sundays helped in the restaurants of my parents, next to my brother and continued to raise money . Earlier this year told my parents that the money gathered from my work I would look for an apartment to rent in London because, vestibular would pay for college Gastronomy at the University of London and could do sweet and savory to resell until they find employment in a large restaurant. My parents were happy with my decision and said that after I finish college if you want I can go back to Rio de Janeiro and work in two restaurants as a chef. I told them that one day return to Rio de Janeiro to work in the two family restaurants, but I'll be a few years in London, gaining experience with the most renowned chefs of European cuisine. In May of this year I came to London to pay the entrance exam to college Gastronomy. I was in London for a week, staying in a hotel and then returned to Rio de Janeiro. At the end of July, after my twentieth birthday, I received a letter from the University of London, saying that I had passed the entrance exam and the best of all, had gotten a scholarship, because of the high notes I took. My parents, my brother and I were very happy. We celebrated the news in a Japanese restaurant, a friend of my father. I would have to make the registration to the University until the beginning of September, as the college classes begin at the end of that month.

At the beginning of August I had to return hurriedly to London and looking for an apartment to rent in Kensington. My brother went to London with me and helped me to rent an apartment, not too small and not too big but medium sized, after the apartment will live just me. The apartment I rented has a small bathroom, a large living room, two bedrooms (the largest was for me and there is the guest that is smaller), a small laundry room, a large balcony and a small kitchen and still have the right to a garage for one car. It sounds good to me. The guest bedroom has a double bed and single bed for my parents and my brother when they want to go to London. My brother and I spent the weekend in London and returned soon to Rio de Janeiro. Still I had to hit some paperwork and receive the rest of the salary as confectionery, as I worked in the candy store. At the end of August I said goodbye to my parents and siblings at the airport and cried a lot. We are very united, connected to each other, but now I have to walk alone in London for a long time. I promised my parents and brothers that we will see in the end of year festivities, when I return to Rio de Janeiro. I returned to London at the end of August and I settled in the apartment, cleaned the rooms, put everything in order and then started looking for listings of jobs, pastry shops and delicatessens in London I could work. Meanwhile I am holding myself with the money I saved the work he had in Rio de Janeiro, but I have to find an urgent job, before the money runs out.

Finally came the beginning of September 1971. First Saturday of September. Get out of the University of London office, I made my registration to college Gastronomy and now I submit myself quickly to the nearest metro line, to return to the rented apartment where I live. Besides my love for gastronomy, I love singing, love fashion (I'm always tuned trends of big brands of clothes of fashion designers), love movies and I am a big fan of the great divas of Hollywood, including my face resembles the Belgian actress Audrey Hepburn, but my body is biotype of Brazilian women. But they say I am identical to Audrey, not only the face but also because of the designer clothes I wear and my interest in fashion and gastronomy. I confess that I love designer clothes, I dress elegantly, but also love the simple things in life. I am well-structured family financially, live well, have a life of comfort, however, I never menosprezei anyone. I am simple, no frills and most importantly the designer clothes, the trips, the status is the character of the person, what it is and not what you have. I have friends from poor backgrounds, as well as a rich source of friends. I enter the subway and sit on the bench, leafing through a fashion magazine and cooking and make some notes with a pen. Anoto pen, some tasty recipes that are in the magazine for me to cook later. Twenty minutes later I go down on another subway station closest to the apartment where I live. Sneaking out of the subway station and walk apace. Let's see if tonight I go to a pub here in London. I Love Rock and Roll. I am a big fan of The Beatles, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie ...

The biting wind almost London autumn makes me shiver from head to toe.

- I'll never get used to the climate of London. I miss in Rio de Janeiro. I miss the Brazil - I regretted it for a moment.

The biting wind continues and this time starts to drizzle. I Hustle step further. It is late Saturday afternoon. The sun is setting. I continue to walk the hurried footsteps, afraid that a torrential rain can fall at any time. Shortly after I realize that a man is following me. The man is very grumpy and I realize that he's got a knife under her blouse. Surely he want me to rob. I fear start to run on the sidewalk bumping into some people. The man starts to run also behind me. Suddenly I decide to cross the street without looking to the sides, size my despair at being burgled. But when I'm crossing the street, a blue Mini Cooper comes in my direction quickly. The driver brakes the vehicle abruptly skidding the car, but still hits me and I fall to the ground. The malefactor who wanted me to rob flees scared. The young driver of the Mini Cooper quickly out of his car. People stop watching everything that happened. The young man approaches me. I'm with eyes open, aware, but suddenly feel a little dizzy.

- Lady, for God's sake, I'll take her to the hospital now. - Said the beautiful scared boy.

The boy and I exchanged glances. The boy has light brown long hair and the most beautiful blue eyes she ever seen in your life. He has an angel face.

- You are an angel? - I ask the guy and then close my eyes and see everything dark ..