This Is What My Migrant’s Vacation Looks Like in Brazil
HAVANA TIMES – After a year and five months of hard work, and some pressure I put on the company I work for, I was finally granted the 30 days of vacation I’m entitled to. That’s what Brazilian labor law stipulates, which also gives companies a window of one to two years to schedule that time off.
When you go on vacation, you’re paid an amount equivalent to a gross salary plus 33% of that amount, from which approximately 10% is later deducted for taxes. With that money and 30 days ahead, you can enjoy a relaxing, pleasant vacation—without luxury or extravagance.
Curitiba is the perfect city for exploring without spending much money. It has many parks with free entry, where you can bring your own snacks with products you can buy from the cheaper markets.
A snack for three people—with a liter of juice, another of Coca-Cola, some bread with mortadella, and some sweets—can cost around 25 reais (about 4 dollars) if you budget wisely.
In my case, we also took the opportunity to have lunch at the homes of some friends I normally don’t have enough time for. We also hosted dinners at our place and even a brunch this past weekend.
I treated myself to some clothes and a pair of sneakers because I usually don’t take time for that. My wardrobe was pretty limited. Since I’m a bit particular about what I wear and prefer to have less but of good quality, the purchase ended up costing me more than 600 reais (about 100 dollars), which is equivalent to 30% of my salary.
I got plenty of rest at home, watched MLB baseball games, and series like Prison Break, which—amazingly—I had never had the chance to watch before. We bought a TV box and, for the first time, subscribed to Netflix. I watched the Matrix saga for the umpteenth time.
With great pleasure, I also did some work for others. When a brother from church or someone else needs a hand—moving or painting the house, for example—you drop your rest to help out.
I’ve spent a lot of quality time with my family—going out together and even celebrating my little daughter’s birthday party at one of those natural parks I mentioned. And these are all things that, simply by living in Cuba, I wouldn’t have been able to do.
I also had time to think about my future—to better organize my time in order to invest in my personal development and growth.
And even though I couldn’t get a better job than my current one as a butcher, I know that the studies I’ve begun will put me in a better position to land a better job in the near future. That, along with 30 days of peaceful rest, will help me face another year of hard work.