How Brazil set me on fire (literally)

by Eva Spigt (Netherlands)

A leap into the unknown Brazil

It was 31th of December, also known as New Years Eve. I had a cool appartement with view on Copacaban beach. The perfect location to kick off the new year. It was 10pm and I was ready to celebrate my first NYE in Brazil. You know what that means... I putted on a white, tight, sexy dress, to start the new year in style. Underneath that, I was wearing something red. As the tradition in Brazil says, you have to wear the color of what you want to achieve that year. I wanted some more passion in my life so red it was for sure. I was standing on my balcony, with a beer in my hand, watching Copacanana beach. Already thousands of people gathered together on the beach to watch the fireworks later. I took a zip of my beer and I noticed a few guys waving at me. Did the red lingerie do the job already? I waved back and shouted: boa noite guys! They shouted something back but I had no idea what... They made bigger handmoves and started shouting louder. They pointed up and I thought: what's up there? I putted my hands on the balcony, leaned forward and looked up. I never saw something crazy like that. The apartments above me were on fire. Holy moly! I ran into the apartment and grabbed my passport. Barefoots I ran down the stairs since the elevator didn't work anymore. I came outside and I saw people gathering together in front of the apartment, looking at the fire. I was in tears. I was traveling by myself and I didn't know what to do or where to go. All my stuff was in the apartment and it was New Years Eve. Where did I had to sleep? Underneath a bridge!? I started crying louder and there was snot coming out of my nose. I wiped it away with my hand and then I noticed a super hot guy in the corner of my eye. He was on his motorbike, wearing a white blouse. He had rolled up his sleeves so that you could see his sexy tattoos, covering his entire arm. He had the most beautiful eyes ever, blue like the ocean in Rio. He looked at me and stepped of his motor. 'He babe, what's going on?' he asked me. I sniffed, and said: my apartment is on fire and I don't know where to go. He looked at the apartment and said: well, it takes a while for the firemen arrive. It's Rio, you know!? I thought about all my stuff in the apartment that I would lose and started crying again. He putted his muscular arms around me and said: don't cry, everything will be fine. In worst case, you can sleep at my place for a while. I looked at him and thought: that's the craziest thing ever! He is a stranger and I don't even know his name. As if he could read my thoughts, he sticked out his hand and said: my name is Eduardo. Who are you? *Based on a true story **I would love to tell you how it ends...