Loud bangs started to roll down the hill on December 30—fireworks and firecrackers, of course, not gunshots. Please turn off Fox News.

This is our new Airbnb, a very modern building right at the bottom of one of Floripa’s—and Brazil’s—many hills. Amazing views up there, not so amazing houses, and many precarious lives. It looks pretty from afar. Yet, I probably won’t climb the stairs all the way up to take a look—I’d be a foreigner in this community.

The fact that our Airbnb is “down a hill” may explain why it’s literally Fort Knox. The check-in instructions included a link that took me to a registration page—name, passport number (or CPF, obviously), phone number, address, then a selfie for facial recognition. Then I landed on another page to download an app.

Yes, an app to unlock the building.

There’s the front door, then another door three meters further (the “eclusa”), plus all the garage doors. And of course, there’s a keypad on our apartment door.

The first sliding door must be fully closed for the other one to open—it’s fucking annoying.

What’s more annoying is that the facial recognition system doesn’t work, so I have to open the app and try the slide button, which may or may not open the chosen door. The last resort is scanning the QR code sticker.

I live in fear of forgetting my phone—how would I get back in?

And sometimes, usually once again, we’re logged out of the system and can’t enter the building, so I have to send a WhatsApp message to the people who take safety very seriously. They reply fast, at least, which is always appreciated when you’re standing at the front door in the rain with groceries.

Anyway, while we were busy trying to figure out how to get into the building, up there in the hills, people started to celebrate the New Year with fireworks and firecrackers.

They are still at it, by the way, and it’s January 2, 1:43 a.m.

I don’t mind. It’s festive. If you want to celebrate something outside with complete strangers, come to Brazil—they do it really well.

For instance, here in Florianópolis, we get a free show and amazing fireworks at the city’s beloved bridge, the Ponte Hercílio Luz.

But first, we went grocery shopping. Feng and I came back with fish from the market and filet mignon—very cheap by Canadian standards and absolutely delicious.

We spent December 31 at Praia de Canasvieiras, then we got ready for the party—it involved wearing white for peace and good luck, as well as crossing the city to find a good spot just below the bridge. The fireworks were amazing, and the walk back at 1 a.m. was quite fun as well, because we rarely see the historical centre so empty.

Today, we went to Praia de Novo Campeche—it’s basically Praia do Campeche but further along, yet not quite at the end, which is Praia da Joaquina. Get your beaches right. It was great until the 6 p.m. downpour, because it inconveniently started at 4 p.m., and we did not see it coming.

Still, thank you, Brazil, for letting me start the year with you.

I’m happy here.