I created this blog to write about my life. I have several friends who told me my life would be a book, or more like an enciclopedia, so I am writing about it. Maybe nobody will read it but I shall remember what I have forgotten about when I am older, losing my hair, many years from now...
My full name is Gisele Castro Afeche, I was born in Santos, SP, Brazil on the 14th December 1965. My father, Elias Jorge Afeche worked for Banco do Brasil and my mother, Irene de Castro Afeche is a housewife. I am the youngest of 4 sisters: Anamaria (06/07/1949), Margareth (09/12/1951) and Solange (26/07/1955).
My mum and dad got married on the 04/09/1948, they were both born in Santos, my mum is Portuguese origin and my dad Lebanese origin, though there is a suspicion my great grandfather was French. My mum's parents were called Felismina Cravo de Castro and Abilio Francisco de Castro and my dad's parents Nicolau Jorge Afeche and Olinda Jorge Mobelle, that latest surname is a French surname.
My mum and dad lived on the same street (Cunha Moreira) in Santos and they got married really young at the ages of 19 and 21 (mu mum's birthdate 04/12/1928 and my dad birthdate 04/06/1927). My dad is deceased but my mum is still alive now.
When I was born we all lived in Santos at Condomínio Edificio Jóia, Av. Washington Luiz, 423 (Canal 3). It was a 2 bedroom appartment and I had to sleep in a cot till we moved out (I was 5) in my parents' bedroom as my sisters shared the other bedroom. This would not take so long as all my sister moved out, one at a time to study in São Paulo. My mum told me my dad tried for a boy, after having three girls, and unfortunately he was not successful there. I was born by forceps, so I was told, with 3,380 kg and 51 centimeters at 8h05 a.M.
My mum told me I was a quite difficult child as I would throw up everything I ate. I remember being a very fussy child to eat and my mum and sister had to find all sorts of trickeries to make me eat to the end. One of them was to hide olives at the bottom of the plate and make me eat till I found them, which of course I used to escape by sticking my fork through food and fishing them out.
I had a happy childhood, I loved having my family around and I mostly loved living on those blocks of flats. We knew all the neighbours and we visited each other often, it was like a big family. I still dream of those days and sometimes in my dreams I visit the flat and move back there. I am very sentimental with things that mean a lot to me and I have a very good memory from my early childhood: I have memories from 2 years old, and I can still see the world through a child's eyes. I remember the flat, the furniture in the flat. the kitchen was quite big and we had a very modern formica white table with chairs (6 chairs), a laundry area where my mum used to do the ironing, a living room with a black and white television and faux letter settee and armchairs. My mum's double bed with inserted bedside tables (brown), my cot, dark wood, my sisters' bedroom with a sofa bed with a bed that pulled out and my other sister had a bed that folded leaning against the wall, where I used to put my paper creations.
This flat had a big garage where they often threw parties and a garden at the front and a sort of street in the middle.
This is a picture I managed to find on Google Maps. Condominio Edifício Jóia, where I have lived during my early years.
I was born at Maternidade Cid Perez, in Santos. I could not find any pictures of the hospital I was born in, only this logo:
And this is my baptism , my dad, my mum, my Godfather Júlio and my Godmother Martha:
This is all for now... I will write again.
Thanks for reading
Gisele Afeche
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