Brasil: Behind Closed Doors with Sisi

the cities we live in were not always cities. they weren’t always this packed, this urbanized. and some of the most xenophobic, most close-minded people i’ve ever come across, anywhere, including back home and including here in bahia, have no idea that a few generations ago their own people were pushed out of somewhere. forced into dense, overpopulated places because there wasn’t another option. t...

this episode came from my live youtube video recorded on sunday, may 31, 2026: “real digital nomads and chameleons - https://www.youtube.com/live/9Phy4V2wGz0?si=3opFMupNDMfTEkW0 .” i’m talking about the difference between looking location-independent online and actually building the kind of work, documentation, income, and discipline that can support life abroad. this is not a cute influencer fant...

finding your people in a new country is hard enough. finding someone who can do your hair AND your nails AND figure out what you mean even when you don't have the words? that's a whole thing. i've been going to the same salon in bahia, brazil for months. they do my hair, they do my nails, and not once have they made me feel like the language barrier was my problem to solve alone. three people, one...

on may 8, 2026 the u.s. state department started revoking active passports from americans who owe back child support. they began with people owing $100,000 or more --- about 2,700 americans --- but the program is set to expand to anyone owing more than $2,500, the threshold from a 1996 law that has barely been enforced. no expansion date has been announced. in this episode, sisi breaks down what a...

audio from a 2 hour youtube live i did on april 20, 2026. i woke up annoyed and didn't know why, shuffled some playing cards, pulled the one that said transparency, and went live. this is what came out. what i actually get into: - the people i come from. my grandmother who kept a pistol and a vibrator in her nightstand and would throw a knife if you came at her sideways. my great-grandmother who w...

doing the dishes in brazil ---there's no hot water at the sink. no garbage disposal. no dishwasher (unless you're wealthy or american). just one basin, cold water, and a squeegee you didn't know you needed. in this episode: why i boil water every morning and keep it in a thermos. why brazilians clean constantly (it's not what you think). why there are no screens on the windows. the dish-washing me...

this episode is part cautionary tale, part accidental comedy, part origin story. what started with me getting locked in a bathroom in salvador turned into something much bigger: the birth of oi bahia, a simple community hub built for people living in bahia, moving here, or trying to make sense of life here without needing ten apps, twenty whatsapp threads, and a small miracle. NOTE; if you want mo...

500 years of verified ancestry from a balcony in bahia. her ancestor charged andrew jackson $75,000 to cross a river. another one organized an armed rebellion at 70 because the letters stopped working. her great-grandmother ran a boarding house, brewed illegal beer, and was the only bank in town. this episode covers the full arc --- from hiding behind a pseudonym to claiming every ancestor by name...

this is part two of my talk on centers, specifically for my inner circle - the porch people, vanguard mystery school crew, and those who've stayed with me at the church or came to oklahoma. i'm reflecting on moments of feeling truly alive and what it means to push past invisible boundaries. i dive deep into my role as a catalyst - someone who gets paid to make people laugh or cry to help them feel...

podcast description: watching sinners - life, family stories, and living fully what if the best night of your life came with the highest risk? fresh off watching the movie "sinners," courtney shares her unfiltered thoughts on living fully, family legacy, and why most people completely missed the point of the film. speaking from her sunrise spot in brazil, she dives deep into what it means to actua...

The Portuguese translation can be found below. Visit theengagement.vhx.tv/brasil-behind-closed-doors/season:4 to listen in Portuguese. 🎙️ In this heartfelt and revealing episode, Nicole opens up about what Brasil: Behind Closed Doors means to her—a journey not just across borders, but toward self-acceptance, joy, and generational healing. 👇 RESOURCES FOR YOUR MOVE TO BRAZIL 👇 Join Oi Bahia! the...

Neste episódio de introdução cru e real, eu (Courtney) dou o tom para tudo o que esse podcast representa: nada de superproduções ou sons limpinhos de estúdio — só a vida, como ela acontece. Se você está procurando aquele som de estúdio polido, esse não é o lugar. Mas se você quer verdade, risadas e perspectivas cheias de camadas? Aqui está o que eu abordo neste episódio: 🎫 Poder do Passaporte &am...

Note: The Portuguese translation is provided below. In this powerful and poetic reflection, Courtney introduces Shyla who’s been living in Salvador, Bahia since 2018 but REIGNS from Harlem, New York (and has traveled the word). Through her words, Shy opens up about the spiritual and ancestral reconnection she’s experienced since arriving in Brazil. If you’ve ever felt the pull to rediscover yourse...

In this raw and real intro episode, I (Courtney) set the tone for everything this podcast stands for: no overproduction, no sanitized soundscapes—just life, as it happens. If you're looking for a polished studio sound, this ain’t that. But if you’re craving truth, laughter, and layered perspectives? What I cover in this episode: 🎫 Passport Power & Paperwork Woes Why it took so long to get a p...

This podcast is for anyone who’s ever thought about visiting or moving to Brasil/Brazil. It’s for those looking to embrace something new, and for anyone curious about what it's really like to build a life in Brazil. We’ll be sharing our journey—the surprises, the challenges, and the lessons learned. From the cultural similarities and differences to the unexpected ways Brazil, especially Salvador,...