Sentimental Geography

The author, writing for Público Brasil, shares a personal reflection on returning to London. He contrasts his current experience as a researcher with his past as a student, marked by financial hardship and a sense of melancholy. The piece delves into the emotional and sensory details of his past visits, from long walks in Hyde Park to the feeling of cold and hunger, and the desire for Brazilian music. He recalls an unexpected encounter with a far-right anti-EU protest, which underscored his feelings of precariousness.

Now, in a better financial position, he walks the city with a different perspective, contemplating the possibility of 'repopulating' London with new, more positive memories. He muses on the small comforts that make a difference, like a warm coffee on a cold day or the option to take the metro when tired. The article is a deeply personal exploration of how place and memory intertwine, and how revisiting a familiar city can be an opportunity for emotional and psychological renewal, a distinctly Brazilian sentimentality applied to a European setting.