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The ‘Galo de Barcelos’ is the ultimate Portuguese symbol. It’s based on a legend about a pilgrim who was wrongly accused of a crime in Barcelos (a small village in Northern Portugal). The pilgrim, while facing execution, claimed a roasted rooster that was set at the table would come to life and crow to prove his innocence. Miraculously, the rooster stood up and crowed, saving the pilgrim from certain death. Since then, the Galo de Barcelos signifies luck, justice, and faith.

We feel this symbol has been primed to be even more progressive with its colors. The ‘New Galo’, in all its traditional glory, also stands for inclusion. 

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DaCosta

My father was born in Faial. When he was 13 he moved to Terceira to join the seminary. That’s where he later met my mother.

My mother was born in Altares, a remote village on the northeastern side of Terceira. She is the middle child of 7. 

There’s an interesting name situation with my family. Both my grandparents had ‘Lourenço’ and both my parents had da Costa, although my mother’s family was DaCosta, a spelling my father adopted when they got married. 

Of the nine people in my mother’s family, only 3 had original names. It looks like this...

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First Generation.

I am a first generation American-Portuguese.

My first language was Portuguese and I still speak it fluently; I grew up in a duplex in Taunton with my cousins living on the other side; My mother stayed home and raised the four of us while my aunt and uncle worked factory jobs and my father pursued a career as a bilingual guidance counselor.

The very cool thing about my childhood is that it was full of art, music, and performance - which maybe wasn’t a typical situation. The duplex was a hub for family parties. There was so much music. My parents were both songwriters and my father always had his guitar (and harmonica:). 

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Closet Artist?

Life happens to us in various ways, with varying intensity, wavering commitments, good and bad surprises and intentions… And life requires SO MANY decisions. This is why finding joy is so important.

Hotel Papel offers an experience to those who want to explore their creativity. Because, to be creative is to play, and play is essential for joy. We are literally striving to bring more joy to the world via makers, thinkers, creators, and innovators.

This brings me to an important detail: Who are these people?

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There’s magic in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Islands that possess something so spectacular that it’s difficult to define. The type of place that calls your name and warms your soul and holds on so tight that even while you’re there, you’re full of longing for it.

My first visit to the Açores was in 1994. I was 16 years old. I visited again in 1995 for 6 weeks by myself. It wasn’t enough time… And then, through a series of life events that included going to college, finding my forever home in New Bedford, getting married, and starting a family, I didn’t make it back to the Islands until 2015. The moment I stepped foot on terra firme, it all came crashing back and I couldn’t believe I had been away for so long.

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My 20 Year Detour

I have devoted the past 20 years to my fitness career and have built a company with a tremendous culture and community. We've cultivated an army of strong, intelligent, empathetic coaches who tend to the most incredible group of clients ever. Now it’s time for me to switch gears, or switch back to, a world that I had intended for myself over 20 years ago.

Just the other day I was talking to someone who asked me what that process was like. I asked what process she was referring to, and she said the process of discovering that it was time to make such a bold move. How did I get from point A to point B? How did I know definitively that it was time to let go of all that I’ve built and all that’s been so good to me and to follow my heart and try something new?

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