Two years ago today Luiz and I got off the plane at the international airport in Rio de Janeiro – starting our new chapter together here in Brazil.By then we had left our (super cheap) rent-controlled apartment in San Francisco, sold most of our belongings, placed the rest in a container for shipping to Niterói, walked away from our gainful employment (including the health insurance covering Luiz only two months after his cancer diagnosis), spent four wonderful weeks with my mother and her partner in Florida to catch up on and soak up more family love – to have then finally turned the page to begin anew in Brazil.
Two years. Seems shorter.
I gotta tell ya, no regrets. It’s been a great ride.
My favorites:
- Beaches, beaches, beaches
- Loving and embracing new family and friends
- A slower work life
- Exploring new food and drink
- Seeing Luiz being so loved by his mother
- Everyone’s commitment to joyfulness
My frustrations:
- The strange combination of new technology and old-school bureaucracy
- The relative lack of privacy in our extended family
- Low salaries combined with really expensive consumer goods
- Few friends are prepared to travel to Brazil for a visit
Had I to do it all over again… you bet I would!
Thanks for sticking with us.
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3 comments:
I did not realize I've been in Brazil longer than you...seems strange somehow. Not sure why it seems strange, but it does....
Glad to hear you've no regrets.
Heather - I may sound like an old hand since Luiz and I have been traveling to Brazil together for the past ten years. I have been coming here for 1 - 6 month vacations over the years, including lots of intra-Brazil travel. Plus our circle of friends back in San Francisco includes dozens of Brazilians from all over the country - so lots of perspective.
But since you are the real vetran ex-pat, I'll continue to follow your blog for good advice. ;^D
-snort!- Glad you'll keep up with my blog, but I hope I live up to "good advice" expectations, LOL!!
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