Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Qualidade de Vida!


We live a simple life. We choose to. Luiz will be 60 years old this year, Me: 52. We deliberately traded in our run-around world in San Francisco for a go-to-the-beach world here in Niterói.
It was a conscious choice.
For us, now, less is more.
We live without an iPhone, an iPad, a Kindle and yearly international travel. But we also live without stress, 70 hour work weeks and bank-busting car and health insurance payments.
Our focus has changed. And so have we
We may not have all the financial options (or the consumer options) we once had – but we don´t miss them. Meet me at the beach. I will tell you about our new life.

10 comments:

bee and jay said...

Quality of Life, indeed! Well done, guys!

Rachel said...

and your beach has the best view of the world... of Rio ;). What are you doing for Luiz's bday?

Jim said...

We are going to Machu Picchu!

We were thinking of hosting a party on a skooner in the bay - but decided to send the money on ourselves and not our friends!

Unknown said...

Hear hear! We, too have made some of the very same trades. 7 months in and no regrets.

American Heart Brazilian Soul said...

Jim,

I love your choices!
Can't wait to come visit you guys in Niteroi!!!
Congrats to Luiz on his bday!

Abracos
Ray

Born Again Brazilian said...

Good for you guys!! I can absolutely understand where you are coming from. I made my own life altering decisions and never looked back for a second. Enjoy!!

Anita said...

Jim, why don't you write a little book w/ tips to manage a simple lifestyle + cheap/very affordable tourism in Brazil ? Maybe not only with your example, but also interviews with other Americans in similar position...
Now and then I read wonderful stories of Dutch people who had a big life in Holland and then moved to Thailand/Brazil/Suriname/Indonesia to live a much simpler life. With ups and dowsn, pros and cons. It can be disturbing for some friends and family, who feel threatened about such choices and have to look into themselves. You know what I mean...

Meredith said...

Machu Picchu! You're going to LOVE it. Absolutely LOVE it. I'm so happy for you. Peru is freaking amazing in every way.

And as for the lifestyle....ours is simpler too. Not THAT much more since my employer hooked us up and we're buying a car soon (then again, we'll only have 1 and not 2 - yea!!!). I have a Kindle but NO cable. I like it better this way.

Jana said...

Living well should have nothing to do with the "things" in your life but the people and the experience. You guys are role models! =)

GingerV said...

great post. this is you. I like it. you will laugh but I think we live simply too. Okay way we still do international travel - but that is what we do.... a cost of having family all over the place.... we love out lunch - home cooked, simple dishes and good wine. yes the good life.