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Nov
21
2011
I appreciate your concise & very helpful reports.
Do you have knowledge of Brazil ?
Mike
Answer #2
Thanks Dom.
I’m just dreaming of & investigating a move now, must wait for my website investment to sell.
But I’m looking at Ecuador & south coast of Brazil from Porto Alegre to Joinville. Wary of high crime in Rio & Sao Paulo.
Any recommendations anywhere on the coast?
How difficult is Portugese compared to Spanish?
Answer #3
I have lived in Brasil (Sao Paulo) off and on for 30+ years.
While physically beautiful, it has many, many dangerous areas. The favelas are huge, and breed crime worse than mosquito larvae in standing water.
Portuguese, contrary to popular opinion, is not exactly Spanish. Many people believe the words are the same, but with a different pronunciation. Hah!
Floor=Piso (Sp)= Andar (P)
He=El(Sp)=O(P)
Only=Solamente(Sp)=So(P)
I know university professors in Sao Paulo that confess they cannot write correct Portuguese. It is an incredibly difficult language to learn, proficiently.
Many years ago, Brasil decreed that within a 5 year period of time, all auto engines would consume alcohol only. No more gasoline. Their alcohol was derived from sugar cane – and then the price of world sugar increased to the point – no more alcohol to run cars. Millions were stranded. Alcohol station lines were worse than the US in 1973.
Then, Brasil found a significant crude oil field, and new prosperity (For decades, Brasil operated on a two-tier monetary system – whatever the currency was named (it changed frequently), 96 Novos = 1 USD (Public), but commerce operated at 52 Novos/$.
When Colhor del Mello was President, his first act was to freeze all bank accounts, and permit about $ 100.00 per month withdrawal. Most Brasilerhos did’nt care – they had no bank accounts. During this “austerity for the good of the people”, his young wife assembled a charitable foundation, and had it run by her family. The estimate of the family’s sticky fingers is one-half billion dollars. de Mello was up for impeachment, as it was estimated he had spirited away well in excess of a billion dollars. He avoided impeachment by resigning.
When the military was in control, importers had to receive special importation grants, and pace in the Banco do Brasil and amount equivalent to the cost of goods imported. A million dollar purchase meant another million deposited in the bank. No interest, no withdrawal.
Many, if not all, other Latin countries have their own histories, but Brasil seemed to elevate it to a fine art.
Even now, when I return to Sao Paulo, I leave the Rolex at home, and use the Timex. It saves me money on orthopaedic surgeons to repair my mangled wrist bones.
Brasil does have a wonderfully redeeming virtue – visit Leme or Copacobama beaches in Rio, and view poverty at its worst – the poor girls cannot afford enough cloth for a complete bathing costume…
Megalodon
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Answer #1
Sure, what specifically do you want to know about brasil?
Its a great place, friendly people, warm weather, but costs are higher now, and i hate to say it but its one place i do feel a little bit of mild, non-violent anti-american sentiment.
dom