"Alan" wrote in message
news:1110680582.412989.20160@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi all;
> I would love to here from some of you who are currently or have lived
> in Rio. My wife and I have a job opportunity there that should last two
> years, we have two young childern. We'd like to know something of what
> it's like to live there. Any feedback is most appreciated!
>
> Thanks
>
Hi Alan,
Without wanting to criticize others, the comments sent by clint describe
exactly the wrong approach to this kind of move. Moving to another country,
even if it is only for a limited period, is completely different from
visiting that country as a tourist. I have made the move (from the UK)
roughly nine years ago. I'm still living here, and I have no plans to leave.
You haven't told us where you are presently living, but it's save to say
that Rio will be different from anything you are used to - both in a
positive and a negative sense. The key to whether your and your family's
stay in Rio will be enjoyable lies in your (and their) ability to cope with
that difference. If you expect Rio to be exactly like it is back home, only
a little hotter - forget it.
Another key factor is the language. I would find it very difficult to get by
without a reasonable command of Portuguese.
As your wife is offered a job opportunity, I assume that the people she'll
work for will provide some assistance with finding a suitable place to stay,
a school for your children, medical assistance, help with your visa
application, etc. etc.
I didn't have that kind of assistance but my wife is Brazilian and I had
been coming to Rio for many years on vacation, so I had a good idea of what
to expect before I made the decision.
Two years is an awkward period. It's too short to really take up residence
and too long to live in temporary accommodation. It's too long to stay on a
tourist visa and not long enough to warrant all the hassle of getting a
residence permit. (In my case, the process of getting the residence permit
took 13 months - and I'm married to a Brazilian citizen which means that I'm
legally entitled to stay here. But that was many years ago. Rumour has it
that this service has improved since.)
You didn't say anything about your physical characteristics, but chances are
that you will be easily identifiable as a 'gringo'. And, unfortunately,
there are enough people who consider gringos legitimate targets for taking
advantage of to make that a disadvantage. You'll need to learn how to deal
with that. There's also the whole security issue. Many foreigners who become
victims of criminals contribute to some degree by their naivety. You need to
be street-wise to live in Rio.
On the positive side, Rio is a wonderful place to live in. It offers a large
variety of cultural and leisure activities. There are numerous beaches in
and near Rio. You can be up in the mountains within an hour's drive and even
within the city boundaries there is the Parque Nacional da Tijuca for hikes
in the tropical rainforest.
And it's cheap. Particularly, if you can manage to stay away from the
tourist-traps.
If you have any more specific questions, just ask. I'll try to answer.
Gato
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