http://www.emergingsouth.net/home/ http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_55 <p>I actually have a sweater with the quote broidered on...</p><p>I'll try to write a post on what my ideal Brazilian town/village should look like.</p><p>Natal/Fortaleza: there's Sao Miguel de Touros in between. And once in Natal, Tamandaré is not so far away. Actually, Tamandaré would be close to my ideal place for weekends.</p> Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:15:28 +0100 John Baeyens http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_55 http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_54 <p>&quot;Brazil is not for beginners&quot; hehe.. i liked that.. If you can handle Brazil you can handle the world !!</p><p>John, right on: best place to live in Brazil: a complex call.. This is an issue that even Brazilians struggle with.. many people i know have lived in various cities yet, it's like they keep on travelling their whole life.. </p><p>Correction: i don't live in Fortaleza, i live in Natal. Anyway, not that much difference.</p> Sun, 09 Mar 2008 01:24:17 +0100 Gert Leroy http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_54 http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_53 <p>Peter,</p><p>Many people ask me/us the same question lately. I should write a long post on it.</p><p>There's a famous quote from the famous Brazilian musician Tom Jobim who co-wrote &quot;The Girl From Ipanama&quot;. Translated the quote is: &quot;Brazil is not for beginners&quot;.</p><p>I went to Brazil in2004 and stayed there from October 2005 till January 2007. In 2005 I already believed in Brazil's fundaments; only now the true potential of it becomes obvious to everyone. </p><p>It took me two years to master Portuguese and sort the residency, bank accounts, local company structures, learning the local tax system,... These were frustrating times, believe me. Only people who set sail to Brazil will understand me. </p><p>It's only now that the dimensions of the problems (problems that go beyond cyclical) in the Western world become so blatant obvious that I realize that these two years were the best investment I ever made. Realizing that my children will have a double nationality and speak fluently Dutch (mostly folkloric), English and Portuguese is a reassuring one. </p><p> My wife and I both want to have a double nationality and for that Simone will have to stay 3 years in Belgium (1 and a half to go). This is one of the reasons why we are here. The other reasons are mainly 'infrastructural'. I don't believe in the theory of the 4h workweek of Nomad Timothy Ferriss. I believe globalists need more than anyone else a solid 'back office'.</p><p>And the judge is also still out on 'the place' where life is best in Brazil. A very complex call. The tendency goes South from Rio. Gert can explain you why (he lives in Fortaleza): <a href="http://www.emigrant.be/blog/heimwee-naar-je-land/">http://www.emigrant.be/blog/heimwee-naar-je-land/</a></p> Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:38:08 +0100 John Baeyens http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_53 http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_52 <p>John,</p><p>I see a lot of good things you say about Brazil ... but then I have the question why you still (or again actually) live in Belgium (for now ...). </p><p>Peter</p> Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:17:52 +0100 Peter Vandenabeele http://www.emergingsouth.net/brazil-in-the-new-world-economic-balance/#PageComment_52