Is wanting to live in/having an obsession with brazil weird?

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36 Comments

I want to move to Brazil soon. I've had an obsession with the country for seven or eight years now. I actually taught myself Portuguese with a dictionary and a few CDs before starting college, and I've been literally obsessed with Brazil ever since. Sometimes when I hear the language or am reminded of the culture, I get goosebumps (no, I'm not joking). I have a sincere attraction to the country. I do not like my job here in the US (I'm a contractor for the federal government) and I am not really that happy in general. Personally, I think I am reminded of how I learned the language and feel proud, thus I have a passion for the country. But is it normal to like somewhere so far away so much? Should I just move there. I've only been there once - for ten weeks in 2009.

Is It Normal?
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  • bigtoy
    11 years ago | pl

    @dbracey
    I really identified with this post! I'm English and I visited Brazil in 1997 and fell in love with the country. I moved out here at the end of 1999. I don't regret it either - still here after nearly 13 years. It's a fascinating country and extremely diverse. Of course, there are some negative points, but I think that here the people really know how to live and a very happy and friendly race - it's nice to be among them. I live in the middle of the Amazon in a small town called Parintins, by the way. I've been all over Brazil, but this is probably the most interesting place to be. Btw, I teach English here, too.
    Nora Baker gave some pretty good advice up there and if you need any regarding other things, feel free to write to my email (on my profile).

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    • dbracey
      11 years ago | pl

      Que bom. Acho que quero voltar ao meu novo pais para ensinar ingles, como ja expliquei a Nora. Acho que vc fala portugues pq vc mora no Brasil. Se sabe se vai ser possivel ser um professor em Sampa? Se tem algumas dicas? Obrigado por me ajudar. Acho que vc pode ser um novo parceiro meu! Rsrsrs!

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      • bigtoy
        11 years ago | pl

        Sem problemas! A Nora disse que as escolas franquiadas não pagam bem, mas tem umas não pagam tão mal e é um começo. Vc já pode submeter seu curriculo via Internet para as escolas Fisk e CCAA e terá um emprego ao chegar desde que venha no mês certo (janeiro ou julho) Se me add no MSN, podemos conversar melhor - meu msn tá na página do meu perfil aqui. Tenho bastante experiencia na questão de vistos, se precisar tirar alguma dúvida, ok?

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        • dbracey
          11 years ago | pl

          Infelizmente não planejo mudar ao Brasil em julho senão agosto. Vou mandar o meu currículo às escolas que vc mencionou. Quero mandar vc algumas mensagens no MSN também. Se acha fativél voltar em agosto? Pra mim, isto vai ser um novo começo. Ja tenho visto - mas não posso ficar mais de 180 dias do ano com um visto de turista.
          Quero explicar novamente que tenho a ideia de ensinar inglês só para ganhar dinheiro. Vou pesquisar informação para um professor numa universidade ao mesmo tempo. Se eu for mais feliz no Brasil que nos EUA, vou procurar trabalho legítimo eu vou ficar.

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          • bigtoy
            11 years ago | pl

            Pois é, mas vc pode trocar seu visto para um visto de trabalho que é válido pela duração do contrato de trabalho. Caso vc conseguir trabalho onde eu indiquei, vc já pode providenciar isso caso quer ficar mais de 180 dias.
            A sua disposição,
            BT

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            • dbracey
              11 years ago | pl

              Bim bom,

              Acabo de fazer contato com três companhias em Sampa. Infelizmente, vou precisar de um visto de trabalho para ser empregado por uma firma chamada Executive English. Tenho que achar uma firma que tem a vontade de patrocinar-me. Ou tenho que transferir o visto como você já mencionou. Eu sei lá. Porém, vou à embaixada aqui em Washington. Com bastante vontade, qualquer coisa é possível. Talvez possa viajar ao Brasil em agosto para procurar trabalhar por uma semana só e voltar.

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  • Avant-Garde
    10 years ago | pl

    It's normal! I've always had a thing with England And France. Recently, I've become interested in Iceland as well as Brazil. I don't see myself as living in Brazil but who knows? I might visit it one day and fall in love with it. The country I want to live in the most is France but I don't even speak French.

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  • YouKnowWho
    11 years ago | pl

    Hi, there, I'm a Brazilian who loves the U.S. as much as you love my country. Shall we apply for some sort of reality TV show? XD

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    • dbracey
      11 years ago | pl

      Muito obrigado por responder. Pois, na verdade não entendo a razão que eu gosto do Brasil assim. Acredito que não gosto da minha carreira aqui em Washington, e que estou procurando uma maneira de ser mais feliz. Se quiser, pode trabalhar no meu escritório! Eu vou entreinar você!

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      • YouKnowWho
        11 years ago | pl

        Haha, eu não sei se fico feliz ou deprimida por você ter aprendido português certinho assim. É eu também não sei porque gosto tanto dos EUA. Vou pra Washington na próxima semana, mas não dá, ainda estou estudando :(

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        • dbracey
          11 years ago | pl

          Você está brincando? Vai chegar aqui na verdade? O que vc está estudando? Sou graduado da Universidade de Georgetown aqui na D.C. De que parte do Brasil é?

          E posso treinar você. Tenho “trabalho de macaco.” É uma certeza que o inglês de você é o ótimo.

          Abraços

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          • YouKnowWho
            11 years ago | pl

            Vou sim. Este sábado vou pra NY e depois de alguns dias vou pra Washington. Sou de São Paulo.

            Mas nem estou na faculdade ainda (não conte aos moderadores do site.) E de todo jeito, tenho certeza que odiaria trabalhar em escritório.

            Obrigada, de qualquer jeito :)

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            • dbracey
              11 years ago | pl

              De nada. Pois, tampouco gosto de trabalhar num escritorio :-) Espero que você tenha muita sorte aqui. São Paulo é uma cidade bacana (fui lá faz três anos).

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  • GoraIntoDesiGals
    11 years ago | pl

    I feel the same about India and I learned Hindi.

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  • KeddersPrincess
    11 years ago | pl

    Not weird, but I wouldn't live there because when I think about Brazil I think about anacondas.

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    • NoraBaker
      11 years ago | pl

      I'd like to think that is a metaphor for big penises, or some sort of a joke, as opposed to complete and utter ignorance, Princess ;)

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      • KeddersPrincess
        11 years ago | pl

        Due to the movie "Anaconda" when I was 6, I'm deathly afraid of large snakes. But I'm not actually afraid to visit the country, you see, I was joking, bitch!

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        • NoraBaker
          11 years ago | pl

          Funnily enough, before you went for "Fuck you", I was not personally attacking you, but, also jokingly, telling you that that country is not as wild as one may think based on American media and entertainment. I hope you understand, Princess ;)

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        • NoraBaker
          11 years ago | pl

          You the bitch, ho! Glad we cleared that up.

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  • Java
    11 years ago | pl

    My cousin has a like for Brazil too!

    Wtf is up with it? It's the women, isn't it.

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    • bigtoy
      11 years ago | pl

      Well, they're certainly nothing to complain about! lol Actually, there are loads of things going for it like the climate, it's cheap, the people are nice, the culture and way of life, the lack of recession, family values, less government oppression etc

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  • Allistalla
    11 years ago | pl

    * kissing *

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  • Allistalla
    11 years ago | pl

    South America has the kidding bug that gives you a desiese that they siad is like aids . Im sorry we dont have any intresting killer bugs here , I had to add that tid bit I like learning about bugs I know all the insects that can kill youXD

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    • dbracey
      11 years ago | pl

      So take it you were one of the "not normal" votes. When I think about it, I really don't it's abnormal at all. But of course, I asked other people's opinions. Either way, my mind is made up. I am actually going to give up a well paying job to try to make it there. It's a done deal.

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  • alv1592
    11 years ago | pl

    I think it's normal. I've seen pics of Brazil/South America, it looks beautiful. Plus I'm sure it's always warm there (I sometimes hate where I live because of the climate in the winter). Just curious, how did you teach yourself the language? I'm into learning languages, but I took an online Spanish course and my foreign friends teach me some of their languages.

    Anyway, if you can afford to move there and really want to do it, I say go for it.

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    • dbracey
      11 years ago | pl

      I learned Spanish in my last year of high school. Out of curiosity (i.e. wanting to learn profanity in an obscure language), I picked up a pocket dictionary from a Barnes and Noble and then bought a few CDs from a dollar store. After about four to six months, I was conversant after wearing the CDs out and reading the dictionary over and over again.

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  • bananaface
    11 years ago | pl

    I'm the same, but with Germany and Russia. German culture and language fascinates me, and I want to continue studying German at uni. As for the Russian language, I swear I've never heard any language so beautiful, I also plan on learning it.

    I'd say it's normal, but then again I'm kind of obsessed with languages and culture so I'm not very objective on the matter:P

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  • dappled
    11 years ago | pl

    I'd say go for it. I feel the same about Kyrgyzstan. Кыргыз Республикасы навсегда!

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  • NoraBaker
    11 years ago | pl

    It's normal, Brazil is a wonderful country.

    I would check two things first.

    One, the current visa and work permit situation. It used to be very easy and relations between both countries very friendly in that respect. Ever since 9/11 things toughened up on Br-->US visitors, which, in turn, about 7 years later resulted in retaliation on US-->Br visitors. So if you are an obvious immigrant (own nothing, have no family to go back to, no steady job, or other such things), you are denied even a simple 60 day tourist visa. I have a friend who has been in Brazil for over 15 years and still has trouble with residency. Even though he owns his business, which is very successful, he was forced to go back to his hometown in AZ to gather 50k to be able to invest it in the company and acquire an investor's visa. Pretty stressful.

    Also, your field of work. Have you considered that yet?

    I don't mean to demotivate you at all. I'm all for moving to new places. I've done so many a times. Just wanted to give you an idea of what I've seen. On the plus side, I couldn't leave this out, to be completely honest, most rules and laws in Brazil aren't followed or respected, so your chances at things working out are really good. ;)

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    • dbracey
      11 years ago | pl

      THe good news: I have a tourist visa. My field of work would be similar to what I do (research-oriented). I am thinking that I'll teach English there and work as a researcher on the side for a professor (by August). After a year, I'd come back and try to find a job or get a doctorate unless I fall in love with the place and decide to expatriate completely, renounce my US citizenship and marry a Brazilian lady. I seriously doubt the latter will come true, but you never know. Either way, I have 18K saved up. I'm hoping using the teaching stipend and not digging to far into my savings should allow me to enjoy the year and make it back stateside.

      I would be leaving a job, but I think the experience overseas coupled with my degree (Georgetown MSFS) would make it doable. What do you think?

      And then, of course, there's my student loans. I'm doing income based repayment now and will do so on the stipend as an ESL teacher.

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      • NoraBaker
        11 years ago | pl

        You are way more well prepared than you seemed in your original post. You have a great plan and it is sure to work out, based on my experience and your details.

        I don't know if I would be assuming correctly, based on your Georgetown MSFS degree, that the city to which you would go to is Brasília, perhaps UnB university, but if it is, I don't know much about it personally, other than what a few of my friends have told me.

        Would your research work be paid?

        Which leads to the ESL teaching. In regards to that, you will have 3 main options: working for franchise schools, privately owned schools, self-employment. The first pay really ridiculous wages, so you'll want to stay away; the second are good because you are guaranteed so many classes that term; and the third is where the money's at, if you have wealthy clients, but they are known to come and go, unless you have a contract legally binding them to you for a certain amount of classes.

        Good luck to you!

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        • dbracey
          11 years ago | pl

          Thanks, Nora! My research work I would do without charge. I found out that I don't need a TESOL degree to teach English. Do you think I should try to get one anyway? Either way, I want to go to Sao Paulo, not BrasiliaM. And then againN I would consider Rio. If you could please give more advise, I'd love it. I'm trying to get down there by August (when the peak hiring season for teachers tapers off)

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