I was just talking about that today! I can feel your pain!!

Originally posted by Brazillifestyle If one were to assume it's only english speakers, wtf are you smoking? You're right in mentioning it's a probable assumption being a "small universe". How would one gather the knowledge of a group of people they're is no reason to associate in or around?

dont know what you are saying.


I said some people HERE are not thinking of all the immigrants in Brazi. They come in contact with a small number of expats, most of them englsh speakers, and they never realize there are millions of other immigrants... from poor countries, and who dont speak english.

Originally posted by irishlass I have been running a business in the Amazon for the past 8 years and coming over 3-4 times a year for a month at a time. A year ago I decided to make the move here permanently to expand my business, and have had the most hideous 12 months of my life.I speak fluent portuguese, know the region I moved to,am flexible and tolerant about the endless Brazilian bureacracy and have tried to integrate into the community. Despite the fact that I invest heavily in the local economy, in social projects and provide employment, I have felt like an alien on a different planet. I felt as though I have been thrown into a pit of vultures, every single person I know here bar none has tried to fleece me in some way or another. It seems that us gringoes are considered the first target for any sob story, scam or dishonesty.( and I am married to a local- his family are amongst the worst offenders This is just a warning to anyone thinking of making the move, think long and hard about it. The cultural differences are vast, and unless you lock yourself away in a cocooned mainly ex-pat society ( there are none where I live)you will find it an uphill struggle. I am relieved to be leaving, but saddened that fundamentally, in my experience, we are not welcome.

12 months? Be happy you didn't waste almost 4 years. That's what I've done, insisting endlessly that it was just 'a few people' who were closed-minded and xenophobic.

Go home, develop your own country.

Originally posted by sven Originally posted by nesne2 Most people here who are middle class do not hang out with people who are not middle class. First you have to define what definition of "middle class" you adhere to. Weberian, American, or Brazilian. Because under brazilian terms, it would not be the group you'd like to hang out with as "middle class" are B1 through C2 (R$ 950 to R$ 4600) of income per month. Originally posted by nesne2 Obviously if you are from a European country with less of a wealth divide this may be harder to accept. Did you ever go to europe, and if you went to europe, did you "do it in 15 days" ??? Originally posted by nesne2 There are exceptions to this rule but basically I am very suspicious of anyone who is not middle class who wants to be my "friend". You refer to the "middle class" where you should be referring to "upper class" Originally posted by nesne2 it is not our fault the "poors" are too apathetic to try to change the system for thier benefit. I can assure you it is.

Sven, this is a really good point. So, I guess my R$850 makes me middle class, heck, I don't even have any dependents.

This is a much discussed issue in the US right now. Who is middle class?

All I know is with R$850 I can barely pay rent, eat and pay to see a movie once a month.

But it's great that I'll be able to depend on the public education system to give my kids a fighting chance at a better life!!

No it isn't. The purpose of anistia is so that many illegal Paraguayan, Bolivian and columbian immigrants can free themselves from the slave like conditions they often live in.