Any Brazilians familiar with Rio Maria?

[AllisonB 0]

My (EWI) husband from Brazil and I are just starting this process, but we are trying to be optimistic in case our 601 waiver gets denied. I (USC) am not at all oposed to going to try my hand at living in Brazil. The town he is from is Rio Maria, which I think is a small farming town. (Or thats the impression I get) My husband teached physics there. Assuming I can speak decent prtuguese at that time, could I actually get a job, work, and live there? I'm a paralegal here ( real estate). Is it typical for husband and wife to need to work in Brazil?

Does anyone know Americans who have gone abroad to live and succeeded at it?

[Nessa 23]

My (EWI) husband from Brazil and I are just starting this process, but we are trying to be optimistic in case our 601 waiver gets denied. I (USC) am not at all oposed to going to try my hand at living in Brazil. The town he is from is Rio Maria, which I think is a small farming town. (Or thats the impression I get) My husband teached physics there. Assuming I can speak decent prtuguese at that time, could I actually get a job, work, and live there? I'm a paralegal here ( real estate). Is it typical for husband and wife to need to work in Brazil?

Does anyone know Americans who have gone abroad to live and succeeded at it?

is that in Pará?

[flipside 0]

I lived in Brazil for almost 4 years. The first 6 months were a nightmare until I lost the "fear" of speaking. Portuguese is mandatory if you plan on living there, especially in a small town.

The great thing is that you learn really fast being immersed. After a year I could do anything. I may not have known all the words at that point, but I knew enough words to explain what I wanted or needed.

I was on assignment in Brazil, so I was making US wages. I wanted to stay after my contract was up, but the best job I could find involved taking an 80% pay cut. Depending on the "standard of living" you're accustomed to depends on the need for you to work.

[Alex+R 0]

So, what does "succeed" mean? I lived there for 1 year and succeeded in continuing to eat, have a place to sleep, not get killed etc. without having any affiliation with an American company. I worked in English though!

You could always try teaching English at exorbitant prices for awhile.

Learning Portuguese enough to work in it is... an endeavor. Would your husband ever consider moving to a different town? Are you comfortable with the small-town-living idea?

PS I know MANY Americans in Sao Paulo and a few in Rio who live there successfully, but they are mostly ex-pats and their wives/husbands living that (very ritzy) lifestyle. My fiance worked with a few in a plant in Rio as well.

What did you mean do a husband and wife need to work?

[AllisonB 0]

Thats exactly what I mean. Can I eat and have a place to sleep...I dont intend to go there and live an extravagent lifetsyle.

Does the country typically require the income of a husband and wife, or is it typical for the husband to work and the wife to stay home (that would make me crazy)

I'm great with the idea of small town living. I think it would be a wonderful change.

[Mew 0]

Thats exactly what I mean. Can I eat and have a place to sleep...I dont intend to go there and live an extravagent lifetsyle.

Does the country typically require the income of a husband and wife, or is it typical for the husband to work and the wife to stay home (that would make me crazy)

I'm great with the idea of small town living. I think it would be a wonderful change.

Tipically, there will be families where only the husband work - especially in small towns in the country side in certain states, still pretty much conservative - but that's certainly not a cultural "rule".

[Mew 0]

Allison, is Rio Maria in Pará?

[Nessa 23]

Allison, is Rio Maria in Pará?

I just saw there's a Rio Bonito in Rio de Janeiro. The thing is, I'd live pretty much anywhere with my love, but if you want to come live in Brazil and you don't speak portuguese and you feel the need to work, then you're gonna have to learn portuguese, my friend.

You asked ''Is it typical for husband and wife to need to work in Brazil?'', well it's the same as in the United States, there are women who decide to be housewives, take care of the kids while the husband works, there're women who work, usually unless your husband is rich it's the best option, because you both will have a higher income (is that the word?)

Now about living in a small town, it depends what you're used to. The smaller the town is I believe the harder will be for you to get a job, unless you want to teach english, that you can do anywhere, still, you gotta speak portuguese for that.

[Mew 0]

I agree with Nessa for the most part. However, if Rio Maria is indeed in Pará, then the idea you have of a small town is totally different from what you'll find there. It's a poor rural area, it's extremely hot there and far from the capital of the state. I'm not even sure if teaching English would actually be an option there.

[AllisonB 0]

I agree with Nessa for the most part. However, if Rio Maria is indeed in Pará, then the idea you have of a small town is totally different from what you'll find there. It's a poor rural area, it's extremely hot there and far from the capital of the state. I'm not even sure if teaching English would actually be an option there.

I know that Rio Maria is in the north. I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the locations. My husband teaches college there and I'm learning portuguese. I speak conversational Spanish so when we get hung up on something, we can quickly figure it out. Right now, I only speak to him in English and he only speaks to me in Portuguese so that we both learn. Where is Para?

[Mew 0]

I agree with Nessa for the most part. However, if Rio Maria is indeed in Pará, then the idea you have of a small town is totally different from what you'll find there. It's a poor rural area, it's extremely hot there and far from the capital of the state. I'm not even sure if teaching English would actually be an option there.

I know that Rio Maria is in the north. I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the locations. My husband teaches college there and I'm learning portuguese. I speak conversational Spanish so when we get hung up on something, we can quickly figure it out. Right now, I only speak to him in English and he only speaks to me in Portuguese so that we both learn. Where is Para?

Pará is in the north. I'll point to a map (you won't see Rio Maria there because it's too small): http://www.v-brazil.com/tourism/para/map-para.html - Rio Maria would be north from "Conceição do Araguaia". So, it's somewhat near to the Amazon.

Have you visited your fiance? I'd definitely recommend it.

[AllisonB 0]

I agree with Nessa for the most part. However, if Rio Maria is indeed in Pará, then the idea you have of a small town is totally different from what you'll find there. It's a poor rural area, it's extremely hot there and far from the capital of the state. I'm not even sure if teaching English would actually be an option there.

I know that Rio Maria is in the north. I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the locations. My husband teaches college there and I'm learning portuguese. I speak conversational Spanish so when we get hung up on something, we can quickly figure it out. Right now, I only speak to him in English and he only speaks to me in Portuguese so that we both learn. Where is Para?

Pará is in the north. I'll point to a map (you won't see Rio Maria there because it's too small): http://www.v-brazil.com/tourism/para/map-para.html - Rio Maria would be north from "Conceição do Araguaia". So, it's somewhat near to the Amazon.

Have you visited your fiance? I'd definitely recommend it.

He lives here in the States with me right now.

I do know that their farm borders the Amazon, but I never got the impression that they were poor. His brother emails me pictures all the time. It is definitely rural, though.

Yes, it is in Para. I just sent him a text message.

[Nessa 23]

I know that Rio Maria is in the north. I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the locations. My husband teaches college there and I'm learning portuguese. I speak conversational Spanish so when we get hung up on something, we can quickly figure it out. Right now, I only speak to him in English and he only speaks to me in Portuguese so that we both learn. Where is Para?

Pará is in the north. I'll point to a map (you won't see Rio Maria there because it's too small): http://www.v-brazil.com/tourism/para/map-para.html - Rio Maria would be north from "Conceição do Araguaia". So, it's somewhat near to the Amazon.

Have you visited your fiance? I'd definitely recommend it.

He lives here in the States with me right now.

I do know that their farm borders the Amazon, but I never got the impression that they were poor. His brother emails me pictures all the time. It is definitely rural, though.

Yes, it is in Para. I just sent him a text message.

I agree with mew, you should spend a couple weeks there minimun with him to see if you like it or not. As a brazilian I don't see myself living in Pará, unless I had an excellent job and made lots of money, otherwise no way. But that's your decision, you should try and then decide what's best for you both.

Good luck!

[AllisonB 0]

Of course I would never commit to living anywhere before I saw it myself. I have a house here that I can rent out, though, and I have some flexibility in my job so I'd love to keep my options open. Making lots of money is not a goal for me. I want to see how and where this man grew up. I want to experience things he did.

[Elizabethnhenry 0]

Everyone has given you excellent advice. I am just butting in to say if it ever comes to that, you might want to start researching US law firms with offices in Brazil. You guys may have to compromise and move to big city. I have worked for a few firms that have offices in Brazil. I have listed one example below. Also check out the real estate/structured finance departments of US banks in Brazil.

"Greenberg Traurig has added an international group to its New York office and plans to open an office in Sao Paulo, Brazil. International attorneys Mark Saunders and Ross Kaufman joined the firm to head the new division, and they plan to hire six new attorneys. Greenberg Traurig has 285 attorneys and offices in five Florida cities, New York and Washington, D.C."

Good luck!