From sunny Florida to rainy Florianópolis. 1 year post move 🇧🇷🇺🇸

@HLOFam

Good Morning....interesting topic.....where in Florida were you?   My wife (from Rio) and myself live in Bradenton- the last 6 years...prior we lived in NY for years....we always go back to RIO (Recreio area...but she is from Jacarapagua)---but have talked in the future about "possibly" your location but not sure I would like THAT type of weather....(I am 60 she is 53)...

Mickey

@HLOFam

My wife and I are both British, but moved to the island of Itamaracá in Pernambuco nearly 20 years ago, and despite travelling extensively within Brazil and many other countries, we have never found anywhere else we like better. Island life is not for everyone, especially those that need big city living, but that is not for us. If you want to find out more, just search Itamaraca Tourism.

@HLOFam

> I feel much more American than Brazilian now

I retired from California to Joao Pessoa in the Northeast. All in all, it has been very positive. Adjusting to Brazil in general, wih no qualms re the Northeast at all. If you miss the Florida warmth, you would love it here.

Glad to hear that your daughter has adjusted. I can't give you any solid insights about that, but my bet is that she would feel right at home here. The only trouble would be missing her Floripa friends, I reckon. You might want to take a trip to specifically explore school options..

Best of success!

@HLOFam

I'm a gringo and we stay for several months of the year in Brasilia (which has great weather, but no ocean), and my wife has a large family who we mostly interact with, so my situation is different. However I've been told that that the Brazilians in the south aren't as warm as elsewhere (perhaps due to the German immigrants?). BTW: I graduated from high school in Berlin. I also just saw this video on YouTube that could also have a bearing on your situation: "A Sindrome Do Retorno" by @Elementar. Boa sorte!

I'm a gringo married to a Carioca. No kids.....so......I was one however, and up to the age of 17 I moved 5 times. Each trip involved new schools, community, in some cases a country, and friends. Kids adapt easily, and yours will too. She doesn't get a choice anyways......remember that......this is all about you.

I live in Rio and moved from Canada years ago. Adapting was super easy, and the climate difference is amazing. Why people live south of Sao Paulo amazes me, as the weather is like Europe. Horrible.

Anywhere from Natal to Rio will change "your" life for the better. I am so content here with my life in all respects, that I became a citizen, and could care less about where I used to live. Have you ever experienced -30 for months and only 6 hours of sun a day ?

I'm off to walk the beach in Copa now, so, good luck !!!

@easygoer1050

Hello! We lived in Fishhawk (right outside of Tampa). I don't think we had an idea of how gloomy it gets in Floripa. It's gloomy, rainy and cold 6 months out of the year. My husband is originally from Miami and he's been struggling even more than me - being born and raised in Florida and now living in such a gloomy city. FLN is gorgeous and Summers are just PERFECT here - BUT no one talks about how short the summers are and how the city becomes a ghost town during winter! Ppl buy homes here, but they spend winters somewhere else. It truly is a safe city, but....the infraestructure is not as good as Rio and Brasilia (for example). If you guys want to move to Brazil and are considering FLN, I highly recommend renting first...and spend 6-12 months here to make sure this is what you really want. I've noticed some ppl do well in FLN - they are from the UK, the south of Brazil (so they're used to this cr@ppy weather) and there are a lot of Russians too. My POV is from a Carioca who lived in Florida for 20 years- if you come form Florida too...you might want to do a test drive first. Best of luck to you guys!

Thank you for your response! @Peter Itamaraca

We live in an island too so I think I have an idea. Except, you guys get plenty of sun there in your island!  😂

I've heard of Itamaracá before. Do you guys feel pretty safe there?

@alexanderstephenlange

Thank you for sharing! We've been to João Pessoa and it seems nice there! We liked Natal because of the breeze they have all year long - I think it does help a little with the heat. My daughter is doing well here because she does really well in cooler temps (the opposite of me). My husband and I see her doing so well, so we feel it's worth the sacrifice one more year...but we do travel to sunny places anytime we get a long holiday here in Brazil. We just came back from Brasilia and we were surprised how nice ppl were there! We know we will stay in Floripa through 2027, but we'll contunue to research places in nordeste. Both my hubby love and miss sunshine. Thank God summer is around the corner!

@EricPau

Thanks for your reply!

We just came back from Brasilia and the ppl there were SO nice!!! My husband and I were plesantly surprised of how laid back they were. Here in the south of Brazil ppl are uptight, tense and not so nice in traffic...that's been my POV so far! 😂 I have to say that the more I travel in Brazil...the less I like it here in Floripa. 🙈 and I'm noticing how the PEOPLE make such a huge difference! People in the northeast are nice and easy going, in Rio they're warm and outgoing and Brasilia they were also kind - even in the way they drive! If Brasilia had an ocean, we would move there! great roads too! My husband wouldn't stop talking about how great the infrastructure is compared to Floripa. The south of Brazil is truly different - people are more reserved and not as sunny. It feels like a different country in itself. Ill look for the video on YT. Thank you!

@hagece8690

Thanks for your response!

"Adapting was super easy, and the climate difference is amazing. " this sentence brought me some comfort and it confirms how I feel - I'm in the wrong city LOL

The reason you adapted so quickly is probably because people from Rio are so welcoming and they have a really positive attitude - I don't even have to mention the climate and the beaches... I know exactly what you mean. Rio truly has a special vibe and I find it easy to make friends there. You can be in line at the grocery store and someone will start a conversation with you and you'll leave the store with a new friend. I miss that!

I agree- the weather is horrible here 🤣 I'm noticing the people who get adjusted here are usually people who came from rainy or cold places themselves, like Gauchos, British and Russians. They seem to do well in Floripa.

I keep telling myself I'll get used to it eventually, but I don't think I will. The replies to my post only confirm what's been in my heart.

Thanks for sharing and enjoy Copa for us 😅

Thank you for your response! @Peter Itamaraca
We live in an island too so I think I have an idea. Except, you guys get plenty of sun there in your island! 😂
I've heard of Itamaracá before. Do you guys feel pretty safe there? - @HLOFam

Yes, very safe. Also much cheaper here to buy or rent directly on the beach, so you can benefit from the cooling breezes 24/7...

@HLOFam

I'm white with sandy brown hair and I always get asked if I am German. I guess I should have moved down south KKKKK.

I love walking into a store here and listening to the salesperson say "quick get Giselle from the back, we've got a gringo here and she speaks english".......then I reply "ficar tranquilo sem problem eu tenho interesse em XXXXXXX" and the next thing you know everyone has been talking with me in Portuguese for 20 minutes because of curiosity and the nature of Carioca's. I find the NE population to be very similar.

@HLOFam

I am on a similar journey although I'm a single guy in my early thirties who looked at Brazil as an alternative to Florida. I gravitate towards semi urban environments, and I didn't really find anything in the Northeast that quite fit my tastes. My situation is probably different because I'm not married and don't have a family, so any investment I would make in property would be because it felt like an absolutely perfect choice. I enjoyed Pipa and Jericoacoara for short stays but don't enjoy being in a tourist centric atmosphere 24/7. Therefore I sought out a different atmosphere in NE cities, and not sure I am sold on cashing out of Florida to move there permanently honestly. But everyone's situation is different.