CATVLYST Music
American expat in Brazil
Forum posts
21
About me
American
Registration: 03 October 2026
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@mail43I noticed anytime I traveled in South America and came across somewhere that a lot of foreigners would congregate, it would be bothersome for me. After a while, I realized it was because they reminded me of people who gentrified the capitol ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@mail43 Thanks for that info. I haven't visited Barra Grande but I was in Itacare for a week last year. I enjoyed visiting but wouldn't want to live there, seemed to be more foreign residents than Brazilians. Jericoacoara was probably my favorite ... Read More
Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Florian贸polis by HLOFam
I wanted to share my honest experience living in Florian贸polis because, honestly, I wish I had read something like this before moving here. (I've been living in Floripa for 1.5 years)I feel like most of what you see on social media focuses on ...
@HLOFamPeople making the obnoxious and sappy travel influencer type content generally do it to market to an audience and profit, not to share realistic experiences. It's good that you're honest with yourself about what works and doesn't for you. ... Read More
Espiritu Santo State by CATVLYST Music
I've spent over a year total exploring Brazil. I'm from Florida and targeted the Northeast region because of the similar weather primarily. My current trip has been four and a half months and I've started to think that there isn't really somewhere ...
@Chambo34 Exactly the sort of info I was looking for, thanks for that. I got a bit burned out of the Northeast region so am back to Florida for a few months to take a break and get a proper home office set up, but in the future I have my eye on ... Read More
Espiritu Santo State by CATVLYST Music
I've spent over a year total exploring Brazil. I'm from Florida and targeted the Northeast region because of the similar weather primarily. My current trip has been four and a half months and I've started to think that there isn't really somewhere ...
@HLOFam I'm very interested in the Chapada park near Brasilia after having visited Chapada Diamantina last year. At the moment, surfing is my main physical activity since I don't tend to frequent the gym after slipping a disc in my back. Therefore I ... Read More
Espiritu Santo State
I've spent over a year total exploring Brazil. I'm from Florida and targeted the Northeast region because of the similar weather primarily. My current trip has been four and a half months and I've started to think that there isn't really somewhere ... Read More
From sunny Florida to rainy Florian贸polis. 1 year post move 馃嚙馃嚪馃嚭馃嚫 by HLOFam
Has anyone else struggled to adjust to life in southern Brazil?My husband, our 11-year-old daughter, and I moved from Florida to Florian贸polis a little over a year ago because it seemed like a safe place to raise our family. While my daughter ...
@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 ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@tiomark Yes it was the worst and most blatant sewage pollution I saw out of the cities I visited. It was a shame because it had a lot of potential. As of now, I don't really have plans to look seriously at any Northeast cities as a place to live. Read More
Natal move by HLOFam
We're a Brazilian-American family considering moving to Natal. We moved from Florida to Florian贸polis and we are considering moving to Natal next. We aren't tourists鈥攚e're looking at Natal as a place to raise our daughter. Are there ...
@Vitali H. Have you looked at Maceio? That was probably my favorite city in the Northeast. I stayed in the Jatiuca neighborhood. Only issue for me there was the ocean pollution.I agree that the Natal area has some nice scenery. In my case, I enjoyed ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@Vitali H. I was mostly around Praia Artistas, Praia Meio, and Praia Miami (funny name) in Natal. I wouldn't want to be back in that area. I imagine the area of Ponta Negra closer to the nicer restaurants would be better, but I didn't find the ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@hagece8690 Wow I need no idea crime in Barra was like that. I always assumed it was even safer than Copacabana/Ipanema. I have heard that in the last year, crime has been going up in Rio in general. Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@HLOFam Out of those three, the Beira Mar strip in Fortaleza had the best development, but it's a limited area. Most of the city is very dirty, falling apart and with many bad neighborhoods. I didn't feel comfortable or secure in the Praia Artistas ... Read More
Natal move by HLOFam
We're a Brazilian-American family considering moving to Natal. We moved from Florida to Florian贸polis and we are considering moving to Natal next. We aren't tourists鈥攚e're looking at Natal as a place to raise our daughter. Are there ...
@HLOFam I would also look into Joao Pessoa. It seemed a lot cleaner, safer and well put together than Recife, Natal and Fortaleza. It has been described as "family friendly" a lot. I was there for a week last year. I enjoyed it although found it a ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@hagece8690 Thanks for the input on that. I have been in favelas before that didn't have a dangerous feeling, but this particular one in Recreio just didn't feel right. I've learned to trust my gut in those situations. I always thought of Barra ... Read More
Natal move by HLOFam
We're a Brazilian-American family considering moving to Natal. We moved from Florida to Florian贸polis and we are considering moving to Natal next. We aren't tourists鈥攚e're looking at Natal as a place to raise our daughter. Are there ...
@HLOFam I'm also from Florida, although I'm a 31 year old single male, so I'm not sure about best places to raise a family. I was just in Natal last week. Around the Praia Artistas/Praia Meio area, it was uncomfortable for me walking around ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@hagece8690Before going to Brazil, I thought I would invest in property in the Laureles neighborhood in Medellin. It was a great balance for me, with activity on the "la 70" street, but also quiet in the residential areas. Everything you needed was ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@hagece8690 Thanks for those suggestions, I've been to Joao Pessoa and I thought it was pleasant for a couple days but I wouldn't want to live there. Not much going on. Porto Seguro looks very nice from what I can see online, I only visited Salvador ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@johnsonlfisher I also notice that as priorities change, you might find places more or less appealing than you used to. When I was 23, I started traveling and was most interested in having a vibrant social scene in places I visited. Now I value ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings by CATVLYST Music
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ...
@abthree I'm very interested in exploring Espiritu Santo as well. I have been to just about every state on the coast with the exception of Sergipe and that one. Salvador I did enjoy spending some time in last year, around the Farol do Barra ... Read More
Coming to Brazil from Southwest Florida - Mixed feelings
Hi all, I wanted to share my experience of being in Brazil for four months currently, as well as ten months last year. I'm from SW Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, and have been working on a plan to leave the US once I transition to a fully remote ... Read More