Sad Announcement

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the members on the Brazil Forum for your support and encouragement over the past years. It has been greatly appreciated and you are all very special to me.

Sincerely
William James Woodward

Hi

I do not know how you did it for so long James, but thank you for everything. I would be in a Brazilian prison for losing my mind right now if it was not for your help through the bureaucracy..

You will be missed. Your health is far more important and I am sure some of the drama that happens on this site isn't helping your health, because it isn't helping my blood pressure. You are very passionate about what you do and that is what I admire the most about you.

Matt-

Thanks for you kind words Matt. It has been my great pleasure to have served as a volunteer for as long as my health has allowed me to. But, as you point out my health must take priority right now.

I'm not leaving Expat-blog, just stepping down from this position. I really hope that someone will come along and help other expats with information and advice about this country.

Cheers,
James

I'm kind in the same position about promoting Brazil. I just can't see myself promoting a country that has caused nothing but havoc in my life since I first arrived. I find myself telling people very often - "it's far from paradise, research everything and think it through before you commit."

The other day I reflected on what good and what bad has come out of this decision. The only good is my marriage, which is all that matters really. Unfortunately everything else that happens is like a bad toothache that comes and goes as you try to sleep at night.

Also, I don't know enough information about the bureaucracy and laws to provide worthwhile information. I'll promote the US though.

Hi WJ.

Sorry to hear about your health... but glad to hear you will continue to post on the boards.

cheers, Paul.

The whole team is with you James.

Everyone will miss you and we hope to read you soon again.

We thank you for all your help and support. Expat.com Brazil would never have been the same without you

Take care of yourself, your health is much more important than anything else.

Julien

Salaam James,

I am sorry to read about this but I can respect your decision and I hope to see you again when you are ready.

Take care and all the best!

Hi James, so sorry to hear this but I understand completely!  We all need to do what is best for us.  Take care of yourself honey.

Hello Julien, Darlene and Primadonna,

I have had the very great honor of working with some of the most wonderful people in the whole world over the past couple of years. My words can never express just how much you have all become a part of my life.

I thank all of you for your very kind words and I know, without even needing to be told, that I am in your thoughts.

God Bless all of you! God Bless Expat-blog!!!

With love and respect,
James

Sorry to hear this, James, we'll miss you in the team.

Wishing you all the best with your health!

Good luck for the future James, I really hope your health improves and that you get the guide dog quickly.

As everyone has already said, you will be really missed. Great, genuine guy with a heart of gold 

Thanks for the thoughts Gary

Hi Josnuggles,

Thanks so much for your kind words. I too hope that I will be fortunate enough to find a suitable dog and train it before my eyesight goes completely. Fortunately, while there are hardly and training facilities here in Brazil and the waiting list can be for years, the laws here allow for a private (registered) dog trainer to certify a guide-dog.

Cheers,
James

Thanks for your very kind words.

I hope you've managed to resolve your situation too. Dealing with the crushing bureaucracy in this country can be a daunting task to say the very least.

I'm sure with what you're going through you can begin to imagine exactly how lost I was when I arrived here in Brazil twelve years ago, at a time before Expat-blog even existed and with absolutely nobody to turn to for much needed information and advice about living here and dealing with the crushing bureaucracy (which by the way was even worse back then).

My knowledge about this country was gained by trial and error, lots of mistakes and lots of pain and suffering. I guess that's why I have devoted so much of my time to the blog, to help prevent others from going through half of the things I've been through and am still struggling with. Even after all this time I still haven't resolved my situation regarding permanency, not even the fact that I have a Brazilian child has seemed to help and I've come to the conclusion that the Federal Police and Ministry of Justice are simply refusing to take any action on my case out of pure vengance for having stood up to them, complained and fought for my rights.

I love this country and the Brazilian people, always will. But now I hate this country's government and policies that still haven't changed since the Military Dictatorship. If my health permitted me to fly I really think I'd pack up my Brazilian wife and son and leave as soon as possible. Unfortunately for me that is not an option unless I by some stroke of luck could afford to get back to Canada by sea, since doing so by land is also impossible since I can't expose myself to altitude anymore so can't cross mountain passes.

If I were back in Canada I would have had a guide-dog years ago free of charge. Here in Brazil despite the fact that there are over 1.5 million blind and visually impaired people there are about 60 guide-dogs in the entire country and those lucky enough to have obtained a dog face discrimination and restrictions on their mobility every single day despite laws that are supposed to protect them. I think that is the single greatest problem with this country... there are millions of laws, but NOBODY ever takes any action to enforce them. If you don't enforce a law you simply don't have a law.

Hi William,
It is a good thing to low down the work stress.
Using a computer for long hours is not good tho we all use to do it nowadays
People have to face so many health issues in life William. Some are prolong diseases like mine. When we are passing age 35... all these diseases are trying to reach us one after one.
You have done a lot of good things to help people so you can live very happy life with good memories. Still you have a lot of time to serve the world so please use your mind to go, and see the world, while your puppy will guide you physically walk back you home. God Bless you William!
Mal

Hi Mal,

Thanks for you encouragement and kind thoughts.

Hello William!

I have discovered this community not long ago so I don't know much about it, but the post you wrote really touched me.

I seriously appreciate any kind of work like this and all these projects people commit themselves to. You are doing a really huge thing by helping people to find themselves in such extreme conditions (I'm talking about moving to another country, changing life completely). So if you need to step aside for the time being, it doesn't mean you will fall out from this community life.

So wish you strong health and fruitful plans for your life.

Alla

Thanks Alla,

Actually, with the outpouring of wishes and encouragement I've been getting here and through private messages I'm having serious second thoughts.

I'm now leaning toward sticking with it as long as my vision will permit, however I'm just going to cut down on the amount of time that I put in every day. It has been exhausting and I'm sure that it hasn't helped my vision problems in the least. Perhaps if I slow down a bit I can at least put off total blindness for a while yet.

Thanks for you warm wishes and words of encouragement, they're truly appreciated.

Hi James!
I'm sorry to learn this about your health and wish you all the best in your battle to obtain a dog and stay as well as long you can!
May 2014 bring you comfort and health!
Thank you for your support on expat-blog,
Regards,
Catherine

Hello Catherine,

Thanks so very much for your support and warm wishes.

A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all your loved ones.

Don't stay down and out for too long William! Hope your outlook on life improves and you're able to get on about mending yourself up again.

Cheers to you!

Hello William,

I am sorry to hear about the issues dealing with your health.  I hope the best for you in 2014 and you will be in my prayers.  William, I would  like to let you know that I am very thankful for your assistance, in helping me, in my next trip to Brazil.  Take care.

Austin

Tiger and Austin,

Thankyou both for your wishes. Happy New Year to both of you. I am doing my very best to get through each new day and surmount all the obstacles in my way. I will keep on here for as long as I possibly can. The wishes everyone is sending helps keep me strong and determined to remain helping for as long as I can.

Cheers,
James

Hi. I'm Srinivas. I'm doing job in Chennai. I would like to live in Brazil. could you help me to how the process?. I know Portuguese language also.

Hi Srinivas.

If you read through all of the postings with a STICKY at the top of the first Brazil Forum page you'll find almost all of the information you'll ever need to know about Brazil, living here and how to get here.

One of the most important is "A Gringos Survival Guide for Brazil" be sure to read that one first of all.

Hi. I'm srinivans.I am 25 years old. From Hyderabad. Completed MCA (Matser Of Computer Applications).  I'm doing job in Chennai. I would like to live in Brazil. could you help me to how the process?. I know Portuguese language also. If you know anything else. please send me a message to this E-mail address : [email protected]