Ivair Gontijo
American looking for information about Brazil
Forum posts
25
About me
American
Registration: 03 September 2024
My expat journey
Brazil
USA
Activity
Assimilation: when is enough enough? by alexanderstephenlange
TL; DR some thoughts on plugging in (or not) to the culture/society. All comments welcome! How important to you is assimilation into Brazilian society? Do you even find yourself contemplating it? Is it self-imposed or something unconscious you don't ...
Interesting discussion about when "enough is enough" regarding getting comfortable in Brazil and about cultural identity. The goal should not be to speak exactly like a Brazilian. Very few people can learn a second language in adulthood and speak it ... Read More
Noisy Brazil? by alexanderstephenlange
The other day, speaking with a native, she said: Brasil 茅 muito barulhento, n茅?! (She had lived in Germany for a long while... .)In my area, so far, it's really noisy only when something big is happening, like the Copa and other ...
Thank you @abthree! Yes, we finally flew to Brazil on a one-way ticket and arrived on May 1st. Our apt remodeling was not fully completed, but we moved in anyway. Now things are almost done. Our stuff was shipped from LA, crossed the Panama canal, ... Read More
Word(s) of the day by alexanderstephenlange
Queijo no queixo faz uma queixa!Please add to this thread, friends.
Awkward = desajeitado or atrapalhado. In Minas we can also say "mal-amanhado", but I guess this would not be understood in most places. :-)entitled = "metido 脿 besta" . It makes me laugh just writing it down, because there is something ... Read More
Noisy Brazil? by alexanderstephenlange
The other day, speaking with a native, she said: Brasil 茅 muito barulhento, n茅?! (She had lived in Germany for a long while... .)In my area, so far, it's really noisy only when something big is happening, like the Copa and other ...
I live on the 11th floor near Pra莽a da Liberdade in Belo Horizonte. There is traffic noise, and noisy garbage trucks late at night or at 4:00 or 5:00am. Other than that, a buteco nearby had a live band playing forr贸 every saturday ... Read More
Feedback on Mail Forwarding Service / Virtual Address by Pablo888
I have a USPS mailbox where I send stuff related to my small business but USPS has increased prices for a small postal box from $120 about 5 years ago to $220 this year.In addition to the uncontrollable price increases because USPS is bleeding ...
I was just checking the US Global Mail website and it seems that the cheapest service they offer now is called "Scale" and it costs $49/month paid annually ($588/year). Is this what you are paying now? It is over 3 times more expensive than the 2024 ... Read More
Social Security benefits x US bank account x retirement in Brazil? by Ivair Gontijo
It seems that getting direct deposit of social security benefits into a US checking account, while living permanently in Brazil, is allowed by SSA. Then one can pay for most everything in Brazil with a US credit card and avoid the complexity and ...
@abthree: I like your description of Brazil as a high-touch society! :-) My experience with sending money to my account at Banco do Brasil has been hit and miss. Only once it worked without my intervention and whatsapp contact with the exchange ... Read More
Social Security benefits x US bank account x retirement in Brazil? by Ivair Gontijo
It seems that getting direct deposit of social security benefits into a US checking account, while living permanently in Brazil, is allowed by SSA. Then one can pay for most everything in Brazil with a US credit card and avoid the complexity and ...
Thank you @abthree for the thoughtful and detailed reply above! Yes, I will be changing my tax domicile to Brazil, starting in May this year. Therefore, in early 2027 I will have to file tax returns both in the US and in Brazil. I will be spending ... Read More
Social Security benefits x US bank account x retirement in Brazil?
It seems that getting direct deposit of social security benefits into a US checking account, while living permanently in Brazil, is allowed by SSA. Then one can pay for most everything in Brazil with a US credit card and avoid the complexity and ... Read More
Looking for suggestions for Skype phone number by CariocaNY
Happy Holidays to all:As most probably know, Skype phone #s are over. That is, the ability to have a U.S. phone number to receive calls and texts is no longer being renewed.Does anyone know of a RELIABLE alternative.I see alternatives on the web but ...
Hello @CariocaNY I have a Tello pre-paid phone in the US. They have several plans and the cost can be as low as $10/month, if you use it mostly with wifi networks, as it allows wifi calls. It works abroad too and if you are connected to a wifi ... Read More
Social Security Form SSA-7162 by nicholsharvey
Has social security recipient ever had to mail form SSA-7162 to the FBU.LISBON? How long did it take to Mail from Rio De Janeiro Brazil to Lisbon Portugal via correio service. It's been 10 days since I mailed it with tracking included and it has not ...
@abthree Thank you, this is very helpful! By the way, I believe you mentioned in previous postings a mail-forwarding service that you use and that provide a physical address in the US (Texas, Florida, etc). Are you happy with, and would recommend ... Read More
Social Security Form SSA-7162 by nicholsharvey
Has social security recipient ever had to mail form SSA-7162 to the FBU.LISBON? How long did it take to Mail from Rio De Janeiro Brazil to Lisbon Portugal via correio service. It's been 10 days since I mailed it with tracking included and it has not ...
@abthreeand all: I would like to ask your advice on social security. I will be moving officially to Brazil around the end of this year and will sign up for social security in the US in March/2026. When signing up, do I give them my new address in ... Read More
Becoming a tax resident / retro taxes for prior 12 months? by thetravelfox
By my calculations, I just recently crossed the 183 day in rolling 365 day mark over the course of several visits to Brasil in the prior 12 months. (I became a resident by way of retirement visa in May.)Along the way I think I missed the fact that I ...
@thetravelfox Any advice you have will be greatly appreciated too! Read More
Becoming a tax resident / retro taxes for prior 12 months? by thetravelfox
By my calculations, I just recently crossed the 183 day in rolling 365 day mark over the course of several visits to Brasil in the prior 12 months. (I became a resident by way of retirement visa in May.)Along the way I think I missed the fact that I ...
@thetravelfox Hi I recently retired and I am in the process of moving from California to Brazil. I have been going there a couple of times a year and will go again in September for a full month and probably over the holidays, until end of March ... Read More
Minas Gerais (Belo Horizonte) by antonioggriffin
I will be visiting Belo Horizonte next month. Any recommended hotels, places to eat, Etc?All advice is welcome. 馃槑(Next post I will ask about Sao paulo).
Nice to read your insights about BH. It is in a way my home town because this is where both my wife and myself went to University and lived for 8 years in the 80's. We are now in the process of returning for good!I agree with everything said above ... Read More
Hydrogen Economy by alan279
I've learned that the hydrogen economy is not feasible, despite the current hype. The US is spending eight billion dollars on "hydrogen hubs". The Europeans spend huge money on hydrogen projects. It's all for naught. Hydrogen doesn't work. It's ...
@Alan279: I have also read somewhere that it takes a lot more energy to produce the Hydrogen than what you get stored in the fuel cell so, strictly from an energy budget point of view, it doesn't make sense. I've heard some arguments though, that ... Read More