Guess yet?
Still nothing?
This should do it.
I imagine this move deserves some sort of an explanation.. Well, it has two parts. The first is how I feel about being in Brazil and the second is work related.
1) Brazil
Brazil, especially the south of Brazil, if full of beautiful people (women at least... sorry Ana, no eye candy for you. hehe) and the women outnumber the men... maybe 3 to 1 or maybe even 4 to 1 here in Joinville. The food is amazing and the fruits and juices are incredible as well as cheap. The beaches are very nice and the water isnt freezing so its easy to wade out on a hot day and enjoy yourself. Everything I just described is probably what you would deduce from a vacation of 2-3 weeks here. Now staying in Brazil is a different story. I will not go into great detail but I will say a few things. There is more bureaucracy than I imagined possible anywhere in the world. The country's economy is rising at an alarming rate YET the government does NOT distribute the wealth to its people or to its communities. Imagine a politician making the equivalent $6,000,000 on a government salary in the US. Government salaries are the highest in all of South America here. Brazil has such an opportunity (and apparently has for yyyeeaaars) to become one of the biggest 1st world nations but its not. The rich here have what the common man has in the US, things are astronomically expensive so if you have a car you are pretty well off, etc. etc. I would want my kids to have an opportunity to do great things and not just an opportunity to live like a common man in the US. Enough of that because I dont want to be too negative. PS. Don't even get me started on Brazil TV.. :) Bottom line is, its a GREAT place to visit but not to stay for an extended period of time.
2) Work
My work is good although they are giving me the responsibilities of 4 people. I guess they REALLLLY need me huh? I am taking this as an opportunity, considering all my training thus far, to return to the US and start some business partnerships to help grow the international presence of the company. We are the market leaders in Brazil and in South America and parts of Europe and want to do the same in the US. It may take a while to get setup and work out some legal contract things but I think its a good opportunity. I am only going to be under contract and only part time (nights and weekends) so I will also have to find some work in the US as well.
So bottom line is we will be returning to LA for a short time in January of 2010 and then packing up our furniture, etc, renting a truck and driving across the country. I am very excited and Ana is ecstatic cause she LOVES Chicago. Ana was an au pair in Chicago for 2 years back in 2004/2006 and really missed the city when we were in LA. She was eager to move to Chicago rather than stay in LA before we even traveled here to Brazil so, in a way, we are both getting something we want.
Ana is sad because though she is really enjoying spending time with her family (I will miss them too) but she will return later in the year for 3 or 4 months while I go to Chicago to set everything up.
OF COURSE, our puppies are traveling again with us but they LOVE going on trips now cause we've taken them all over the place. Compare this list of the dogs travels and see if your's match up. :)
1) Angel drove from Missouri to LA when we got her
2) Sam flew from Kansas when we first got her
3) Angel came on a road trip with us to Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Simeon and Solvang.
4) Both dogs flew to São Paulo and then to Curitiba followed by a car trip to Joinville when we first arrived.
5) Both dogs took a road trip to Campo Alegre and played on the farm
6) Both dogs took a road trip for a weekend at the beach house in Piçarras.
7) Now both dogs will fly with us to São Paulo from Joinville again, stay in a hotel with us and the fly back to LAX
8) Following that the dogs will go on a cross country trip to Chicago
Now if your travels don't add up to as much as theirs, its time to buy a ticket!
I could write an ENTIRE blog about things that I took for granted in the US and how GOOD things are even in the midst of a financial crisis. I cant hardly believe I said that either! Don't take your life for granted and be happy that you live in one of the best countries in the world!
I hope you all enjoy your weekend and I look forward to seeing some of you briefly before we move on to Chicago.
1) Brazil
Brazil, especially the south of Brazil, if full of beautiful people (women at least... sorry Ana, no eye candy for you. hehe) and the women outnumber the men... maybe 3 to 1 or maybe even 4 to 1 here in Joinville. The food is amazing and the fruits and juices are incredible as well as cheap. The beaches are very nice and the water isnt freezing so its easy to wade out on a hot day and enjoy yourself. Everything I just described is probably what you would deduce from a vacation of 2-3 weeks here. Now staying in Brazil is a different story. I will not go into great detail but I will say a few things. There is more bureaucracy than I imagined possible anywhere in the world. The country's economy is rising at an alarming rate YET the government does NOT distribute the wealth to its people or to its communities. Imagine a politician making the equivalent $6,000,000 on a government salary in the US. Government salaries are the highest in all of South America here. Brazil has such an opportunity (and apparently has for yyyeeaaars) to become one of the biggest 1st world nations but its not. The rich here have what the common man has in the US, things are astronomically expensive so if you have a car you are pretty well off, etc. etc. I would want my kids to have an opportunity to do great things and not just an opportunity to live like a common man in the US. Enough of that because I dont want to be too negative. PS. Don't even get me started on Brazil TV.. :) Bottom line is, its a GREAT place to visit but not to stay for an extended period of time.
2) Work
My work is good although they are giving me the responsibilities of 4 people. I guess they REALLLLY need me huh? I am taking this as an opportunity, considering all my training thus far, to return to the US and start some business partnerships to help grow the international presence of the company. We are the market leaders in Brazil and in South America and parts of Europe and want to do the same in the US. It may take a while to get setup and work out some legal contract things but I think its a good opportunity. I am only going to be under contract and only part time (nights and weekends) so I will also have to find some work in the US as well.
So bottom line is we will be returning to LA for a short time in January of 2010 and then packing up our furniture, etc, renting a truck and driving across the country. I am very excited and Ana is ecstatic cause she LOVES Chicago. Ana was an au pair in Chicago for 2 years back in 2004/2006 and really missed the city when we were in LA. She was eager to move to Chicago rather than stay in LA before we even traveled here to Brazil so, in a way, we are both getting something we want.
Ana is sad because though she is really enjoying spending time with her family (I will miss them too) but she will return later in the year for 3 or 4 months while I go to Chicago to set everything up.
OF COURSE, our puppies are traveling again with us but they LOVE going on trips now cause we've taken them all over the place. Compare this list of the dogs travels and see if your's match up. :)
1) Angel drove from Missouri to LA when we got her
2) Sam flew from Kansas when we first got her
3) Angel came on a road trip with us to Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Simeon and Solvang.
4) Both dogs flew to São Paulo and then to Curitiba followed by a car trip to Joinville when we first arrived.
5) Both dogs took a road trip to Campo Alegre and played on the farm
6) Both dogs took a road trip for a weekend at the beach house in Piçarras.
7) Now both dogs will fly with us to São Paulo from Joinville again, stay in a hotel with us and the fly back to LAX
8) Following that the dogs will go on a cross country trip to Chicago
Now if your travels don't add up to as much as theirs, its time to buy a ticket!
I could write an ENTIRE blog about things that I took for granted in the US and how GOOD things are even in the midst of a financial crisis. I cant hardly believe I said that either! Don't take your life for granted and be happy that you live in one of the best countries in the world!
I hope you all enjoy your weekend and I look forward to seeing some of you briefly before we move on to Chicago.
Puppies in Brazil enjoying the wind