When my wife and I first decided to move to Rio de Janeiro, we had no idea what we would do to make a living. We struggled for six months before moving to Teresopolis, in the mountains above Rio and taught English for a year. That was fourteen years and a lifetime ago. Seemed like then we tested our wings and found that we could fly further on faith than we thought. Since then we have gone through highs and lows, going back and forth between Brazil and the U.S. a few times andnow we are settled in Philadelphia, for how long, no one knows. One thing we have learned though, the wings are there, and most never test them, out of fear or not ever needing them. I am happy to have been through the necessity.

My wife and I lived in Rio for six years before moving to Philly. We run an apartment rental business and refer people there for accommodations, apartments and condos. You can reach me by email, if only for advice.  Our apartments are featured on www.spectralight.net  www.apartmentsinrio.com and www.riovacationrentals.com

We have many contacts in Rio de Janeiro, know the best restaurants and places to hang out. Day trips, excursions, what to do and watch out for.

I met and married my wife twenty years ago. I felt fortunate to have married a Brazilian, knowing that this is the country of the future. I looked forward to visiting there and experiencing the wealth of culture there. I really did not know what to expect when I first went there. The arrival to any foreign country is always exciting. I guess what impressed me the most, besides the favelas when leaving the airport, was the warmth of the Brazilian people. You find out right away that they are not shy, and are very affectionate.  They really go out of their way to make you feel welcome and comfortable. I felt as if I had gone home again since people from the south are this way as well. Still, growing up in South Carolina was never like this!

I am fortunate enough to have experienced Rio de Janeiro from the inside out, having married a Carioca twenty years ago. We have lived a total of ten years in the state of Rio, two years in Cabo Frio, a year in the mountains of Teresopolis and seven years in the city of Rio.  The experience was incredible, since I never imagined living in a foreign country, much less Brazil, but I would recommend it to anyone, as long as you have the infrastructure and spirit