As you may know by now, I lived in Brazil for close to 15 years. I hope one day to return there to live again.
I was reading an article about how the luxurious life of the ex pat is going the way of the dodo bird. I have a girlfriend who's boyfriend works for a multinational oil company in Rio. Besides whatever salary he is paid there, the company pays for the rent on his beachside apartment (Ipanema). Makes me want to buy real estate in Brazil when I hear that the flat he lives in is about 950 square feet, and the rent is close to 10K USD per month!!!!
In the past, companies would send their people overseas to over see operations in foreign countries. To compensate for the hardships of moving house and home (and sometimes wife and kids), huge compensation packages were offered to these ex pats. This was to cover moving expenses, buying of household goods in the new country, trips home, private schools for the children, maids,cooks and drivers.
Sweet life!
Well, according to human resources at many companies, that will be a thing of the past soon.
I always secretly wished that I could have had the life of an ex-pat wife in Rio de Janeiro. I guess it's because I met so many there that were so unhappy..UNHAPPY???? I would be at the beach with my girlfriends, the gym, shopping, volunteering,studying online...There is NO reason that these women should be unhappy!!!
Now that the perks are being eliminated, they will wish for the old life of an ex pat wife.....
Oh well, I never had any of those perks and I was VERY happy in Rio with my simple life in the mountains of the Alto da Boa Vista. That is something that will never be taken away...
3 comments:
Well, we're not all unhappy! But I have met quite a few who are/were. Funny thing is though it is the ones who were the most miserable here who have the hardest time going back to reality... not a coincidence IMO. Best advice I've heard? Bloom where you're planted.
PS... thought of this just this afternoon and wanted to add - HR reps can say what they want, but in Brazil there is a huge need for expertise (in the form of expats, sad but true) for extracting the reserves... and I don't think that any of these professionals are going to sign up to leave their lifestyles back home to come here to work and live in Rocinha anytime soon. The cost of living is atrocious here, it will be impossible to attract the professionals required if living here means going into massive debt just to survive in a decent community.
From what I hear many international companies with presence here plan to increase the # of expat employees in Brazil.
That said, there has got to be a better way - it is unreal how much expats cost. I've said it before and I'll say it again, shareholders should revolt!
Great advice!!! Will remember that saying..
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