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Brazil: Tell me about Brazil:
If you want to try a smallish city ---less than 1 million resident, I think) I would highly recommend Aracajú.
When I lived in Brazil (late 1960s) Salvador was my favorite city. But, in my opinion it has gone downhill. The last time I was there, there were traffic jams, lots of homeless people and dogs roaming the streets, graffiti & trash everywhere, and we were constantly warned about places NOT to go. In addition, many of it's beautiful old churches and other colonial buildings were crumbling to ruin.
In the 60s, Aracajú was a small town with not much to do. But it has grown immensely over the last 40 years, so most of the city is fairly new and modern. It is one of Brazil's best-kept secrets. It is clean, safe, and has miles and miles of unspoiled beaches. Its state healthcare system became the model for the national system ---which will cover you, too. It has miles and miles of unspoiled beaches. The residents are friendly and helpful. It has most conveniences of larger cities and is a shortish bus ride (3-4 hours) from Salvador, if you really want the excitement of a large city once in a while.
(Read about Aracajú and be sure to read the comments, too: http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-travel/aracaju-a-big-surprise-in-a-small-state/#)
I lived in the state of Sergipe for several years and spent a lot of time in Aracajú ---still have friends and former students there, so I am warmly welcomed when I visit. In general, Brazilians are warm and welcoming people almost everywhere, but I think especially so in the state of Sergipe.
I never had any problems with food. Just be sensible about what you eat. For example, Brazilians love sugar, so I stay away from sweets there. You'll find a lot of fresh fruit. Brazilians eat lots more vegetables than they used to. (There is a great market on the edge of the city.) The area produces beef, pork, chicken, and fish. If you cook for yourself, you will be fine. If you eat at restaurants, just be selective.
Daytime temperatures are in the low to mid-80s year round. It is only 10º S of the equator, so sunscreen is a must.
Where I lived (a small town in the interior) in the late 60s, I lived without electricity, running water or a sewage system and survived. Now, most towns have all of that and more. Just wash your hands often (use waterless sanitizers if you must), drink bottled water, and make sure you are preparing foods, especially meat, safely (well-cooked.)
I've been looking at vacation rentals for an upcoming trip. I've found some for about $30 night in Aracajú but you should be able to find a small place for less than a nightly rate. You could also rent a private room in a house (through airbnb.com) for as little as $9/night. You might have to share a kitchen and/or bathroom. (That would be only $270 month and may be able to negotiate a lower rate if you will stay for a while.)
Brazil: African Americans in Brazil:
I suggest watching this You Tube video with host Professor/Writer Henry Louis Gates. The question he asks is if Brazil is a racial paradise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh7c46U5hhY
It might not answer the question of how an African-American will be treated in Brazil, but will give you a good sense of the racial climate there.
When I lived in Brazil in the late 1960s, shortly after the Civil Rights Act passed in the U.S. I found it refreshing that no one batted an eye when a mixed-race couple walked by and there were families with members who had skin of ten different shades.
Salvador seems to have the most Afro-Brazilians and Gates found that it was almost like an African city.
But there is subtle racism. For example, when I lived in the northeast, two people of the same color might be called "black" or "moreno" (mixed race) based on their economic status. And Gates found that in popular culture, nearly every magazine cover has an image of a beautiful white or near-white woman.
Brazil never had formal segregation, but didn't have a civil rights movement, either. No one admits there is racial discrimination ---they says it's an economic problem or an education problem, or give other excuses. Gates thinks that the only way to elevate blacks in Brazil is to have an affirmative action program that will give more blacks the opportunity to become economically equal.
Due to recent events in the U.S. we well know that if we think 50 years after the Civil Rights Act that racism is gone, it certainly isn't. But in most places in Brazil, I think the situation is better than in the U.S. However, I would think most Afro-Brazilians think the situation is worse than most whites realize or want to admit.
Note that there are more blacks than whites in Brazil and it has the 2nd largest black population in the world, yet blacks are treated as 2nd-class citizens unless they have managed to transcend their racial identity through social status, fame or wealth.
I lived in a small town in Sergipe. I only heard of one instance of racism. One of my students who was dark-skinned, was interested in a light-skinned girl and she was reluctant to date him. He was one of my favorite students ---older than most because when he was high-school age there was no ginásio in the town. I invited him to be my partner at a São João quadrilha. Maybe seeing me (fair, blond) choose him as a partner changed her mind, but soon after, they started to namorar. I understand they were on-again, off-again for about 10 years. When I visited the town in 2011, they had been married for about 30.
I would think that especially in Salvador, an African-American would feel comfortable. But some of your acceptance will have something to do with your education and economic status. Also, the fact that you are an American will give you a bit of an advantage, too. (For example, I got away with things that Brazilian women would not, because I was from the U.S. and it was simply assumed I would do things differently.)
But still, the races are greatly mixed in Brazil and when Gates had DNA tests done on people who he interviewed, their skin colors often didn't predict how much African or European or Indigenous blood they had.
We know beauty is only skin deep, but apparently so is race.
Uruguay: Considering Uruguay:
My husband & I are thinking about living abroad in our retirement. After research, Uruguay looks attractive to us. I visited Montevideo years ago when I served in the Peace Corps in Brazil. My impression was that the city (buildings, double-decker buses, winter rain) reminded me of London. I understand summers are much different and, of course, many years have passed.
We would like to visit for a month or two before making a final decision. We want to live in a small house, apartment or hotel with kitchen facilities so that we will have to shop, cook, do laundry, etc, much as we would if we lived there.
Is anyone aware of places that rent monthly for a reasonable fee? Or would any expats consider renting us your home while you are traveling? We would consider any time of year, but prefer spring or fall.
We are very quiet people ---not into partying ---so we are not interested in resort areas, but would rather be in Montevideo.
This is just a preliminary inquiry. We are not ready yet. Perhaps we will make our visit in 2012 and, if we are satisfied, make a move in 2013.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
Uruguay: health care in Uruguay:
My husband and I are retired and looking for an interesting place to live with a moderate climate and reasonable cost of living. Uruguay sounds quite attractive. I lived in Brazil for 2 years in my 20's and visited Montevideo briefly, and have been reading about the country, climate, culture, etc. We have checked out apartment rental prices and other costs, but we need to find some information on health care costs. Is health care covered as it is in Europe? If not, what might a retired couple in their 60's be expected to pay monthly for comprehensive health coverage? Or is there a web site with that info available?
Uruguay: Living cost in Uruguay???:
There is a city cost guide for many countries at: tefl.com, and specifically for Uruguay: http://www.tefl.com/home/col_survey.html. You may have to register ---but you can register just to see the cost guide. There is no date on the guide, so I have no idea when it was last updated. According to another response on this forum, prices have gone up recently. You can check http://www.buscandocasa.com/ for apartment rentals with photos and prices. You can find exchange rates at: http://www.xe.com/ucc/full/. I don't know where you live now, but for an apartment that might cost me $1000-1500 in the U.S., it looks like there are some available in Montevideo for about $600-800.
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