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Brazil Through Foreign Eyes
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July 9, 2010
Meet Arne Rasmussen who has lived in Brazil for over 5 years. Read the following interview in which he tells us about some of his most memorable experiences and gives some useful advice to newcomers.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, where are you from, what do you do etc.?
I am from Denmark and I retired early because I have a problem with my back. In Denmark I worked as a freelance photographer for various TV stations.
2. When did you arrive in Brazil and what brought you here?
One day I had contact with a woman - via the Internet - here in Curitiba, Brazil, and I decided to visit her. I had two wonderful weeks here in Brazil, which I will never forget. I went home and sold all my stuff and returned to Brazil. Here I tried to start a business with television production, but it is very difficult. Therefore I went back to Denmark and asked for my pension, which I got after 9 months. Here in Brazil many things are much easier than in Denmark. It is very easy to rent a house or an apartment. I got a permanent visa very quickly, and now I have lived here for five years.
3. What were you first impressions of Brazil?
My first impression of Brazil was freedom and a lot of space! (I've always missed that in my own country)!
4. What do you miss most about home?
I miss nothing from Denmark. Absolutely nothing!
What has been your most frustrating experience in Brazil?
My most frustrating experience in Brazil is the language. It is extremely difficult.
6. What has been your most memorable experience in Brazil (specific incident)?
My most memorable experience in Brazil was when I visited the waterfalls at Foz do Iguasu!
7. What do you most like about Brazil (in general)?
I really like the freedom here in Brazil. Freedom has always been very important for me. I am surprised that I never get any mails from the authorities here in Brazil. Once you have a permanent visa, the police and other authorities leave you in peace.
8. What is your favorite restaurant/place to hang out here?
Here in Curitiba, there are really many options, and in general I love the different types of restaurants.
9. Do you have any funny stories/incidents to tell about your time in Brazil?
As a dukomentarist I've always been very curious, and I found a family here in Brazil with the same surname as my own (Rasmussen)! I visited them and they told me a very strange story.
10. What difference between your homeland and Brazil do you find most striking?
Child upbringing - or rather. The lack of upbringing!
11. How is your Portuguese coming along? What words do you find most difficult to pronounce/remember or are there any words that you regularly confuse?
Portuguese is an incredibly difficult language and I am always perplexed about the different between feminina and feminino! I really can not see the logic.
12. What advice do you have for newcomers to Brazil?
If you are a man looking for a woman, then stay far away from women with children!
13. What are some things that you would recommend for a visitor to do in São Paulo (or anywhere else in Brazil)?
The water Falls in Foz do Iguasu and Brazil's beaches.
To read previous interviews in the Brazil Through Foreign Eyes series click below:
Rod Saunders - USA Don Fenstermaker - USA Ken Van Zyl - South Africa Angus Graham - UK Anne Morddel - USA Jessica Mullins - Switzerland Evan Soroka - USA Mary de Camargo - USA Brendan Fryer - UK Aaron Sundquist - USA Jay Bauman - USA Alan Williams - USA Derek Booth - UK Jim Shattuck - USA Ruby Souza - Hawaii Stephan Hughes - Trinidad and Tobago Louis van der Wiele - Holland Drew Glaser - USA Barry Elliott - Canada Joel Barsky - USA David Drummond - Canada Liam Porisse - France Jim Kelley - USA Max Ray - USA Jeremy Clark - Canada Don Fredrick - USA Jase Ramsey - USA Ben Pearce - UK Nitai Panchmatia - India Johnnie Kashat - USA Jeni Bonorino - USA Eric Jones - USA Bill Martin - UK Bernard Morris - USA John Graves - USA Deepak Sapra - India Alison McGowan - UK Brent Gregory - USA R Dub - USA Tara Bianca - USA Jack Hurley - USA James Woodward - Canada Tony OSullivan - Ireland Anna Belavina - Russia Jim Kirby - USA Linda Halverstadt - USA Michelle Monteiro - USA Chris Mensah - UK David Sundin - USA Stephanie Glennon - USA Julien Porisse - France Hans Keeling - USA Jim Adams - USA Richard Murison - USA Will Periam - UK Jan Sandbert - Sweden Jim Jones - USA Mike Stricklin - USA Edward Gowing - Australia Adrian Woods - USA Kevin Raub - USA Pierpaolo Ciarcianelli - Italy Zachary Heilman - USA David Johnson - Bermuda Cipriana Leme - Argentina Timothy Bell - USA Patti Beckert - USA Timothy Bell - USA Paul James - USA David McLoughlin - Ireland Pat Moraes - USA Richard Dougherty - USA James Weeds - USA Tom Sluberski - USA Peter Kefalas - USA Sylvie Campbell - UK Kathleen Haynes - USA Matt Bowlby - USA Alan Longbottom - UK Eric Karukin - USA Eddie Soto - USA Kieran Gartlan - Ireland Bryan Thomas Scmidt - USA Emile Myburgh - South Africa Bob Chapman - USA David Barnes - USA John Milan - USA Chris Coates - UK Matthew Ward - UK Allison Glick - USA Drake Smith - USA Jim Jones - USA Philip Wigan - UK Atlanta Foresyth - USA Lee Gordon - USA Carmen Naidoo - South Africa Lee Safian - USA Laurie Carneiro - USA Dana De Lise - USA Richard Gant - USA Robin Hoffman - USA Wayne Wright - UK Walt Kirspel - USA Priya Guyadeen - Guyana Caitlin McQuilling - USA Nicole Rombach - Holland Steven Engler - Canada Richard Conti - USA Zak Burkons - USA Ann White - USA Monde Ngqumeya - South Africa Johnny Sweeney - USA David Harty - Canada Bill McCrossen - USA Peter Berner - Switzerland/Brazil Ethan Munson - USA Solveig Skadhauge - Denmark Sean McGown - USA Condrad Downes - UK Jennifer Silva - Australian Justin Mounts - USA Elliott Zussman - USA Jonathan Abernathy - USA Steve Koenig - USA Kyron Gibbs - USA Stephanie Early - USA Martin Raw - UK Sean Coady - UK Hugo Delgado - Mexico Sean Terrillon - Canada Jessie Simon - USA Michael Meehan - USA Thales Panagides - Cyprus Tammy Montagna - USA Samantha Tennant - England Ron Finely - United States Bob Duprez - United States Peter Baines - England Youssef Bouguerra - Tunisia Van Wallach - USA Lesley Cushing - England Alexander von Brincken - Germany Hank Avellar - USA Ed Catchpole - England Penny Freeland - England Yasemin de Pinto - Turkey Amy Williams Lima - USA John Naumann - England Marsye Schouella - Eygpt Rita Shannon Koeser - USA John Fitzpatrick - Scotland Liam Gallagher - Northern Ireland Lorelei Jones - England Adam Glensy - England Tommie C.B. DeAssis - Japan Aaron Day - Canada Graham Debney - New Zealand Silke Tina Tischendorf - Germany Tanya Keshavjee Macedo - Canada Frank de Meijer - Holland Carl Emberson - Australia Kim Buarque - Wales Damiano Pak - South Korea Jonas Helding - Denmark Pari Seeber - Iran John Milton - England Ken Marshall - Australia
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7/9/2010
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