Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Life in a Bigger City

Well living in a larger city does have advantages. Now, in Garanhuns, the job market was very informal, meaning I really did not need all the documentation. Here you do. Now I went after these docs in Garanhuns, but the delay and lack of informed public servants was frustrating. Here, I was able to resolve one document a day, which is incredible compared to what I went through in the Northeast. I got my CPF (kinda like a Social Security card) yesterday and the reason I never got it before was because in Garanhuns everyone I spoke to was unsure of the procedure for people from other countries. The Federal Police here took care of a log jam and rerouted my card here. I got a document from them with my "real" ID card number too. Today I get my "work permit". Slowly but surely things are moving along.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Goodbye Garanhuns...

After close to 5 years, I must bid farewell to Garanhuns. I mentioned it earlier, but my wife has gotten pretty sick. Leukemia and cancer of the uterus. She went ahead with the kids to the city where her sister lives where the hospitals are better equipped and in fact one of them specializes in Leukemia. This is all bittersweet for me. I've only lived in3 places and Garanhuns by far was my favorite. But things change, nothing is permanent, and it's not like I really have a choice in this one. No one knows what will happen as far has my wife goes. New place, need to make new contacts, look for a job, start over, and hope for the best. I don't know how often I will be able to post in the beginning, but I will try to do my best. So long Garanhuns and thanks for the memories,