We moved to São Paulo, Brazil in January 2008 to lead a slower and more contemplative life. We have taken a flat in a 50's apartment block. The weather is not what I expected for Brazil. We get pouring tropical rain, lightning and thunder most days and then bright sunshine (except of course when it's cloudy and cold).

We're trying to live on a Brazilian diet which means cassava or maize in various forms for breakfast, and lots of rice and beans for lunch and supper - all gluten-free, naturally. For the very carnivourous Brazilians it also means large steaks and other cuts of meat. We live about 100 yards from what I think is the only vegetarian restaurant in the whole of South America, which should be empty, downtrodden and abandonned, but amazingly it's always full of fashionable Paulistanos. We have a little street stall on the corner of our street which sells mountains of ripe papaya, grapefruit, bananas and other fruit I don't recognise, together with roasted cashew nuts in little bags and slices of coconut or peanut sweets (a bit like slices of fudge).

I'm teaching English part time at a local English school, but as I'm the only native speaker it gives me a certain cache. I unexpectedly discover I love it.

We have all sorts of diverse opportunities seeking us out here, parking systems, ethanol traders, health care systems, language schools (obviously), import/export opportunities etc etc etc. So if you have an idea, contact me.

I am interested in meeting Portuguese and English speaking people interested in the US, UK or Brazil to discuss ideas and opportunities.