A VERY SPECIAL DAY

Hello Everybody,



I'd just like to share this very special day with all of you who have made it possible. It is a day that I never imagined would come when I joined Expat-blog on June 10, 2010 because I never dreamed it possible. Today I posted my 5000th posting on Expat-blog.

When I first joined as a regular member, Expat-blog was still in its infancy. It was good and it was growing and getting better all the time. Over the ensuing years I've watched it grow and change into the Expat-blog that we know it to be today, one that is much different and superior to the one I joined. I also have the secure knowledge that is will continue and will become light-years better than the one we have today; Julien and Team won't stop until it is.

Just a little over two years ago now I was invited to take on the volunteer position of Brazil Animator (now the title has changed to Expert). The invitation was based on my many postings helping other members on the Brazil Forum with information and advice about the bureaucracy, life in and living in Brazil. I was extremely honored by the invitation, which I gladly accepted, and I vowed to myself that I would continue to do everything in my power to help others in every way that I could. It has taken many hours of hard work, research and learning; but it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

When I used to see topics posted by our founder, Julien, and other members of TEAM I was amazed at the number of BLUE posting stars (now suitcases because we've changed the stars to signify Karma) that they had. Here I had just earned my lonely little YELLOW star and earning more was just a distant objective. I didn't feel that it was a big deal and of course I realized that those guys all had lots more postings because they were full-time employees of Expat-blog so that kind of made sense to me. I never dreamed that one day I'd be here with 7 BLUE suitcases and the "Expert" title under my avatar photo or what a big deal that really would be for me. I never knew how many of you it would take to make that possible or the many different ways in which I would help you all.

Over the ensuing couple of years since I took on the position I've received so many topic replies and private messages thanking me for my assistance, outpourings of gratitude from so many members that I can't even count them anymore. I really has been rewarding and I get messages all the time like, "I'm now in Brazil and finally married, I can't begin to thank you enough for all your help." Things like that no amount of money can buy.

Why have I done it? Why have I devoted so much time and energy into Expat-blog? Well, when I first came to Brazil over twelve years ago now there was absolutely nobody to turn to for advice and information, nobody! Expat-blog didn't even exist at that time and of course all of us foreigners that came to this country were forced to find out everything for themselves, usually by trial and error. We had to re-invent the wheel every time we wanted to do anything, even the simplest tasks in this country are so complicated it's mind boggling. When I found Expat-blog I said that I'd do what I could to help others in that situation to avoid the pitfalls that I came upon, help them to avoid the necessity to re-invent the wheel for everything that they needed to do. I truly hope that I have been able to fulfill that objective, God knows I've tried.

It is also very gratifying to have been part of the phenominal growth and improvement that Expat-blog has undergone in the past few years. The Brazil Forum is the eighth most active forum Expat-blog has and I know that is partly due to the hard work I've put in as Brazil & Canada Expert. New national Experts are coming up through the ranks and we're all working very hard to help Julien and TEAM keep things getting better all the time. Soon, Expat-blog is going to be something we can't even imagine right now, be very sure of that!

Thankyou, every one of you for helping this day come to pass for me. I know I couldn't have reached this milestone without you all. I will continue to try my very hardest to continue exactly the same way even though 7 is the magic number and I won't be gaining any more suitcases. I guess I couldn't afford to pay all the porters anyway if I did get more. 

With sincere thanks,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team