Leaving all my stuff behind

Hi Mickey34,

Well, sadly the Mercedes is definitely a no. It is as you've discovered impossible to import anything but classic cars into Brazil and even then an excercise fraught with difficulty and staggering costs.

Your computers however are a different story. You're coming in on a student visa and you should be able to import them "temporarily" without paying any duty. Since you'll be staying here long-term they should be considered tools necessary to your studies. If you bring them with you on your flight it's quite likely they're not going to be subjected to any kind of duty.

Have you considered rather than just giving up everything that you own, putting them into storage for a year and see what the future holds for you in Brazil? For example if you obtain permanency (perhaps as an investor) it's going to be less likely that you're going to be charged duties on many of your personal possessions when you do eventually bring them into the country, and perhaps it would be a bit more worthwhile to take on the burden of shipping costs at that time.

Have you also thought of the other side of the coin? What if you find that Brazil is not a good fit for you, or you're not a good fit for Brazil??? Don't you think that if you feel like you're "shedding" your entire existence now in coming to Brazil, that you're going to be more than just a bit PO'd if you find you're not happy here and decide to go back home? Just think how it's going to gall you if on top of the feeling that you haven't been able to make a go of things here you find you've then got to shell out your hard earned cash to replace everything you already had before you came here. Won't you kind of feel like you burned your bridges before coming here, and had done so all to no avail?

Long-term storage for a year shouldn't be too expensive and may prove to be a worthwhile expense. If you don't want to pay for a storage unit, perhaps there's someone in your family or circle of friends who could be of help there and "adopt" your belongings temporarily. While none of us starts out on any kind of venture planning to fail, making a permanent move to Brazil (or any other country) doesn't come with any guarantees. Don't you think it prudent to kind of hedge your bet by at least giving yourself a year (or more) of a safety cushion by storing your belongings before having to make any kind of permanent disposition of them? I think that having a "Plan B" is always a wise move! If you are eventually going to get rid of everything anyway, what would be the difference between doing it now or later, other than the cost of storage (if necessary)?

On the other side of the coin, the knowledge that your stuff is all still waiting for you back home, would be a bit comforting in that you wouldn't feel trapped into sticking to your decision of staying in Brazil should you find you're really not happy here. Just saying...

Cheers,
James      Expat-blog Experts Team

It's a terrible feeling saying goodbye to some things, especially things you worked hard for. I had to do it a few years ago after deciding to go to South Africa for a few years. I had a couple of cars that had to go (no reason to let them sit and devalue) and a few other nice things. Honestly after awhile, you don't really miss them.

It doesn't hurt to leave a few things back in the states. Leave it with friends or family (as James suggested) and if you decide to stay in Brazil, ask them to sell it for you. If you decide to come back to the states, it'll be waiting for you.

I have a couple of small boxes of random stuff in storage in the states, and when my wife and I leave brazil, I'm sure we'll have a box or two of storage here, but most of it will be sentimental stuff.

Thanks so much!  I feel a lot better.  I was kind of blue.  I called the Brazilian Consulate today and they weren't very helpful at all.  I'm studying the language, that's definitely mandatory.  I'm a person who communicates well and with a lot of people in business and I can't imagine having a language barrier as a deterrent.  It would frustrate the hell outta me.  Since communication is my means of survival, I'm taking all the appropriate steps to ensure that I can eliminate at least that problem.  Your advise was excellent.  I'll put my belongings in storage and still have the option of either sending for it or returning home to it.  Thanks so much.  I've considered subletting..but I don't trust too many people.  I've heard some horror stories.  Your advice was spot on.  Storage and a PO Box will do the trick!

This is just what I needed in the way of advice.  Both you and James have really been helpful.  I'm by no means attached to material things but I've come to a point in my life where I'm just tired of starting all over.  I've done it so many times.  Most recently after 9ll because I'm originally from New York. My family lost everything and we were displaced for nearly 3 years. I've recently found some measure of security and was reluctant to gamble it all away on a whim.  But it doesn't have to be a whim with the proper planning. Both you and James help me to see that. Thanks so much for your response. There are still some great folks out there!