Being a long-term resident of Santarem, Steven certainly has valuable thoughts and tips about living in Brazil. He talks a bit about his family, the forest reserve he runs, and how he came to move to Brazil in the first place.	Steven Alexander

-Where were you born?
Carson City, Nevada, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
Santarem, Brazil

-Are you living alone or with your family?
Family. My wife is Brazilian. My two boys were born here. They have American/Brazilian nationalities.

-How long have you been living in Brazil?
Off and on since 1958. Here in Santarem, since 1979.

-What is your age?
69

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Brazil?
When I fell in love with a Brazilian!

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
No.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
No.

-How do you make your living in Brazil? Do you have any type of income generated?
I’m now retired. When I first came I landed a job with an American shipping company working out of Recife. Later I came as a Peace Corps volunteer. Then I came back as a Peace Corps staffer. This last time coming down to Brazil I worked for an international health organization between 1979 and 1984. Following that I opened a small school of English and then a tour agency.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language
Yes, it’s super important to speak the local language; no need to stay if you don’t. Also, it’s important to respect local customs and people.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Of course, we always miss our country, family, and friends. It’s neat when family and friends come to visit.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
I’ll continue to manage our small forest reserve on the outskirts of town; sometimes we have tourists from the cruise ships. I’d like to continue doing that as long as I can.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We bought our home via a 15-year housing loan. Maybe it was in the US$30,000 range. Three bedrooms.

-What is the cost of living in Brazil?
Low cost of living compared to the USA, or even other parts of Brazil.

-What do you think about the Brazilians?
Great people! I wouldn’t stay if they weren’t. They’re very respective of outsiders. They may not like your country politics but they look at you as an individual.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Brazil?
The people are the positive side. Poverty is the negative side. When things don’t work, like the Internet, that’s super negative. It happens a lot.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Brazil?
Come down for a visit first. Fall in love; then you’ll fall in love with the country.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Brazil?
My Web site is www.amazonriver.com.
My blog is a diary about working on our forest reserve, Bosque Santa Lucia. The link is: http://bosque-santa.blogspot.com.