I was once a well paid Network Engineer for some of the bigger global Telecom companies. When I was laid off in late 2007 I had a tough time finding a new job because the area I lived in wasn’t a major technology hub and because my last employer had paid me a very competitive salary which scared off hiring managers (especially as the economy began to dry up). I got some offers, but they would have required me to travel extensively on international contracts and as I had two toddlers at home it wasn’t a decision I was prepared to accept. I kept trying and as the weeks and months rolled out my competition for those few jobs got bigger and bigger as the financial crisis worsened.
My wife was born and raised in Brazil and we had invested in an apartment a few years earlier and with little luck in the job market in the US we decided to strike out for adventure and try in Brazil.
Getting work in Brazil has been a bit difficult as well since it takes a while for anyone (even someone conversational in Portuguese, like I am) to build up their language skills to a necessary level that would allow them to work without any issue. I also have the added disadvantage of having a lot of experience and a great resume, which scares hiring managers in Brazil as well when I am in pursuit of a lower paying job.
In short, it’s been tough. However, I am working with my father-in-law who runs his own real estate firm and am helping to market about a half billion dollars worth of investment real estate. And I am working online and doing consulting work for American technology and business firms. Things are slow at the moment but they show great potential.
Giving up on that safe, sturdy, nine-to-five paycheck has been one of the toughest decisions of my life. It was one that has brought me excruciating pain at times, especially when I see the stress it has brought my family. However, we are all together, I am not on the road somewhere away from my wife and kids. I can put my sons to bed at night and kiss my wife goodnight every night. That’s been my sacrifice and it is worth it.
I have been in Brazil eight months and opportunity is definitely in the air. Capitalizing might take a little longer, but every conversation, every book I read, and every new place I visit helps me grow, helps me feel alive and new.
Although I would not have chosen a life of unemployment, it has pushed me out the door to a new adventure. Letting go of the past and all the apparent job security I had is just a means of opening up my life to new opportunities. I’d say anyone can do that, regardless of where they are living.
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