Being a professional stranger.

By Frans Kemper, from São Paulo, Brazil.

How is it to be a stranger in Brazil? Before I get to that, I grew up in Amsterdam and lived in several parts of The Netherlands. My professional life took me the last 20+ years first to the Caribbean for almost 7 years, than 9 years in the US (Miami) and now 8+ years in Brazil.

During my Caribbean years, I traveled and did business in all those lovely islands, and from Miami, I was constant on the road throughout the whole of Latin America. So you could safely say that I did more than my fair share of getting used to different cultures and countries.

I would not have missed it for the world, and got washed by all waters, so to speak. It certainly broaden my vision and my mind, and gave me the necessary flexibility to accept and adapt. And now for the last 8+ years in Brazil, and with a lot of pleasure.

To me Brazil is an amazing beautiful country with amazing abilities. In general the people are friendly, courteous, flexible, inventive and a bit noisy sometimes. Not everything works always, but it does nowhere.

When people are asking me what I consider the place where I have lived, than I really do not know the answer. And I know places and know the pros and cons. But there is something that really bothers my about some Brazilians and that is their inability to appreciate their own country.

Often I am asked why I came to Brazil and if I like it here. (YES I DO!) And than it really blows my mind when some are challenging me how in the world I am able to like Brazil.

You come from such a beautiful country and you like it here? (In both cases, YES). Paying attention to it, it strikes me that there is a general negative feeling amongst Brazilians about their own country. Brazilians, LOVE your country and stop talking it down! First, it does not help anybody and second it is not true! Be positive about your soil, it has so much to offer. Yes, I am a positive guy, but also a realist and know things are going wrong, but hey, things are going wrong everywhere!

Have you ever tried to get your drivers license in the US? Or open a bank account being a stranger? Should we close our eyes? No certainly not, we all should try to do something about it.

The ideal place does not exist, only between your ears.

But please stop thinking (and talking) so negative about your country. All right, let the reactions come in, I can't wait.

From a professional stranger.