Fortaleza does not and never will have a large American expatriate population; it's too far and too foreign. While there are several flights a week from Europe there are none from North America directly to Pinto Martin International Airport in Fortaleza. You have to go through Sao Paulo so you can count on at least an eighteen hour flight from anywhere in the United States to Fortaleza. There is only a splattering of Americans (Canadian and US), probably less than 3,000 in a city of 3.4 million. Europeans, however are flocking here in droves to have a place to Holiday; ten or eleven months a year apartments sit vacant only to be used one or two months each year. That is why you can come here and rent so cheaply.

However, if you choose to buy in Brazil, whether in Fortaleza, Rio, Sao Paulo or somewhere else be aware that you can make mistakes easily. You know how to buy property in your country, but Brazil can be different. 

A new apartment on Beira Mar (300 meters or 3300 sq ft) can sell for US$300,000 to 1,000,000. Those prices do not include "furniture" such as kitchen and bathroom cabinets, bedroom wardrobes, etc. (The Brazilians use wardrobes instead of closets because property is taxed by the number of rooms; a closet is considered a room). Once the apartment construction is done and you are ready to move in you still have to furnish the apartment with beds, couches, and all the things you need for normal living. 

Apartments in other parts of the city are much less. I rented a sixty-two meter apartment (about 650 sq. ft.) that I could have bought for R$120,000; now I live in a penthouse apartment in the same building that I can buy for $145,000. (Today’s exchange rate is US$1.00 = R$2.35) This is one of the most expensive areas in Fortaleza; if I want to go ten blocks south I can buy something for much less and still be in a good area.

Don't buy right away; there is building going on all over the city and will be for a long time. While you might miss out on one deal, there will be others out there for years to come.

1. Live here for six months renting an apartment. Brazilians think differently that North Americans or Europeans; this will give you a chance to learn about the people, their customs and culture as well as the city. Rent a small apartment in a good location and spend time exploring. Rentals are not hard to find and if you come at anytime other than high season, they are very inexpensive; if you agree to a three or six month lease they can be even less.

2. Get an agent to represent you. Gringos (ALL non-Brazilians) are charged almost double for property and other things that Brazilians and especially Fortalezans are not. An agent will represent you in all the negotiations and do all the paperwork when you buy a place. If you get a good agent they will show you many places, a lot that aren't listed. It will give you more options.

3. Get a good lawyer. After you've chosen something, before you sign any papers have a lawyer look everything over and be aware of what you are getting into. Some buildings have high maintenance charges, some have restrictions, some don’t allow pets, etc. Know these things in advance.

4. Take your time. While Fortaleza and other Brazilian cities appear to be wonderful, you might choose to buy a house out in one of the smaller beach villages and just only come into town for major shopping. Caponga Beach is 50 minutes from Beira Mar and has a huge expatriate society, mostly Portuguese. Little condos are selling for next to nothing (US$25,000 or so) and are selling like hot cakes; I have a friend who has his seven bedroom, 4300 sq. ft. house for sale for US$120,000 right on the beach. I also know of a couple of other houses, one by Beach Park that is for sale for around US$150,000 right on a lagoon and one in Agua Fria that is for sale for around US$100,000; there is a lot of property available in Fortaleza and the surrounding area. Again, take your time.

Depending on where you are looking, there can be problems. Probably the primary thing to look for is SECURITY; if you are close to or in a favela you are more likely to experience crime than if you live in one of the better areas. Crime has risen in Fortaleza in the last couple of years. Never wear jewelry other than a cheap watch and wedding band; walk in well-lit places, don't carry a lot of money, walk with other people, unless you speak Portuguese don't talk while you're walking and then speak Portuguese, stay away from dangerous places like “girly bars”, stay with a crowd. If you can buy a small safe, do; if not, have a secure place for your money and valuables that is locked up. Never show ANYONE where that is.

In Fortaleza, if you buy on the east beaches (Praia do Futuro) you have a salt issue; appliances last two or three years at the most because of the high salt content in the air. The closer to the ground you buy the more susceptible you are to salt and mosquitoes; during rainy season this can be a problem. Because (1) there the Brazilian department similar to the EPA in Fortaleza concentrates more on protected areas that air quality, (2) most tires are made of rubber and (3) street asphalt is of a different consistency, there is continual dirt that is almost like oil coming into your apartment at lower floors.

Apartments (condos) are sold four ways; (1) in their planning stages, (2) as they are being built, (3) when they are completed and (4) used. What you pay depends on what stage of building your apartment is in. Agents want the apartment sold out before they begin; it makes it easier for them to get financing. Many of the buildings are built with private funds either from Brazil or from Portugal. The Portuguese are throwing money around Ceara and building like there is no tomorrow. Financing is short-term and high; if you can pay cash you're much better off.

Be sure and check into ALL the tax laws governing the United States and Brazil. There is no tax treaty between the two countries; therefore any money that you receive in the United States you might have to pay taxes on in Brazil as well as the US if you are here for more than 180 days in any 365 day period. Be sure to be aware of those things.

Don't buy, and don't rent a car in the beginning; either walk or take a taxi or, if you're really adventurous, take a bus. Drivers here are CRAZY...and I'm not kidding. If you walk, you take your life into your hands; crosswalks mean nothing. The most dangerous thing is cars making turns; they don't care whether or not you're there; they will make the turn anyway and see how close to you they can come then prove that their horn works! I think it's against the law to allow another car to be in front of you for more than ten seconds; you HAVE to pass him which means that the speed limit really isn't effective.

If you are a single man, welcome to Paradise! Brazilian women are beautiful; there is no arguing that. While there are beautiful women throughout the world, Brazilian women have a special sensuality that isn't found anywhere else. It probably is a combination of genes, health and packaging. What I describe is what I have observed in Fortaleza; however, I think that it is consistent with much of Brazil.

Ethnic Mix: Most Brazilians are a mixed race consisting of Europeans, indigenous Indians and Africans. The depth of the mixture will determine the basic features of the person. Because Indian genes are found in practically all Brazilians, the women tend to be more petite, darker in skin color and eyes, have high cheekbones, dark or even black hair and smaller bodies than North Americans. Their features usually combine the best of all the mixes which creates beautiful women. I have a friend who has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen; they hold a sensuality to them that is indescribable. 

Health: Brazilians try to be healthy. They eat right, they exercise and they take care of themselves. The women are very aware of their bodies and want to keep it in good shape. Brazilians eat their main meal at mid-day; this allows them to burn off calories in the afternoon. Their evening meal is usually small; a cup of soup, a small sandwich, a waffle. Very little food is fried and if it is, it is usually fried in olive oil. I have another friend from Sao Luis, a city north of Fortaleza who has a beautiful figure; she said that if she gains five kilo's she starts dieting and exercising...she has to look good in her bikini.

There is an academia (gym) on nearly every corner and the cost to join is low. Women go there every day to exercise and keep their weight down and their figure in control. Most walk a lot, especially to places close by. Dentists are available and inexpensive so the women have their teeth cleaned and taken care of two or three times a year; that explains those beautiful smiles. A woman will shower several times a day if she finds that she becomes sweaty or doesn't feel clean.

Appearance: OK, here's the big one! Women in Brazil look like WOMEN! They don't go to the market or to a restaurant looking like they crawled out of bed thirty seconds ago; they wouldn't go to the front door looking like that! If you see a woman in work-out cloths it's because she IS going to the academia or out to exercise. They spend time at the beauty parlor getting their hair correct and I don't think I have ever seen a woman in public whose hair isn't in place; many of the women wear their hair long.

Most of the time, the women (and I want to point out that this is not age-restricted...I've seen 50 year old women who would put US twenty-year-olds to shame) wear cloths that are form-fitting and reveal some of their body. Brittany Spears DID NOT invent the mid-rift blouse. A lot of the time women wear shoulderless, mid-rift tops and jeans or a skirt or even pants. However, the difference is that it usually looks like it just came off the rack...no holes, no tears, no dirt. My maid changes from very nice street cloths to work cloths when she comes to clean my apartment. The women like to wear high heels a lot which accent their legs.

Posture is important; if you were to take a line and draw it straight down from the top of the head to the ground, either frontal or sideways, a Brazilian woman would fit perfect. When she walks, she doesn't sway more than a degree either way; her body is perfectly straight from the head to the pelvic area. Also, her feet and toes are pointed straight ahead. There is no bobbing of the head; you can draw a line above where she will walk and her head will always be in the same place along that line. Because of this, the rest of her body moves much more sensually; I always refer to it as a sailboat gliding across a calm sea. If there is anything that sets her aside from other women, it's that.

All in all, Brazilian women have something that isn't found elsewhere. They are aware of it and don't try to shy away from their beauty. A model once asked her agent how she could become a top model; her agent told her, "Watch the Brazilians". I think that says it all.

If you still have decided that you want to come here and look, come prepared! Bring a decent laptop with you and have it already set up for Internet. (I have AOL.) You would be surprised about how much more comforting it is to have continual access to the folks back home. Cyber-cafes are available and cheap but are nowhere as good as having a computer in your apartment. (I also bought a laptop printer.)

The electricity is 220 but there are converters which you can buy to convert your 220 to 110. Bring several power strips; you can buy a converter (either in the United States or here) then plug your power plugs into it.  (I have one for my stereo equipment, one for my bedroom and one for my computer equipment.) I took a cheap portable CD player, bought the necessary power converters to eliminate battery use and a small set of computer speakers which fit into the earphone jack; I have wonderful music all the time. I also copied over 200 CD’s which I brought with me. There are lots of DVD/CD stores; I go to Desafinado’s in Del Paseo mall which has an excellent selection of music and music DVDs. (I usually try to buy things that I can't get in the United States.) If you buy from the street vendors they usually have illegal copies and are of poor quality.

It’s a great idea to bring a digital camera; make sure you get a couple of cards that have the maximum amount of pictures available for your camera. I download my pictures to my computer right after I've taken them then clear my card for more pictures.  Every so often I download everything to a disk and will have the pictures forever.

If you're coming to Fortaleza, bring two pair of long pants, about four nice shirts and one good pair of shoes.  Everything else can be shorts and t-shirts. Because of the humidity and heat, most of the time you won't wear cloths more than one day; sometimes you might change two or three times in the same day. Sandals are great; I wear them all the time. Get rubber instead of leather; leather absorbs moisture and smell and you can’t wash them. In the two months I've been here, I've worn long pants once. The more you look like a Brazilian, the fewer problems you will have. (Brazilians DON NOT wear socks with their sandals!).

Don't think of Fortaleza as a primitive, uncivilized, third-world place; nearly anything that you can find in the United States you can find here. There is cable TV with several English-speaking channels, high speed Internet, shopping malls, cell phones, and all the modern conveniences you can find in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago or Boston. There are probably more restaurants than anywhere I have ever seen and the food is excellent.

On the other hand, Fortaleza is in a Latin American emerging nation and you still see a lot of poverty, crime, prostitution and things which you might not be as aware of elsewhere. Fortaleza and Northeast Brazil have become sexual trade destinations for lot of tourists seeking illicit sex, mostly Europeans. There is a huge problem with child prostitution and the police and judges are beginning to stringently enforce the laws against it. If you get caught with an underage girl (under 18) or drugs you might as count on spending a lot of time in a Brazilian jail, a thought that doesn’t set well with most people.

These are just some of the things that you might consider before moving and/or purchasing anything here. It is better to be prepared than to go into something as major as a move or purchasing an apartment without trying it first. It's a lot of time and money to spend if you end up being disappointed. It all looks wonderful and can be a fascinating experience.

If you mingle with the Brazilians and decide to become one of them, your life can be wonderful. The Gringos that are happy here are the ones who have come prepared, have chosen to become Brazilianized, who love it here and who are willing to accept what Brazil has to offer rather than condemn what is different. Brazilians accept foreigners well; they are much more helpful and caring than most Americans. You can enjoy your life here with some planning, investigation and forethought.

The following is the first article John wrote for the magazine:

• Traveling Through Fortaleza Ceara ~ Adventure In Brazil