I wrote a smallish post on what to bring/how to be prepared for your move to Brazil. I received a lot of great advice and comments from other bloggers/readers. Check out the original post here: Moving to Brazil? Some things to know
Anyway, I wanted to make an updated version in list form. The list is short and basic now. I hope all of you out there will help out again! Let's help the future ex-Pats of Brazil!
Things to bring:
for Kids:
monitor
stroller
thermometer
vitamins
toys
clothes
car seat
gear in general
General:
vitamins
floss
zip lock baggies
rechargeable batteries
books
Mattress and box springs
Kitchen appliances - ie. blenders, toaster, etc
electronics - choose carefully and make sure they will work here
Ben & Jerry's! If only that was possible!
ReplyDeleteFunny you should say that!! I have actually been in communication with Ben and Jerry's (the corporation) to pitch opening a store in Ipanema. They loved the idea in concept but told me they have to have sufficiant demand (other stores in the area) to set up proper supply lines to get product down here. I was told to wait several years...
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of owning an ice cream store (in fantasy land, mostly) because everyone enters with a smile and exists with a smile. Happy people all day!
And once folks taste B&J there is no going back!
Rach, I would add specifically BPA free bottles,pacis and nipples. Here you can rarely find only one brand and it's ridiculously expensive. Also, if someone is pregnant or breastfeeding, bring Lansinoh stuff and a Medella pump (could go as far as R$900 here, Perinatal rents it for like R$20/day).
ReplyDeleteI brought you Lansinoh and a medella pump, and bought them before Rafa was born. I also have Born Free bottles. Good tip! I brought them from there.
ReplyDeleteJim, let's find an investor and open a cold stone! Do you know them? They mix up your ice cream with whatever treat you want. Of course we're not talking the low fat stuff that everyone is into. I bet there's a market for people like you and me who want flavor over diet :)
Speaking of ice cream, I was just wondering what the ice cream options are down there in Rio. Because here in Houston (as we bake under the unforgiving sun) ice cream is as much a necessity as it is a treat! And a good (and easy) way to get more calcium into my toddler ;-)
ReplyDeleteI was also wondering...should I also bring Children's ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or Tylenol and funky stuff like DHA/omega-3 gummies, etc.?
What about rashguards or bathing suits with SPF? (I would think there is already a market for these in Rio, but maybe not...maybe I'm just a paranoid American mom!)
The gummies, yes but you don't need to bring children's tylenol or motrin. We have it down here. There's actually something even better down here for fever called nolvagina or dipirona. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteWe have great popsicles down here and there are now a lot of natural yogurt places around. You can also find good ice cream (american style) for a little more than regular ice cream at hte store. The regular ice cream is good but it's just a little different. I guess I'd have to say it's not as rich
The ice cream is definitely not as rich - I actually don't eat any because it is a bit disappointing and I think: "What's the point?"
ReplyDeleteJean - if you are stocking up on small appliances, maybe an icecream maker should be on the list.
The frozen yogurt places are crazy expensive for what you get. Rather than complain I just avoid them -- but then, I don't have kids! LOL!
The real treat down here is the 100 varieties of fresh juice and the subsequent fresh juice pops (or frozen juice sucked out of long skinny plastic bags).
Yes you did and I think you very very much. And I've just come back from the US and am happy to say virtually all bottle brands have BPA free bottles and gear now. You don't have to stick to Born Free if you prefer another one. I bought Avent stuff bc I already had all their gear from Isabela's time. I also found some other useful Lansinoh stuff besides the niple butter itself, like breast wipes and gel pads for soreness.
ReplyDeleteFor those fancier folks who want Quinny strollers but refuse to pay over R$4000.00 in São Paulo for it, you can find it at US$600 in the US. Still pricey, but not the same fortune as here. I bought a very nice light stroller called CityMini, and they just released a double version of it that I could not get. Strollers here suck and you'd pay another small fortune for a Peg Perego if you want something lighter and good.
And oh guys, I think we should mention Mil Frutas. Their ice cream rocks, the mango ice cream is the best I've ever had in my life. You just need to put your mind into eating lighter stuff, bc double chocolaty-vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips, caramel and fudge and nuts on top is probably a bit heavy for our weather. It's great, I love it too, but at 100ºF, sweating like a cow on my way to the beach (meaning I can't look any fatter or bloated at that exact moment) I'd rather have a mango treat.
I would never use a side by side in Rio!
ReplyDeleteit's not a side by side, it's like yours but the second seat is attacheable. The great thing about it is that if you're only taking one of the kids out, you'll have a regular singular stroller.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued to try out all the fruity treats. They'll probably be a lifesaver once the unforgiving summer arrives! Sounds like in Rio I'll miss the good ol' rich American stuff (and the authentic Italian gelato around the corner from where we currently live in Houston), but on the other hand, it'll be fun to try all the fruity treats in Rio!
ReplyDeleteConcerning strollers (sorry Jim ;-)), would it be wise to bring 2 types? Right now we have a Peg Perego Pliko 3 that is super comfy, awesome shade all the way down to the legs, reclines flat horizontally. It's a tad bulky, but nothing unmanageable. A typical stroller more or less. But would it be advisable to also have a lighter umbrella stroller, like a MacLaren? Or would the Peg Perego (durable, comfortable, somewhat lightweight) be just fine while navigating the streets of Rio?
It depends. It's always nice to have a light one if you are going to do some traveling. I think you should be ok with yours. What you need to look at is the width. My single stroller has big wheels and is just basically kind of wide but I manage. Just is hard to get around some stores. You figure it out though. If you guys are going to have a brazilian car, it's nice to have a smaller one that fits easily into a small trunk
ReplyDelete