No crimes, This is very intresting. Are all cubans Black? and what wrong with being many americans there? Can some comment which is the best destination in South America or caribbean for TSM (Traveling Single Male)?
No, not all Cubans are black. But their are many nice black babes in Havanna. The old part of the town is very nice.
That's always a plus! As for Brazil, the infrastructure is all there to be able to trade for a living (you sure you do, though? I'm always suspicious when someone claims to consistently make $X/month, as though this were some job). Crime is rampant, though. You better make sure you're not wearing anything that even hints you might have money, else you're just asking for it. Still, if you plan on moving there to live without ever even having been there... the word "idiot" comes to mind.
Richie90, The language of Brazil is Portuguese not Spanish. The best place to live in is Brasilia (much less crime than anywhere else), all the politicians live there. shneed
If you're concerned about safety stay away from Rio, it's probably the most dangerous city in Brazil. There is a lot of crime in Brazil's cities, but depending on the neighborhood you can walk around at night. Used cars can be inexpensive because they have a lot of economy cars there. Get a car, a lot of crime in the cities, especially robberies happen on public transportation like buses. Plus without a car you will not be able to drive out of the city. And if you're not in a city you will definitely need a car. They have hotels there that are called flats and they are basically furnished apartments. You can rent a 2 bedroom for around 2000-3000 Reais/month in Sao Paulo which is probably the most expensive city. It is easiest to find them with a local real estate agent that specializes in renting flats. Do not rent them from websites that are in English because they will most likely overcharge you. I don't know about other cities, but I would suspect that it's less. $3000 US per person and you should be fine for living and partying all you want. If you want to be away from the city in a beach area, you can rent furnished condos or houses by the beach. The prices will vary according to how nice they are. DSL service is available, but it is not good in some places. They also have wireless broadband in Sao Paulo and probably other places as well and it is really good. Expect to pay more for the same bandwidth regardless of connection than the US. However, they do have some good free dialup connections. The language is Portuguese, but most Brazilians will be able to understand Spanish. So if you speak Spanish fluently you will be fine. You will also be able to pick up Portuguese much faster.
Check out Recife in the North part of Brazil. By far the best place to live in Brazil, the prices are extremely low, almost no crime along the beaches, and you have the infrastructure you'll need. If you have that kind of budget, hire two maids and a "massage therapist". You'll pay about $30-$40 a month for each maid and the therapists can be hired for a couple hundred. And don't get a car... just learn the taxi numbers by heart and carry a cell phone. I'm telling you, it's a paradise.
I traveled through Brazil from North to South for a month. You will need a visa; probably tourist and that is six months max. So check that out. Also nobody speaks English but most people can understand you if you speak good spanish. You will have a tough time understanding them tho. As far as areas I would say south of Rio and Sao Paulo, good beaches and surf plus it's less crime. Plus your closer so Buenos Aires which is much nicer then any city in Brazil! Don't forget to see Iguazu Falls. Good times->