The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup

254: How To Assimilate To The Local Culture – Jim Lennertz

Jul 26, 2023

01:06:20

Jim Lennertz is an American-born entrepreneur and adventurer. Raised in a beach town during California's "Golden Age," he became a self-described "well-educated surfer" who gathered real-world experiences and realized that the prescribed life path was not for him. He currently lives with his wife in Southern Brazil, and he’s also an admin in our private Facebook group at ExpatMoneyForum.com. In this conversation, Jim describes why he now calls Brazil home and gives tips for expats on assimilating into local culture.

TODAY'S CONVERSATION WITH JIM LENNERTZ

Hear Jim recount his expat origin story! Find out how life events, a magazine article and an abundance of frequent flyer miles led him to Brazil.
Jim and I reminisce about our first encounters online, where Jim would give me grief about my Portuguese. We had a blast catching up!
Listen in as Jim breaks down why he believes it’s so important for expats to assimilate into the local culture and not just stay within the confines of the expat bubbles.
Hear Jim and I discuss the importance of “breaking bread” in person, especially today when so many of our interactions are digital.
We discuss why Jim feels more safe and secure with his current situation in Brazil than he would if had the same situation back in California, which he calls a “dead state walking.”
Jim and I go back and forth a bit on the pros and cons of investing in agricultural land based on our slightly different outlooks. If you’ve thought about investing in agricultural land, you cannot miss this conversation!
Listen to us discuss why learning the local language as an expat is not just a convenience; it’s a matter of personal responsibility.
Lastly, Jim makes the by-the-numbers case for why Brazil is one of the safest places you could be in the event of World War Three.

RELATED EPISODES

253: Where To Go If We Have World War Three 243: Brazilian Beachfront Real Estate with 12 Percent Net Returns 205: From California to Brazil An Expat Story - Travis

CONCLUSION

I had such a great time speaking to Jim and getting his real-world perspective on integrating into a new culture as an expat. Having spoken with Jim plenty of times, both online and in person, over the last few years, I knew this conversation would be a blast, and Jim didn’t disappoint. So come on over to ExpatMoneyForum.com and join the conversation - and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to argue with Jim :)

Mentioned in this episode:

Join Me In Panama For Our Next Tour

I have great news. After many meetings and explanations, the Panamanian government has agreed to keep the Investors Visa at a $300k Real Estate investment instead of nearly doubling the amount required, as they said they would. This is a massive win for our community who wants to move to or invest in Panama, but I am not sure how long this will last… If you have been thinking about Panama, then I want to make an invitation to you today. Come join me for a special four-day tour to see if the country I call home is right for you and your family. We have just released the next set of trip dates. You can find out more at ExpatMoney.com/fly. Come visit me and the Expat Money team, get a feel for the country and see if Panama makes sense for investment or as a new home.

Panama Fly'n Buy Real Estate Tour

Join Us For Upcoming Live Webinars

Every month, we offer exciting new webinars for our community. Topics include how to use retirement accounts to buy real estate overseas, how to get a second passport in Latin America, why you should sell your stock portfolio and move your money offshore, how to buy a beachfront rental property in Brazil for less than $100k, or apartments in Paraguay for $60k. If you want to join us for FREE for these presentations with live Q&A, insider secrets, and exclusive opportunities with my professional network of experts, then sign up today.

Webinars - Expat Money

Join Us For Upcoming Live Webinars

Webinars - Expat Money

Our Hub Membership Is Open!

For a limited time, we have opened our Hub Membership to the world! To find out more information, learn more at https://ExpatMoney.com/go

Join The Hub - Our Paid Members Only Community

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.