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

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 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

Into The Amazon—Then Straight To The Beach

This year, I’m taking a private group into the Amazon rainforest—then we head to Fortaleza and explore Brazil’s booming Northeast coast. Think Amazon river cruises, beachfront developments, and wide-open opportunity. From the heart of the rainforest to pristine beaches most people only dream about—this is bucket-list meets Plan-B strategy. If you’ve ever wanted to see the real Brazil and scout investments along the way, this is it. Go to ExpatMoney.com/Brazil.

Brazil Tour August 2 - 9, 2025

Into The Amazon—Then Straight To The Beach

This year, I’m taking a private group into the Amazon rainforest—then we head to Fortaleza and explore Brazil’s booming Northeast coast. Think Amazon river cruises, beachfront developments, and wide-open opportunity. From the heart of the rainforest to pristine beaches most people only dream about—this is bucket-list meets Plan-B strategy. If you’ve ever wanted to see the real Brazil and scout investments along the way, this is it. Go to ExpatMoney.com/Brazil.

Brazil Tour August 2 - 9, 2025

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

Gold in the Caribbean—No Bank Can Touch It

Fiat is failing. Banks are cracking. And smart investors are moving their gold offshore—outside the system. I’ve partnered with a fully insured private vault in the Caribbean where you can buy, store, and protect physical gold… legally and securely. The entire account opening is done online—fast, private, and no nonsense. If you’re serious about protecting your wealth, get the details now at ExpatMoney.com/gold

Offshore Gold & Silver