Life's Way of Bringing You Magic —Ep 74 with Werner Trieloff

Werner Trieloff left the Free State at 21, chased whiskey and languages through Scotland and London, then followed a Brazilian love story to Porto Alegre in 2008 with only enough Portuguese to order a beer. Nearly two decades later he runs a business connecting Africa, Brazil, Europe and the US — despite qualifying as a CA and never doing a single day of actual accounting since. Jan and Werner get into Brazil's brutal tax bureaucracy (rules can change ten times a day), the WhatsApp group of 55+ South Africans in Porto Alegre swapping milk tart recipes, and why joining a local rugby club and a motorbike gang did more for Werner's integration than any expat community ever could. "Life has got its way of bringing magic to you." — Werner Trieloff ____________________________________________________________ For over 30 years Sable International has offered seamless solutions that simplify the complexities of cross-border movement and financial management, so that you can focus on what matters most to you – building your future beyond borders.Find out how Sable International can support your journey: https://bit.ly/3R3g1sy _____________________________________________________________ TIMESTAMPS 00:10 – Welcome to Werner in Porto Alegre 00:52 – Where Porto Alegre sits in Brazil 01:53 – Free State roots, early moves abroad 03:11 – Meeting a Brazilian in Austria 03:52 – Learning Portuguese from scratch 04:55 – Whiskey connoisseur talk begins 05:33 – Talisker 18 and Japanese Hibiki 06:05 – From CA to management accounting 06:52 – Hired without speaking Portuguese 11:14 – Business grounding without doing accounting 11:49 – South Africa, easiest entry to Africa 12:46 – Africa's cultures vary country to country 13:23 – Comparing Brazil and South Africa culture 13:53 – Brazil's brutal tax complexity 15:04 – South Africans in Brazil WhatsApp group 16:57 – Continental Brazil, huge regional differences 18:43 – Regional food differences across Brazil 20:43 – Braai with just salt, no spice 21:04 – Physical safety versus South Africa 22:57 – Corruption and policing realities 24:52 – Public healthcare system SUS explained 26:35 – Visas, red tape, bureaucracy 27:35 – Company registration much faster now 30:42 – Biggest sacrifice: distance from family 34:09 – Advice: find a local sport 36:42 – Wife's adjustment to South Africa 37:37 – Cost of living in Brazil 38:58 – Minimum wage and daily prices 40:20 – Comparing prices to Portugal, UK 41:05 – Housing costs, apartment living 41:56 – Would he ever return to SA? 43:21 – Raising bicultural kids in Brazil 44:55 – Advice to his 22-year-old self 46:06 – How to connect with Werner _____________________________________________________________ Your documents should not slow down your new life. Apostil obtains, processes, and couriers South African police clearances, apostille certificates, unabridged documents, and more, directly to your door, anywhere in the world. Fast, professional, and stress-free. Need your documents sorted? Visit Apostil here - https://tinyurl.com/apostilcoza Documents with convenience. _____________________________________________________________ Connect with the podcast: Website: www.therelocatedsouthafrican.com Podcast: The Relocated South African — available on Spotify and all platforms Werner's on LinkedIn (Werner Trieloff) if you want to reach out about business in Brazil or planning a trip there. If this one hit home, send it to a fellow South African abroad — and follow the show wherever you listen.