Sometimes I just want to sit down and cry in frustration!

Paying our rent here in Brazil has been a nightmare since day 1.

First, we could not have a local bank account so we had to pay cash. Yes you read it well.

Alistair was given a card (by his Parent company) which was a sort of Purse card where the living allowance would be paid into. But we could not use it to pay the rent (don’t ask why!)! So every month we had to go round the banks over a 3 days period, to withdraw the amount required then go to Banco Itau and pay the rent.

Now, walking around Rio with a big wad of cash in your pocket is not something I would recommend!

Every month we thought it was the last time, as (surely!) the visas would get approved and we would get a bank account.

So after 7 or 8 month of this joke, and with the help of the new HR girl from Alistair’s company (who works in the London office but happens to be Brazilian) we managed to open a bank account few weeks ago. After all, our visa approval had just been published in the Jornal Official!  Well, Alistair did manage to open an account, I could not be included for some stupid admin reason involving more stupid bureaucracy and admin sh*te.

Anyway, Alistair received his debit card and pin few days ago and we thought “Great” we can use it to pay the rent now, while we wait for the cheque book!

Anyhow, today the rent was due, so I went to Itau (which is the estate agent’s bank) with Alistair’s HSBC Brazil debit card and his pin number. How hard could it be? Well, at Banco  Itau I was told that they only accept Itau cards.

So I went to HSBC, how hard could it be, paying my rent with an HSBC card at HSBC into an Itau account????

Well not so fast. I either had to order the cash, get Alistair to pick it up the next day, and pay in cash to Itau, OR, I had to show a passport. As the card is only at Alistair’s name I had a problem.

Solution: getting Alistair back from work mid-afternoon on the day his company’s MD is visiting the Brazil Office so he could use his card and show his passport!  

Another fun day in Rio.

Internet banking? Maybe one day! This is Brazil, things happen eventually, but at their own pace!

Back to London to pick up our VIPERs (5 year visas) tomorrow. Wish us luck!