Come live in Rio do Oeste
What led me to write this was the shift in how people see work and lifestyle after the pandemic.
Companies were forced to adopt home office wherever possible, grew confident in Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams, learned to work online and got the chance to rethink their processes. My guess is this accelerated the general digitalization of things by some 5 to 10 years.
With that, many companies — and especially many employees — came to prefer arrangements where people spend more time at home, and started seeing their relationship with work through new eyes. The result was a considerable increase in jobs that allow working from another city or state — which is why you shoulddo like so many othersand consider living your life in a charming little town like Rio do Oeste.
Yes, this is going to be a superficial text. If you think I forgot something worth mentioning, let me know.
Both the urban and the rural areas have their appeal, and I will assume you already know which one calls to you. I will go over some points I have seen debated a lot lately by people looking for a place to live.
Housing, in practice
Housing here costs far less than in the big cities, we have access to a wide range of farm-fresh goods, and everything you need to live comfortably can be found here.
If you have a family to support and worry about its future, know that this is a perfect place for it to live. While we have no nightclub, dance hall or party scene whatsoever (Rio do Sul has plenty), we compensate with a truckload of daycare centers and schools — though no colleges (Rio do Sul, again, has plenty). Everything conspires against any sort of trouble in our little village.
AsChico Buarquesuggests, the ideal city has green boulevards. And one thing is undeniable: every street in Rio do Oeste is green.
Infrastructure
This one is simple. The town is small, so everything gets delivered at considerable quality without much effort — at least downtown and nearby. Even in the farthest corners someone is selling radio internet.
Telecom
We have reasonably good coverage from several carriers, plus thecommunity radio station 87.5 FM, which locals generally enjoy.
Internet
Contrary to what the memes say, our internet does not arrive through vines: we have optical fiber like everyone else.
Man, as I write this,Unifiqueoffers a comfortable 1,000 MB fiber plan (yes, ONE THOUSAND) in downtown Rio do Oeste — and they deliver a decent share of it, since their infrastructure here is not overloaded yet. There are alternatives too: local companies sell fiber in the urban areas and radio internet in the countryside.
Mobility
You will not need public transportation: the whole downtown is walkable from any point that is also downtown. That detail matters, because there is no Uber here — just one taxi. But we do have the municipal school transport, which covers downtown and the countryside, plus bus lines to Laurentino and Rio do Sul several times a day.
Sanitation
We have it. In fact, anything that breaks the pattern of the nearly perfect asphalt on 7 de Setembro street is a telltale sign of Casan at work.
Healthcare
The health system here, at least as I write, is very well dimensioned and — except during the occasional worldwide plague outbreak — always has enough professionals.
Location
Take a look at the map above. Notice that Rio do Oeste sits in the center of the state, close to several hubs.
We are a mere 20 minutes from Rio do Sul, which provides a good amount of stores, wholesalers, services and a reasonable number of entertainment options, like movie theaters and events. On top of that, we should soon have aninnovation center in Rio do Sulas well.
“But Rio do Sul doesn't even have a shopping mall.”
True. But if you really need a city with bigger infrastructure, we are 2 hours from Blumenau and 3.5 hours from Joinville. You can go and come back on the same day.
Is it beaches you want?
We are under 3 hours from Balneário Camboriú, 4 hours from Florianópolis and 2 hours 45 from Penha — which, by the way, is home to the Beto Carrero theme park.
Not a fan of crowds?
We are about 2 hours from theSoldados Seboldfalls, 5 hours fromAparados da Serranational park and around 6 fromGramado. And rest assured: you will find plenty of options for a farm weekend right here in the region.
Home office
I can guarantee it is wonderful — I have been practicing it for quite a while. After all,Macchiatto allows it.
Do you enjoy coffee and knowing where things are?
Not to brag, but if your employer allows home office and happens to lend equipment or licenses to employees — now and then, or always — it would be worth taking a look atCafetteria. People in your exact situation usually like it a lot.