Living in John Person

My next nine months will be spent in Joao Pessoa, or directly translated, John Person. It is the easternmost city in the Americas, closer to Africa than anywhere else on the continent. JP is a city in transition, a provincial backwater that has begun to grow up. Two hours away from two large metropolises to the north and south, Natal and Recife respectively, it is often overshadowed by its more influential neighbors. What Natal and Recife may have in big city bustle and towering skyscapers, Joao Pessoa makes up in quality of life and a more relaxed atmosphere. It is a city framed by the Atlantic ocean to the east and the Sanhaua River to the north. Only Paris has a higher proportion of forest land per city resident. I feel very fortunate to have been placed here. It might not be Rio, Salvador, Sao Paulo, or an iconic Brazilian city but there are few other places that combine such physical beauty and laid back charm.