From Sao Paulo in Search of Adventure

When it comes to making a bold move, few rival that of Alexsandro and his family, who’ve swapped their native Sao Paulo for Limerick. Now based in Ireland for the past 11 months, Alexsandro believes that their decision to move was an inspired one. He enthuses: “My dream was to move to another country and get international experience. I think it’s lovely here. The Irish people are very friendly, and Limerick is a great city.”

The Chance to Develop Your Skills

A back-end software developer, Alexsandro is part of the team in Limerick-based Teckro, a healthcare-focused tech company. With an emphasis on working in Java, he is enjoying the chance to concentrate on one area in his new role. “In Brazil, quite often you work outside of your specific area and on a much broader level. Here in Ireland, I have the chance to specialise in one key area. My job description is really specific and allows me to become more specialised in what I do,” he says.

Friendly Connections

With over seven years’ experience in his previous role, Alexsandro discovered his job in Teckro by chance. He reveals: “My friend works here, and when I was considering where we would move to, he suggested I send my CV in. He let me know that the culture was very similar to Brazil, but that here you get the chance to specialise more. He passed my CV onto the team and after applying, I got the job.” With Teckro focused on providing tech solutions for clinical trials, the work is always interesting. He notes: “What we’re doing here is very innovative and involves working with new and different technology. It’s a really interesting role, so I’m enjoying it.”

Broad Horizons

Joined by his wife and son in Limerick, the family are making the most of their new home. “We really love the way living in Ireland means it’s easier to travel to places like the UK and France. To do that from Brazil is too expensive, so it’s a really big change for us,” he explains. “We recently had our first family trip to London, which was a big moment for us all.” With his son in school here, Alexsandro says living in Ireland will offer new opportunities for everyone. “He’s 14, so moving was a big new start for him. He’s in school and making new friends, and if he lives here for 5 years or so, his English will be perfect,” he says. “I did some English courses before coming here, but I have definitely learned a lot since arriving. It’s very different when you speak it every day!”

Enjoying Limerick’s Pace of Life

While Alexsandro admits to missing Sao Paulo’s warmer climate, he is happy with the move. “I was nervous beforehand,” he says, “as I didn’t really know many people and it was a big change for my family. But at the time, I had spoken to my wife about moving somewhere smaller. Sao Paulo has nearly 12 million people, so there is always traffic and it’s busy.” Along with weekend trips to Europe, the family are soaking in the sights and sounds of their new home. He adds: “At weekends, we go out to eat and then walk around the city. Limerick is really nice. I have a Brazilian friend here and lots of the guys at work are friendly, so I enjoy it.”

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