Brazil is a country that is 15 times bigger than France. It covers 47.3% of the South-American continent. Its main language is Portuguese, which makes Brazil one of the only countries of South-America where Spanish is not the first language. (However, the Portuguese language in Brazil is not the same as the Portuguese language of Portugal).
Brazil has 26 states, 1 federal district and 5 regions: North, Northeast, Center-West, Southeast and South. The most populated part of the country is in the South, far away from the Amazon and its difficult climate.
Unlike the continental climate, the Brazilian sub-tropical climate has low seasons and unlike ours. However, the humidity level is high all year round.
The average increase in the standard of living of Brazilians over the past decade and the high real inflation in recent years have made Brazil a fairly expensive country. In some large cities such as Rio or São Paulo, the cost of living is sometimes even equal to or higher than that of Belgium or France. Here are some price examples:
Basic products | Price in Euros / Brazilian Real |
0,33L of water (bottle) | 0,6 € / 2,45 BRL |
1 simple meal | 5,1 € / 20 BRL |
1 transport ticket | 0,9 € / 3,5 BRL |
Brazilian culture really reflects the country: its richness, its ethnic mix and its dynamics can be found in its music (Samba, bossa-nova are the result of the Amerindian, Portuguese and African heritage), in its cuisine… Many of the preparation techniques are of indigenous origin, but have been adapted by slaves and Portuguese. The slaves made their own recipes by replacing the ingredients they lacked with local ingredients. Feijoada, the typical local dish, is a good example. Alcoholic beverages were brought by the Portuguese, like the cachaça made in Brazil.
Brazilian cinema became famous in the 1950s with the arrival of cinema novo but quickly faded with the telenovelas of the 1990s…
Vaccines and specific advice:
Find out about the vaccines you should make before going to this country and about the preventive and/or treatment measures for local diseases.
Checklist :
- Vaccine updates, specific vaccines: 1-3 months before departure
- Visit your doctor for any health problem, prescription renewal, contraception, etc. In addition, you will need to send your coordinator a certificate from your doctor certifying that you are well suited to take part in an international volunteering project.
- Dentist: a dental check-up can be useful before going!
Our partner ITV (Instituto Tocando em Você) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization created in 2000 by the Educart group, aiming to democratize a major cultural action through educational, artistic, therapeutic, technological and professional projects, based on respect for human diversity and the fight against social exclusion.
Casa Madre Giovanna was created in 1995 by a Catholic congregation to support disadvantaged children who remained on the streets. Its objective is to welcome children and adolescents aged 6 to 16 from the favelas and to develop personal and social skills, knowledge and values, while supporting mothers so that they can have a stable job.
PROCEDURE TO OBTAIN A VISA
You do not need a visa for a stay of less than 90 days in Brazil. All you need is your valid passport for at least six months and a return ticket.
For a period of more than three months, we invite you to consult the Embassy’s website before any departure in order to be informed of any changes.
- Embassy of Brazil in the USA
3006 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20008-3634
United States
Phone +1-202-2382805
Fax +1-202-2382827
Email [email protected]
Website URL www.brasilemb.org
- Embassy of Brazil in Canada
450 Wilbrod Street
K1N 6M8
Ottawa
Ontario
Canada
Phone +613-237-1090
+613-755-5160
Fax +613-237-6144
Email [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Website URL http://ottawa.itamaraty.gov.br/pt-br/
- Embassy of Brazil in the UK
14-16 Cockspur Street
SW1Y 5BL
London
United Kingdom
Phone +44-20-7747-4500
Fax +44- 20-7747-4555
Email [email protected]
Website URL www.brazil.org.uk