Brazil-Travel Warnings

Holidays and Days off

When traveling to Brazil there are a few dates one might keep in mind. If your study abroad or volunteering program happens to be during some of the holidays you will have a great chance to learn even more about Brazil’s culture and traditions.
• New Year’s Day is known as Ano Nove locally, but worldwide it goes by the name of Revillon. The city of Rio de Janeiro usually holds up to 2 million people who gather to revel all night and than all day bringing in the New Year.
• In late February and early March, the Carnival Rio takes place during the 5 days up to Ash Wednesday. The carnival is such an anticipated time; there are events all over Brazil celebrating the carnival a few days before it even begins.
• September 7th is Independence Day.
• Christmas officially starts on December 24, and Christmas Day is known locally as Feliz Natal. This day is the height of the summer season in Brazil!

Customs Rules

When entering Brazil during your volunteer abroad program there are few tips on how to make the customs control process less stressful. Any import of video and audio equipment that is not Brazilian manufactured will be taxed. Items such as radio receivers, CD players, video cameras, or laptops will be considered duty-free items. Drugs, fire-arms, ammunition, medicines, and radioactive materials are automatically banned items of import/export. Import/export of a foreign currency is not limited.

Communication

While volunteering in Brazil it is important to know the means of communication that are available on the streets of this South American country. Yellow payphones are intended for intercity calls, while dark blue are for interstate and international communication. Red city phones work with phone cards that can be purchased in a variety of places. To call to Brazil from another country you need to dial IAC + 8-10-55 (a code of the country) 21 (a code of Rio de Janeiro) and than the eight digit number you are trying to reach.

Tipping

When participating in a volunteer abroad program in Brazil, it is almost certain that you will visit restaurants to taste the local cuisine. Here are some of the guidelines on when and how much to tip depending on the location .  At restaurants and bars 10 %  is considered decent, unless service charges are already included. In cheap snack bars, 1-2 reals will do. At a cafe on the beach tips are not accepted, but the porter in the hotel or airport will expect at least 1 real.

Safety

Brazil is listed as a top ten worst crime rates countries in the world. Carrying expensive jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuables around would be a mistake. If you are there on a volunteering or studying program, some of the local guides will give you detailed instructions as on how to avoid any unnecessary incidents.

Emergency Phones

When you travel and volunteer abroad, be prepared for any emergency. If it is necessary to notify proper authorities while you are in Brazil, these are some of the numbers you can use:
Fire protection - 193
Police - 190
First aid - 192
Tourist police - 511-51-12