General Basic Tips about Rio and Brazil

So you finally made the decision to take the plunge and go to Rio and even bought your ticket! Make sure you have your visa (yes Brazil requires a visa for certain countries, including the USA, Canada, it's no big deal to obtain one, but I'll cover that aspect in more detail in a future post, but make sure you have a valid visa before getting on the plane or you will not be admitted in Brazil!) and you have your ticket. Congratulations! Let me tell you that you're about to embark on the greatest vacation of your life. A vacation that will mark you forever, as it has for everyone that visited this enchanging land of Terra Brasilis. However, before you go, there are a few basic things you must keep in mind to make the very best of your trip.

First and foremost, in Brazil, the language spoken is NOT Spanish, but Portuguese. However, when investing in a course or a language book, make sure you get a Brazilian Portuguese and not a continental Portuguese (from Portugal) as the two are quite different, almost two different languages. The expressions, the vocabulary as well as the pronunciation are very different.

A lot of times, I hear people say and ask whether speaking Spanish will do it in Brazil. I shrug whenever I hear that. How would you feel if a foreigner were to start talking to you, in your country, in say German or Greek. To say that you would not be very pleased or impressed is a major understatement. Having made that point very clear, investing the time to learn the language (Brazilian Portuguese, remember? ;) ), will bear amazing fruits. You do not have to immerse totally into the language, but even as little as say 1 hour a day will do wonders. A good point to start with this is the Pimsleur Brazilian Portuguese 3 set cds. It's a very efficient and fast way to be able to learn the basics. Needless to say that even being able to say just basic things will make your trip so much more enjoyable.

Another key point that a lot people forget when they travel to Brazil and that is come as light as you can. Why? Simply because you won't need half of the things you might think you'd need while in Brazil. This is a tropical country, with a hot weather, specially in Rio, in the west and the north of the country. In the south, it's another story, depending on the time of the year you're travelling. Keep in mind that in Brazil, seasons are reversed compared to North America and Europe. Indeed, Brazil being in the southern hemisphere, summer in Brazil runs from November to March, while winter is June to September.

Also, everything you need is available in Brazil at half the price (if not cheaper but for the same quality if not higher!) of what you would pay in your country (if you're travelling from North America, Europe or Japan). Brazilian clothing are very nice, colorful and quite fashionable. You'll get a lot of compliments from your friends and family back home when you return with your clothings Made in Brazil. So come light, and get things as you need them.

Stay tuned for a more practical tips in the next post.

Payman.