Brazil

"The time I have spent in Brazil has been one of the most rewarding, unique, and inspiring times in my life. My host family has been more then hospitable; they have made me feel right at home in an unfamiliar place. After three months of living in Brazil, I can honestly say that I feel like I am actually a part of their family. It has been a wonderful experience tutoring them in conversational English and learning a little Portuguese and a lot about the Brazilian culture along the way!" - Shinay T, Brazil OET

Programs Available: Overseas English Tutor

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Overview | Culture | Sightseeing | History | Money Matters | Support | Map

Overview:

Brazil, the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world, is a fascinating country, rich in fertile lands, natural resources, beauty and culture. Brazil is a land of superlatives... with the world's largest river, largest rain forest, tallest palm trees, biggest national park, highest waterfalls, deepest gold mine, heaviest rainfall and even the largest oysters, freshwater fish, frogs, alligators and snakes! It is also a land full of promise, whose unofficial motto is "The country of the future." Brasilia, its exciting new capital, is the best symbol of this goal.

Brazil has five distinct regions: north, northeast, southeast, south, and central-west. The Amazon, the world's largest river, traverses lush rain forests in the north. Tropical grasslands and savannas extend across the sparsely populated central-west region. The northeast's vast stretches of land are commonly subject to droughts. The southeast, which is the most populated and industrialized region, is rich in minerals and natural resources. Agriculture and manufacturing are common in the south.

The country is south of the equator and has a mostly tropical climate. Humidity is high in coastal and forest regions, but the highlands have a more moderate climate. The south is more temperate than the north. The warmest month is January; the coolest is July. Freezing temperatures are possible in the southernmost areas.

Currently, OET positions are available in the following cities:

Blumenau, Brasília, Caxias do Sul, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Guarapuava, Londrina, Manaus, Maringá, Niterói, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Vitória.

Information on each city can be found at www.braziltour.com

Culture:

Population

The population of Brazil is approximately 176 million and is growing at a rate of nearly 1% per year. More than 80 percent of the people live in cities. The two largest cities of the southeast, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, together hold some 40 million people. Brasília, the capital, is a planned city that was completed in 1960; its population now numbers more than two million.

About 45 percent of the population is younger than age 20. Brazilians of European (mostly Portuguese) descent comprise 55 percent of the population, while 38 percent is of mixed heritage and 6 percent is of Black African descent. There are only about 300,000 Native Americans in Brazil. Many of them inhabit the Amazon region (some groups have never been contacted by modern society). Brazil is also home to the largest community of Japanese outside of Japan. The black population descended from African slaves brought to Brazil before the 1880s; they live mostly in northeastern states like Bahia.

Language

Portuguese is Brazil's official language. It differs slightly in pronunciation from the Portuguese spoken in Portugal. English and French are popular second languages. Although Portuguese speakers generally understand Spanish, some Brazilians are offended when deliberately spoken to in Spanish. In southern cities, some descendants of European immigrants also speak German or Italian. Indigenous peoples speak a variety of more than one hundred languages.

Religion

Brazil traditionally has been a strong Roman Catholic country. Since the founding of the republic in 1889, there has been a separation of church and state, and religious freedom has been guaranteed. Although Brazilians consider themselves quite religious, most attend church only on special occasions. Some in the northeast and in urban areas countrywide practice Afro-Brazilian religions that combine various indigenous African beliefs with Catholicism.

General Attitudes

Brazilians are warm, fun loving, and free spirited. They are also outgoing and enjoy being around others. At the same time, they are hardworking. Brazilians are proud of the Portuguese heritage that sets them apart from other Latin American peoples. Brazilians often are opinionated and will argue for their conviction with a vigor that may seem like anger but is not. In spite of economic difficulties, most Brazilians are hopeful about their country's future as a stable democracy with a strong, growing economy.

Social status commonly is measured by one's power to acquire possessions. Brazilians in the north and northeast regions and small inland towns are traditionally more conservative. Folklore is stronger in these areas; traditional religious and military celebrations are also more common.

Customs

In formal situations, Brazilians greet each other with a handshake. A common greeting among friends, except from one male to another, is to embrace and kiss on alternating cheeks or touch cheeks and "kiss the air." The U.S. American "OK" sign, with the thumb and index finger forming a circle, is an offensive gesture. Brazilians tend to stand close and touch each other often during conversation. Eye contact is important. Passing between conversing individuals is rude. Brazilians are polite in crowds. Men tend to stare at and make comments about women passing by. This is not considered rude and generally is ignored by the women.

Dining & Food

Brazilians value mealtime with family and friends. Extended family members often gather together for lunch on Sundays. Brazilians eat in the continental style, with the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left. After-meal conversation often takes place over a cup of strong cafezinho (black coffee).

Staple foods in the Brazilian diet include meat, bread, rice, beans, cheese, and eggs. Breakfast usually consists of café com leite (coffee with milk), fruit, and bread with marmalade. Lunch is the main meal and often includes beans, rice, meat, salad, potatoes, bread, and fruit. Dinner is lighter and may include a bowl of soup with bread, followed by coffee or milk with a piece of cake. Common drinks include lemonade, milk, fruit juices and shakes, soft drinks, coffee, and mate (MAH-tay), an herbal tea enjoyed in southern states.

Sightseeing:

The Amazon

For those with a love of mind-boggling numbers: the Amazon basin contains 6 million sq km of river and jungle and spans eight countries. Just over half is in Brazil. There are 80,000 kilometres of navigable rivers, and ocean-going vessels can sail 3500 km inland up the mainstream to Iquitos, Peru. Travellers enter the Amazon by bus, boat and air. Within the Amazon, boats are definitely the transport of choice, but flying can save a lot of time, is sometimes quite affordable, and most larger Amazon cities have airports.

Iguacu Falls

The stupendous roar of 275 different waterfalls crashing 80 m (262 ft) into the Rio Iguaçu means that even on the sleepiest, hottest afternoon, nature's relentless churning power will stir your heart here. The falls are actually divided between Brazil and Argentina. The best time to visit is between August and November. To see the falls properly, you must visit both sides - Brazil gives the grand overview and Argentina the closer look. The Brazilian side has far fewer attractions than the Argentine side; and the costs are higher here if you want to arrange an under-the-falls boat trip. There are, however, some adventures unique to this side, including combination kayaking-hiking trips and rafting trips.

Parque Nacional Sete Cidades

Ancient rock paintings, arches and caves grace Parque Nacional Sete Cidades, and just the highly unusual rock formations rising up from the surrounding flat, dry land make a memorable sight. Some people, educated scientists among them, claim the rocks are everything from seven ruined, 190 million-year-old cities to alien creations.

Rio de Janeiro

The cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city) is one of the most densely populated places on earth. The Cariocas - as the inhabitants are called - thrive on dance, drink, beach, sport and sun. It's a city of Dionysian spirit whose people live life head-first. The international tourist crowd take advantage of Rio's ritzy side - there are innumerable opportunities to be decadent. But Rio also has much to offer the budget traveller. There are cheap hotels and restaurants aplenty, and the beach is a free entertainment zone. Carnaval is often a more important consideration than weather for travellers deciding when to come to Rio. The city is in full party mode, and the excitement on the streets is unsurpassable.

History:

Brazil does not have a written history prior to the arrival of Europeans, but various groups inhabited the area when Pedro Álvarez Cabral arrived in 1500 and claimed the region for Portugal. The Portuguese colonized Brazil; the French and Dutch both attempted to establish colonies but eventually were driven out. After Spain conquered Portugal, it controlled Brazil from 1580 to 1640. Colonization took several decades, and expansion did not really begin until after 1650.

When Napoleon captured Spain and Portugal (1808), the South American colonies were initially liberated from European control. However, the Portuguese royal family soon fled to Brazil and established Rio de Janeiro as the seat of the Portuguese Empire. Brazil then ceased to be a colony and became part of the Portuguese kingdom. The royal family returned to Portugal in 1821, leaving Dom Pedro I to govern. He declared Brazil's independence in 1822 after people in Portugal demanded that Brazil be returned to colonial status. His son, Dom Pedro II, was deposed in an 1889 military coup.

Since then, the military seized control five times, although with relatively little violence. The dictator Getúlio Vargas ruled from 1930 to 1945, followed by elected presidents. A 1964 coup gave the military control until a return to civilian rule in 1985. A new constitution was ratified in 1988.

Elections in 1989 brought conservative Fernando Collor de Mello to office as the first directly elected president in 29 years. Collor's economic austerity campaign and corrupt activities crippled the economy. In a historic test of democracy, Brazil succeeded in removing the president from office by legal, constitutional means. Before impeachment proceedings could be carried out, however, Collor resigned in December 1992.

Vice President Itamar Franco assumed the presidency until elections in October 1994. Franco's finance minister, Fernando Cardoso, introduced an anti-inflation plan so successful, the economy began to boom in 1994. Cardoso, who had spent years in exile after the 1964 military coup, eventually upset the front-running presidential candidate and later became the first Brazilian president to be elected to a second consecutive term. In 2003, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected as the first left-oriented President.

Money Matters:

Domestic air travel is well developed between hundreds of local airports. Travel by intercity bus is more common, although buses tend to be crowded. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have rapid transit systems. City buses do not stop automatically; people must hail them with the wave of a hand. Readily available in large cities, taxis with red license plates have fixed meter rates.

In restaurants, diners call the server by holding up the index finger or by softly saying garçom. While the bill usually includes the tip, one may leave extra change. If the tip is not included, leaving 10 to 15 percent is customary.

Some sample costs:

• T-Shirt: $8.50
• Loaf of bread: $0.75
• 1.5-litre bottled water: $1.25
• Draft beer: $1.50
• Juice: $1.75

Support During Your Placement:

We will be available to give you any support, advice, or guidance you may need with any issues. There will always be an emergency number for you to contact. Our aim is to ensure that you have a happy and successful experience during your stay in Brazil.