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Living and Teaching English in Brazil - Habits, Customs & Curiosities

Brazil is not only the largest country in South America, but also one of the most popular destinations in the region.

Millions of people visit the country every year, many of whom decide to stay and teach English as a foreign language.

The demand for qualified teachers is high and the career opportunities abundant.

To help you decide whether Brazil is a suitable destination for you we offer the following guides on things to do before and during your trip, what to pack to travel to Brazil, as well as the best places to see in the country.

If you want to travel to Brazil, be sure to have a valid passport and visa ready (for some countries). Remember that the official language in Brazil is Portuguese and you should learn a few basic words and phrases before you go. And the extraordinary Amazon rainforest which is home to a huge number of species including forest toucans, jaguars, piranhas and monkeys.

It is also recommended to get vaccinations against yellow fever, typhoid and malaria before arrival. Some of the most popular attractions in Brazil include the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches, the Brazilian Carnaval. You can also find out what time of the year is best to go to Brazil in this interesting infographic.

Of the roughly 176 million native Portuguese speakers in the world, 165 million live in Brazil. Much like the difference between British and American English, the differences between Standard Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese mostly include pronunciation and vocabulary.

While the Portuguese spoken in Portugal and in Brazil are mutually intelligible, they are still quite different in some aspects. Brazilian vocabulary includes a lot of loan words from languages like Italian, Spanish, German and even Japanese. The syntax of Brazilian Portuguese also differs from Standard Portuguese.

The Amazon rainforest covers over 1 billion acres and stretches between Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia, as well as the Eastern Andean region of Ecuador and Peru. On top of that, it is estimated that 90% of the plants in the rainforest have not been studied by modern science, which means the cure to diseases like cancer or Aids could be growing there and we don’t even know it.

More than half of the world’s estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in the Amazon rainforest. Unfortunately, in the course of the past 12 years, the size of the rainforest has decreased tremendously.

The Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil was completed in 1931 and is located on Mt. Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. Every year, four million visitors travel to the statue making it the most photographed location in Brazil.

The statue is the fifth largest statue of Jesus in the world and also considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world. Once you reach the top, you get spectacular views of downtown Rio, the bay, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana Beach and Ipanema Beach.

When thinking of Brazil, many people might imagine the famous Copacabana and the crystal clear ocean. But there’s a lot more to Brazil than just its beaches. If you are looking for something a bit more adrenaline fueled, you might want to try Amazon surfing in Sao Domingos. The park is home to glow in the dark termite mounds that are a truly unique attraction.

When in Brazil, be sure to visit the famous Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, a beautiful opera house and home to the Amazon Philharmonic. For natural beauty, try the white sand dunes and ice blue lagoons of Lencois Maranhenses in Barreirinhas, or the Emas National Park in Alto Paraiso.

When visiting Brazil, be sure to pack light. One large backpack or suitcase should be enough to avoid expensive extra charges. Don’t forget to bring a voltage converter and camera equipment.

It is recommended to pack one pair of jeans and one pair of convertible pants. Due to Brazil’s hot climate, be sure to pack two pairs of shorts, a couple of t-shirts, swimwear and a rain coat just in case.