Your bags are packed, your plane ticket paid for and you can’t wait to get to Brazil! Here are a few things to know about Brazil and its people before you get there!
1. Everybody’s an Extrovert
That’s a bit of an exaggeration; however, the culture is vivacious and will definitely pull you out of your cocoon so you can enjoy the best of your vacation. Brazilians are expressive and loud too while at it. As you can expect, there will be blaring car horns, loud conversations and hearty laughter, all at a decibel level you may not be used to.
2. English Is Not That Commonly Spoken
Interestingly, Brazilians speak Portuguese in a continent that is largely Spanish speaking. Not many of them speak English especially once you leave the larger cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Because they are a welcoming and hospitable people, they will find a way to get their message across to you. It is wise to have a phrase book in hand and to learn a few common phrases as well.
3. Delightful Juice Bars
The juice bars can be found on just about every street. These are a delight to the senses since there are so many exotic fruits in Brazil. They create the most heavenly fruit drinks, which they call sucos. You can expect the delicacies to whip up an awesome smoothie or juice to go with your sandwich. The fruits in this country are delicious and very juicy, making the juices an absolute must taste.
4. Take It Outdoors
Vacationing in Brazil will soon have you agreeing with us that this is an outdoor world. From backyard barbecues to sidewalk cafes, everything just seems to be outside. The outdoor culture is what Brazilians revel in so get ready to enjoy the wonders of this tropical land. Everything from jungles, amazing wildlife, waterfalls, and beaches can be found here. With 45% of American vacationers making their way to the beach according to Statistic Brain, this is ideal.
5. An Amazon City
Did you know that one of the largest cities in Brazil sits inside the Amazon Rainforest? Manaus is a city that was built halfway up the great river, the Amazon. This is also the intersection of the Amazon and the Rio Negro. This city has modern factories and office buildings as well as docks where ferryboats do brisk business carrying both passengers and products up and down these two enormous rivers.
6. Parties Are a Big Deal
Brazil is not the land of Carnival for nothing. Parties are important here. In fact, this is where you can find two of the biggest parties the world over – New Year’s Reveillon Celebration and Carnival. There are many regional celebrations through the year as well as religious holidays and art promotions. There are many free music festivals, outdoor concerts and more. U.S. News has a wonderful list of some of them.
7. Rhythm Rules
Brazilians have a way of improvising when it comes to themes of music. This means that the quality and quantity of musical styles and rhythms in Brazil is unrivaled. Here you can find Samba, Bossa Nova, afoxe, lundu, ijexa, maracatu, frevo and axe among a myriad of others.