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When people think about Brazil it's about Carnival, jungle or football. This amazing country is more than that!

Brazil is really big and because of that, you can find different places, climates, customs, accents, and food.  And also has influences of other cultures that affect food, festivities, and the way of living.

First of all, you can find the most beautiful beaches in the northeast of the country with amazing food like acarajé and moqueca. In the north are Amazonian Forest and really special products in culinary: tacacá, duck in tucupi, and a Brazilian nut called "castanha-do-Pará".
You can see "Cerrado" in the middle of the country when you eat rice and chicken with pequi (special yellow fruit). In the southeast, there's Rio de Janeiro with an amazing view of Sugarloaf mountain, beautiful beaches, hot weather, and surf!
If you are more a city person without beaches, you can also go to São Paulo there's plenty to do there.
The south of Brazil has a strong European influence, the culture, climate, and constructions reflect that.

Wherever you go in Brazil you can find amazing food, hospitality, fun, and beauty.
There's nothing in the world that sounds like Brazil and brazilians, but it's plenty of the world in Brazil!

Written by Vitória

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June festivities decoration (gently called as little flags)

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When you think about Brazil I assume that two things come to your mind are: carnival and football. Although this things are important for Brazil, I'll present other celebration that aren't very known outside Brazil.

One important thing to know before I tell you more about our celebrations is that in Brazil, with a little will, everything becomes festive, even funerals (yes, I know you don't believe me now). So knowing this thing, let me tell you more about June Festivities.

The June Festivities is a traditional festival and it's very popular in all over the country, especially in the brazilian northeast. It was brought to Brazil by the influence of the Portuguese in the 16th century. It's a christian festival to celebrate important figures of Catholicism, such as Saint Anthony (celebrated on June 13), Saint John (24) and Saint Peter (29).

In June (and July, sometimes), these festivals happens almost every weekend and in the beggining it was celebrated in the churchs. It still happens this days, but nowadays is very common that friends and families meet to celebrate the June Festivities. There are traditional activities, for example a typical dance called quadrilha. Like almost every celebration in Brazil, normally each one takes a typical dish and they decorate the place with typical June festivities decoration (like in the photo).

Talking about food, some traditional June festivities dishes are: maize (roasted, on cake and many other forms), paçoca, pinhão, pamonha, rice pudding, quentão, etc. There are a lot of options of traditional dishes in those festivities (and this are my favorite part, if I'm allowed to say).

If you have the opportunity to come in June to Brazil, I strongly recommend that you do, promise you won't regret it. Besides the celebrations, obviously Brazil has lots of other things for you to know and enjoy. Moreover, as a Brazilian, I can affirm that we are a welcoming people and that loves to meet new people and introduce our country to them.

Giovanna Negri

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If you want to have unique experiences abroat, studying or visiting Brazil can be a great option for you! It can be a lot different compared to your culture and here are some curiosities about our country.

First, we don't have so much formality in our current life, things here usually aren't strict at all. Brazillians are very receptive and you can make friends easily! But because of it, here goes a warning, If you are having a party or a meeting with your friends at some hour, go expecting that they rarely get in time.

Talking about the meals, it's not so common to eat a large quantity of food in the breakfast. Usually we eat only a loaf of bread and a cup of coffee at 6 am.
Our lunch is the main meal, usually at 12pm or later when it's in the weekends. It's very common to see people eating rice and beans with some meat or other food companions. The dinner can be between 18 and 20 hours and people generally eat like in the lunch or there are the ones that prefer lighter food.

People here likes a lot to celebrate any date and almost every weekend there is barbecue. Come here expecting well-seasoned dishes and a lot of delicious snacks like coxinha, pastel, brigadeiro, paçoca and others.

Furthermore, Brazil is a large country with a mixture of cultures, lots of touristic places and beautiful landscapes.

So, I'm sure you won't regret to visit and stay at least a little in our country!

By Letícia

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Food is really important topic on Brazilians lives. It's so not only because we like to eat, but mostly due to the social and cultural element attached to it. The food of a country tells the history and composition of the people who grew there, and would be a great thing if you could also be part of this process in your exchange experience. I hope this advices help you attain that.

First of all, Brazilian food are well known for it spices and great flavor. Here we traditionally use a lot of native condiments, which can be a little extra for foreign people, who aren't used to this strong taste. You should always try these new dishes, even though at first you strange it. I'm sure you won't regret it.

Actually, refusing to eat someone's food here can be seen as a rude gesture. So, especially if the person cooking is from your host family, you should always make an effort to have new experiences, for instance, with our feijoada, or the typical main course: rice and bens.

Another nice thing to know is that not always the expensive is the best. You can find great restaurants having a low budget, and I'm sure you will find a couple of places that call your attention nearby where you are staying. Would be interesting to go this places and get connected with the people that work or attend there, in order to really fell that community spirit so appreciated by us.

To sum up, my recommendation is to use our great cultural value of food to make real connections with Brazilians. You certainly will find a lot of nice life stories and the best dishes you can eat.

Carolina

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If you are coming as an exchange student to Brazil, you will need to know a lot of things about our culture that not everyone talks about. Apart from the very well known Carnival, Brazilians celebrate Festa Junina, a festival that happens in June that is countryside inspired and has a lot of delicious food, a lot of them corn-based. In the countryside city’s is very popular the Expo Agro, a festival with live shows and that have agribusiness events too.

The food in the country is very diverse and varies from state to state. In general, food is quite cheap and one tip is going to self service restaurants, that offer food at a reasonable price. Brazilians normally eat a very light breakfast, generally bread, fruits and latte. The lunch is the most important meal time in our culture. A typical plate is composed by salad, rice and beans, a steak and some other thing. At night people can make dinner or eat fast food.

It doesn't matter if you stay in a house or apartment, never throw toilet paper into the toilet. This clogs the tubulation and you can cause a lot of trouble, so throw the toilet paper in a bin that is next to the toilet.

Be aware of the greetings because Brazilians are very warm people and like to be close to others, but as a foreign you can feel a little uncomfortable by the invasion of personal space. Generally, Brazilians greet each other with kisses on the cheek, the quantity varies from state to state, and for greetings between men, they shake hands. To sum up, Brazil has a very diverse culture and a lot to offer so enjoy your stay!

By Isabela Suardi

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In Brazil there is a diversity of traditional foods spread throughout the country, our most famous dish is de feijoada  known all over the world.
Feijoada is our traditional food, but Brazil is big and we have other types of tarditional food.
when you choose what to try,remember the variety because we have many variety such as vatapá , moqueca, polenta and acarajé, and it dependes on where you are going to be.
we also have a variety of street food such as savoty snacks, chesse bread, pasteis and coxinha.
and if you are hosted in a house, make sure you eat the very traditional rice and beans, meat and salad and french fries ( an egg on top  of the steak) that is not lacking  on the Brazilian table.
regardless of what you choose,don´t forget  to try it, have fun, take a pictures to show you colleagues and to remember the wonderful Brazilian cuisine.

Bon appétit.
Sarah

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Coming to Brazil can be amazing, but will be better if you know some things before. With this text you can find out more about the country and some habits.

Probably you have already heard about the delicious food of Brazil, but it is necessary to remember that the country is enormous, so here we have many types of food and ingredients, before you enjoy the food you can ask someone about the taste and things of the meal , to avoid to be sick or have allergies. If you eat meat, don’t forget to try the Brazilian barbecue, it can be different in some parts of the country, but generally its a good meal.

Now some tips about celebrations. Brazil have many holidays, so you can find it always. The main celebrations are carnival, christmas, new year’s eve and some saints celebrations. In generally all places to relax are disputed, but on this dates the beaches are full, so if you don't like crowded places, is not the better place for you.

Finally it’s necessary talk about money, if you have dollar, euro or libra, the country is a good place for you, because the dollar is more stronger than real(currency of Brazil), but remember, always is necessary respect your budget and plan.

Enjoy your time!
By: Giovani

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A plate of rice and beans, very popular in Brazil.

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If you are planning to visit Brazil, mainly you are an American or a European, you have to know that we are a bit different compared to your culture!

For example, here our most important meal is lunch (at middle day). Compared to other cultures, here we eat more at lunch, not at breakfast (when we usually eat only bread, fruit and drink a mug of coffee).

At lunch, employers give a big time (1:30 or 2 hours) to people to have a great meal. Depending on the location you are going to, you often can eat meat, salads or other plates, but in every situation you will eat rice and beans, because they are the most important cultural foods in the whole of Brazil.

In addition, at the dinner, Brazilians are very flexible. Depending on the case, people eat the same things (and quantity) at lunch or do only a fast meal, like a sandwich, cookies and milk, salads or a fruit.

FinaIly, it is important to know Brazilians eat snacks all they long, more often in the middle of the morning, afternoon and before going to sleep. Snacks in Brazil could be a fruit, a salad, a cookie or a dessert, or the so-called “salgados” like “coxinha”, a very popular and tasty snack in Brazil!

By: Matheus

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For those looking to study and learn about a new culture, choosing to come to brazil can be a great option.

First of all, Brazil is capable of offering a huge change in many aspects of a person's daily life.

When it comes to language, Portuguese is a very rich language and although at first it seems difficult, people from abroad may be surprised by the knowledge of other languages, ​​such as English and Spanish, by Brazilians, which facilitates learning.

Living in Brazil, even if only for a few months, can also provide a fantastic experience of a culture totally different from any other part of the world.

Brazilians can be very receptive and warm, which allows foreign students to adapt much more comfortably.

Finally, if you still have any doubts, ask anyone who has been to Brazil, the experience is unforgettable.

Ricardo.

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I decided to write this text to help you on your exchange.

Brazil is known for football and carnival, but there are many different things that represent us better. When it comes to celebrations, we have some traditional ones such as Festa Junina, on this occasion we prepare some special recipes such as peanut candy, hominy, pumpkin candy, corn cake and other corn stuff. We wear special outfits, usually a kind of patchwork, straw hat and boots. Something very important to say about these celebrations is that each region has its way of celebrating, this information is from the South and Southeast.

The country has 26 states in addition to the federal district (Brasilia), as I said before, there are many traditions, so food could not be different. But, there's one meal you'll find no matter where you stay, our famous rice and beans. Every Brazilian family home has rice and beans, these foods are the basis of our diet. We call it “PF”, this dish consists of rice, beans, a type of meat, salad and sometimes French fries. It may sound very simple, but it's very delicious. Be sure to try it when you're here.

Speaking of food, here we don't have an exact time for meals, but generally people start studying and working until 8am, so breakfast happens before that. Lunch at 12:00 and dinner depends on the house's routine, in which case you should talk to your family.

I hope you enjoy your time.

By: Karine Ozio

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LET’S GO TO BRAZIL Brazil, in South America, is a big and wonderful country. There are three important things, in my opinion, that I’ll write here: map, food and celebration.It’s famous because of the tropical Amazon rainforest. The green area is an important ecosystem, considered the breath of the world. There are different plants, seeds and animals, normally used for medicine, research and food. In general, they control the planet’s climate. The Amazon River is the largest one on Earth. But, we need to pay attention, because all of this ecosystem is at risk.Our sea map is beautiful. In the North East, we can visit Fernando Noronha, Porto de Galinhas, João Pessoa, Maceió, Salvador and any more beaches, with wonderful sight views, with their blue sky, the fresh weather and the agreable breeze. Don’t forget to drink coconut water.   However, Brazilian food is diversified. In the South, the traditional barbecue is considered the most important plate. It tastes so good. The colonial tea is so famous too, and you can prove a differente goodies. On the other side, in Minas Gerais, the “feijoada” is the most relevant dish. It’s made with beans, a sort of pig meat, rice, cabbage and crumbs. It 's delicious.About the brazilian’s celebrations, the most important is the Carnival. It’s a popular and annual festival, where the people play and sing during four days. In general, there are parades with samba schools for following in the street or to be watched. Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo do enormous parades and in Bahia we can listen to the Afro-Brazilians rhythm in the “trio elétrico”.Brazil is a strong country. Naturally, his map, food and celebrations increase the economic system and his cultural life. I hope you can visit us.ANGELA GALIZZI VIEIRA GOMIDE

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LET’S GO TO BRAZIL Brazil, in South America, is a big and wonderful country. There are three important things, in my opinion, that I’ll write here: map, food and celebration.It’s famous because of the tropical Amazon rainforest. The green area is an important ecosystem, considered the breath of the world. There are different plants, seeds and animals, normally used for medicine, research and food. In general, they control the planet’s climate. The Amazon River is the largest one on Earth. But, we need to pay attention, because all of this ecosystem is at risk.Our sea map is beautiful. In the North East, we can visit Fernando Noronha, Porto de Galinhas, João Pessoa, Maceió, Salvador and any more beaches, with wonderful sight views, with their blue sky, the fresh weather and the agreable breeze. Don’t forget to drink coconut water.   However, Brazilian food is diversified. In the South, the traditional barbecue is considered the most important plate. It tastes so good. The colonial tea is so famous too, and you can prove a differente goodies. On the other side, in Minas Gerais, the “feijoada” is the most relevant dish. It’s made with beans, a sort of pig meat, rice, cabbage and crumbs. It 's delicious.About the brazilian’s celebrations, the most important is the Carnival. It’s a popular and annual festival, where the people play and sing during four days. In general, there are parades with samba schools for following in the street or to be watched. Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo do enormous parades and in Bahia we can listen to the Afro-Brazilians rhythm in the “trio elétrico”.Brazil is a strong country. Naturally, his map, food and celebrations increase the economic system and his cultural life. I hope you can visit us.ANGELA GALIZZI VIEIRA GOMIDE

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As a Brazilian and an inner-explorer of my own culture, I bring here some tips which I am sure will help you in your staying experience in my home country.  First of all I have to remind you Brazil is really huge so it is difficult to find the same house rules or meal times among the families. But you do not have to worry about it, because people here are receptive.

A very good way to start relating with Brazilians is to exchange experiences or gifts mainly whether you are from outside. They will like to talk or receive something that is possible to share with their families and friends, and they will also like to give things to you. The family is an important thing for them, so you should participate in events that include all the people, especially meals on Sunday. Regarding this point, you will be able to notice your homestay family will expect opening from you, not formality. Therefore, be polite and kind, but not formal because it is not usual among family members.

By the way, if your aim is to know their culture, becoming a family member is the best choice to get there. Due to their known hospitality, if you always behave like an foreign they will pamper you and not let you do daily life things such as buy French Bread for breakfast. And finally, remember to celebrate all the time you are together because Brazilians appreciate that

Written by Winni

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If you want a place to know, have a good time and mostly to study and learn about culture, Brazil could be an excellent idea! But like every place we have our particularite, so this article would to help you to learn more about this beautiful country and how to enjoying in the best way possible this great opportunity.

Let's start with an important point: food! In Brazil we eat a lot of things that maybe have a different preparation than in your country, like rice and beans since we use a lot of spices in our food. Try to enjoy our cooking because this is an important thing to us brazilians.

I also need to explain to you that we love celebrations, especially the traditional ones. Yes, I talk about the carnival too, but there is one celebration in the middle of the year that is super loved by Brazilians, named Festa Junina which has a lot of traditional food, drinks, music and dances.

And the last thing, remember that in Brazil we don’t have any dressing rules, the important thing is feeling good and comfortable, but you can be surprised with the climate variations, so be prepared for all the seasons. Finally, don’t forget that we are super friendly people, so don’t be afraid to make good friends and explore our culture and nature the best way possible!

By: Maria Eduarda Lima

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As Brazil is an ethnic mix, all the families are different. The culture is so variable that your experience depends on where you'll go. Nevertheless, some things are crucial to all Brazilians, and you should know if you wanna visit us.

We have three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast and dinner have different hours, but the sacred lunch hour is noon. Breakfast always has a coffee (or a latte) and bread, typically, and at lunch and dinner, the side dishes could change, but the masterpiece is always rice, beans, meat, and salad.

According to where you visit, you can taste typical foods like chili ones in Nordeste, chocolate in Gramado, and espresso in São Paulo. If you want a place with all the types of food, you should go to São Paulo or Rio.

At least, even if you're not a tourist, there are some celebrations you should see like a carnival, Christmas and New Year. It's when all country is decorated with lights and pretty things. It's so colorful. Brazil is a good place to travel, with a lot of cultures and foods. You should come to visit here at least once!

Larissa Ayumi Taira

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In Brazil, there are different types of families, and each of them has been different. But most Brazilians are known for being very warm and affectionate people, who make friends easily with strangers. Brazilians find the opportunity to meet someone new and talk about various subjects like politics, sports, religion, personal values.

In addition to that in cooking, Brazilians are used to typical foods, striking tastes and flavors, the popular rice and beans, we also have the famous feijoada, which is wonderful!! But you may feel this difference, so go out now of the country prepared for a new experience. Oh and if you go to a restaurant, some charge the service fee for the waiters, but if they don't, the tip is optional, you don't have to pay.

In Brazil, it is common for the worker to receive a fixed monthly salary, so come prepared with money for the whole month, here it is not common to earn for the hours worked.

The parties in brazil are very lively, we have the traditional carnival in February, I recommend you go sometime, especially to the carnival held in the streets. In June we have the traditional June festivals, enjoy dancing and the food served, everything is very delicious!! and finally remember to take advantage of your stay in Brazil, to get to know a culture very different from yours in the USA.

By Ana Flávia

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This article is for you, exchange student, who are planning to get to know Brazil and need help with some tips. First of all, it is important to say that Brazilians are very receptive and warm. The host family will strive to include you in the new routine and ensure you feel welcomed.

Another interesting aspect is in relation to food and meals. Get ready to eat well and plenty. Here in Brazil, we usually have three meals a day and small snacks during them. Most families cook at home during the week and at the weekend, sometimes they order food by delivery or go to restaurants. Don't worry, you'll hardly go hungry around here.

About clothes, do some research about the climate of the city you will live in during the exchange. In the country, we have different climates, from very hot to very cold. If you choose a beach town, prepare lots of light clothing and bathing suits. If you go south, remember to bring coats, pants and socks.

And finally, regarding celebrations, in Brazil the most common are Carnival, Easter, Christmas and New Year. Here, Halloween is not as celebrated as in the United States, for example. Be prepared to meet a lot of people during these celebrations, as it is common for families and friends to get together and have lunch or dinner together. You will notice that in Brazil, almost any situation is reason to celebrate with your loved ones.

By: Julia

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If you would like to know the essentials about studying in Brazil, you’ve come to the right place: in this article I’ll teach you the basics of what you need to know in order to have the best experience of all in the wonderful country that is Brazil.

First of all, you need to know that in Brazil, de most important meal of the day is lunch. We’re accustomed to having rice and beans and meat as a go-to, but it can vary a lot depending on what part of the country you are in. Breakfast and dinner as important as well, and we usually have them at 7:30 a.m., 12 o’clock and 19:00 p.m., as the working hours in here are usually from 8:00 to 18:00, Monday through Friday.

If you are coming in summer time, which is from August up until February, you need to know that you will be hot. In here, temperatures can hit up until 44º Celsius in the hottest days, and 30-35º in the most common areas of the country. This brings in another topic – clothes. If you’re going to study at a university, be prepared to see people in all types of apparel, from pajamas to eccentric to fancy. For those of you coming in in February, be prepared to experience one of the biggest holidays we have – Carnaval is just around the corner, and we’re used to celebrate it to it’s maximum! The entire week will feel like the weekends, and you’ll see that we’re very fond of each other – in all ways imaginable.

Over all, being in Brazil will absolutely be one of the best experiences of your life. We are a very hearty and friendly nation, and we’ll always welcome you with open arms.

By: Isabella Baccarin.