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.

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

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

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

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

Ricardo.

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

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

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

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