Travel to Brazil to backpack, study, intern, volunteer, work, or live as a digital nomad, expat or emigrant?

Meet Jan, he worked for Foreign Affairs and reopened a consulate in Brazil. Read more about his experiences below.

Who is Jan?

• Jan worked for the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reopened a consulate in Brazil.
• Read more about his experiences below through the interview below.

What do people need to know about you to understand your story? 

• I was sent out by my employer, Foreign Affairs to reopen a Consulate in Brazik.
• I did not really prepare.

What is your life like, what kind of work or activities make you feel you are really “at home” in Brazil?

• Basic knowledge of the language is an indispensable requirement to feel at home in Brazil, as few people speak another language (e.g. English).

How does your daily routine differ from that in your home country?

• Brazilians take their time for everything. They often arrive late for appointments or don't show up at all. You can never get straight to the point but first answer questions about family and health. Everything is very complicated and agonizingly slow with a leaden bureaucracy.

How were your cultural and social interactions in Brazil?

What was your first encounter with a local?

• Brazilians are very warm and friendly people, however, one should not take them too seriously. They are spontaneous and there is curiosity about where you are from, what you are doing in the country, etc.

Do you have any tips for meeting people?

• Very easy. Learn a few words of Portuguese and you will be warmly welcomed everywhere.

What is the best or most inspiring thing about your emigration?

• Let go of your European institution of rules, agreements and order or you'll be annoyed to death.

What is the funniest or most painful misunderstanding you have experienced because of language or cultural differences?

• Everything continually goes haywire. There is always a signature or a stamp or something missing. Once I was not allowed on a tourist bus with my own daughter (possible child abduction), when I showed up with a self-signed letter that it was ok, I was allowed on the bus (surreal).

Have you adopted local customs?  

• Let go of European social rules.

How do locals react to you living and working here now?

• Brazilians are smooth and warm in their interactions and generally admire Europe.

Are there any customs in social interaction that you found difficult to understand or had to get used to?

• Failure to keep appointments.

How does friendship here differ from how it is perceived in your home country?

• Brazilians seem superficial, but if you can accept them as they are, you have friends for life.

What are the challenges in Brazil?

Have there been times when you doubted your choice/emigration, or what disappointed you?

• Bureaucracy, bureaucracy, bureaucracy.

What would you do differently next time and what would you like to give others with the same idea?

• Mentally prepare for everything to take an awful long time and don't take people too seriously.

How do you deal with homesickness/loneliness?/What do you miss most?

• Brazilians are bon vivants, loneliness hardly exists in this country.

Are there things you appreciate more about your homeland now that you are here?

• The sense of organization, the seriousness with which things are handled.

How are the practical rules & what are the issues in Brazil?

How do you deal with the bureaucracy in your new country?

• Suffering. Problems with administration can often be solved if you happen to know the right people. Try to make friends. Everyone has an acquaintance or family member who can help you through a more informal avenue to help solve your problem. Brazil is the most bureaucratic country I have been.Economists talk about the     ‘Brazilian cost’ by which is meant all the additional costs you have to charge to get something done (clearance fees, taxes, administrative costs, bribes, etc.) An additional disadvantage is that everything is done in Portuguese. Few people speak English.

How did you find a suitable place to live? 

• Through a real estate agent.

Was it difficult? What are the biggest cost differences between this country and your home country?

• Owner and tenant both have to pay a comission fee to the real estate agent. This amount can be high. The tenant is obliged, when leaving the rental property to have it repainted at his expense, at least as far as the inside is concerned.

What did you learn about insurance, taxes and other financial obligations abroad?

• Without your registration with the CPF (tax authorities) you won't get anywhere.

Have you used local health care (general practitioner, specialist, dentist, etc.) and what stands out to you?

• If you are well insured you can use an excellent private health service).

What is similar or totally different from Belgium health care?

• Two tracks : excellent care for those who have the money , third-rate care for those who rely on the public health service.

What is useful for others to consider?

• Do not rent a house, but an apartment. A home is too dangerous because of numerous break-ins and robberies. Apartments offer better security. Do not wear jewelry or show signs of wealth. In addition to your actual wallet, keep a wallet with a small amount of money in your pocket and give it when you become the victim of a robbery. Do not try to be a hero, because a human life is not worth much in Brazil.
• The police are very quick to reach for their weapon. Never argue with them if you notice they are agitated, wait until they have calmed down. I was once threatened with a gun by four policemen, until they realised I was a foreigner and had nothing to do with a theft I had just committed....
• If you have the means, engage an errand boy to take care of all kinds of business for you, (bank, mail, electricity bills, condominium fees pay etc, because everywhere you bump into endless lines of people waiting)

What kind of business have you established?

• Consulate General.

What is the bureaucracy like in the country you are in?

• Belgian bureaucracy times 10.

What local traditions or rituals have inspired or touched you?

• Carnival.

How do you balance working, relaxing and enjoying your new surroundings?

• In Rio de Janeiro, the weekend starts on Friday afternoon. Laze on the beach or walk in the “ Floresta de Tijuca”

How is it to communicate in Brazil?

Have you learned the local language and if so, how?

• Yes. First some lessons with assimil and then just being immersed in a Brazilian language bath. A must in this country.

How do you stay in touch with home?

• Email.

What are some communication problems you have encountered?

• Without a basic knowledge of the language, you won't get anywhere.

What have you learned?

• That we Europeans often take life far too seriously. 
• As a diplomat, indeed, you have to love travelling, adventure and change to last in the diplomatic profession. You pay a high price to your social life.
• Just when you feel like home, it's time to leave again and leave behind the friends you've made. An interesting career, but I still wouldn't recommend it to everyone.

How does the healthcare system work in Brazil?

How is the quality of health care in Brazil?

• Brazil has a universal public health care system called Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).
• There is also very large private sector, which is widely used by residents with higher incomes or additional insurance.
• The SUS offers free health care to all residents, including foreigners living or traveling in Brazil.
• Virtually all major Brazilian cities have good health care facilities.
• In remote areas, care can be more limited, sometimes poorer quality and/or unsanitary.

How is the public health system in Brazil (SUS)?

• Anyone living in Brazil, including expatriates, emigrants and refugees, can access the public system. You do need a Brazilian ID number and migrant registration card, which you can use to buy an SUS card.
• The quality of care is uneven in public institutions, mainly due to overcrowding, lack of resources in rural areas and long waiting times for non-emergency treatment.
• In public institutions, it can be difficult to communicate in English. In private institutions, English is more often spoken.
• There is a shortage of general practitioner care in public health facilities, as most general practitioners work for private clinics.
• Many expats find that public health care does not always match their expectations or needs.
• Pharmacies in Brazil are usually found in urban centers or they are attached to a hospital. Medications are kept as affordable as possible (often with no co-payment) so that a large portion of the population has access. Pharmacies are usually open until 10 p.m.; some have 24-hour service.
• There are walk-in public health clinics (UBS, Basic Health Units) where you can go mainly for non-urgent care or when you do not have a family doctor. You do need an SUS card for this.

How is the private health care system in Brazil?

• Many expats, despite the higher costs, choose private health care in Brazil. The quality is better to excellent and the facilities are more modern.
• Partly for this reason, it is important to have a good expat/emigrant insurance policy that provides access to this better standard.
• In addition, there are always things you will have to deal with as an expat or emigrant that are not covered “by default” (think repatriation, care by good English-speaking doctors, wider treatment choices, etc.) An (additional) private coverage can fill in the gaps and offer a wider choice of coverage.

How is the general practitioner arranged in Brazil?

• There is a major shortage of family doctors in public healthcare because most family doctors work in private healthcare.
• If you are affiliated with the SUS, you can search for a family doctor via the database of the Ministry of Health.
• Most emigrants go for family doctors via private clinics. There are many of them and you can often get good recommendations from other expats!

How is the dentist arranged in Brazil?

• Dentists are called “dentista” and you can find them in both public health facilities and private clinics.
• SUS also offers free dental care, but wait times can be very long and the language barrier is also a thing.
• Private dental care is very good, not too expensive and the wait times are shorter. Many people even come to Brazil just for this service.

How is the maternity care arranged in Brazil?

• Maternity care is offered through the public healthcare system SUS or through private clinics.
• Prenatal checkups are extensive and include multiple appointments, ultrasounds, blood tests, etc.
• In the public sector, this is free, but waiting times are often long. In private care, you will find more flexibility.
• Most deliveries take place in the hospital; more than 50% via cesarean section.
• After delivery, mothers usually stay in the hospital for several days.
• There is no structural home maternity care. So make sure you arrange for someone to do this for you in advance.

How safe and unsafe is a trip or stay in Brazil?

What should you pay attention to in terms of safely in Brazil?

• Brazil has very high crime rates compared to many other expat destinations. There are large disparities between rich and poor, so there is a lot of petty crime. There is also a chance of more violent incidents from Brazil's many organized crime groups. 
• Favelas, or slums, are neighborhoods in and around cities where you will find many houses close together. They are found in all major cities and are best avoided as expats because the situation there can be dangerous and unpredictable.
• Car hijackings are also common, so make sure you always put your belongings out of sight and keep the doors locked. 
• Among other things, travel through river areas on the border with Colombia, Peru and Venezuela is not recommended because of heavy crime and criminal groups. 
• You can also be mugged in public transport. So better not wear obviously expensive things. 
• There are frequent protests and demonstrations. The situation here can sometimes get out of hand. Avoid these gatherings if you can and follow the local news for updates. 
• Always take a copy of your passport with you. 
• Brazil has floods in the rainy seasons that can disrupt infrastructure. 
• In the dry season there are often intense forest fires that are very dangerous and unpredictable. 

What should you look out for in terms of diseases in Brazil?

• Several tropical diseases are present including Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya and the Zika virus. So make sure you protect yourself well against mosquitoes! 
• Drinking water and sanitary conditions in Brazil vary greatly depending on where you stay. In cities, access to safe water is often better regulated than in rural or remote areas.
• In Brazil, among other things, you can get Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection caused by contact with fresh water contaminated with parasites. It is particularly common in the northeast and in the Amazon. 

What should you pay attention to in terms of traffic in Brazil?

• Brazil is known for its high rate of traffic accidents, mainly due to aggressive driving, poor road conditions and lack of enforcement of traffic rules. 
• Driving after dark, especially in rural areas, can be very dangerous because of poorly lit roads or other vehicles without lights. 
• There is strict legislation regarding drunk driving (the Lei Seca), but it still occurs. 
• Roads in cities can be quite good, but in rural areas are often significantly less so. 

Which work and travel insurance policies are suitable for short and long stays in Brazil?

• Is the trip to Brazil and your return sufficiently covered? Are you sufficiently covered before, during and after your activities? Which insurance best suits your trip and your activity? Read more about insurances for abroad on JoHoinsurances.org.

What emigration and expat insurance can you take out for Brazil if you are going to live there for a while?

• It is not mandatory to have your own insurance when moving to Brazil, but it is recommended to be able to use private care. Read more about insurances for abroad on Expatinsurances.org.