Travel Tips: Navigating Brazil as a British Expat

Moving to a new country can be an exciting adventure, but it can also come with its fair share of challenges. As British expats navigating life in Brazil as a family of 3, there are a few key tips to keep in mind to ensure a smooth transition and an enjoyable experience in your new home.

One of the first things that we considered when we decided to move to brazil is the obvious language barrier. While many Brazilians speak English, it's still important to have a basic understanding of Portuguese to navigate daily life. We used duolingo just to learn the basic greetings, how to ask for things in a shop, how to introduce ourselves etc. Once you are living in Brazil you will quickly start to pick up the local language.

When it comes to getting around in Brazil, public transportation is widely available in major cities. However you may live in a more rural area of Brazil and wish to take the approach of renting your own car, as we did. We used Expedia and rented a family car - however you must bare in mind that you can only rent a car for 4 weeks at a time! Expedia was based in our local aiport (Goiania) so we drove back to the airport every 4 weeks and exchanged our car for a different one. This worked just fine for us as the airport was only a 20 minute drive away - and plus, who doesn't love getting a different car every month?!

Safety is a top priority to strongly consider when moving to Brazil. Always be mindful of your surroundings, especially in crowded areas and tourist spots. Keep your belongings secure and be cautious when using public transportation or walking alone at night. If, like us, you are traveling with children, always be vigilant, hold their hands in public areas such as shopping centers or supermarkets. Even consider writing your contact details on their arm if you are planning a trip to somewhere such as a waterpark. When it comes to accommodation, we absolutely love living in a gated, guarded community which are all over Brazil for you to explore. These are basically like a hotel that's guarded 24/7 by a security guard, and have communal areas usually comprising of swimming pools, a gym, public barbecue areas and lots of great amenities! Our flat is a gorgeous 2 bed, 2 bathroom property, with 2 communal bbq areas, 3 swimming pools, a children's soft play and a gym for only 1200 Reais per month - which is roughly £250 per month depending on the exchange rate.

Lastly - but arguably most importantly, a CPF is an absolute MUST! A CPF is basically the Brazilian equivalent to a national insurance number, but you will need it for lots of different things (I may do a whole blog post just dedicated to explaining CPF's and how to obtain one). We are in Goiânia, here we get asked to provide our CPF for daily shopping, entering water parks, etc. But you'll more importantly need this number for renting accommodation (unless renting through a European based company such as AirBnB). You can apply for your CPF at the local embassy.

So, these are just a few of the important bits of info I think you must research before moving to Brazil.

Key takeaways for British expats looking to navigate their big move:

1. Learn the basics of Brazillian portuguese.

2. Plan your mode of transport for your stay.

3. Get a CPF.

4. Risk assess! Try to stay in your accommodation after 9pm. Keep children close at all times. Chose accommodation that has security measures in place for you.