Salvador, Brazil - Global Health Equity Scholars Fellowship

Bem-vindo ao Salvador!
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About Salvador and Barra…………………………………..1
About Fiocruz…………………………………………………2
Visa information………………………………………………3
Health and Safety…………………………………………….4
Travel in Salvador and within Brazil………………………..6
Money Issues…………………………………………………7
What to Pack/What Not to Pack…………………………….8
Internet and Phone…………………………………………..9
Useful Websites……………………………….……………10
Salvador: All Saints' Bay
The city of Salvador, whose official name is São Salvador da Baía de Todos os Santos (Holy
Savior of All Saints' Bay) is the capital of the state of Bahia. The city was the first capital and
major port of colonial Brazil for almost two centuries and functioned as an important center of
the sugar industry and the slave trade. The historical center of Salvador, Pelourinho is
renowned for its Portuguese colonial architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO in 1985.
Geography
♦ Area: 272.6 square miles;
♦ Located on a peninsula between the Baía de Todos os Santos and the Atlantic Ocean
♦ 1219 miles from São Paulo (2,5 hours by plane or 30 hours by bus) and 1025 miles
from Rio de Janeiro (2 hours by plane or 25 hours by bus)
Population
♦ Population of metropolitan Salvador is of almost 3.5 million, the third most populous city
in Brazil
Economy
♦ GDP of proper Salvador is approximately BRL$27 billion, according to IBGE last
1
census ;
♦ In 2005, Salvador had the lowest GDP per capita among all Brazilian capital cities
Barra Neighborhood
Barra is located in the southern zone of Salvador. With its unique geographical location at the
apex of the peninsula, you can see both sunrises and sunsets over the sea. Salvador's
"postcard" neighborhood, Barra boasts a mix of old and new Bahia.
Barra has an eclectic variety of shops, cafes, restaurants, bars/nightclubs, residences, and
historic monuments. A lively mix of young and old, wealthy and working-class, and Brazilians
and ex-pats call Barra home.
Barra is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean on one side the Bay of All Saints on the other. It
preserves a considerable and valuable body of historical and architectural landscape, including
the prominent Farol da Barra (Barra lighthouse, the oldest in South America) and the forts of
Santa Maria and São Diogo. Its beaches, especially the Porto da Barra beach are quite
egalitarian, frequented by both rich and poor, everyone basking together in its white sand and
calm water.
More information on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barra_(neighborhood)
1 Several supermarkets (Bompreço, Ideal) are located in the area. Bus transportation is easy and
the neighborhood is a beautiful location. Most of the students and researchers stay here.
Map of Barra from:
http://www.communitywalk.com/salvador_brazil_exchange_student_survival_map/map/33270#
00041;=W
Fiocruz
The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz) aka FIOCRUZ is a scientific
institution for research and development in biomedical sciences that is considered one of the
world's main public health research institutions. It was founded by Dr. Oswaldo Cruz, a noted
physician and epidemiologist.
Today, the institution has a broad range of responsibilities related to the health and wellbeing of
the Brazilian population. This includes hospital and ambulatory care; health-related research;
development of vaccines, drugs, reagents, and diagnostic kits; training of public health and
health workers; and providing information and communications related to health, science, and
technology. The Fiocruz workforce numbers over 7,500. Fiocruz includes several fixed facilities
in locations throughout Brazil, including the Gonçalo Moniz Research Center in Salvador, which
has made major contributions to the understanding of the natural history of endemic diseases
such as leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and Chagas’ disease. There is a close relationship with
the School of Medicine and the School of Collective Health at the Federal University of Bahia
(UFBa). Both Fiocruz and UFBa share graduate programs in medical sciences, immunology
and experimental pathology and have had a long-term research partnership, such as the current
NIAID sponsored Tropical Medicine Research Center (TMRC) program. Together, Fiocruz and
UFBa have established community-based field sites for a large spectrum of endemic infectious
diseases such as tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis, schistosomiaisis, Chagas’ disease,
leptospirosis, and community acquired respiratory infections.
2 How to get to/from Fiocruz (see transportation below for more information):
Taxis: It generally costs about R$20 to get from Barra to Fiocruz. The cost is higher on
weekends, nights, holidays, and if you have more than 3 people in the cab. If the driver doesn’t
know where Fiocruz is, tell them that it is at Rua Waldemar Falcão 121, in Brotas.
Buses: You will need to transfer busses to get from Barra to Fiocruz but will only have to pay
R$2.50 for the first leg. The trip lasts anywhere between 30-60 minutes depending on the time
of day. Ask one of your housemates to show you the bus stop on your first day. The first bus
(take a bus that lists Vasco da Gama as a stop, this includes IAPI, UNEB/T. Neves, São
Caetano, Vale dos Rios, and JD STO Inacio) takes about 20 minutes. When you pass the big
yellow sign for G.S. SOM on the right, push the stop-requested button and walk to the front of
the bus. You will get off the bus across the street from the large Perini grocery store - be sure to
push the stop-requested button or the bus may not stop! Wait for a Hospital Geral/HGE bus to
arrive. These buses tend to run every 20-30 minutes and stop on the same side of the street
that you got off the previous bus.
The Hospital Geral bus lets you off on the back side of Fiocruz. Walk past the food stand, past
the hospital, and up the steps. You will enter where the dog kennels are located.
Returning to Barra: Leave Fiocruz from the back entrance, walking past the labs and the dog
kennels. Walk down the steps, towards the front of the hospital, and catch the Hospital Geral
bus in front of the food stand. Ride the bus to the last stop on its route, the Perini de Vasco da
Gama. From there you can either catch a Barra/Lapa bus or a Barra via Bonoco bus (faster but
less frequent) from the sidewalk in front of Perini. Take the bus all the way to the Porto da
Barra.
Visa Information
Start early! Brazilian law requires that all U.S. citizens obtain a visa to enter Brazil. A tourist
visa is generally the easiest type to obtain, but is only valid for 90 days; therefore, most students
obtain a cultural visa instead. Visas for extended stays have a different application process, and
for students planning to stay for a year, it is better to obtain a temporary student visa, or a
VITEM-1 (Academic, Cultural, and Scientific Visa). The VITEM-1 visa it is more difficult to obtain
than a tourist visa. Again, start early.
You will need to obtain a visa from the Brazilian consulate that serves your jurisdiction. The visa
requirements vary by jurisdiction and the information available on the consulate websites is not
always accurate. It is best to contact your local consulate well in advance to inquire about the
specifics. The website for the Brazilian Embassy can help you locate the Brazilian Consulate
nearest to you: http://www.brasilemb.org/consular-and-visa-services, The consulate serving
Connecticut is located in Hartford. Email: [email protected] Phone: (860)7603139, Website: http://hartford.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us/ It is important to note that your closest consulate may not be the consulate that you can use to
process your visa. It is dependent on residency status. If for example you are still a resident in
California and are attending Yale you may not be able to use the Hartford consulate, and will
have to work through Los Angeles. Another option is to work through a visa agency, but this will
have to be done well in advance prior to departure, as the company will need time to process
your documents.
Be prepared for unexpected bureaucracy, which differs between consulates. All consulates
require some sort of criminal background check for a VITEM-1, but in Washington, DC they
require fingerprints to be vetted by the FBI. In Massachusetts, you need a Criminal Offense
Record Inquiry (CORI) which you have to pay to have notarized by the Brazilian consulate.
Some regions just require a letter from your local police department. Even the fees for the visas
vary by region and range from $190-220 for US citizens.
Again, it is best to speak to a person at your local consulate (in person, if possible) since
the information on the websites is not always up to date.
3 If you are a non-U.S. citizen, please click on http://www.consulatebrazil.org/waivedvisas.htm for a
list of countries whose nationals do not require a “tourist visa”. If you are visiting for longer than 90
days, you may need to apply for a non-tourist visa.
Application Form
The Brazilian visa application form is online and can be found at:
https://scedv.serpro.gov.br/frscedv/manterVisto.do?lang=eng#inicio.
This is a secure Brazilian Federal Government website. Please note that there are other
paperwork requirements besides the application form. Again, start early.
Registering your Visa (NEEDS UPDATING!):
All foreigners need to register with the Federal Police (Policia Federal) within 30 days of arrival
in Brazil. This can only be done between the hours of 10AM and 4PM from Monday to Friday on
the ground floor of the Salvador Airport. It’s a good idea to call and double check the hours and
required materials first: 3204-1697. In order to register your visa you must bring the following:
1) passport,
2) original copy of your visa application
3) R$188 to pay taxes. (At the office of the Federal Police they will give you a couple forms-Form numbers 140120 and 140082--to fill out to pay the taxes at the bank in the airport. You
may be able to print out the forms from the website www.dpf.gov.br in advance)
4) Copies of three pages of your passport: the photo page, visa page, entry stamp into
Brazil
5) two small passport pictures which must be 3cm x 4cm. (You can have them done in
the photo booth at Shopping Barra for R$8)
The registration process takes about an hour and at the end you will be given a temporary
Brazilian ID.
http://www.dpf.gov.br/servicos/estrangeiro
Getting a CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física):
A CPF is like a Brazilian social security number. In order to make any major purchase, to
register a SIM card for a cell phone, to sign a contract for an apartment or order a fixed phone
line, you need a CPF. Short-term students (≤3 months) probably do not need a CPF. A week
after registering your visa with the Federal Police, it is possible to request a CPF. It is a two-step
process. First, you must go to the post office (Correios) and fill out a CPF request form and pay
a tax of R$5.50. You must bring:
1) The temporary Brazilian ID card.
2) Your passport
3) R$5.50
The post office will send the application by mail, so it can take up to a month to receive a date to
pick up your CPF card. Another option is to go to one of the central post offices (there is one in
Campo Grande (near Barra) and another in Pituba.) Tell the person at the entrance that you’re
applying for a CPF as a foreigner. You’ll get a number and when you’re called, the employee
will fill out a form on the computer. Make sure all the details are 100% correct on the computer
application or it will lengthen the process. You’ll walk out with a date on a little receipt-sized
piece of paper. The date is usually for 48 hours later, after which point you go pick up your CPF.
Pick up your CPF at the Receita Federal, which is next to the Tok&Stok furniture store near
Shopping Iguatami. You will walk in on the ground floor and take a number and wait your turn.
Make sure you bring that little piece of paper they gave you at the post office certifying that you
applied for a CPF, your passport, and your temporary Brazilian ID. You will walk out with a
printout with your CPF - don’t lose this number as this will be your only record of your CPF.
Health and Safety
4 Wise food, water, and personal choices will go a long way in preventing most health-related
issues you may face in Salvador. Avoid drinking water straight from the tap; bottled or filtered
water is readily available. Use of DEET-containing insect repellent is also recommended as
dengue is prevalent in the region. No long-term prophylaxis (e.g. for malaria) is necessary for
Salvador, but may be needed if travel is planned into other parts of Brazil.
The food in Brazil can be very rich (although so tasty), so pace yourself and use the first week
to adjust before overindulging in local food, especially food containing palm oil (dende).
Over the counter medication (Tylenol, ibuprofen, antacids, antidiarrheals) is cheap and readily
available. Many prescription medications are available here without a prescription, but if you
need a newer or a very specific medication, you may need to bring your own supply. Bring your
prescription with you as well to avoid any problems at customs.
International Health Insurance
Yale Health Care will provide coverage for urgent and emergency care only. If possible, contact
the Yale Health Care Coordination Department before receiving treatment (or within 2 business
days after receiving treatment) at 203-432-0123. If Yale Health deems it appropriate, they may
arrange for and cover the expenses of transporting you to a Yale Health-approved facility,
If you have waived Yale Health coverage, please consult with your provider for specifics about
coverage overseas, including hospitalization and medical evacuation.
You will need proof of health insurance to obtain a visa.
Travel Vaccinations - wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/brazil.aspx
The immunizations and medications needed for travel to Brazil will depend on where in the
country you plan to travel to. You should check with the university travel clinic or a local health
department for specific, up to date immunization recommendations. When traveling to Salvador,
you should at least be vaccinated for Hepatitis A (and B) and typhoid fever and have had a
tetanus booster within the last 10 years. Although the risk of meningococcal infection is very
low, we do recommend that students obtain the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine. A yellow
fever vaccine is a good idea, especially in you plan to travel within Brazil, but it is not required
by the Brazilian government. There is no active transmission of yellow fever in Salvador. If you
are planning on traveling at all, it is wise to bring your international immunization records with
you, as some countries may require you to present documentation of yellow fever immunization.
Note that travel vaccines are not covered by Yale Health.
Crime
Like most large cities, crime, including violent crime, is an issue in Salvador. Salvador has a
reputation for theft, and pick-pocketing is common on buses and crowded places. It is best to
leave valuables at home whenever possible, move around in groups, and/or take a taxi after
8pm. In large city centers, use caution as you may be targeted for theft and other crimes. Carry
a copy of your passport and your real passport back in your apartment.
Disaster Procedures
Thankfully, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis are not common in Brazil. In the unlikely
event that a natural disaster should occur during your time in Brazil, monitor news and weather
reports and adhere to municipal advisories. In the event of an emergency, call the U.S.
Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro during weekdays at 21-3823-2000. The emergency afterhours phone number is 21-3823-2029.
Although it is very unlikely that scholars would need to be evacuated from Brazil due to civil
strife, any such evacuation would be coordinated with the U.S. embassy/consulate and
administrative staff at Yale.
Hospitals
Hospital Português - Av. Princesa Isabel, 914 – Barra, 71 3203-3400
Hospital Espanhol – Av. Sete de Setembro, 4161 – Barra, 71 3264-1999
Ambulance/Fire – 193
5 Police – 190
Travelers Insurance
If traveling from Yale, this will either be handled through the Down’s Fellowship or through Yale
with Medex. Be sure to register your travel through the Yale travel site:
http://world.yale.edu/travel
Travel - Salvador and Beyond
Most flights to Salvador connect through São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. The flight from the east
coast of the U.S. to São Paulo is approximately 10 hours, and there is typically a 3 hour layover
prior to the ~2 1/2 hour flight to Salvador. Expect to spend between $1200-2000 for a roundtrip
ticket from a major U.S. city to Salvador. American Airlines, Delta, and United all fly to Sao
Paulo; the flight from Sao Paulo to Salvador needs to be on a Brazilian airline, typically TAM.
Alternatively, American also flies nonstop from Miami to Salvador on certain days. Booking two
one-way tickets may also be a possibility and may work out to be the same cost as a round trip
ticket. If you do this you will need to talk to the local Brazilian consulate to see if they will grant
you a visa without evidence of a return date. Alternatively, some consulates may accept an
itinerary printed off the internet as proof of a return ticket.
Be sure to check websites such as http://www.kayak.com and http://www.sta.com for potential
travel deals.
Getting to Barra from the Airport:
Taxis: Plan on spending at least R$80. You should negotiate the price before committing to a
particular cab.
Buses: There are regular R$2.80 buses running from the airport to the Porto da Barra or from
Shopping Barra to the airport. The ride is about 1hr. If you are traveling with valuables, consider
taking the “Executivo” bus, or, better yet, taking a cab. The Executivo Bus leaves from right in
front of the airport (look or ask for the executivo bus stop sign). The ride takes 45min-1hour to
get to the Porto da Barra.
Buses within Salvador
It costs R$2.80 for your standard city bus, regardless of destination or length of trip, transfers
not included. Since you have to pay for each bus you board, plan on routes that require the
fewest transfers possible. Change is provided if you don’t have exact change, but don’t expect
change for bills larger than R$10. It costs R$4 for “Executivo” buses, which run more frequently
and make fewer stops.
Taxis within Salvador
Taxis are metered, and theoretically charge accordingly. Taxis from the airport, on
weekends/holidays/nights, and if you have more than 3 people in the taxi are charged at a
higher rate.
Estimated fares:
Barra to Pelourinho or vice versa: R$10
Barra to Fiocruz: R$15
Barra to Bonfim/Couto Maia: R$20
Barra to Rodoviaria (where many buses leaving Salvador depart from): R$20
Fun Things to Do!
Barra is located near Porto da Barra beach, so don’t forget your bathing suit at home! There is a
vibrant night life in Salvador, with lots of music and dancing every night. The historic Pelourinho
area tends to attract the largest crowd, especially Tuesday evenings when different bands play
live music on the main square. If you go, leave valuables at home and make sure your money is
in a safe place. Particularly in large crowds, pickpockets abound. In addition to watching
performances, you can also take classes in capoiera, dancing, percussion, and Bahian cooking
6 in one of the many schools on the Pelourinho. There are also several religious festivals
throughout the year in Salvador, which have links to both Catholicism and Candomble.
Outside the city limits, gorgeous beaches abound, especially along the northern coast. The
island of Itaparica is a one-hour boat ride (that also has miles of beautiful sand beaches and
lagoons. Other fun day trips include Praia do Forte (home of Projeto Tamar, a turtle sanctuary!)
and Morro de São Paulo.
A few things to keep in mind about travel outside of Salvador:
There is a great deal of information available online to help plan independent trips. Following
are a few that may be helpful:
♦ Brazilian Tourism - information and tips for destinations throughout Brazil
www.turismobrasil.gov.br (available in seven languages);
♦ Bus travel in Brazil can be expensive and usually takes a prohibitive amount of time. Buses
departing to other cities depart from the Rodoviaria, which is located across the street from
Shopping Iguatemi. You can take a bus to either Rodoviaria or Iguatemi and walk across the
overpass to the bus station. It’s always a good idea to buy your tickets in advance (which
usually means an extra trip to the bus station) because buses tend to sell out unexpectedly. You
will need to provide some form of ID (probably safest to show a passport) either when you
purchase the ticket, board the bus, or both, or they won’t let you travel. The phone number for
the Rodoviaria is 3460-8300. Call to ask for the phone number of the bus company that travels
to your destination. Then call the company to find out fares and schedules. Bus tickets may also
be arranged through any of the many travel agencies in the area. It is generally not possible to
reserve seats on buses.
♦ The price of air travel within Brazil is often comparable to bus travel, saving a considerable
amount of time. Buying airline tickets online is often the cheapest and easiest option. If you
encounter difficulties with online payments for tickets, this may be related to your credit card.
Some online purchases require payment using credit cards that were issued in Brazil. In this
case, you may purchase the ticket in-person at a location provided by the airline or you may
revert to the barter system (e.g. offer to pay cash to someone who has a Brazilian credit card
and would be willing to make the purchase for you – with your name on the ticket!). Following
are the primary Brazilian airlines, links to their websites:
Airline
Website
Avianca
Azul
Gol
Tam
Trip
Webjet
www.avianca.com.br
www.voeazul.com.br
www.voegol.com.br
www.tam.com.br
www.voetrip.com.br
www.webjet.com.br Money Issues
The Real (meaning both "royal" and "real") is Brazil’s currency. The plural form of the currency
is reais, the associated symbol is R$, and the currency code is BRL. A real is comprised of 100
“centavos”. The exchange rate is usually around BRL 1.80 for each USD. Please visit
www.oanda.com for the current exchange rate or to see how the exchange rate has fluctuated
over time. Note that the actual rate you receive may vary slightly from the rate you see online,
generally being slightly less favorable to you.
As a general rule, the best way to get cash at a reasonable exchange rate is by withdrawing
money from an ATM (caixa electronic). After determining which bank networks and ATMs are
compatible with your card(s), accessing money should not present a problem.
7 Brazil is not exactly a budget place to travel or live. You can save money on food by relying on
non-processed items. Most per-kilo restaurants offer a PF (fixed plate) meal with generous
servings of rice, beans, meat, and salad for R$5. Lanchonettes also serve sandwich and juice
combinations for R$4 or less. Fruit and produce are abundant, delicious, and reasonably priced.
Before travelling, please take the following steps:
♦ Inform your credit card companies that you will be travelling to Brazil prior to departure;
♦ Ensure that you have the appropriate PIN number(s) to be able to withdraw funds
drawn from your bank and/or credit card from cash machines. Also check if there is a fee
for international transactions;
♦ Write down all your card numbers, expiration dates, and contact phone numbers and
leave a copy with someone you trust and can easily reach at home;
♦ Inform the person(s) who may be contacted by your credit card company and/or bank
at home should your financial institution try to reach you with questions about
withdrawals or purchases. Fraud detection algorithms are designed to detect atypical
behavior, such as making purchases in a foreign country – and credit card companies
and banks generally will not go out of their way to contact you at an international number
in Brazil.
Travelers’ checks are not worth the hassle. Exchange businesses (Casas de Câmbio) exist in
many neighborhoods of Salvador can be used to exchange USD for Brazilian reais (in cash). A
minority of select bank branches also trade currencies, but generally not at an advantageous
exchange rate. ATMs and credit cards are generally the way to go.
In general, try to use ATMs at banks (like the Banco do Brasil in Shopping Barra), since ATMs
in touristy areas have been targets for ATM skimming. In general, HSBC, Banco do Brasil, and
Banco24Horas machines will accept Visa/MC/Cirrus (look for the logo first!). Banco24Hours
often charges a hefty fee for using their ATMs. Credit Cards(Visa and Mastercard, mostly) are
widely accepted, but inform your bank of your travel plans before you leave and watch out for
transaction fees.
What to Pack (and What Not to Pack)
During the months of June to September, it is "winter" in Brazil. Temperatures will range from
approximately 44 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit (about 7 to 31 Celsius), with significant variation
between cities. It is never cold in Salvador, but if you are planning to travelling, you may face
seemingly un-Brazilian temperatures. Please visit http://tempo.cptec.inpe.br for more details.
♦ Avoid over-packing. Toiletries are cheap and of equal quality in general. Don’t pack
textbooks if possible (don’t forget you can access many textbooks through the Yale VPN,
we also have plenty here – just ask!);
♦ Comfortable clothes, not different from what you wear to class in the U.S. (jeans and tshirts for men/jeans and tank tops for women are generally a safe bet), with attention to
the weather. Bring a light sweater for chilly office buildings and lecture halls;
♦ Hat, sunglasses, umbrella;
♦ If you are working in the hospital or in the lab, bring your white coat. Generally, people
dress nicer in the hospital, closed-toe shoes and long pants (jeans OK) are a must and
usually button-down shirts or dressier tank-tops/blouses are good choices;
♦ If you are working in the field, bring comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty.
Also bring a white coat if you have one;
♦ Contact lens solution (for those who use contact lens – price is too high in Brazil);
♦ Suntan lotion (also very expensive here!);
8 ♦ You do not need any plug adapters; do check the voltage before plugging in household
appliances, generally voltages are ~127V here (ok for your computer and other
electronics);
♦ Alarm clock
While there are many interesting clothing stores in Brazil, we recommend making any
purchases before leaving the U.S. In general, clothing is more expensive than in the U.S.
If you forget your flip-flops or swimsuit, these are not too expensive (but maybe not to
everyone’s taste!)
If you have a laptop, consider bringing it to Brazil. Please note that you will assume the normal
risks of travelling with your laptop should you chose to do so. Wireless access is widely
available in hotels and Fiocruz.
Keeping in Touch –Phone, Internet, Mail
Mobile Phones
Pre-paid mobile phones are widely used in Brazil. It costs under US$100 to purchase a handset
and initial call credits. As in the U.S., network coverage is not a problem in cities but often does
not exist in rural areas. If you have an unlocked GSM mobile phone, bring it with you. When you
arrive, you will be able to buy a SIM Card from a Brazilian mobile phone operator (~R$20). Just
put it in the phone and you’re good to go - just make sure to back up your contacts because
having cell phones stolen is not uncommon. While your existing U.S. service provider may allow
you to make calls in Brazil, the calls you make will be very expensive. Furthermore, Brazilian
friends and colleagues will be far less likely to call you if you give them an international number.
Brazil’s major mobile companies are Claro, Tim, Vivo, and Oi. In general, it costs about R$
1.2/minute for a pay as you go plan.
♦ We suggest considering the people you will be calling before choosing an operator. Upfront coordination will save you money through in-network calling.
♦ On a per-call basis, rates in Brazil can be significantly higher than in the U.S. Costs can
be greatly reduced if you call people with cell phones on the same company’s network.
♦ Do not purchase a plan, unless you plan to be here for a long time (at least a year),
since it requires a lot of paperwork.
The following are the leading mobile operators in Brazil through which you will be able to get
more information:
>> Claro (www.claro.com.br)
>> Tim (www.tim.com.br)
>> Oi (www.oi.com.br)
>> Vivo (www.vivo.com.br)
All of these providers also have kiosks in the mall.
Making International Calls to Brazil
Brazil’s country code is “55”. The area code for metropolitan São Paulo is “11”, for Rio de
Janeiro the code is “21”, and for Salvador it is “71”.
To call a number in São Paulo from the U.S. dial:
011-55-11 + the eight digit fixed or mobile number. “011” is the number required to make an
international direct-dial call from the U.S.
For a listing of 2-digit area codes in Brazil, please click here
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brazilian_area_codes).
Making International Calls from Brazil with Fixed or Mobile Phone
9 Direct-dial: 0021 + Country code + City code + Telephone.
The country code for the U.S. is “1”. For calls to the U.S., dial 0021 + 1 + number
Note: If you are calling from a PBX (company phone system/hotel system) you may need to dial
an additional prefix. The above numbers should simply be added following the appropriate
telephone prefix. For example, you need to dial “0” to dial outside of Fiocruz.
Operator-assisted calls: dial 0800 703 2111 (via Embratel – Brazilian long-distance carrier).
International calling cards are available at newsstands, supermarkets, pharmacies, etc.
International calling cards can be used from public telephones and from mobile phones.
Making Phone Calls within Brazil
Direct-dial calls within the metropolitan area you are: Simply dial the eight digit phone number
Direct-dial calls from to areas outside your metropolitan area: 021 + [2-digit area code] + eight
digit phone number
Note that is often cheaper to call Brazilian cell phones using Skype compared to using a regular
phone!
Public Phones
Telephone cards (cartões telefonicas) are widely available and may be purchased at corner
newsstands. These cards can be used to make calls from any payphone (orelhoes).
International Calls via Internet
A popular and economic option for international calls is using a voice-over-Internet computer
program, such as Skype, which allows for calls to other computers (free of charge) and to fixed
and mobile phones.
♦ We strongly encourage this option. You might also suggest that family members or
others with whom you will wish to be in contact do the same.
♦ If you plan to bring a laptop, make sure you have a functioning microphone and/or
headset.
Internet access
Internet access in your apartment will vary. There are some apartments where internet
connection will be available and other cases where it will be impossible to get internet without a
CPF.
A good option to access the internet while in Brazil is “LAN houses”, where you can rent time on
computers that have dedicated Internet connections. There are plenty throughout the city. Free
wireless access is not as widely available as it is in the U.S., but in some places (like the
airport), you can use your Skype account to connect to (and pay a small per-minute charge for)
the Vex network.
Mail
The Brazilian Postal Service has a flat rate of R$1.81 for letters and postcards alike. Letters are
posted and mailed directly from the post office (there are very few mail boxes in Brazil!) and
generally take 14 days to reach the U.S. It takes up to 2 months for mail to reach Brazil from the
U.S. if sent by ground mail.
Other helpful websites
http://www.drclas.harvard.edu/brazil/orientation
http://www.transalvador.salvador.ba.gov.br/transporte/categorias/onibus/linhas.php Bus line lookup, don’t depend on the timetables
http://www.moon.com/destinations/brazil/bahia/salvador - Probably the most pertinent
travel guide to Salvador and Bahia specifically
http://wikitravel.org/en/Salvador
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