1.) How should I buy a plane ticket?
2.) What about Visas?
3.) Can I stay inside the favela?
4.) What if I do not want to stay inside the favela?
5.) Won’t I get Lost?
6.) Do I need to know Portuguese?
7.) What else is there to do?
8.) How long can I stay?
9.) How much money do I need?
10.) For your programs, what exactly does FAVELA ADVENTURES provide?
11.) What can I buy in Rocinha?
12.) What about religious services
13.) How about internet? I want to keep in touch with family and friends back home?
14.) How about a copy place or fax services?
15.) Filming and taking fotos, can I?
16.) What if I get sick?
17.) How about crime in the favela?
18.) What about gangsters?
19.) And the police?
20.) How far is the beach?
1. How should I buy a plane ticket?
Online there are so many choices. I have always found that if you buy your ticket at least one month to two months in advance you can get some low rates. Also, if you are a student, there are many student travel agencies, such as STA. See wesbite here: http://statravel.com.
It also depends on what part of the world you are coming from. Consult a travel agency you trust.
2. What about Visas?
Depending on the country you are from, you may need a visa. If you are from the United States, you will need a visa. If you are American, Tourist Visas are only good for 90 days and can be renewed through the Policia Federal for an additional 90 days of stay. If you want to extend your stay in Brazil, you will need to go to the Policia Federal Office in the Airport. Check your local consulate or embassy in your country to see if you need a visa to travel to Brazil.
Information about if your country needs a VISA to go to Brazil go here:
http://www.passportsandvisas.com/visas/index.asp.
For Americans: What you need to get a Visa:
http://www.brazilsf.org/visa_tourist_eng.htm.
Frequently Asked Questions about Visas to Brazil
http://www.gotobrazil.net/visainfo.htm.
For those countries needing a Visa to Brazil.
Effective June 9, 2008, all visa applicants will be required to fill out on-line the Visa Application Form which can be downloaded from https://scedv.serpro.gov.br/frscedv/index.jsp.
This form must be printed and presented on the day of the visa application. The information that you enter is not submitted electronically. It is only used to generate the printed form and your request number.
Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, it may take several minutes to download the initial and completed copy of the form. Please be patient.
All other instructions on visas are found in this website. Please read and follow them carefully.
3. Can I stay inside the favela?
For special programs, we recommend that all visitors absorb the culture so yes, your experience will be that much more enhanced if you stay in the neighborhood.
4. What if I do not want to stay inside the favela?
You have that choice, but depending on how far you live, it can be expensive and time consuming. But you will need to find accommodations on your own. And because of or pricing structure, we cannot adjust the cost.
No, when you arrive, you will be given a tour of the most important areas that you need to know. Things like learning how to use public transportation to get around, both inside and outside the favela. After having the tour you will be able to walk freely through the community. If you do get lost, many people in the community will help you find your way.
6. Do I need to know Portuguese?
If you decide to stay inside the favela, the more Portuguese you know, the better. It just enables you to interact and participate more in the culture if you have some language skill. Learning phrases like, “I need”, “Where is?”, “How much?”, “I want”, make all the difference is getting what you need, want and knowing where to go. If you already speak another romance language like Spanish, Italian or French, this does help in picking up the language quicker.
Rocinha has many community activities. Every Sunday there is a huge street market/fair in the Largo do Boiadeiro area at the bottom of the hill where you can buy just about anything from fresh fruit to a screw driver. Everybody should experience the street fair. There are many shows of dance, art and music going on at any given time inside of Rocinha. Also like most who have been here before you, people are very friendly and will invite you to parties.
As long as you like. This depends on you. Most people will stay one month but we have had visitors stay as long as six months. If you are from a country that requires a Visa, you can stay 90 days on a tourist Visa, after the first 90 days you will need to go to the Policia Federal at the airport (GIG) to get an extension which will alow you up to another 90 days (total 180 days).
For the purpose of your lodging, we recommend that in advance you let us know how long you plan to stay. Please check with the embassy or consulate in your country to see if you need a VISA. For those who need a VISA, it is very important that you read the information below!!
Information about if your country needs a VISA to go to Brazil go here:
http://www.passportsandvisas.com/visas/index.asp.
For Americans: What you need to get a Visa:
http://www.brazilsf.org/visa_tourist_eng.htm.
Frequently Asked Questions about Visas to Brazil
http://www.gotobrazil.net/visainfo.htm.
Visa Application Form which can be downloaded from https://scedv.serpro.gov.br/frscedv/index.jsp.
IMPORTANT:
There is one part of the Visa Application, that will ask you about the Hotel, Hostel or place you will be staying, in that line on your application, put the name of a hostel in Ipanema or Leblon. Unfortunately, the Brazilian government looks down on favela communities and this will draw unwanted attention to your Visa application if you say that you are staying in a favela. It is unfortunate but this type of discrimination is common. When you are applying for your VISA always ask for a “Tourist” VISA.
Many of our guests have put the following places on their applications with never having a problem:
Wave Hostel, Rua Barao da Torre, 175 Casa, 5, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22401-000, Brazil fone: 21-2227-6458
Hotel Ipanema Inn, Rua Maria Quitéria, 27 – Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22410040, Brazil- 21 2523-6092
Best Rio Hostel, Rua Ministro Alfredo Valadão Nº, 36 – Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22031-050, Brazil- 21 2255-0966
Che Lagarto Hostel Ipanema, Rua Paul Redfern, 48, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 22410-080, Brazil, 21-2512-8076
If you are paying cash for your program, then you will need that plus whatever expenses you may have. Since your rent is included, all you really need is money for food and some extra to go out or if you plan to do other activities that include spending money. Students have lived on about $100US a month. This included eating out about 3 times a week and spending money to go outside of the favela to the beach or downtown. It really depends on if you plan on going out alot or taking advantage of many of the free activities in the favela. If you were to eat 2 meals a day in Rocinha at restaurants or snack type places, you could spend as little as $5US a day. On the average expect to spend about $100-$250US a month.
10. For your programs, what exactly does FAVELA ADVENTURES provide?
Your program fees include, lodging, a complete tour of the neighborhood a free gym membership, all the training classes in your chosen activity and many other types of entertainment in the community. When we receive your flight information and itinerary, we will arrange to meet you at the airport and bring you to Rocinha.
11. What can I buy in Rocinha?
Rocinha is fortunate to have over 2.500 commercial enterprises. Everything from restaurants to hardware stores you will find in the community. Please ask us if you have special requests. There are two large “supermarkets” in the Caminho do Boiadeiro area of Rocinha, close to the bottom of the hill. During your tour these areas will be shown to you.
12. What about religious services?
There are also many different churches so if you are of a specific denomination, chances are Rocinha has a church for you.
13. How about internet? I want to keep in touch with family and friends back home
Rocinha has over 50 Lan Houses or internet cafes that you can access, most are open until 12 midnight but some are open later. Depending on where you are staying, part of your tour will include showing you where the closest internet cafe is.
Some residents do have cable internet in their homes but it is not common. In the Via Apia and other areas there are small computer stores if you need accessories. If you are a Mac person, in the Sao Conrado Fashion Mall there is a Apple store. This is a 10 minute walk from the bottom of Rocinha.
Information about the Fashion Mall go here:
http://www.scfashionmall.com.br.
14.) How about a copy place or fax services?
In the Caminho do Boiadeiro area of Rocinha, there is a “papelaria”, which offers these services.
15. Filming and taking fotos, can I?
Your guide will let you know exactly what and where you can film or take fotos. If you wish to take fotos of residents, please ask them first. There is a KODAK film store in Rocinha in the Via Apia area, that can take care of all your filming needs.
Rocinha has two large Pharmacies in the Via Apia area of Rocinha. One of the pharmacies is open 24 hours. There are other smaller pharmacies in other areas of the community. We also recommend that before coming that you have some kind of travel medical insurance.
17. How about crime in the favela?
There is so much media attention to crime in the favelas. Anywhere you go in ths world there will be risks. We can tell you that none of our foreign guests have ever had any problems regarding crime while in Rocinha. It is highly enforced that anybody who partakes in any FAVELA ADVENTURES program restrain from any illegal activity, including drugs.
Almost every favela is under the control of a criminal faction. Currently Rocinha is under control of ADA (Amigos dos Amigos). There are two other main factions, CV (Comando Vermelho) and TCP (Terceiro Comando Puro). They act as a parellel power in the favelas. Sometimes providing resources for day care centers, food and medicine for the poorer residents in the community, They also maintain a high level of control and enforce strong discipline codes in the favela. They strictly prohibit street crimes such as rape, muggings, and break-ins. Despite the low fequency of street crimes in the favelas, there can be gun battles that break out between police and rival gangs and can present real dangers. The police and trafickers co-exist in a very complicated balance of power that invloves a high level of corruption and cooperation. Even so, police invasions of favelas like Rocinha, do happen but they are not an everyday occurance.
Because of the tensions between the trafickers and police, residents of favelas and even visitors, often experience harassment from the police while exiting and entering their favelas. None of our guests have ever had any problems with the gangsters. But it is common for volunteers and guests to be stopped and questioned. Guests should expect to get stopped by the police as they exit and enter Rocinha. The best response to this is to always have a copy of your passport on you and tell them that you are on a cultural exchange or “Intercambio” for your specific program. We at FAVELA ADVENTURES will also give you a receipt of where you are living. Never should you be in possession of any illegal substances while in Rocinha, especially while entering or exiting Rocinha. Police do not avoid arresting foreigners on drug charges, but actually target them, often with the expectation of receiving a bribe for the release of the guilty party. If you do not engage in any illegal activity or have in your possession illegal drugs, you have nothing to fear from the police and should interact with them in a calm and professional manner. By the same token, one should not appear overly friendly or familiar with the police. You do not want to draw attention to your self or have the trafickers think that you could be an informant. Informing the police about drug activity is very dangerous and if a person is proven to be an informant, the gangsters will punish him or her harshly. If you walk in and out of the community with confidence, like you belong there, chances are you will not be stopped.
Sao Conrado beach is approximately a 10-15 minute walk from the bottom of Rocinha. Depending on high up the hill you live, the walk using the main road, should not take more than 45 minutes. With shortcuts, through the becos, 30 minutes.
For more information please contact us at: info@favelatour.org.