7 Tips for Foreigners Visiting Colatina

I'm the type of person that likes to do my research.  During my pregnancy, I read tons of books, blogs, etc. about every aspect of pregnancy, labor, and being a new parent.  Before moving to Brazil, I tried to gather as much information as possible about the region, the culture, and way of life here.  Still, there are many things you can't learn from a book or the Internet; you just have to figure it out for yourself through good, old fashioned experience.  Along those lines, here are 7 Tips for Foreigners Visiting Colatina.

1. Watch your feet. There really aren’t sidewalks here so you’ll be doing a lot of walking in the street.  Potholes and cracks abound.  Some homes and businesses do have sidewalks out front--but beware!--although the ground level may look uniform, it can drop or rise by as much as a foot without warning.  Texting while walking is discouraged for your own safety.

2. Ignore man’s best friend.  Stray dogs and cats are all over the place.  Many have some kind of infirmity that makes them seem extra pitiful and in need of your love and attention.  As hard as it may be, try not to make eye contact, pet them, or [God forbid] give them food, or you will have a new best friend for life following you home.  We saw the saddest kitten on a walk around our neighborhood one day--it was very skinny and had a broken paw.  When we got back to our building, it was waiting outside [we had first seen it a block away from our house and weren’t sure how it knew where we lived].

3. Leave your personal space bubble at home. Brazilians are generally very warm people and greetings/farewells involve handshakes, hugs, and, for women, kisses on both cheeks.  If you don’t like touching other people, either don’t come to Brazil, or pretend you are sick during your visit. 

4. Get ready to eat.  There is a saying, “food is love.”  Well, in Brazil, we love food.  Lunch is typically our largest meal of the day.  There are few excuses for not eating.  My mother-in-law will prod lovingly until I go in for seconds.

5. There will be meat.  Hand in hand with the last tip, be prepared for meat aplenty.  I’m sure there are Brazilian vegetarians and vegans, but I don’t know any.  Barbecues, or churrascos, are meat-centric events complete with steak, sausage, and sometimes even chicken hearts [a delicacy].

6. Limit action to early morning or early evening.  It doesn’t take long for the sun to heat up the ground and all the buildings.  All the while, it’s beating down from above.  If you want to get in a run or even a leisurely stroll, best to do it first thing when you wake up or after the sun goes down.  Otherwise you’re at risk for drowning in your own sweat.

7. Pack a sweatshirt.  I was shocked the first time the temperature dipped low enough for me to feel cold.  I’m from New England where we take pride in our ability to survive arctic winters and snow up to your knees.  No way did I think I’d ever have goosebumps in this country.  Sure you’re in shorts and flip-flops 99.9% of the time.  But once you get used to the 85+ degree temperatures, when the temp dips down to 64, you’ll thank your lucky stars you brought a hoodie, a pair of skinny jeans, and some socks.

All images via Pixabay.