Atlantic ForestOrientation Information |
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General InformationRemember that the course in Brazil will be held during the winter. We can probably expect fairly warm days, but nights may be chilly. Typically, when the sun is out during the day, it will be hot enough for you to break a sweat in the sun. At night, you'll need a light jacket. To get an idea of what the temperature and precipitation will be, look at a web site for local weather conditions (for example www.weather.com or through www.cnn.com). Use Sao Paulo as your reference. During the course it probably will rain at least on some of the days - on these days it will of course be coolest. Also remember that temperatures, weights and measures are in the metric system. In general, most items you are accustomed to seeing in stores are available in Brazil, but the brand names might not be the same and sizing is different for shoes and clothes. Prices are generally lower for locally produced goods, but imported items will be fairly expensive, with electronics being ridiculously expensive. At the field sites you will not need much cash, since these are not too close to urban areas. It would be a good idea to convert your US dollars into Brazilian currency (Real or R$) when you first arrive into the country. The Real (pronounced hey-eye) floats against the US dollar, and at present (middle of July 2002) the exchange rate is approximately 1 US$ = 2.8 R$. Exchange can be made at the Sao Paulo International airport (Guarulhos), where the rate is probably better than you would get in your home country. Credit cards are accepted at some locations in the smaller communities that we will be visiting, and at most of the stores in Sao Paulo city. However, do not rely on using credit cards. Additionally, you should not rely on ATM cards, as the systems differ greatly between countries. Some ATM cards will work in Brazil, but not all. The only bank that that seems to accept nearly all US based ATM cards is Citibank - there are 17 of these in downtown Sao Paulo, including one on Alameda Santos, between Pamplona and Campinas streets in the Jardim Paulista neighborhood, as well as two branches in Campinas. Refer to the Citibank website for the specific locations. Please remember that the official language of Brazil is Portuguese. If you know Spanish, that will help you with reading, but not speaking. Although not required if you are arriving from the US, it is a very good idea to have a tetanus shot or booster. A yellow fever shot (it’s good for 10 years) is also a good idea, but not neccesary. If you are flying in from another country, please check with the Brazilian consulate or embassy about what vaccinations are required for entry. The following is a list of suggested personal items for use during the course. However, I suppose the best advice is to travel as light as possible, since we will be taking two field trips during the duration of the course. If you own a laptop that you would be comfortable bringing to Brazil, it would be a great idea. We have only seven computers for the course and a crunch for computer access often comes at the end of the course when people are finishing their individual projects. Security at IPE is great, and we've never had a problem with thefts.
Remember that you will also need to have some clothes for “city” life, so pack a couple of changes for “normal” life style. Written by James A. Danoff-Burg, July 19, 2002
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