i-to-iTeach English on Brazil's coast (Salvador)
Can you help youngsters to a better future in Brazil?
Teach English in Salvador and if you do a good job the locals may just agree to teach you to samba in return. You’ll be swinging your hips all the way to the airport after leaving a city that never walks anywhere when it could just as easily dance. The high spirits and friendly disposition belie some serious problems in the town though, and it is currently the nation’s unemployment capital. This project works in the poorest neighbourhoods and provides classes in English, citizenship, history of art, customer service, entrepreneurship, and computer science amongst other things. This schooling is intended to provide youngsters with the opportunity to work in the city’s large tourism industry. We’re sure you can make a big difference here and we will provide you with our TEFL certification to help you prepare.
Fast Facts
Project Information
- Project Duration: Min 4 weeks - Max 12 weeks
- Project Costs: US$ 1790.00 for 4 weeks, US$ 300.00 for every week thereafter
- Location of project:Salvador, on the east coast of Brazil in the state of Bahia
- Arrival Airport:Salvador (airport code SSA)
- Activities:Teaching English and other subjects
- Working Hours:Flexible; Monday to Friday 9am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm typically 10 to 15 hours per week, all other time is free
- Getting to the project:Dependent on location; 30-45 minutes bus ride (budget approximately US$20 per week)
- Requirements:Minimum age 18
- Other:Carnival week will be from February 21st to 28th 2009 and February 13th to 20th 2010, you may have some disruptions to the placement during this time
What's Included
- Accommodation:Shared dormitory room in hostel
- Food:Food is not included; you will need to purchase your own food (budget approximately US$50 per week)
- Airport Pickup:Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you're arriving early!
- Training:In-country orientation and Online TEFL course
- Support:Pre-departure helpdesk, Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support
What's not included
- Flights, Insurance, Visas, Return Airport transfer, Local Transport, Food
Project details:
This project is focused on teaching English to youths from local tourism and social projects, in order to improve their employment status and career potential.
At 'A Cor da Cidade: Turismo e Cidadania' (The Colour of the City: Tourism and Citizenship), the objective is to prepare adolescents and African American youth to be "monitors in tourism". Salvador is the third largest tourist city in Brazil and the majority of its population is of African American descent; it is also the national capital of unemployment and that is why this project has been launched within this specific community. The goal of this project is to train new professionals, with the hope of preparing them for employment in the tourism industry.
This project caters for 40 African American teenagers and young adults aged 16 to 25 years old. The project reaches out to the community of the historical centre and agencies which will provide classes in citizenship, English, history of art, history of Bahia, history of Brazil, religion of primitive Africa, history of Africa, tourist matters, customer service, entrepreneurship, and computer science.
Kabum's School of Art and Technology is a project of the NGO CIPO. The selection of the 80 youths that participate on the project today was accomplished through the identification of 11 communities with a very small IDH (Index of Human Development) within Salvador city; each community referred an average of 60 youths to participate in the selection process. There were 740 enrolled in total, from which the project team selected 80. They are boys and girls, from 16 to 20 years old.
Alongside the classes, tours are planned to the city as well as visits to cultural centers and advertising agencies. The students receive a monthly support of R$ 80.00 and through the partnership with the Bahia State Government, they also receive food and transportation.
Why the project needs volunteers:
Kabum works with digital video equipment, images, and computer graphic design. Most of the programmes are in English and the students are not able to have a full understanding because of the language barrier. They are constantly pointing out this difficulty and therefore there is a strong desire to learn English. For both projects, the exchange of experiences between youths and professionals of several countries of the world represents a rich experience.
What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
Come in a spirit of generosity and sincerity; open yourself up to the experience; be prepared for emotional experiences; not expect a structure, but be open minded to the unexpected things that will happen; not be intimidated by the strange culture; and last but not least, they should be independent, adaptable and motivated. Basic Brazilian Portuguese and/or Intermediate Spanish is recommended.
Your role as a volunteer:
At both projects the main focus is of course teaching English. However, each also has other activities that you can expect to get involved with. At Turismo e Cidadania, you may participate in all the other classes, such as: art; history of Bahia and Brazil; history of Africa; customer service; entrepreneurship; and computer training. At CIPO, you may be able to participate in activities focused on video, pictures, design and computer graphics.
Where the project is based:
Salvador is on the east coast of Brazil, where the climate is very hot, even in the winter period the temperature at night is never less than 19?C. Simple clothing is fine: it is possible to work in shorts and sandals. We recommend the daily use of sun block.
Turismo e Cidadania is a 1 minute walk from the accommodation, and CIPO is 30 minutes by bus.
The accommodation is a hostel with a fully equipped kitchen, available to use 24 hrs a day. There are two supermarkets around: one is very basic and only one block away; the other is much larger, has everything you will need, and is 15 minutes walking distance.
You will need to arrive at Salvador International Airport (SSA) on your start date.What exactly do i-to-i provide?
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
Project sourcing and assessment
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Expert help-desk
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Thorough project briefing materials
Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
TEFL training
If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More
Airport pickup
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Arrival orientation
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation and meals
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Local in-country coordinators
Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
24/7 emergency support
Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
Ongoing training
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
Supporting our projects
We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More
Recruiting people like you
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
The intangible benefits
Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
What we will do after you've booked:
- Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
- We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
- Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
- Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
- We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
- We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
- We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
- We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go
What you need to do after booking your place with us:
- Book your flights
- Arrange suitable travel insurance
- Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
- application from
- travel details
- insurance details
- medical information
- emergency contacts
- Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
- Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
- Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
- Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
- Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
- Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
- Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
- Get on the plane!
Orientation Information
You will arrive on the Arrival Date – Friday and will be met at the airport on that day (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night). You will be taken to the volunteer guest house where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight.
Note: If you’re arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service.
Your orientation will take place on Saturday morning (address below).
Pousada Escola Jorge Amado
Praça Augusto Severo, Largo da Mariquita 332,
Edificio Aidê, apto. 203 - Rio Vermelho
Salvador – bahia
Brazil
CEP: 41.940-390
Orientation will cover introduction to the country, safety, travelling around, time for questions.
You will begin your placement on Monday morning.
Insurance
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
Flights
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
Early Airport Pick-up
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night accommodation is included in this payment; if you require more than one night please inform the team.
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 67.00
Brazil
A little bit of history...
Pre-empting the diverse cultures and races that exist in modern day Brazil, its indigenous groups were an eclectic mix. The earliest known settlers are believed to have inhabited the land at least 15,000 years before the arrival of the Europeans. Owing to Brazil’s uniqueness is its status as the only Latin American country to form part of the Portuguese empire. The Portuguese arrived in the 16th century and developed brazilwood, sugar cane and gold exports while harbouring a lucrative slave trade having replaced Indians with African slaves to work the plantations. The country’s profitable resources also attracted the attentions of the French and Dutch but is was the Portuguese who maintained overall control until 1822 when Brazil declared independence. Following the abolition of slavery in 1888, an influx of European immigrants flocked to Brazil to work on the highly profitable coffee plantations. With support from the coffee barons, Brazil became a republic in 1889 via a military coup.
Military intervention dominated the political landscape for much of the 20th century until 1985 when power was ceded to civilian leaders and by 1989 the first democratic elections were held since the military takeover. A push toward social reform was attempted by President Lula, who came to power in 2002, to combat the nation’s high levels of poverty. While Brazil’s economy has suffered extreme highs and lows, it is South America’s leading economic power though a large disparity between rich and poor remains.
Best time to go...
Opposite to the seasons experienced in the northern hemisphere, Brazil’s summer runs from December to March and its winter months are between June and August. The main seasonal changes occur in the south of the country and summer is the best time to visit to avoid frost, the possibility of snow and prolonged rain. Coastal areas like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are warm year round but can get stifling in summer with temperatures in the high 30°Cs and sometimes reaching the low 40°Cs. The northeast is also warm but benefits from a cool breeze that alleviates the heat during the summer months. Tropical rains are a year round occurrence throughout the country and often amount to short sharp periods and rarely, if ever, impact on travel plans. Unsurprisingly, the Amazon receives the most rainfall with January to June seeing the heaviest downfalls. Although heavy with humidity, this can be the best time to navigate the rivers and catch sight of wildlife that would not be seen during the dry season.
The busiest period to visit is between mid-December until the close of Carnaval which takes place in February or early March. It’s a good time to soak up the celebratory mood of the country but it’s advisable to book accommodation well in advance. The major hotspots are also packed and heaving with foreign and Brazilian tourists during Easter and July, when the schools enjoy their winter vacation break.
Getting around...
The flexibility afforded by flying does not necessarily come cheap in Brazil though there are some bargains to be had if you shop around. Foreigners can purchase air passes from the country’s major airlines like Varig and Tam which offer various flights within a set time frame; they must be purchased outside of Brazil. It’s worth noting that flight routes are not always direct and may involve several stops on the way. It’s advisable to go by flight number when keeping track of a flights departure time at airports, since only the final destination tends to be listed. There are also low-cost carriers available such as Bra and Gol which offer competitive fares and fly to major cities.
Train travel is very limited in Brazil and is not a mode of transport that can get you from A to B, though there are several scenic routes that are worth the experience alone. In the south of the country, for instance, the Curitiba-Paranagua line takes in glorious vistas of mountains and lush forests during its 4 hour route.
Buses on the other hand are in abundance and depart from bus stations (known as rodoviária) in towns and cities on a regular basis. Distances can be extremely long so it may be worth investing in the more luxurious kind which offer air-conditioning and seats that recline flat to resemble a bed (leitos); Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo is a respectable 6 hours, while Rio de Janeiro to the north eastern coastal city of Recife is a leg-numbing 38 hours by bus. There are a number of bus companies such as Itapemirim that offer extensive services across the country. It’s advisable to book bus travel in advance, and tickets can be purchased at bus stations and travel agents. Car rental is also readily available but it takes an experienced driver to negotiate Brazil’s roads. Driving at night is not advised due to poor road conditions in some parts.
For travel on a local level, buses and taxi’s are easily accessible within towns and cities. It’s essential to ride in bona fide taxis that have meters and the driver’s details clearly visible. Reliable taxis are easy to spot in Rio de Janeiro, where yellow taxis are the norm. Taxis in some cities are identifiable by red number plates and are equipped with meters. For added convenience, both Rio de Janiero and São Paulo have subway systems which are easy to use, though not as developed as cities like New York.
Useful links
www.lonelyplanet.comLonely Planet are leaders in the travel guide sector and their website is a great source of travel information.
www.fco.gov.uk
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas.
www.itapemirim.com.br
Bus company Itapemirim.
www.voebra.com.br
Domestic low-cost airline Bra (site currently unavailable in English)
www.voegol.com.br/INT
Domestic low-cost airline Gol.
Stories
It's great that you want to be part of this project.
Being part of an i-to-i project is a totally unique experience. You’ll join a global network of volunteers working side-by-side with local people and experience things that you’ve never dreamed of.
Be Part of this or any project and help us reach our goal of 400yrs combined volunteering!
Learn more about our goal Learn more about this projectWe work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
