Ok guys, here it is. All seven pages. Sorry it took so long but I tried to be as complete and honest as possible. This honesty always seems to get me in trouble with the Jiu Jitsu police and there are always some of you that seem to think you need to e-mail me and tell me how it was different for you. If you think I made some serious errors please e-mail me and let me know, but I have been here for some time now and think you will find this FAQ very helpful whether you have been here before or not. If you have any other questions or if you would like to contribute some more helpful info, please email me.
Scotty@OntheMat.com What do I need to do before I come?
Get a Passport:
http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.htmlGet a Visa: Brazilian Consulate List Click Here
You have to get a visa to get in to Brazil. Do not even try to come without one. BTW you only need one because the USA requires that all Brazilians have one. Most other countries are not required a visa to come to Brazil.
You want to get a 90 Day visa and you can renew it for up to 180 days. The consulate can answer all your questions because things tend to change all the time. Like the price for example. Since the good old USA doubled the costs of tourist visas for Brazilians, the price of a visa for you to come to Brazil has now gone up as well. Why the USA raised the cost I have no idea? I think it is $100 now.
Get your visa form here.
What address should I use on my visa?
I don't care but not mine. I used a hotel I found on the internet.
Get a plane ticket.
I suggest you leave the U.S. Tuesday through Thursday. The plane will be packed on other days and flights Tues.-Thurs. are the cheaper days as well. A whole row of seats in the back makes for a much better trip. So do sleeping pills and Portuguese books. Brazilians are very friendly people and beautiful too. So perhaps you can find a tutor on the plane to help you get started on your Portuguese. People do get bored on planes you know. I have met some really cool people on the long plane trip.
For Rio you want to fly in to GIG airport.
My guy - Tours To Brazil
Ask for Ricardo and tell him you are a friend of scotty's.
(310) 771-0604 Phone (866) BRAZIL9 -Toll Free
www.tours2brazil.comhttp://tickets.priceline.com/http://www.kasbah.com/http://brol.com/http://www.travelocity.comhttp://www.hotwire.com/If people know other places to get cheap tickets please let us know.
What should I bring?
Sunblock! If you are in to supplements, bring more than you think you will need. They are unbelievably expensive here. If you are used to any particular body care products or hair stuff, you better bring that too. Only bring one gi and buy more while you are here. Make sure you bring your cameras and video cameras. Some places will let you plug in your laptops as well. Just becareful where you bring them and don't be a dumbass or be flashy with your equipment.
Hibiclens
This soap kills everything and there are lots of creepy things in Brazil and all over the mats that you might want to kill. It is good to take a shower after going to the beach & training right away. Brazilians are already numb to stuff that makes gringos sick.
Clothes?
Leave all your Jiu Jitsu and Vale Tudo gear at home unless you have to have it. You don't want to wear it out much. You can but girls don't dig it and some guys might not too. You can always buy new stuff here in Brazil. In the Brazilian summer (the North American winter) it is hot here and it rains some too. When it does rain, it tends to be hard. I don't suggest bringing expensive tennis shoes especially Nikes. Leave your Rolex and bling bling at home. Preppy crap is always hip here and so is surfer / Skater gear. Oh and you European guys, your Football Club jersey no matter how cool it is, they will not be cool here. Oakely glasses are hot here along with Arnette, still and of course Guccis.
How long should one stay?
I would suggest staying as long as you can. But it really takes a month to get the feel of the place. After that you will want to stay longer. It might be uncomfortable the first few days or week if it is your first time out of the country. You are on the other side of the planet, so you might feel a little upside down. And, you might find some things here backward. It's ok, we all did.
How long should I train for before I come to Brazil to train?
I think you should grasp the basics and be rolling around before you come. The are always white belts training at the big schools. At any level the chance to really improve is always here.
How can I stay longer?
To do this you will need to look at all the different visas available to you and figure out how you can make that happen. Student visa is one-way and your school may have a study abroad program. PUC has big groups of international students you might try starting with them. Once you have been here for six months, you'll love it so much you will figure out a way to stay. You never know. You might meet that special person for your life and get married. You can also buy a house and get a residency card.
How much money will I need?
This depends on you. You can do Rio really cheap. Cheaper than at home in the USA or you can RockStar it hard and spend a lot. It also depends on the exchange rate so check here:
http://www.x-rates.comI would guess $R900 - $R1500 a week will cover your trip well. How do I figure that in dollars. Check the web site above and do the math. Can't figure out the math. Don’t come to Brazil, please.
How should I bring my money?
Cash
