Half-Price Volunteer Programs for Sept/Oct 2008

Be quick to end your year on a meaningful high!

Half price Volunteering in Brazil is only available on 2 and 3 week programs. To apply and reserve your place complete our quick online application now - Quick Application

Some things you could do:

If you like sport, particularly soccer - go here

Do you fancy teaching? - go here

How about helping kids? go here

Be quick before the half price offer is GONE...GONE...GONE....gon...go....g...g.....

Are you NUTS about Brazil ?


44 lb of Brazil Nuts shipped to your door...

Hello,

Just a quickie...

We are starting to get some serious enquires regarding Carnival in Brazil - Even though the annual bash doesn't start until February 2009 , if you want to play, get your skates on, Brazil Carnival 2009

A couple more updates:

Don't forget in addition to Brazil , volunteer Brazil have partnered with organisations in Peru and Costa Rica, we will also very shortly be changing our current partners in Africa to a South African based Conservation Organisation - check back here for updates.

We are also currently expanding our Brazil program to include more cities, particularly in south and north west Brazil - again check back here for updates.

On the other hand, due to various factors we are reducing our programs in Sao Paulo and Fortaleza.

And finally, it's always nice to get feedback and a brief note from former volunteers, and as I write this blog entry , Tom Ireland from England wrote. Tom volunteered on one of our partner projects in Recife(June and early July 2008)

¨Hi Alan, I just wanted to email and say that I am now home in England. Thank you for letting me experience Brazil. Brazil is a great country and it was great to work with the children that I met at the day centre. I will be back in Brazil for sure¨...

Thank you Tom, see you again , very soon...

Fantastic opportunity to own and develop a piece of the action in Brazil.

Brazil is quite probably one of the most exciting and potentially lucrative investments of the decade.

If you want to own 94 hectares of prime land in Gravatá, Pernambuco, north-east Brazil, contact us TODAY, information@volunteerbrazil.com

If you would like to learn more before contacting us – read on…

Gravatá in Pernambuco is one of the most exciting land opportunities in north-east Brazil.

Gravatá is both a well established city and a frightfully underdeveloped region. It is however, firmly, very firmly in fact, an established and popular weekend destination for not only Recife city dwellers but middle-class Brazilians from all over Brazil who flock to the region escaping the day-to-day grind of busy big city life.

The Opportunity:

The 94 hectares of land enjoys a private road, a barrage, fresh water and electricity supply in addition to a luxury condominium community with heated swimming pool and other amenities, all set in a landscape below a hill of 360 degrees (which you will also own) with breathtaking views over the Serra das Russas.

The land is ready to develop, some suggestions for you; golf course, tennis courts, hotel or luxury resort, leisure and or residential facilities – the sky’s the limit, the choice is your’s …

Do you want to own this land? Contact us TODAY information@volunteerbrazil.com

Further information:
Google Map of Gravata

Economy of Gravata is currently driven by the following activities:
Tourism
Rustic Furniture making
Vegetable, fruit and flower growing
Horse breeding

Purchase this land before it’s too late: information@volunteerbrazil.com

PS: Guide Price is R$8.000.000,00 OR 4.9 Million United States Dollars ( 3.1 Million Euros or 2.4 Million Pounds)

Volunteer with kids at Santa Cruz FC

The Training School at Santa Cruz Football Club - Recife - Brazil.

This is an exceptional volunteering opportunity to get involved with street kids, orphans and abondoned children on a joint volunteer program with Santa Cruz Football Club and the State Government of Pernambuco.


You will have an enthusiasm for sport, in particular, soccer. You will have a desire to help extremely disadvantaged children and be able and willing to turn that desire into practical support and encouragement. In addition to acting with care, patience and understanding.

You will be involved in the day to day development and care of the children and be involved with their general well being, training and sports school schedule, both at Santa Cruz Football club (Arruda) and the shelter where the children live.

Santa Cruz Futebol Clube currently play in the Brazilian 3rd Division - but are fully expected to be promoted back into the 2nd Division in 2008.

They play at Arruda in Recife, Brazil. The ground has a capacity of 70,000 fans.

Santa Cruz's most famous Brazilian footballer is Vitor Borba Ferreira, otherwise known as Rivaldo. Rivaldo also played in Europe, for Spanish Club; Barcelona and Italian Giants; AC Milan.

To volunteer on this great sports program opportunity - contact Volunteer Brazil ;

http://volunteerbrazil.com/booknow.html

Hello, Good Morning...


Haven't posted for a while, been so busy setting-up new programs and other new developements regarding volunteer and cultural exchange programs - not to mention other stuff!

Anyway, we are really getting choc-a-bloc for the summer period, with no current vacancies available in Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, we do however have spaces in Recife, Olinda , Salvador and Porte Alegre.

Rio and Sao Paulo will be good for June onwards - it's just May which is now fully booked.

A bit of a change of subject for all you Brazilian Football fans - the Brazilian Soccer Season starts today (Saturday 10th May)...

I have penned a Brazilian football articles about Serie A...

Série A (Brasileirão) is where the big boys play, there are currently 20 teams in the league, who play the usual one home and away against each other - the objective besides winning it, of course, is to avoid the drop into the wilderness that is Serie B - but 4 teams will ultimately, at the end of the 40 games have to face that humiliation.

One of the things to realize about Brazil is the huge geographical area it covers, and an away game can take a few flying hours - this however, doesn't usually affect the teams, but what it does do is ensure that home crowds are partisan - this is lessened in games involving teams from the same state, because there will be some away fan presence.The teams that tend to dominate the top-half of Serie A are the Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro sides.

Below, you will find the teams in the Brazilian Serie A this year, the 4 teams in red were promoted from Serie B.

Atlético Mineiro MG
Atlético Paranaense PR
Botafogo RJ
Coritiba PR (promoted from Serie B)
Cruzeiro MG
Figueirense SC
Flamengo RJ
Fluminense RJ
Goiás GO
Grêmio RS
Internacional RS
Ipatinga MG (promoted from Serie B)
Náutico PE
Palmeiras SP
Portuguesa SP (promoted from Serie B)
Santos SP
São Paulo SP
Sport PE
Vasco RJ
Vitória BA (promoted from Serie B)

You will notice a series of 2 letters after the football team name, this indicates the State the team is from, there is a key below:
State Key:
RJ = Rio de Janeiro
MG = Minas Gerais
PR = Parana
SC = Santa Catarina
GO = Goais
SP = Sao Paulo
RS = Rio Grande do Sul
PE = Pernambuco
BA = Bahia

You will note from the above , that there are only 9 states represented in Serie A - actually a third of the countries states - of course , all 27 states are madly and passionately in love with football, but they are just not currently good enough for Serie A.

Naturally, with promotion and demotion at seasons end, this can change , year-on-year.Here follows a map of Brazil, with all states marked clearly, along with their capitals.

If you intend following Serie A this season, it will pay you to familiarize yourself with the geography - in addition to noting the Rio and Sao Paulo teams.

Both principalities account for 8 of the 20 teams:

Rio teams are; Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo and Vasco.

Sao Paulo teams are; Sao Paulo, Santos, Palmeiras and Portuguesa.

Recife, Pernambuco, in the north-east has 2 teams, Nautico and Sport.

Also from the north-east , Bahia has 1 team; Vitoria.

Minas Gerais which borders Sao Paulo and Rio has 3 teams; Atlético Mineiro, Ipatinga and Cruzeiro.

Whilst the southern state bordering Argentina, Rio Grande do Sul, also has 2 teams in the shape of; Gremio and Internacional.

Parana, also has 2 teams , Atlético Paranaense and Coritiba.

Santa Catarina and Goias each have one representative, Figueirense and Goiás, respectively.

If you have already studied the map and team location you would have noticed that most of the teams in Serie A are from the southern part of Brazil, the teams furthest north this season are Nautico and Sport in Recife, Pernambuco.

There are states in Brazil which are bigger than some European countries, - and as in all regions of the world, football rivalry is no different in Brazil.

It's worth noting that there are two layers and primary aspects of rivalry in Brazilian football. The first is the obvious rivalry between teams from the same state and city, but just as intense , is inter-state rivalry.

Hope you enjoy following Brazilian Soccer and Serie A this season...

PS: Go Nautico -

Last Friday I told you about the volunteer Brazil testimonials which we had received from past volunteers.

Well it's fair to say that after almost 6 years and more than 2000 volunteers (directly and indirectly) we have had some hairy experiences. We do make checks on all volunteers who apply, and follow up references etc.

It's a case of having to, as many of our projects are working with children, women at risk and other vulnerable people - Nevertheless, we sometimes don't know quite enough about volunteers before they arrive in Brazil - and mistakes are made - but fortunately we have been able to protect the vulnerable children and communities from missfit applicants ( for the most part anyway).

Here follows some incidents involving volunteers who came to Brazil on a program, who really shouldn't have come (due to one thing or another).

We recently had a volunteer from Calgary who came to work on a health project in Brazil - when he arrived everything seemed fine - it would wouldn't it. His resume stated that he was seeking admission to Medical School at the University of Calgary. And also stated he was currently under the wing of Dr **** (to protect the Doctor's reputation, I won't name him) on an open studies program.

Anyway, to cut the chase, this self employed-subcontracter for an Architectural Finishing System Company in Calgary turned out to be a very unstable man who behaved rather odd, so odd in fact that the the staff of the health project were concerned about admitting him to the program.

Initially, we thought this his behaviour was due to culture shock, but after a week got really concerned when he threatened to cut the throat of one of our domestic employees (a gesture made to her in an elevator)...

She was terrified and traumatized by the incident - and is still shaken over the incident.

To be frank I was going to call the police, but refrained from doing so, by the way , his account of this incident was that he meant it as a joke - some joke, eh!

Needless to say, we had no alternative but to terminate his placement... And he now has the audacity to send us abusive and disgusting emails (using his name and an alias)...

I'm running out of time on this blog, but just very quickly... We also had a volunteer who had used all her fundraising monies having a honeymoon with her boyfriend - 3 others who were mentally unstable (they hid this from us on their application and references)...

So, if you are intending to apply for a volunteer program abroad, please don't come to get away from your problems (it never works), don't come if your medical advisor advises against it or because you think it will look good on your resume - Oh, and don't lie on your application , you will be found out - and don't give false references...

Happy Days.....catch you soon...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to Volunteer in Brazil with Volunteer Brazil?

Rather than me tell you, I thought it may be a good idea for volunteers to tell you about their experiences volunteering in Brazil...

This first testimonial about volunteering in Brazil is from 2 sisters, Ujali and Deepali - (they are from the United Kingdom)...

I only received their testimonial a few weeks ago (Jan 5th 2008), so am pleased to be able to post it here:

My experience through volunteer Brazil has been life changing. Working with thechildren we worked with and seeing what brazilian culture was really like was extremely endearing. The children and teachers welcomed us with open arms andto see how grateful the children were for our time made every moment worthwhle. Our home stay was just the same. We had the pleasure of staying with alovely lady who made us feel extremely welcome. The experience was a fantastic way to combine travelling with giving something back to the country. I'd recommend this experience to anyone and encourage everyone to welcome it with open arms as it will truely give you the greatest self satisfaction possible.

Ujali & Deepali.

The second Testimonial from Brazil, was written by Chris, Chris is from England and in November 2007 volunteered with Street Children.

Hey Alan things are amazing! its amazing here and i would recommend it anyone. the kids are amazing and each of them is so happy and playful. everyday we play and have fun. im starting to get the launguage aswell being constantly surrounded by it. its okay if someones talking directly to me but if their talking around me it goes over my head.

But its okay tho because i know whats going on most of the time. but like i said everything is amazing, the scenery, the kids and the staff are also really good. they really help me and help explain things if needs be.

Had a massive futsol tournament last night and im paying for it now. my feet are in pain but it was worth it. am really enjoying my experience here just cant believe how quick the days are going. hope everything is well with you. and thank you for this, i cant describe how happy i am here.

Chris.

Testimonial number 3 is from Emily. Emily is from The United States and volunteered with her daughter in October and November 2007.

Volunteer Brazil provided me and Afton with very appropriate accommodation for my situation. The location in Recife was excellent, with good access to everything.

The beaches around the Recife coast are beautiful, and we went there quite a lot with the orphanage girls.

I will be coming back, for sure - thank you Alan ,Mirian and staff of Volunteer Brazil , so much for your hospitality.

Emily

The following Testimonial is from Sara Pironti. Sara is from Los Angeles...

I just recently got back to Los Angeles....all is well here and i am writing to thank you for helping me havesuch a wonderful experience. I keep thinking of the boys at the orphanage...i really miss them!!I would love to recommend the experience to anyone whois interested in volunteering in Brazil through your programs.

I thank you again for all your help and for giving me the opportunity to have such a wonderful experience. Please keep in touch....

Sara.

Here is what Danielle from California, said...

I just wanted to say thanks for your help and that I had a wonderful volunteering experience while in Brazil. The children at the center were amazing, as were Brazilians in general.

Danielle.

The following is a testimonial from a volunteer's mother - she wrote thanking us for providing her daughter; Annabel with good accommodation in Brazil.

I would like to say how fantastic the family you chose for her (Annabel, my daughter) have been and also what a superb experience working in the orphanage has been for Annabel. Many thanks.

Hilary.

I could go on all day here, but think I had better stop for now - the final testimony is from Geraldine of Dublin...

What fantastic kids, appearing to have nothing at first glance but laughed, smiled, sang and danced all the time and in my opinion had a richness in their life that we simply seem to have lost in the western world with our hectic lifestyles.

Adios meu amigos.

Geraldine.

And to quote, Geraldine...

Adios meu amigos.

Alan Thomas...

BOOK NOW for CARNIVAL - Due to cancellation we have 4 nights bed and breakfast for only 200.00 USD (100 Pound) per person...
















4 Nights - From Friday 2nd February through Wednesday Morning 6th February (Carnival period is Saturday 2nd February through Tuesday 5th February)


Olinda stands proudly as an UNESCO World Heritage City...

Authentic, Uncomercialised and Unspoilt! The world famous Carnival of Olinda, in Brazil, is considered to be the most authentic, the most beautiful, and the most spontaneous of its kind.
And considering that over 1 million people take to the streets each day in this UNESCO World Heritage Town, it remains an amazing fact that the WORLDS GREATEST STREET CARNAVAL is not yet comercialised.

Olinda and Recife have many, many delights for the visitor, but the Olinda and Recife Carnavals deserve a very special mention. Of course Brazil is world renowned for its annual Carnaval events, but when Brazilians want to party, when they want to experience an authentic carnaval , they come to Olinda, and Recife.In actual fact, Olinda is considered to be the most authentic, democratic, Carnaval in the whole of Brazil.

Whilst Recife holds pride of place in the Guiness Book Of Records as having the largest street Carnaval group (bloco). It takes a whole year for Brazilians to prepare for Carnaval, and the Olinda and Recife versions are certainly worth waiting for....

Reserve Your Place FOR 2008 - Click Here!

PS: Accommodation is in Recife...

Porto Alegre (The Joyous City) is in south Brazil, and is the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul.

Porto Alegre is an important economic and cultural city in Brazil which developed mainly through the work of immigrants, especially from; Germany, Italy and Portugal, and this strong European connection is evident today - although there are also strong indigenous and afro-brazilian communities present too.

We have many projects in Porto Alegre, and besides volunteering work the following places and buildings are well worth a visit...

Palácio dos Açorianos” (The Palace of the Azoreans)
Museum of Art of Rio Grande do Sul
Piratini Palace
Ilha da Pintada (Pintada Island)
Chico Mendes Park
Lami Biological Reserve
Guaíba Lake and the archipelago; comprised by 28 islands

Porto Alegre has a very efficient transport system and also boasts a very busy international airport.

Would you like to Volunteer in Porto Alegre? - We have projects in the following areas:

Conservation...
NGO Functions in Porto Alegre...
Teaching English...
Community Work Projects in Porto Alegre...
Teaching Skills to the Youth and Adults of Porto Alegre...

Apply - Volunteer in Porto Alegre...

Brazil Serie A

Hello and Happy New Year...

Just a very quick note to let you know of a very important development...at Volunteer Brazil

We understand that some of you are more independent than others - regarding your lifestyle and travel objectives, particularly volunteer and cultural travel.

With this in mind, we are launching a special volunteering program option for the more independent volunteer traveller.

YOU PAY JUST: (US $325) (170 Great Britain Pounds)(225 Euro)- - - - For your volunteer program with us.

What you get:

Your volunteer program/project work (Brazil only)...
Pre-departure help and advice...
Post placement recognition/reference (if required)...

Please note, does not include; flights, travel insurance, food or accommodation.

We haven't yet put this on our website (but will do so in the coming weeks), so to take advantage of this, please contact us through email , or via our online application; here:

http://volunteerbrazil.com/booknow.html

Please mention independent volunteering when you apply.

Have a great year, kind regards, Alan Thomas.

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