Costs. Brazil can be an expensive country to live in. Be sure to save up as much as you can before you leave and start a FundMyTravel campaign to make your dream gap year happen. This is a way to gain spread the financial support across handfuls of friends and family, instead of the just a few. Another option to help fund your travel is to search for jobs in Brazil for foreigners.

Accommodations. Finding a place to rent yourself can be hard in Brazil, as most people own homes. If you opt to go on the route towards a formal program, coordinating your accommodations will typically be taken care of. It’s just one of the many perks! You can also opt in to a homestay living situation if you’d like to make meaningful connections with locals, improve your Portuguese, or have a deeper look into what day-to-day life looks like here. Or, opt for guest houses or apartments with other gappers like yourself!

Visas. You can stay on a tourist visa in Brazil for six months, but you’ll need to get a longer visa to be able to stay for the full duration of your gap year abroad. Refer to the GoAbroad embassy directory to get started on this process—it can be a doozy, and should be paid very close attention to.

Safety. Brazil can get a bad rap for its crime rates; don’t let this scare you away though. Polish up on your street smarts, keep valuables locked up and hidden, and don’t take drinks or snacks from strangers. Women should note that exaggerated “flirtation” by men can be common here. It’s generally just seen as a nuisance; hold your ground, don’t feed the trolls, and you’ll be fine. Ask your gap year program provider for more helpful safety tips in Brazil.