Local Customs
Customs in Brazil
In general, Brazilians are a fun-loving people with the Southerners being a little colder and more reserved then the people from Rio upwards who truly enjoy having a good time and usually boast a captivating attitude towards life.
Family and social connections are strongly valued and friendship and hospitality are highly praised traits. Brazilians are usually very open, friendly and sometimes quite generous especially to people they have just met. They are known as one of the most hospitable people in the world and foreigners are usually treated with respect and often with true admiration.
As a general rule workers in most services are tipped 10%. In restaurants the service charge will usually be included in the bill however if a waitperson is friendly and helpful it is greatly appreciated to give more. When the service charge is not included, a 10% tip is customary.
There are many places where tipping is not customary but is a welcome gesture such as juice stands, bars, coffee corners and street vendors. Parking assistants are dependent on tips, usually R$2 as they receive no wages and gas-station attendants, shoe shiners and barbers are also frequently tipped. Although tipping is not expected most people round up taxi fares to the nearest real.
The predominant religion in Brazil is Roman Catholic with 80% of the population being followers. Other religions include Protestant, Pentecostal, Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist.
Brazil is a mixture of ethnicities and races resulting in rich diversity. Be aware that racism is a very serious offense in Brazil and is considered a crime for which bail is not available and is met with imprisonment. Always be sensitive when talking about topics such as local politics and political corruption as you are likely to easily offend. Remember that Portuguese is not Spanish and even though both languages can be mutually intelligible to a wide extent, they differ considerably in phonetics, vocabulary and grammar.
Cheek-kissing is very common in Brazil and when two women, or opposite sexes first meet, it is not uncommon to kiss. Two men will usually shake hands particularly for more formal occasions and when trying to shake hands when offered a kiss will be considered odd, but never rude.
When people first meet, they will kiss one, two or three times depending where you are, alternating right and left cheeks. Be aware that while doing this you should not kiss on the cheeks but actually beside it in the air, placing your lips on a strangers cheek will be perceived as odd. Brazilians like to drink however to get drunk, even in a pub, is frowned upon. People essentially go to pubs to socialize not to drink.
