7 Items To Pack When Going To Brazil On Business
When travelling on business to a different country like Brazil, it is always important to be aware of local habits as well as to any needs that might arise during the trip. We will cover in this article 7 items that must be packed when travelling to Brazil for Business.
Dress code
It is important to know that Brazilians tend to dress rather conservatively when doing business, so be sure to pack your suit and some long-sleeve dress shirts, for men, and work dresses, skirts or trousers and a jacket, for women. Also, bear in mind that Brazil is a tropical country with most of its territory experiencing 27+°C all year round, it is advisable to bring clothes made in light fabrics, like cotton.
Umbrella
Make sure you bring an umbrella. As a typical tropical country, the weather may turn from a clear sky to a hailstorm in the blink of an eye. Even though umbrellas are not difficult to find in Brazil - as street vendors sell cheap umbrellas, between BRL 10 and BRL 15 whenever the first raindrop falls - good quality umbrellas may be a little more difficult to find and tend to be rather costly, around BRL 70 each.
Business cards
Although bringing business cards to a business trips seems logic, be sure to pack a lot of them whenever coming to Brazil for business. As Brazilians like to have face-to-face meetings, it is not uncommon to find yourself in a room of 10-15 people, even in your first meeting, and almost all of them are sure to give you their business card, so you should respond in the same way.
Identification Document
Travelling with a photographic Identification Document is of utmost importance, especially when coming to Brazil on business. First of all, it is important to say that not carrying an identification document, a passport in the case of foreigners, is illegal. However some foreigners choose not to carry their passport and prefer to have other identification documents, such as a driver’s license. If you choose not to carry your passport, be aware that most commercial buildings require photo ID for any visitors who need to enter the premises.This is done as a security measure, to keep control of who and when was entering and leaving the building.
Power adapter
Voltage in Brazil can be tricky. Like in the United States, most Brazilian outlets operate on 110V. However, there are exceptions and some places may also use 220V. Frequently, in hotels, it is common to find both voltages, with the outlet operating on 220V being designated by a sign. Always ask what the voltage is if you are unsure. To avoid problems, pack appliances that have an adjustable dual voltage.
Outlet adapter
As with voltage, outlets in Brazil can be tricky. The most common types of outlets are either Type A - two flat pins or Type C - two round pins - the most common types in the United States of America and in Europe. But, recently, Brazil adopted the Type N - three round pins - outlets, found only in Brazil and in South Africa. Although some Type C plugs fit in Type N outlets, Type A plugs do not. Thus, it is advisable to bring outlet adapters.
Mobile phone
Before going on a trip, especially a business one, it is important to make sure that your mobile phone will work properly. Nowadays, most phones support multiple GSM frequency bands, but it is important to double check if your phone is compatible to the GSM frequency bands used in Brazil. The GSM frequency bands used are:
- GSM-850
- GSM-900
- GSM-1800
- GSM-1900