Surprising First Volunteering Experience in Brazil
Landing in Rio for our first volunteering job: It was 7 PM, and we were so wiped out from the flight that the idea of finding the Uber pickup point at the airport was simply too much. Instead, we grabbed a taxi straight to the city center. Sure, it cost us 100 BRL (around 18€), but at that point, convenience trumped saving money. Our stop for the night was the Itajubá Hotel in the center of Rio. Let’s just say it wasn’t winning any luxury awards, but it was fine for a quick stay. After a good night’s sleep, we tackled one of the most important tasks for any traveler: getting SIM cards. TIM, a local provider, hooked us up with unlimited calls and 30GB of internet for 128 BRL (20€). With connectivity sorted, we were ready to move on to the next part of our journey.
Arriving to our temporary home and First Volunteering Experience!
We hopped on a bus to Casimiro de Abreu, where our volunteering hosts lived. The ticket cost 138 BRL (22€), and the ride itself was calm only 2 hours. At the station, we were greeted by our hosts, a friendly couple around our age. They were super chill, and the first thing they did was take us grocery shopping. We grabbed the basics and split the bill.
After an 8 km drive to their house, we arrived to the house. But they already told us that the first nights the house will be occupied by other tourists and we have to go to their ranch. No problem, right? We’d just hike to their ranch, a 1.5-hour trek through the forest, banana plantations, and up a mountain.
Except… by the time we were ready to go, it was already dark. And let me tell you, the Brazilian rainforest at night is not for the faint of heart. As we sat in the car waiting for our host to grab something, we were surrounded by pure darkness, tropical frog calls, and glowing fireflies. It was magical but also somehow spooky.
Jungle HIke? Not tonight
Let me tell you I was not about to walk through a dark forest in Brazil even when it was not that late (around 6pm). Jorge and I sat there on the backseats, trying to psych ourselves up, but deep down, we were both freaking out. I whispered to him in German, “I can’t do this, no way.” Luckily, he felt the same.
So, we told our hosts that we weren’t comfortable hiking through the jungle at night, and honestly, they took it so well. They were relieved we were honest with them instead of just pretending to be okay with it. And since it was our first volunteering job – this was way too adventurous for us.
The big question: Where do we sleep?
After a couple of phone calls, they managed to get in touch with an aunt who owned a beautiful chalet right next to their house. She wasn’t around, but the door was unlocked (only happens in the countryside). So, they drove us back and dropped us off there.
The chalet was stunning, a total upgrade from what we’d expected, but it came with a price tag: 100€ for the two nights. Definitely not ideal for our budget travel plans, but we were just grateful to have a safe, cozy place to stay. Plus, after hearing about the wildlife in the area – pumas, jaguars, snakes, and who knows what else – I wasn’t going anywhere near that forest at night. 😏
For our hosts, walking to the ranch in the dark was just another day in the life. But for us, used to streetlights and sidewalks, it felt like stepping into the set of Jungle Book but a horror Edition (so exaggerated but you know what I mean) 😜
After two nights in the chalet, our hosts came back from the ranch, and we finally settled into their house to start our volunteering experience. Sure, the first few days were a little more intense (and expensive) than we’d planned, but what’s an adventure without a few unexpected twists?
[Expect the unexpected and have some extra money saved!]
And yes, we did the hike some days after but under sunlight and it was not easy at all but so beautiful and a real lifetime experience!
After our first volunteering experience we head to the peaceful beachtown Búzios and spent 2 incredible days there! Check out our Blogpost.
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