Welcome to
The following pages contain important information about Recife and your Aiesec Internship. Please read them carefully before applying to any of our projects.
Recife is a beautiful city...
Recife is one of the oldest cities in Brazil and one of the ten biggest, with nearly 4 million people living in its metropolitan area. It has a beautiful coast line, with tall buildings and clear green ocean. Recife is also one of the most multicultural cities in Brazil, with very authentic costumes, food, dances, music and art. The people here are considered very warm and welcoming, so it’s not hard to fall in love with the city. To learn more about Recife and its culture, you may watch the following video (in English): http://youtu.be/i26DMY1f5do
...But is also full of contrasts
While there are areas in the city where the Human Development Index (HDI) is comparable to countries like Switzerland, in other areas the HDI is comparable to countries in Africa, like Ghana and Uganda. Sometimes the distance between the two scenarios is as small as one football field. Aiesec in Recife works closely with NGOs that help the communities in need, in the attempt to bring development and hope to those communities. We are looking for EPs who share this vision and want to come here to develop the city and themselves.
What does Aiesec Recife offer? • Good TN Takers (NGOs or Schools), that understand the value of the projects; • Accommodation (more details in the following pages); • Airport pick-up; • One meal per day, while at work (this will be provided by the NGO); • Support from the ICX team (developing the project, getting to know the city, solving problems, etc); • Opportunities to engage with other EPs and Local Committee members; • Opportunities to take part at LC activities, such as conferences and workshops.
Projects and general topics • If you are interested in coming to Recife through Aiesec, the first thing you have to do is read the TN description. We work with several different projects, so it is important that you understand the job description for the project you are applying for. • The projects usually last 6 weeks. The first week will involve cultural preparation and getting familiar with the working place and the reality of the community. • Each TN Taker has different and specific needs. We expect you to be sensitive and pay attention to those needs and act proactively to do the best work you can towards helping them. Also, you must be adaptable to very different realities - this is the only way to trully immerse yourself into the project and to make a positive impact on the lives of the people you will be working with. • We ask our EPs to pay a TN Fee of US$ 60 (~ R$ 120). As Aiesec is a non-for profit organization, this fee covers the costs of the TNs (MC fees, transportation and contract costs, etc). By applying to one of our projects, you agree to pay this fee at the beginning of your project. If you decide to do a second project in Recife, this fee will be applied again. • Public transportation might be a little challenging in Recife, like in every other big metropole in developing countries. It’s normal for people in Recife to live far away from their workplaces, and take 1 hour or more to get to / come from work. You might have to take more than one (possibly crowded) bus to get to your project. Bus tickets cost around R$ 2,15 (US$ 1). • If you choose to eat out, you can get a meal for around R$ 20, which might get expensive if you do it regularly. To learn more about living costs in Recife, you may visit this website: http://goo.gl/HHOi4X
Accommodation • Aiesec Recife provides free accommodation for all EPs for the duration of the projects. You might stay in a host family, single host, hostel or in the NGO, if they have guest rooms. And it’s possible that we only know which one right before your arrival. • If you arrive prior to the start date and/or leave after the end of your project, you will be responsible for paying for your accommodation. Usually, though, host families agree to host the EPs for a little longer (both before and after the project), but we can’t guarantee that. If needed, you may turn to cheap or even free options, such as hostels or Couchsurfing. • Aiesec Recife can’t ensure that you will live close to work, as said before, or close to downtown, to the beach or other key places to visit. We can’t ensure that you will live in a favored area of the city either. You might live in the same community will be working in - therefore, a poor community. • We embrace the diversity. Aiesec Recife has no distinctions of host families and we can’t promise any kind of family configuration. You may live with a traditional, full family or in a single host, for instance. There’s also no distinctions of any kind, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, religion, income or social status. • Aiesec Recife can’t ensure that you will have amenities such as a private room, wi-fi, air conditioning or any other in your host. Our local office has wireless internet and you are welcome to use it if you need. • The EP must follow the rules of his/her host place, such as maintaining the order, asking for permission before bringing someone else, participating in household chores with others living with you, using suitable garment at home, respecting the manners of acting and speaking, and any other rules explicit by the host.
Accommodation • Hosts are not responsible for your feeding. The two of you may come to terms about cooking and/or sharing spendings on food. • Aiesec Recife may change the EP to another host, if he or she is in any kind of discrimination. However the EP may lose their right for accommodation if he/ she violates any policies stated by the host, such as breaking internal code of conduct or any other ethical, religious or cultural norm. If this is the case, Aiesec Recife would have no obligation of providing another host or accommodation. • Aiesec Recife is not responsible for any stolen or lost objects. If something like this happens inside the living place, Aiesec will offer assistance to solve the problem, but will not be liable for any eventual costs. • Living in a Host is part of your experience and, therefore, you are responsible for making the best out of it. If you are in a host family, we recommend that you spend some time with them and engage to their daily lives. Give yourself the change to get to know them and you might get yourself a loving and welcoming family far from home.
Final Thoughts • Traveling through Aiesec is not the same as traveling through a regular exchange agency. The purpose of the Aiesec Exchange is primarily to change lives: your own and of the people you get to interact with. You might find yourself in a very different situation to what you are used to, and even different to what you expected. So try to keep an open mind to the opportunities you are given and make the best of them. You will be the most benefited from this posture that we can assure. • Be proactive to act towards making the change happen - in your own life and in your project. Be open to the cultural and social differences you will face. • Remember: we are a team. At Aiesec, we only work to promote experiences like this, so we are as much interested as you are in the success of your experience. So if you are having problems, talk to us. We will try our best to solve them with you. • If we all work hard enough, we can change lives. We can change realities! And there’s nothing more fullfilling than that. So what are you waiting for? Are you ready to have the best and most impactful experience of your life? Warm regards, Aiesec Recife & ICX Team :)