Salvador is the oldest cities in Brazil and one of the ten biggest,

with nearly 3 million people living in its metropolitan area. It has

a beautiful coastline, with tall buildings and clear Green Ocean.

Salvador 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 see more about Salvador and

its culture, you may watch the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T49JuCrTtU

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 Salvador 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.

If you are interested in coming to Salvador 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 truly 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$ 50. 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 Salvador, this fee will be applied again.

Public transportation might be a little challenging in Salvador, like in every other big metropolis in developing countries. It’s normal for people in Salvador 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$ 3,00 (US$ 1,00).

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 Salvador, you may visit this website: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=Brazil&city=Salvador

AIESEC Salvador 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 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 Salvador 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 Salvador 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’re

also no distinctions of any kind, such as race, gender, sexual orientation,

age, ethnicity, religion, income or social status.

AIESEC Salvador can’t ensure that you will have amenities such as a private

room, Wi-Fi, air conditioning or any other fancy treat in your host. Related

to web connection, our local office has 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 permission before bringing someone in, 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.

Hosts are not responsible for your feeding. The two of you may come to

terms about cooking and/or sharing spending on food.

AIESEC Salvador 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 Salvador would have no obligation of

providing another host or accommodation.

AIESEC Salvador 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.

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 – which 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 fulfilling 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 Salvador & ICX Team :)