[Stories & Tips]

Planning a trip to South America might be both exciting, yet frightening. You have never been to this foreign continent and have some questions or concerns. No worries, I have the answers (some of them at least!).

1. What is the language in South America?
-- English is not widely spoken, Spanish is the main language (duh~) as it is the official language throughout most of South America. Brazil is different though, with Portuguese being the official language of the country.

2. How much money should I plan to be used for tipping?
-- Wait staff and other workers normally make minimum wage, so tipping is usually 10-15%.

3. Is South America safe?
-- South America is known to have a lot of theft, especially when it comes to tourists. Tourists should have a copy of their passport numbers, as well as copies of all traveler cheques and personal items and store them in a safe place. Either have your partner hold these items, or email them to yourself so that there is record of a.) your money and b.) your identity.

4. Should I get vaccinations beforehand?
--You should plan on updating your vaccinations or getting more recent booster shots. There are diseases in South America. Prevent yourself from getting these diseases!

5. Is there anything that I should constantly carry?
-- BUG SPRAY! Protect yourself against the West Nile Virus and constantly spray yourself. Don't want those buggies to eat you right now.

6. Is it safe to drink the water?
-- South America has a big problem with water contamination so under no circumstances should you drink the tap water. Always drink the bottle water.