*Disclaimer: IVHQ no longer works with Iko Poran*

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP rang my alarm each morning at 8 AM. Shower, breakfast, bus. Project.

My mornings began playing soccer (i.e., 'futebol' in Portuguese) for two hours with the children in the comunidade I worked in. This was to avoid melting in the pleasant, but blistering Brazilian sun during the Summer. Fast forward: the last 2.5 hours of each day were spent teaching English to eager young minds in a community with a lack of educational structure.

What was the best part of each day? It was the seeing the smiles on the faces of the children and young adults as they proved to themselves that they COULD learn to speak English. One word at a time; one sentence at a time...they learned.

Rio de Janeiro is without a doubt different from anywhere else I have ever traveled. It is gorgeous, the people are beautiful and the fun never ends, but is important to stay street smart and listen to the advice from more experienced peers in order to adequately navigate the streets of the sometimes dangerous and unpredictable streets of this city.

Just as in any city, it is important to stay focused, know where you are going and to speak the native language. It is not imperative to be fluent in Portuguese prior to arriving in Rio, but it sure helps to know basic words and phrases.

Thinking about volunteering or studying abroad in Rio? DO IT! The experience will forever change you and the memories will last a lifetime.

-Michael

*Disclaimer: IVHQ no longer works with Iko Poran*

I don't know who wrote the other two reviews, but they are a little bit generous in my opinion. I would say that I have had a really nice time in Rio on my weekends and evenings, but the program that I signed up to do didn't exist, so I ended up having to regroup and go with the flow, and teach English instead. The comment about the houses is really weird to me because, being that I am pretty low maintenance about living conditions I would say that a house coated in three layers of mold is not nice. The meal that they promise is really just some bread and maybe jam or something. Expect to buy all your own meals.
The money that is supposed to go back to the projects doesn't get seen by those who need it, which means if you want any supplies for your activities you can expect to pay for them out of your own pocket and those who run the Rio project get really aggressive if you ask them about this issue. They are incredibly unprofessional.
Please keep in mind that IVHQ has many projects around the world and the net work with many different organizations. I am only speaking on be half of the Rio trip.

*Disclaimer: IVHQ no longer works with Iko Poran*

IVHQ in Rio is a very unique experience. You will not only get to see the favelas in a personal sense, but you will also get to have a lot of fun. The volunteer house community is close and going out in Lapa, or Ipanema, or whereever is common. Rio isnt the safest of cities, but the staff will help you to stay safe with some good advice.

*Disclaimer: IVHQ no longer works with Iko Poran*

I volunteered with Iko Poran's Carnaval Prep Program, which was a really great time. I helped a samba school produce their costumes and other decorations for their floats. It consisted of a lot of cutting and glue-gunning which isn't the most fun, but with that came great social interaction with my fellow co-workers, who were all locals. We taught each other phrases, exchanged music, and shared laughs. If you are planning to do this program, I would suggest you do it only if you are staying for Carnival. That way, you actually see your work come to life.

Iko Poran's volunteer house was really nice too. It was big so there were so many people to get to know -- giving you ample opportunity to bond and build lasting connections. The Portuguese classes were helpful, however, if you're on a budget and feel conflicted about taking them, I'd suggest using the money for something else.

All in all, the program is awesome and I suggest it to anyone and everyone. The program coordinator is super down-to-earth and provides a great rundown of what to expect from the program/culture/country.

The only problem I had was leaving.