Is it necessary to know Spanish/Portuguese in order to get around? And is safety a big issue or is that just media hype?

Considering going to both cities next year for Afro Colombian Day (with a visit to Palenque) and Black Awareness Day (in Brazil).

Nothing happens on Black Awareness Day...

Whether or not something happens doesn’t really matter to me

Just want to be there around that time since I heard the weather is nice in November too

Biggest myth of travel is that you need to know the local language/have a common language. Of course it helps, but for a short & touristic stay, basic phrases (please & thank you type stuff), research (where you want to go, know the names of dishes), gestures, & patience will get the job done - and that’s assuming the person you’re dealing with doesn’t know any English themselves.

Although it’s worth noting that Spanish and Portuguese are relatively easy for English speakers and you could definitely get to a decent level, where you can maneuver as a tourist & have basic conversations, within a year.

dont say this if you haven't traveled to rio

you will struggle if you dont know the language.

I did everything with Google Translate there, just be sure you have an internet connection

not knowing the language shouldn't be a reason to not visit a country. I agree with that but using translator all day every day gets tiring mentally and physically.

you'll miss out on a lot of great things in rio from a social stand point when you don't understand the language. Brazilians are very social people. Also, as a foreigner you will be treated differently, especially if you are black and most times that is bad. Even worse we you have to pull out the translator every second every moment.

I will say rio is the best city in the world for black expats.

I agree, just think it kinda depends on how long you're staying