In Brazil there are probably no shops selling hearing aids. Whoever does not hear it well when a Brazilian is in conversation around a table, is probably completely deaf. Brazilians are just very loud. But the good thing is that they are as friendly as they are loud, so it's a good compromise, in restaurants, in shops, on the street. About the street: yes, there is petty crime and pick-pocketting in the cities, in Brazil like anywhere else. And, yes, homelessness and drug addiction are most often at the origin, ... like anywhere else in big cities. However, there is no reason to shun this wonderful, diverse and friendly country for its 'security issues', which you can largely resolve yourself by simply not wandering off into certain ill-reputed corners and by not flashing wealth, a relative concept anyway. So, do not deprive yourself of the Brazilian experience, which is fascinating beyond imagination, be it for nature at the Iguaçu waterfalls in the south, the Lençóis dunes in the north or the Pantanal jaguars in the west, or be it for the enchantment of Rio de Janeiro or the quaint colonial squares of São Luís and the magic of Salvador. For now, 'digitalmente Bemvindo' in Brazil, just a click away.