Would you like to learn Portuguese? Or maybe improve on
your existing knowledge of the language? You have just
taken your first steps towards broadening your horizons...
There is no better or easier way to learn a language than to live, eat and
breathe it ... and there is no better place to study than in
vibrant, beautiful Brazil!
Our Portuguese courses take place in
both Rio de Janeiro, near the beach, and Foz do
Iguaçu close to Brazil's borders with Argentina and Paraguay. You can also combine a Portuguese Course
with a any other project in either location. We will place you in the right course for your level and make learning a
language easy and fun!
Click here to
read a case study about Christina Homer during her Portuguese course in
Foz.
LEARNING PORTUGUESE
Complete
immersion in another culture is, without doubt, the fastest and most
effective way to learn a new language. You not only learn to speak a
language fluently, you also have the opportunity of learning about the
culture of the language and living and studying with likeminded people with
the same motivations as you.
Learning a
language may appear difficult at first when trying to learn by yourself or
in a segregated classroom at home. However, when you are living, working,
socializing and breathing a new language – you learn fast – and the whole
process is exciting, memorable and a lot of fun…. especially in Brazil…!!
There are
many benefits to learning a foreign language abroad. You can interact with
the local people and understand and appreciate the greater subtleties of a
culture, such as the local literature, music, art, and folklore.
You’ll
never regret studying a language abroad. It is an experience that will build
your character while helping you to achieve an impressive personal goal and
acquire skills that will help you to succeed in life.
... And it's an excellent addition to your CV
that might give you the edge of your competitors in a tough job market!
Learning Portuguese will help you interact with locals during
your stay in Brazil
ABOUT BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE
Portuguese is similar to Spanish on paper but
it sounds completely different to the ear. If you have an understanding of
Spanish already you will find it easy to adjust to written Portuguese and
you will be able to make yourself understood to local Brazilians, although
you will probably not be able to understand them! Once you start to learn
Brazilian Portuguese however it will be easy to transfer this knowledge to
Portuguese and on to Spanish. These languages are widely spoken around the
globe. Mastering this language is time well spent!
The
Portuguese spoken in Brazil differs from Portuguese in Portugal in terms of
pronunciation and certain vocabulary. When the Portuguese settled in Brazil
in the 16th century they encountered a diverse mix of languages of the
indigenous Indians as well as various idioms and dialects brought over with
the African slaves. The result was quite an extensively transformed spoken
Portuguese. Although the new generation will be different, currently not
many Brazilians speak English and a basic understanding of Brazilian
Portuguese is extremely handy!
The more
you can interact with the local people and culture the more rewarding your
travelling experience will be. Brazilian Portuguese is a beautiful language
with a passionate musicality to its rhythm.
Learning Portuguese will stand you in good stead for traveling around Brazil
after your placement. Pictured are the colourful streets of Catete, where
lessons in Rio are located
ABOUT THE LANGUAGE SCHOOL AND COURSES
IN FOZ DO IGUAÇU:
Views of the Iguaçu
falls, near to Foz do Iguaçu Travellers volunteers enjoying a meal out Foz
do Iguaçu, Brazil
You will be enrolled to
study Portuguese (Brazilian) within
an established Language School in the town of Foz do Iguaçu.
The language centre has an excellent
reputation and was established 15 years ago. Not only does it specialise
in teaching languages such as English, Spanish, andPortuguese but it also teaches the methodology of teaching languages.The committed and enthusiastic teachers are well
experienced in teaching languages and have undertaken specific courses to do
so. You will benefit from receiving lots of help both in and out of the
lessons from the very friendly and helpful staff.
Portuguese classes are normally held within
walking distance of your accommodation.
Most of the time your lessons will be during
the day on Monday to Friday, but it is possible that occasionally your
lesson times will vary slightly.Teaching revolves
around an intensive language program that utilizes innovative techniques on
a one-teacher to one-student basis. You will
receive individual tuition and lessons prepared especially for you.
INTENSIVE COURSES:
This course is aimed at people where the focus is purely on learning
Portuguese and in the quickest time possible. It is
perfect for those wanting to get an understanding of the language as quickly
as possible, before moving onto other projects. It consists of 20 hours of
lessons per week, but is not advisable for those of you
who want to combine one or more placements.
SEMI-INTENSIVE
COURSES:
The semi-intensive course gives a good middle
ground and offers the participant both the opportunity to have time in and
out of the class room. It consists of 10 hours of lessons per week,
providing a good spring board to learning whilst allowing you to remain free
to take part in other interests.
SUPPLEMENTAL
COURSES:
The supplemental course is perfect for those of you where learning a
language isn’t your first love but you would still like a few lessons to get
you started and give you more confidence in your new surroundings. The
supplemental course can be taken with any combination of projects and
consists of five hours of lessons per week.
Portuguese lessons are strongly recommended if you are a complete beginner
or if you are undergoing a teaching placement and want to improve your
Portuguese at the same time.
ABOUT THE LANGUAGE SCHOOL AND COURSES
IN RIO DE JANEIRO:
You'll be enrolled on a course
with a local language school located in the Catete district of central Rio,
just a 10 minute walk from your accommodation. The experienced and dedicated
teachers at this school are incredibly friendly and will go out of their way
to ensure that you have an enjoyable experience learning Portuguese in
Brazil!
Studying in Rio will also be a
fun cultural experience, as you absorb the Brazilian way of life from your
interactions with Carioca's!
Depending on your preferences,
you can take a course in a small group (no more than 8 students), or on a
one-to-one basis. If you are taking private lessons then you'll have the
opportunity for the course to be tailored exactly to your needs. Lessons
last one and half hours each and are taught through various methods,
including: talking, multimedia (video, CD's, internet), practical
activities, excursions and cultural trips!
Portuguese courses are available
to all levels, from beginner to advanced, and can be taken for a variety of
durations each week, from 5 to 20 hours. We recommend a minimum of 30 hours
of tuition (spread across several weeks) for concrete learning to take
place. Please speak to us for more details and prices of these courses.
Cultural visits to some of Rio's Museums and galleries will help you learn
Portuguese and interact with locals during your stay!
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Brazilians are passionate about their country - the national
flag is everywhere!
Teachers try,
where possible, to hold classes predominantly in Portuguese,
but most teachers are fluent English speakers and
will assist you in English if
or when you get stuck. Having the classes in held in Portuguese
helps to immerse you in the Brazilian language
and encourages the you to converse and gain
confidence in speaking Portuguese.
If you are doing another
placement in Brazil you may want to consider taking some Portuguese Lessons
as a supplement - even some basic knowledge will be beneficial to you during
your teaching assignment. For combination programmes, we will ensure that
your timetable is arranged to give you plenty of time in between your
different placements.
CERTIFICATION:
At the end of the course, you’ll receive a certificate issued by the
School, stating that you have attended the course, to which level, and the
duration in hours of the course you have completed.
Any student attending a course should ensure
to bring with them a good quality, compact dictionary that includes a
comprehensive Grammar tables. If you want to buy a phrasebook in preparation
for your trip, ensure it is a Brazilian Portuguese phrasebook and not
Portuguese.
TRAVEL AND SUPPORT
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
For Foz, you'll more than likely fly into
Sao Paulo, as this is the nearest international airport. From
there you can either fly to Foz do Iguaçu
or you have the option to take a comfortable bus/coach ride instead. The trip
takes about 12 - 14 hours and is an excellent way to see some of the country.
For Rio, you'll fly
into the international airport.
When you arrive, you'll be welcomed by
our local Organiser and introduced to the people you'll be living and working
with.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you
have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend
their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets
enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air
ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour
to get a changeable ticket.
We meet you at the airport regardless of whether you make
your own travel arrangements or not.
VISAS:. All requirements regarding visas will
be arranged by our office and the process of obtaining a visa will be made very easy for you.
We can also arrange your flight
dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling
around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!
To see what support we provide in our countries,
please read Support
and Backup
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in Brazil, please
click here
Prices
include
Accommodation and
breakfast while on your project,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
