In-Person Brazilian Portuguese Classes and Conversation Club
Olá, meus queridos! Let's talk about our Portuguese Conversation Club and In-person Classes.
I know many of you have been eagerly waiting for updates about our in-person Brazilian Portuguese classes in Bristol. First of all, thank you for your patience and enthusiasm — it means the world to me! But, unfortunately, I have to share a little bit of not-so-great news: for now, I won’t be able to set up in-person classes.
Now, before you sigh and reach for your cup of tea, let me explain what happened and why this isn’t the end of our plans to connect and learn together in real life!
The Journey to Find a Classroom
When I first started looking into hosting in-person classes, I was so excited. I imagined us gathering in a cozy room, diving into Portuguese conversations, and laughing over games or tricky tongue twisters (yes, I would have made you try “três tigres tristes”) .
But the reality of setting up these classes threw a few curveballs my way:
Space Costs That Made My Jaw Drop:
I visited venues around Bristol, hoping to find the perfect spot. But when one place quoted me £200 per student per month just for us to use their space, I nearly choked on my pão de queijo. That would have made the course unaffordable for many of you, and that’s simply not the vibe I want for our community.
The Accessibility Challenge: As many of you know, I’m partially sighted and don’t drive. This makes certain areas of Bristol pretty tough for me to get to, especially in the evenings. I also thought about you— some locations were just too far from the city centre or tricky to reach, with safe parking. If it’s not easy for all of us, it’s not going to work!
The Friday Traffic Dilemma: My only available time slot was Friday evenings, but let’s be real — Bristol traffic on Friday is chaos. Between the traffic, weekend plans, and spontaneous happy hours, it felt unfair to ask everyone to brave the city just to make it to class.
I had an image of some students missing classes because they had planned long weekends with their family, or because they had been invited to a cool party on Friday night.
So, after weighing all the options, I had to admit that in-person classes aren’t a go for now.
But Wait! I Have a Plan B (and It’s a Good One!)
Instead of in-person classes, I’ve cooked up something even better: a hybrid Portuguese Conversation Club!
Here’s the deal:
Twice-a-Month Online Sessions: The idea is to meet online (Zoom Meetings) twice a month on Friday evenings with 90-minute, guided group sessions where we’ll chat about fun topics, learn idiomatic expressions, and practice speaking Portuguese with confidence. Think of it as the perfect mix of structure and playfulness! Being online allows us to meet people not only from Bristol, but from around the world.
Casual In-Person Meetups: After every few online sessions, we’ll meet up in Bristol for a relaxed, real-life gathering. You don't have to join but I wouldn't recommend you to miss it! Picture this: two hours of Portuguese practice face-to-face over coffee, drinks, or maybe even some brigadeiros. You’ll get to apply everything you’ve learned, meet your classmates and new people in person, and have a great time.
Why You’ll Love the Conversation Club
I get it — switching gears from in-person courses to a hybrid club might sound like a compromise. But trust me, this setup has some pretty amazing perks:
No Traffic, No Stress: You can join the online sessions from the comfort of your sofa anywhere (pajamas welcome). And the in-person meetups? We’ll pick times and locations that work for everyone who can attend.
Flexible and Fun: Life gets busy, but with two online sessions a month and optional meetups, you can fit learning into your schedule without feeling overwhelmed. And if you go for the Enhanced membership, you get to keep the notes for those sessions when you were not able to attend but you still wanted to know what we talked about.
Affordable Options: you can pay-as-you-go or choose a subscription, there’s a plan that works for you.
What to Expect
Online Sessions: Starting February 7th, 2025, we’ll meet online twice a month for 90 minutes. Each session will focus on:
A relevant topic to spark lively discussions.
Practical expressions, idioms, and colloquialisms to sound more natural in Portuguese.
Small-group conversations tailored to your language goals.
We can always change our conversation method and goals every time the group has a new amazing idea... Vamos seguir conforme a maré!
In-Person Meetups: Our first meetup is already pencilled in for February 28th, 2025, at 5:30 PM. We may change it if the group finds a more suitable option. The exact location? Well, we’ll decide that together during the online sessions as well — it’s all about collaboration!
How to Join
Here’s how you can get involved:
Choose Your Plan:
Pay-As-You-Go: £12.80 per session.
Online Subscription: £20/month for two sessions and their session notes.
Enhanced Subscription: £30/month for online sessions, all notes, and free entry to in-person meetups.
Reserve Your Spot: Spaces are limited to keep the groups interactive, so don’t wait too long!
Mark Your Calendar: Let’s make 2025 the year you finally nail that Portuguese small talk.
Ready to Join the Fun?
Whether you’re an intermediate learner looking to boost your fluency or an advanced speaker wanting to stay sharp, this club is for you. Let’s keep the momentum going, learn together, and build a fantastic Portuguese-speaking community right here in Bristol or anywhere else you are.
So what do you say? Are you in?
Let’s make learning Portuguese as fun, flexible, and fabulous as possible!
If you have any questions or suggestions, I am always truly happy to hear what you have to say. So leave a comment or send me a message in English or in Portuguese, then we can get some extra practice there as well.
I hope to see you online and in-person soon!
Até mais
Edna Allen
Opmerkingen