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REVIEW OF THINGS TO DO
Review of Learn Portuguese at CCAA Bela Vista!,
a thing to do in
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Date of experience: Jun 13 '06 Author: Jema |
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“If you want to learn Portugese in São Paulo, you´d be foolish to go anywhere but here!” |
The CCAA-Bela Vista English/Spanish /Portugese school is without a doubt the best service and the best staff you´ll find in São Paulo. They´re incredibly flexible, will take wonderful care of you, and their prices are very fair (this coming from a shoestring traveller!). The school itself is located in a fantastic neighborhood, close to the heart of the city (Paulista Avenue), subway stops, a 24hr supermarket, and even a little Pousada. The classrooms are in a gorgeous, charming 19th century house with amazing stained glass windows and beautiful wood floors.
Our experience was unforgettable. We arrived in São Paulo knowing only the Portuguese we could slowly pronounce while reading from our phrase book and left a week later with strong base and an arsenal of português. Because of our time limitations, we took four hours of classes per day (two in the morning and two in the evening). Our teacher was completely fluent in English, and really flexible as far as our learning styles and desired content.
During our lunch breaks, we had the convenience of restaurants and a supermarket within a few blocks as well as the usage of the school´s computers and internet. The school was wonderful with helping us get to know the culture, from Brazilian coffee every morning to a trip to a per kilo lunch buffett that we never would have braved alone.
I can´t say enough wonderful things about this place. To get there without a map, take the metro to the Brigadero station (on the green line). You´ll be on Avenida Paulista. Then take Avenida Joaquim E. de Lima a few blocks up (McDonald´s on the corner) north. If you´re on the same side of the avenue as McDonald´s, then you´re on the north side. Go up to Joaquim de Lima until you get to Rua dos Franceses. You´ll pass a funky intersection with an eatery and a "farmacia" (pharmacy... sort of) on the corner. You know you´re going the right way if you walk past the pharmacy. The next funky intersection is Rua dos Franceses. About three houses down on the right is CCAA. It´s right across the street from a giant, upper class apartment complex complete with pond and huge Olmec-looking stone fountain. Enjoy!
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