Brazil is the largest country in South America and the
fifth largest in the world. It borders on all but two
countries in South America and offers the world’s
highest levels of animal and plant biodiversity. Its complex
blend of people, landscapes and cultural tradition is
a world unto itself.
The Amazon, the world’s largest tropical rainforest,
sprawls across a chunk of Brazil roughly the size of the
continental United States. It contains vast uncharted
jungle, huge rivers and tens of thousands of birds and
animal species. South of the Brazilian Amazon lies the
Pantanal, a vast area of flooded swamp land that offers
the best chances for seeing jaguar, tapir and other large
mammals. Then there is Iquazú Falls, the tremendous
plunge of water that marks the intersection of Brazil,
Argentina and Paraquay.
The TEFL program is located in Rio de Janeiro, one of
the most beautiful cities in the world and known to Brazilians
as the “Cidade Maravilhosa.” Although Rio
is famous for its festive atmosphere, it is also headquarters
to some of Brazil's largest national and multinational
companies. The city lies between Guanabara Bay, the legendary
beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon, and tropical
rain forests of Rio’s surrounding mountains.
The school is located in the heart of downtown Rio and
is an easy walk from the historic center and a variety
of theaters, museums, cafés and restaurants. The
school is a short bus-ride away from the gorgeous shores
of Copacabana, where language students can volunteer to
teach English to children in the hillside favela communities.
English teachers are in hot demand in Brazil, which boasts
a hundred or more private language schools.
Rio comes to a virtual standstill during Carnaval season
in February or March as parties, dancing, and the Samba
music take over the streets. At the Sambodromo, a specially
designed stadium for school parades, you can watch elaborately
and scantily dressed participants sway and jump to the
beat of Samba. Rio's relaxed atmosphere, beautiful beaches,
and friendly people make this city an unforgettable experience
you can't miss, and a perfect place to learn Portuguese.