Brazil Guide

Forró

The variety in Brazilian dance culture shows the large cultural diversity inherent in this country. In Maceió you will find classes, dance bars and clubs with everything from samba to forró to classical ballet.  Fast Forward Language Institute’s dance program offers classes in Samba, Forró, and Rítmos Variados, offered back-to-back each afternoon. Thus, you may choose to do one, two or all three depending on your interests. As with the morning language classes, either group or individual dance classes are available.

Maceió’s nightlife is another essential component of our dance program. Encountering various Brazilian dance styles is just a question of walking around town and hopping from clubs to bars.
Fast Forward Language Institute organizes excursions to several typical dance bars and large concerts. The contacts you make in dance classes themselves will also lead the way to firsthand experiences in the dancing culture of Brazil.

Variety of fruits

Brazilian cooking is a multiracial fusion of tastes. Because of its tropical character, large amounts of sun and good soil, Brazil has a phenomenal variety of fruits and vegetables. Each student will become familiar with several types of Brazilian cooking as we go every week to typical restaurants from the different regions of the country.

Feijoada - Two times per month we go to a traditional restaurant that serves Brazil’s most famous dish: Feijoada. Before tasting this historic and exotic food, the students learn a little of its history and can see its preparation in the restaurant.

Founded in 1522, Marechal  has the largest collection of sacred and religious art in the state. The city is famous for its baroque-style colonial homes from the 16th Century and for its strong musical tradition. After visiting the city, we continue our trip at Gunga Beach.

One of the main gastronomic centers of the Northeast, Massagueira has the largest quantity and diversity of restaurants in the state. After the beach we go to this little town to experience their delicious cuisine, situated in a beautiful setting at the edge of a lake.

Constructed during the first decades of the 19th century, the building now operating as the Théo Brandão Museum is one of the most fascinating in Maceió. Almost destroyed by the effects of time, the building was renovated and today holds a large collection of objects representing the culture and folklore of the Northeast, primarily Alagoas.

Brazil is a country known worldwide for its spectacular diversity of fruits. So that our students can know and taste several of our tropical fruits, we organize a trip to the public city market once a month.

Once a month, we spend the afternoon on the train. Leaving from the central station, we pass by 9 districts and 3 towns outside of Maceió before arriving at the final stop. The entire trip is about 28 km long, with half of it running alongside the Mundaú Lake, giving the students the possibility to see the life of people living outside the city.

The name Alagoas is due in large part to the lagoons found in the area. Once a month we make a trip to Mundaú Lagoon, the largest one in the state. During this tour, the students learn about the flora and fauna from specialized local instructors.

Once a month we make a trip to Green Dream Beach, on the northern coast of the state.

On the way to one of the most famous beaches of the Northeast, we visit a look-out point with an impressive view of the coastline, sugarcane fields, palm tree plantations and the point where Roteiro Lake meets the ocean. After this stop, we arrive at Gunga Beach, chosen by tourism magazines as one of the ten most beautiful beaches in Brazil.

The Rei Pelé stadium is the largest in the state, with a capacity of 27,000. Every year, the stadium holds several major soccer events, such as the Champions’ Cup (Copa dos Campeões) and the Brazilian Championship (Campeonato Brasileiro).

On one team, the students represent the World select team. On the opposing team, the professors, employees and friends of the school represent the Brazilian select team. This recreational activity almost always takes on the intensity of the World Cup finals. In addition to making new friends and getting a good workout, we learn sports vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. After the match, we normally go to a bar to chat, drink some beers and most importantly relax and have a few laughs.