Step back in time on the cobblestone streets of Parati.

Parati (also spelled Paraty) is a historic coastal town in the state of Rio de Janeiro, first settled by the Portuguese in 1667. Its old churches and cobbled streets, coupled with nearby forests, waterfalls, islands, and the emerald-green sea, attract tourists seeking a mix of cultural and environmental experiences. This gateway to the past is one of the most charming sites on the Brazilian southeast coast.

Parati grew in the 18th century as the key port for shipping out gold mined in Minas Gerais. When shipments in nearby Rio began to attract the attention and ambition of pirates and privateers from rival European powers, the Portuguese began using Parati as their safe port for getting their gold to Lisbon. Together with Ouro Preto, the town was part of the Royal Road (Caminho Real or Caminho do Ouro, Gold Road), the colonial export route for gold. It was also an obligatory sleep-over stop for travelers between Rio and São Paulo until the late 1800s, when the inner road was opened. Parati was temporarily forgotten, stalled in time, away from the region's "progress"—or disfiguration. In the 1970s, it was rediscovered and its old-fashioned charm was celebrated as a popular tourist destination.

Visitors explore the historical center of Parati by foot (cars are prohibited), where walking has to be done at a leisurely pace due to the irregular rounded cobblestone pavement of its streets. Horses and carts are a very common sight in Parati and are frequently used all around the city.

The Casa da Cultura de Parati (Culture House) occupies a magnificent mansion built in 1754 and holds a permanent exhibition on local history and culture, and periodic cultural events. On the same street one finds the Teatro Espaço, home of the renowned Puppet Theater.

For more information about Parati, check http://www.paraty.com.br/iindex.asp.

This month join a bate-papo, learn forró, or enjoy movie night.

Brazilian Movie Night—Friday, May 29 from 7-9pm
Brazilian Movie Night is an opportunity to practice Portuguese while watching great Brazilian movies—popcorn included! After the movie we will have a group discussion. We hope you can make it.

For this coming event we will show the drama Casa de Areia (House of Sand), directed by Andrucha Waddington.

Aurea is brought to the northern Brazilian town of Maranhão by her insane husband Vasco, who suffers from delusions that the barren land may be profitably farmed. A calamitous turn of events leaves Aurea, now pregnant, and her mother Maria alone in the desert in a house full of sand. They eventually find friendship and food through Massu, who lives at a quilombo (a self-sustaining society originally formed by escaped slaves). Aurea spends decades hoping to move back to the city, while her anguish and despair slowly turn into acceptance of her fate.

The movie is in Portuguese with Portuguese subtitles. This is meant to encourage Portuguese students to follow in the native language, as requested by several Meet-up members.

Tickets are $7 per person and are available to the first 10 registrants. Registration is required. For more information or to register, contact us at Events@BrazilStation.com or call 646-287-6645.

Brazil Station
304 Park Ave South, 11th floor (at 23rd St.)
New York, NY 10010
646-287-6645

Check out Neto's amazing installation and explore the fundamentals of capoeira.

2:15-3:15pm Maculele Treino e Roda (Maculele Dance Training & Roda)

3:30-4:30pm Quedas de Jogo (Take-downs within the Roda)

4:45-5:45pm Filme "Vadiação de Mestre Bimba" (Mestre Bimba film viewing)

6-7pm Roda e Graduação (Roda and Graduation)

Cost: Special all-day full package for $90. Per class rate is also available for $25. They will sell tickets at the day of the event.

For more information contact Professor Kiki da Bahia at kikiginga@yahoo.com or call 917-573-8384. Visit the group page on Facebook and Myspace, and search for "Grupo Ginga Capoeira" on Espaco Capoeira & Orkut. Check out the group's website at www.grupoginga.com.

71 Hester Street (Between Ludlow & Orchard Street)
Take the F Subway to East Broadway
New York, NY 10002

Brazil Station offers private and group lessons.

In May, we will have four new Group classes starting. Other groups may also be formed based on demand.

Música Brasil—Samba, Bossa Nova & MPB The Música Brasil course will touch upon a variety of Brazilian popular music from the 1960s, '70s and '80s within the context of political and cultural movements. Taught by a Brazilian musician, this course will reveal that in Brazil, “traditional” is not the opposite of “modern.” Students will gain insight into a culture that has succeeded in incorporating diverse ethnicities.

1. Música Brasil class for Portuguese speakers will start on Thursday, May 21 at 8pm.

2. N1B - Beginner Level 1 group class will start on Wednesday, May 20 at 6:15pm. It is for people with little or no knowledge of Portuguese.

3. N1BS - Beginner Level 1 group class for Spanish speakers will start Tuesday, May 19 at 8pm. It is for people fluent in Spanish and/or Italian with little or no knowledge of Portuguese.

4. N2B - Beginner Level 2 group class will start on Thursday, May 14 at 8pm. It is for people who have some knowledge of Portuguese.

5. N2BS - Beginner Level 2 group class for Spanish speakers will start on Wednesday, May 13 at 8pm. It is for people fluent in Spanish and/or Italian with little or no knowledge of Portuguese.

6. Traveling to Brazil? An evening Travel Class to cover the essentials will be held on Wednesday, May 27 at 6pm.

Brazil is an amazing country and you will enjoy your time there. Brazil Station created a Travel Class to maximize your trip to Brazil. This two-hour group class will help you understand what to expect and make Brazil more accessible. The class will be limited to 10 students to ensure plenty of interaction and attention.

You will learn the essentials about the culture and language including:
• What to expect when you arrive in Brazil
• How to travel inside Brazil
• Where to shop and find good entertainment
• When, where and how much to tip
• How to say important words and phrases

The Travel Class will have no more than 10 students to ensure plenty of interaction and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you want to register or have questions about this course, or any of our other Portuguese, Brazilian business or culture classes, please contact us at Info@BrazilStation.com or by calling 646-287-6645.

We offer Private and Semi-private classes from Monday to Saturday. You can start taking classes with us at any day, any time. In addition to our traditional Portuguese classes, Brazil Stationalso offers Portuguese for Spanish and Italian Speakers, Business Portuguese, and Travel Classes. We teach off-site classes and Corporate Language Education as well. Contact us at 646-287-6645 or Newsletter@BrazilStation.com to find the right programs for you!

Summer is coming (well, at least in the calendar) and it will be a chance for us to finally see the ocean again. We selected some "beach" words for this month

Mar - sea
Ondas - waves
Areia - sand
Castelo de areia - sand castle
Toalha de praia - beach towel
Canga - sarong
Biquini - bikini
Biquini fio dental - thong bikini
Sunga - Speedo
Maiô - swimsuit
Futebol de areia - sand soccer
À prova d'água / impermeável - waterproof
Prancha de surf - surf board

Será inverno no Brasil, mas o nordeste é sempre ensolarado. Veja algumas dicas caso você esteja planejando visitar praias brasileiras:

• Há pessoas vendendo vários tipos de comida e bebida são vendidos na praia
• Se você for mulher, não use maquiagem ou jóias na praia e não faça
  topless.
• Traga somente um pouco de dinheiro com você.
  
• Não se esqueça do protetor solar.
• Para ambos os sexos: roupas de banho são menores do que você está
  acostumado nos Estados Unidos e somente alguns homens usam bermuda.

• Expect vendors to sell all kinds of food and drinks.
• If you are a woman, don't wear makeup, jewelry, or go topless.
• Just bring a little cash with you.
  
• Don't forget your sun block.
• For both sexes, bathing suits are smaller than in the US and few guys wear long shorts.