Fees & More

• Non-Member: $250
• Member: $225*

*An active IDESST membership is required to qualify for the discount. If you would like to submit a new member application, and further support IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center, click on the following link. Applications must be approved by our Board of Directors before you can be an active member and qualify for the member discount. Click here to go to our Membership page.

• Class size limit. Each class level will be limited to 20 students. Register early!
• Wait list. There will be a wait list for each class level. Students on the wait list will be notified of their status prior to the start of the first class
• Minimum number of registered students per class. Please be aware that if a minimum number of registered students is not reached for any of the class levels, the class may be cancelled for the semester. 
• Switching class levels. If a student thinks that a class is too easy or too difficult, they will be allowed to switch class levels through the 2nd class. 
• Late registration. Late registration will be allowed only through the 3rd class. Registration will be closed after the third class. 
• Make-up classes or credit are not available if a student joins class after the semester has started or if a student misses a class. In the event the instructor misses a class, a make-up class will be scheduled.
  

Course Material

All course material will be provided by the instructors using Google Docs, an online collaboration tool. Students enrolled in a class will receive an invitation to join Google Docs which will give access to all course materials. Detailed instructions for using Google Docs will be given by the instructor during class.

Zoom

All virtual classes will be conducted using Zoom, a video conferencing software that allows group video sessions and screen sharing using a computer's built-in video camera and microphone. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that their equipment meets the system requirements to attend a virtual class using Zoom, including compatible hardware, software, telecommunications equipment and internet service.

The Zoom desktop app is available for Windows and macOS and the mobile app is available for Android and iOS, but we recommend using a computer for class instead of a mobile phone.

GET ZOOM

Go to the Zoom website to sign up for a Free Zoom Account and download the desktop software.

TEST ZOOM

You can test your internet connection by joining a Zoom test meeting.

LEARN ZOOM

Never used Zoom? Check out their support page to learn more about Joining a meeting

To maximize the security of the virtual classroom, all classes will require an entry link and a password, both will be provided in an email prior to class. A Waiting Room will also be utilized where the instructor will admit you to the class.

Virtual Classroom Guidelines

Arrive on time - Please be ready to start class on time. Late arrivals can be distracting to a class in progress. If you arrive late be sure you are on mute.

Participate - This is a collaborative class and participation is expected. Be prepared to be on camera and make sure your name appears with your image.

Position your camera properly - If possible position your camera at eye level and have good lighting coming from in front of your face, not from behind you.

Master the mute button - Mute yourself except when you are speaking or if your instructor asks you to unmute.

Be aware of your background - Avoid distracting backgrounds or activities in the background. If changing your physical background is not possible, consider using a virtual background or blur your background. Remember, nothing is private online!

Raise your hand - Please respect your classmates. One person speaks at a time.

Use chat - Ask questions on chat. Answer questions on chat. Share thoughts on chat. But try not to abuse chat and avoid using all caps - no need to shout. 

Our Instructors

Margarida Castela 

Margarida is a native speaker from Castelo Branco, a small town in the centre north of Portugal. She studied Languages, Arts, and Cultures at the Universidade de Lisboa. She has been living in the U.S since 2011 and moved to the Bay area to pursue a Masters in Humanities. She has always loved studying  languages and cultures, and in that process, became fascinated with her own language, Portuguese! She has been teaching Portuguese since 2014, and she hasn't stopped since then.

Margarida joined IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center in 2017, where she has been teaching all levels of Portuguese to both children and adults. She understands how difficult and frustrating it is to learn a language, and she is here to both support and challenge you. With Margarida as your instructor, you can expect to be encouraged to speak from the very beginning, and to have fun exploring Portuguese culture.

We are honored that Margarida continues to teach Portuguese for IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center.

Rita Melo-Nazareno

Rita is a native Portuguese speaker from Lisbon, the beautiful capital of Portugal. She is a pharmacist by training and earned two Doctorates: a PharmD at the College of Pharmacy in Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal and a PhD in Immunology at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, in the US. In addition to Science, Rita is passionate about helping the community, sponsoring children in need and teaching Portuguese.

Rita works for the Pharmaceutical Industry and, when she is off work, she likes to be involved with the Portuguese community in the U.S. Rita has been teaching Portuguese since 2011 and has helped many students since then. Some of them successfully moved to Portugal for work or happily retired there, while others are now able to speak fluent Portuguese with their friends and family,  and others successfully expanded their businesses to Portugal and have thrived. With a proven record of successful stories, Rita likes to give back to the community and is well positioned to help you achieve your learning goals and immerse you in this friendly and fun culture!

We are excited to welcome Rita to the IDESST Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center as a new instructor this semester. 

Need More information?

If you can't find answers to your questions, send any inquiries to our Language Program Administrators.

Student Testimonials:

" This class was really great and allowed me to connect to my Portuguese heritage. The teacher was very helpful and created a fun learning environment. I will definitely continue my Portuguese language journey at IDESST.

— K. ANDERS

"We tried an “immersion” class in the city where the instructor only spoke Portuguese and we floundered the entire time. So glad we found the Zoom class offered by IDESST. We loved our instructor Margarida who made learning fun and practical. After 15 weeks I had already learned a ton but was left wanting more! Looking forward to the fall session.

— L. GEOFFROY

" As many others have done, I had to cancel my summer trip to Portugal. Margarida’s ZOOM class enabled me to have a "Portuguese Experience” and learn some language skills that will help when travel opens. It’s a great time to learn a language and Margarida does an excellent job teaching and making it a fun experience. It’s also very hard to find a European Portuguese teacher, so no matter where you live you can participate. Can’t wait for Fall semester!

— S. SIMAS

" I have yet to encounter a classroom environment in which I can learn a foreign language as quickly and as excitedly as I do in the classes at IDESST.

— A. SCHUT

"The class is connecting me to my childhood, where Portuguese was spoken and how different generations of our family were able to gather and communicate.

— J. BOCK