Olá, bom dia ALEGRIA! Yesterday we had an AIMA appointment. Tune in this morning for my review (or watch the replay, later). Whether you came here for the sun, the pastéis or the pace of life, sooner or later every one of us ends up at AIMA, clutching a folder and a senha (queue ticket). Today’s sheet, Nº 13: AIMA, is in the classroom. It has four phrases for the counter, including the one that will save you every time: “Pode repetir, por favor?” (Could you repeat that, please?) Over to you: what’s your AIMA story? The best tip, the longest wait, the kindest staff member? Boa sorte a todos! 🍀

Here's the 'Taking a Taxi' module as requested by @Lori Wong. Please share your lived experience of using this module in this thread 👇, where we can all benefit from your SWAT contact in the field 🤗 Lori Wong to @Carl Munson "One thing I’ve found helpful is to not put so much pressure on getting everything in Portuguese because that just stops me from saying anything (I have a limited vocab). So recently, I looked up something I didn’t know how to say with Google Translate, just to help me get something started, and I’d try saying the phrase, rather than using Google to say it. From there, sometimes I could continue in bits and pieces from what I know or remember. It’s a hodge podge, but one driver said I didn’t need much help speaking. It was nice to hear that, even if he was being kind - I had thanked him for helping me with the language." This, to me, is SWAT in action. @Lori Wong *S*howed up (with a little bit of vocab, memorised). *W*inged it, in the back of the cab! *A*dapted in real time and ... *T*alked, (and likely to do so again with that sense of success and the driver's enciuragement, affirmation and validation). 👏👏👏 NOTE THIS TOO: "...not put so much pressure on getting everything in Portuguese because that just stops me from saying anything" - 🙌

A general strike has been announced by the 2 union confederations (CGTP and UGT), and will take place next month (December), on the 11th. The government says there's no reason, as the new labor law hasn't been approved. The unions say they have to strike, because the government said they won't change their proposal.

Here is the exact 3-step stack I use to build vocabulary, practice conversational flow, and stay consistent without burning out: 1. Organize & Vault: Instead of keeping random vocabulary lists scattered everywhere, keep your study notes, phrase kits, and grammar rules structured in Notion so you have a clean single source of truth. 2. Immerse & Listen: Use YouTube to watch native content, train your ear to natural pacing, and break down real-world dialogues before you step out to practice. 3. Practice & Converse: Leverage OpenAI to simulate interactive roleplay scenarios—like ordering at a café or handling a government office visit—so you can practice speaking without the initial fear of judgment. The secret to fluency isn't memorizing textbooks—it's having a frictionless immersion pipeline so you spend zero time wondering what to practice next. If you have a specific language goal, a tricky grammar concept, or a practice roadblock sitting on your mind, drop it straight into Floment.ai. It instantly analyzes your current level and turns it into clean, step-by-step learning routines so you can stop second-guessing and actually start speaking.

Today's module is very important and it could save you a lot of money! We're off to the petrol station (the gas station, if you prefer) to show you how to put the right fuel in your tank ✅ Hint: in Portugal, diesel isn't called diesel... The crucial vocabulary and phrases are here. See also my chat with @Colin Ross-Jones this morning about the future of fossil fuels in Portugal, and what we might be driving in years (maybe even months) to come...