We Didn't Set Out to Build a Language School. We Just Couldn't Stop Talking.
Carioca Connection started because two people — one Brazilian, one American — sat down and had a conversation. And then another. And another. That's still what it is.
The Short Version
Alexia is from Rio de Janeiro. Foster is from South Carolina. They met, fell in love, and discovered that teaching Portuguese through real conversation was more effective — and more fun — than anything a textbook could offer.
What started as a podcast became a membership, a community, and a complete self-study library. Nearly a decade later, Carioca Connection is one of the most-listened-to Brazilian Portuguese podcasts in the world — and still just two people (plus Buddy, the dog) doing work they love.
The Longer Version
Foster moved to Brazil in his late twenties with barely any Portuguese. He took classes, memorized verb tables, and could pass a written test — but the moment a Brazilian spoke at normal speed, he was lost.
Then he met Alexia — a carioca who doesn't slow down, doesn't simplify, and doesn't believe in textbook Portuguese. She taught him by living: telling stories, arguing about music, explaining why you never say você in Rio when you can say tu or cê. She taught him the language the way Brazilians actually use it — messy, fast, full of slang, and impossible to learn from a book.
That dynamic — the Brazilian who teaches by living and the gringo who learns by asking — became the foundation of everything Carioca Connection is today.
What Started as a Podcast Became Something Bigger
In 2017, they hit record for the first time. No script. No plan. Just a real conversation between a native speaker and a learner, in Portuguese. That first episode became a podcast. The podcast became a library. The library became a membership. And the membership became a community of people from more than 140 countries who all share the same thing: they fell in love with Brazil and want to go deeper.
Today, the Carioca Connection Collection includes 400+ episodes, 10 seasons of vocabulary worksheets, a full foundations course, and weekly live classes. It's the most comprehensive real-world Brazilian Portuguese resource available anywhere — and it's still built by two people who sit down every week and talk.
Alexia
Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro. Alexia has over a decade of experience teaching Portuguese — not from a curriculum, but from culture, instinct, and a deep love for her language. She leads every episode, designs every worksheet, and runs every live class with warmth, humor, and the kind of energy that makes you forget you're studying.
She is the voice of Carioca Connection — literally and figuratively. Her approach is rooted in real life: she teaches you how Brazilians actually talk, including the slang, the shortcuts, the regional expressions, and the cultural context that no textbook covers.
When she's not teaching, she's probably cooking, listening to MPB, or arguing with Foster about the correct pronunciation of something.
Foster
Originally from South Carolina, Foster learned Brazilian Portuguese as an adult — the hard way. He spent years stuck between classroom Portuguese and real conversation before discovering that immersion, vulnerability, and a Brazilian partner who refuses to speak English were the real secret.
He built the systems behind Carioca Connection — the study tools, the membership platform, the workflows — and he brings the learner's perspective to every episode. He knows what it's like to freeze mid-sentence, to feel stupid, to plateau for months — and he talks about all of it openly.
Foster now lives in Porto, Portugal with Alexia and Buddy, their dog. He still learns something new from Alexia every week — and he still makes mistakes on the podcast so you don't have to.
Our Philosophy
Language is not a skill you acquire in isolation. It's a bridge between people, cultures, and ways of seeing the world. We believe learning Portuguese should feel like a conversation — not a test. That mistakes are how you learn. That culture and language are inseparable. And that the best teachers are the ones who remember what it's like to not know.
We're not an academy. We're not a startup. We're two people who care deeply about this language and the people who want to learn it. Every episode, every worksheet, every class — it's all built by us, for you.
"Aprende-se mais e melhor quando se faz com prazer." — Tom Jobim
By the Numbers
400+ episodes across 10 seasons
More than 500,000 downloads from more than 140 countries
Nearly a decade of weekly content, uninterrupted
Learners at every level — from complete beginners to near-fluent speakers
A Community That Feels Like Family
"The CC Club has been a fun way to strengthen my Portuguese skills. Above anything, it's made me more confident in speaking Portuguese with people that I don't know, which can be very intimidating. Alexia and Foster really care about improving their students' skills." — Ryan, CC Club Member
"When I first joined I was still really nervous about speaking in Portuguese and I was rehearsing phrases in my head before I spoke. Now I feel like I can speak with ease about most topics. Alexia and Foster are great at giving helpful tips, whilst giving lots of space to speak and try things out. CC Club has a fun and relaxed vibe, different from taking lessons." — Hannah, CC Club Member
Ready to Join Us?
📚 Self-Study — $240/year
The full Carioca Connection Collection. Study at your own pace.
Learn Portuguese the way Brazilians actually speak it — through the story of two people who live it every day.
Made with ❤️ by Alexia & Foster