O testemunho no. 2 da Mikk (SPEAK)

I have been in Portugal for 7 months now and I have been enjoying the different lifestyle experience very much. Here is different culture: people are more socialising, work-culture is more freestyle and there is a lot of beating around the bush, but having fun at the same time situations. For example I have seen that everybody is out at the daytime not doing work and enjoying their coffee. They do the same in the morning and always have these coffee breaks outside the office in the sun. That is cool, but at the same time I am always wondering are they not hungry. They start morning with coffee and sometimes eat melons and apples in the lunch time. I would starve if I was like this. :D

But as for socializing aspect, I am really impressed! People are really friendly, helpful, supportive and also it is much easier to make friends out of nowhere. That is because the culture is international. When you are in a centre, yes sure some can argue that it was so much better 10 years ago when it was mostly Portuguese people in Bairro-Alto and so on, but now it is even better in my opinion. If the culture has only local people, then it will be difficult to make connections due to the language barrier. International environment brings more friends, happiness and cause to stay so much more than only local people. As for Portuguese people I only have one good friend so far and that is my mentor. It is difficult to approach them, but when you do, the results are usually really nice. Same as Estonians hahah. Much sun helps a lot too, but sometimes there is even too much of it. Would personally like some rain sometimes.

As for the language, I can understand the basics now, but not being able to understand many conversations and I am not fluent in the language. I have no problem to order anything on the restaurant and that is the most important.

I am going to leave after 8 months of my project however, because the future is not that good in here. It is almost impossible to have any savings with this high prices for rentals and low salaries. There are more reasons why I am leaving, but from what I have seen so far, it is great place to retire, but you would have to spend a lot of your time when you are young that otherwise can be put under your career. And that is one downside that I felt through my experience. 

O testemunho final da Perrine (Crescer a Cores)

 Oi gente,

Time for me to say goodbye (for now) to this little piece of paradise called Lisbon.

It's been 10 months that I've been living in the beautfiul city of lisbon and now because of my studies, unfortunately, I will have to leave LX a little earlier than expected. 10 months of making new friends, building relationships, discovering portugal, learning portuguese, learning about portuguese culture, trying new food and drinks, trying new sports, falling in love and just living life.

Since my first days I fell in love with this city and its atmosphere. Lisbon gave me experience, lisbon made me grow, lisbon made me believe in my dreams, lisbon helped me realise what I want in life, lisbon makes me happy.

I am so happy and grateful that I made the decision to move to lisbon in fall of 2020, I couldn't be happier about my ESC experience and everything that came with it.

I must say that it also wasn't just all good experiences, since my work did not fullfill me personally and due to other reasons sometimes but all in all I had an amazing time and I would recommend to everyone to go abroad and take this opportunity that is given to us ! Working as a volunteer is a very special experience and can be extremly challenging or also be the most chilled thing you ever did in your life, you just have to try. I already did two voluntary services and it won't be the last one. Being abroad volunteering, meeting new people from all over the world with different cultures different life experiences and views on life is one of my favourite things ever. You feel part of a community that wants to do good, to give back in some way and just tries to give joy. I won't forget all the support, advice, strength we all shared in good as in hard times.

Thank you European Solidarity Corps for making these experiences possible, thank you to my collegues at Crescer a Cores who open heartly welcomed me and gave me the chance to discover this workfield. Thank you to all the lovely people I met allong my way. Thank you for strangers becoming friends, for friends becoming family.

Beijos. Perrine