O Testemunho da Alice

‘I find myself writing this final reflection in my last month here. These nine months have flown by: it feels like just yesterday that I arrived in Lisbon, and at the same time, I feel like I have lived every moment to the fullest. It has been an intense, full of life.

This experience has enriched me in every way, both professionally and personally. I know that leaving this place—especially the school where I worked—will be very difficult. I have contributed, even in a small way, to the growth of these children, and for almost a year I have been part of a team of educators who welcomed me with open arms from the very beginning.

I will deeply miss the life I have built here, a life that, in some way, has become home.

I remember the first week: it was very challenging. I was afraid of not being up to the project, of not finding people who were like me. And yet, shortly after, everything became so simple and natural.

I had the opportunity to visit much of Portugal, a country that never stops surprising you. I had the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture and I’ll be taking home a bit more knowledge of Portuguese (even if I can’t say I’ve fully learned it 😊). I lived in a city I found truly beautiful. Lisbon has so much to offer, and it’s special to experience it not just as a tourist, but to really live it—gradually making once unfamiliar places feel like your own.

I stepped out of my comfort zone, and I feel that I have gained a wealth of experience that only traveling can give. But above all, it is the people you meet who make these experiences truly special—their impact is something that often leaves you speechless.’