O testemunho No. 2 do Moka

So no one told you life was going to be this way?

[in a somber singalong of the Friends theme song]

As I am approaching my 26 years on this delicate planet, I start to realize more and more how chaotic my approaches, opportunities, and behavior in different situations are. As much as I still find it harder and harder to deal with humans and not make mistakes, I am finding that there is no place for me to perfect my stance on life other than Lisbon and Portugal.

So hi! It’s me again! Coming at you after a rollercoaster start of 2023. Actually, for the most part, life has been fulfilling. Let’s start with the headline: I am no longer a volunteer at SPEAK. Yup, that can happen and has happened. Like any relationship in life, I found out that I am not a good fit for the organization. They have a certain approach to implementing projects that made me and they suffer to the point that it was best for everyone to sever ties. It was not the best thing that could happen to me, but it certainly made me realize more about what I want and what I am trying to avoid. I am very grateful that the folks at Spin have embraced me as a member of their team and that I have been given another chance to continue my life here in Portugal among amazing people and a welcoming environment.

Otherwise, as part of SPEAK’s mission, I have organized a few language exchange meetups in Almada and met very lovely people from different nationalities! And on a personal level, I have made trips to Marrakech, Valencia, and several cities in Italy with friends! Being in Morocco was actually my first time in another Arab/African country and I couldn’t have picked a better place to visit. The only problem was how different the Arabic they spoke there from the one I have learned all my life. Do you know these videos on TikTok where people make fun of how fast Arabs speak and how weird Arabic might sound? That’s Morrocan Arabic right there. The struggle was real. And Italy? I can’t even begin to tell you about the food and history. Molto fantastico!

The next steps in my journey are to work on my project in Lisbon and do more volunteer work. I already have some ideas in mind that I want to work on, so I will leave that as “to be continued…” until my next testimony. See you soon, whether in Portugal or on another page of the Spin blog. 

Moka