O testemunho da Alessandra

 

Only a little more than two months in Lisbon have passed, but my time here has already been packed with wonderful things!

They have not been the two best months to experience Lisbon - cold, everyone sick all the time, and a rain that never ends - but I was able to find a lot of beautiful people and places to warm my heart during this dreadful weather!

The city itself is beautiful, and does not lack things to do - concerts, dances, social centres, bars and pretty viewpoints - but my house for sure is the loveliest place, always full with the best people and the best friends I could meet.  I felt very welcomed from the first day, and I sadly had already said goodbye to some amazing folk, which I will miss - but all the new arrivals that come are always so nice! I was also very lucky to already have some friends here, which helped me have a lot of fun and do some very cool stuff around the city. 

But the reason I came here, the work at Spea, has been no less: why can't wait for the good season to travel all around and work closer to nature. I already learned so much about birds, in the office as well as in the field. I was lucky enough to spend some sunny days in Ria Formosa, Faro, and some other pretty reserves around here. Everyone is really nice to me and so experienced. I'm really happy to have this opportunity to learn from such a team, and challenge myself with new tasks. 

And another thing I’m so glad to be learning, and challenging myself with, is Portuguese! I never had the chance to learn another language apart from English, and I’m very happy to finally do it. I love the language, as a fan of Brazilian music, and now I’m discovering some really wonderful Portuguese music authors and genres too! Thanks to my passion I could  make a lot of progress in this little time - and I just enjoy studying and speaking it every time I can.

I can’t wait for the next months to be sunny and filled with lovely times and new discoveries about birds, Portuguese and, of course, myself and my future :)

O Testemunho da Gaia

 

I chose to start an ESC experience at a moment of real confusion: after graduating, I was full of questions and very few answers. I didn’t really know what to do with my future or which direction to take. The only thing I was sure about was my deep interest in the social and volunteering world. That’s why ESC felt like the most honest and natural choice I could make.  Now, just a few months in, I can say it was the right one.

I’m meeting incredible people and discovering beautiful realities, and living all of this in Lisbon, in the middle of summer, makes everything even more intense. The light, the colors, the warmth, the ocean so close, it all slowly gets under your skin. From the very first day, I felt welcomed. My flatmates, who are also Spin volunteers, made me feel at home right away, in a way I had never experienced before during my time abroad. Adapting was surprisingly easy and fast, built through late-night talks, shared laughs, and small daily rituals. We are all young, arriving here with different stories but the same desire to step out of our comfort zones, discover ourselves, and grow. Doing this together makes everything lighter, more real, and deeply human.

The working environment at Spin also struck me from the very beginning. It’s a lively, dynamic office full of energy and movement, where no days are the same. You can really feel the motivation to create, build, and give space to people. I know I’ll learn a lot here, not only practical skills, but also human ones, simply by being part of an organization that truly believes in what it does.

Overall, this experience is giving me something incredibly valuable: time and space to listen to myself. Without pressure or expectations. Sharing everyday life with people from all over the world, who are also trying to do their best for others, constantly pushes me to grow. Every conversation, every story, every difference becomes an opportunity to learn something new, both about others and indirectly also about myself.

For the first time, I’m experiencing the Erasmus+ program from a completely different perspective. Not as a university student benefiting from it, but from inside an organization that works daily on real, concrete projects. This has made me realize how lucky we are, as young people, to have so many opportunities to travel, learn and challenge ourselves.

 

Right now, it feels like things couldn’t be better. The people around me, the work we’re doing together, and the city itself create the perfect setting for all of this. Lisbon, with its slow pace, authenticity, and ability to make you feel at home, is doing the rest. I’m truly happy I made this choice because, without even realizing it, I’ve given myself six months of time to feel truly happy.

I know that many things will change along the way: the volunteers, the work, flatmates and friends. Every day will bring something new but if the beginning has been this welcoming, spontaneous, and exciting, I can’t wait to see what the rest of this journey will bring.